NTU Asian School of the Environment

NTU Asian School of the Environment The ASE is an interdisciplinary school that integrates earth and environmental life science, ecology

03/05/2026

Urban growth is accelerating—but what are we losing in the process?

By 2050, cities across Southeast Asia are expected to expand rapidly—largely by converting forests and croplands.

Dr .hua ’s research highlights a critical trade-off:
👉 Urban expansion is driving significant carbon sink loss
👉 Land use change is increasing CO₂ emissions globally
👉 We still lack spatially detailed projections to fully understand these impacts

The bigger question:
How do we design cities that grow without erasing the natural systems they depend on?

Catch Dr Ronhgua's presentation at the Union General Assembly 2026:
🗓 Wednesday, 6 May 2026
⏰ 2:35pm

🔗 Link in bio for more faculty talks and sessions.

01/05/2026

What if the most dangerous earthquakes aren’t where we expect them?

We typically associate major earthquakes with plate boundaries.

But in the 20th century, multiple magnitude 8+ events occurred deep within the Eurasian Plate - far from those boundaries.

Dr Eyüp’s research on intraplate earthquakes challenges a key assumption in hazard modelling:

👉 In slowly deforming regions, faults can store more stress and slip further
👉 Older, colder rocks allow ruptures to pe*****te deeper
👉 Rare events are often underestimated by data-driven models

Areas considered “low risk” may still face high-impact, low-frequency events. To address this, new physics-based models are being developed to better predict earthquake size - especially where historical data is limited.

Catch Dr 's presentation at the Union General Assembly 2026:

Tuesday, 8 May 2026, 10:45am

Link in bio for more faculty talks and sessions.

30/04/2026

In the Mekong Delta, current sand extraction is estimated to be over 8× higher than sustainable levels.

But this isn’t just a construction issue.

Sand underpins everything—from buildings and roads to electronics. And when too much is removed:
👉 Riverbeds deepen
👉 Banks destabilise and erode
👉 Saltwater pushes further inland
👉 Freshwater security and communities are put at risk

As Dr Sonu’s research shows, excessive sand mining doesn’t just remove sediment—it reshapes entire river systems.

The bigger question:
How do we balance development needs with the long-term stability of the ecosystems we depend on?

Catch the presentation by Dr at the Union General Assembly 2026:
🗓 Tuesday, 5 May 2026
⏰ 2:00pm

🔗 Link in bio for more faculty talks and sessions.

EnvironmentalScience

29/04/2026

Across Southeast Asia, limited hazard data makes it harder to plan, model, and prepare for future tsunami events.

Dr Ryan proposes a modular, scalable framework to build a probabilistic tsunami inundation hazard database—starting from the southern coast of Java and expanding across the region. This will allow disaster risk reduction initiatives to:

👉 Move from fragmented datasets to a collaborative, region-wide system
👉 Enable adaptable modelling based on local resources
👉 Strengthen disaster risk reduction through better data

Catch Dr Ryan’s presentation at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2026:
🗓 Monday, 04 May 2026
⏰ 3:15pm

🔗 Link in bio for more faculty talks and sessions.

27/04/2026

40–50 years ago, peatlands were seen as land to be converted—mainly for agriculture. Today, we understand they are critical carbon stores and climate regulators.

Asst Prof Alexander Cobb explores a key challenge:
👉 Peatlands exist because of water—but that same water is under increasing pressure from agriculture, mining, and human demand.

From lowering water tables to regional hydrological disruption, the question is no longer just conservation—it’s how to manage interconnected water systems at scale.

Asst Prof .cobblestein will be convening a Peatland focused session at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2026:
🗓 Fri, 8 May 2026
⏰ 08:30–12:30

🔗 Link in bio for more faculty talks and sessions.

NatureBasedSolutions ClimateResearch SoutheastAsia Sustainability WaterManagement

24/04/2026

Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 is commonly used as a case study in storm surges - but is it a reliable example?

New research suggests it’s more complicated than that.

Prof. Adam D. Switzer and his team highlight critical localised hydrodynamic effects—from infra-gravity waves to coastal geometry—that current models don’t fully capture.

The implication:
If one of the most studied storm surge events isn’t as “typical” as we thought, how many of our risk models need rethinking?

Prof. Switzer will be sharing more at the Union General Assembly 2026
📅 11 May 2026, 11:45am

🔗 Link in bio for details on this and other faculty talks.

The past year has delivered meaningful environmental progress—renewables scaling, conservation wins, and stronger global...
22/04/2026

The past year has delivered meaningful environmental progress—renewables scaling, conservation wins, and stronger global frameworks. Big environmental wins are happening 🌍—but we’re not done yet.

Yes, renewable energy is booming.
Yes, species are recovering.
Yes, oceans are finally getting protection.

But here’s the reality:
⚡ We’re still emitting too much, too fast
🌳 Protecting nature isn’t the same as restoring it
💰 The money isn’t reaching where it’s needed most

We’re no longer asking if change is possible.
We’re asking: can we move fast enough?

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09/04/2026

When ASE undergraduate Jolie jolie learned about the Zanzibar yam - an invasive species threatening our local forest flora - she began her undergraduate research project in 2024 to try and uncover it's reproductive traits so that volunteer groups like Friends of Bukit Timah Forest can more efficiently clear out this species, and help preserve the flora (and fauna) of places like Bukit Timah, Dairy Farm, and Rifle Range Road.

Jolie hopes that her research can help other volunteer groups to manage this invasive species, and perhaps other and initiatives in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Big thank you to the folks from for sharing their experiences, and to everyone who made it down to the career seminar y...
19/03/2026

Big thank you to the folks from for sharing their experiences, and to everyone who made it down to the career seminar yesterday!

We'll be doing more career seminars in the coming months with various industry partners so stay tuned for more!

Tell us what specialization or what kind of industry partner you'd like us to feature again!

16/03/2026

What exactly does an 'Engineering Geologist' do? How does it impact our daily lives - especially in a heavily urbanized place like Singapore?

ASE alum Khoo Zhong Min shares with us her experience as an Engineering Geologist at in Singapore!

Join us on the 18 of Mar for our Seminar series, where we invite folks from Mott MacDonald to share their experiences with us in the industry!

Check the link in our bio to register now!

mottmacdonald

13/03/2026

Is it possible to make a positive impact on the environment as a 'consultant'? Or is it just paperwork in the office?

ASE alum Chew Xin Yi shares with us her experience as an Environmental Consultant at in Singapore!

Join us on the 18 of Mar for our Seminar series, where we invite folks from Mott MacDonald to share their experiences with us in the industry!

Check the link in our bio to register now!

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