Sir Peter Gluckman awarded Singapore’s highest science honour

The President’s Science and Technology Awards (PSTA) are the highest honours bestowed on exceptional research scientists and engineers in Singapore for their excellent achievements in science and technology.

The PSTM is the most prestigious award of the PSTA family, recognising the contributions of individuals who:

• Played instrumental roles in the enhancement of Singapore’s scientific and research environment, national policies and structures.
• Demonstrated outstanding vision and leadership, giving rise to institutional impact (establishment of key national R&D infrastructure) and individual recognition at the international stage.
• Demonstrated commitment to promoting and managing R&D portfolios in Singapore on a sustained basis over the last decade.

The award citation says: Professor Gluckman was awarded the PSTM for his outstanding contributions to advancing health, clinical and biomedical sciences research. In particular, he has been instrumental in building Singapore’s early life research landscape since 2007. He was the scientific architect behind the development of cohort studies that had a strong focus on understanding the links between maternal health and early childhood development. These studies, carried out in close partnership with key institutions (National University Health System, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, NUS, and A*STAR), have yielded deep insights into metabolic disease and other major diseases in Singapore. They have, in turn, had a positive impact on local healthcare policy and practice.

 Professor Gluckman’s strong background in research commercialisation helped to attract industry investment to Singapore. He successfully convinced key food and nutrition companies of Singapore’s value as a regional R&D hub, and to undertake research and clinical trials in maternal and infant nutrition in Singapore. He has also nurtured a pipeline of talent who have gone on to develop and support scientific capabilities required in the human potential domain, such as the developmental origins of brain and metabolic health in both children and adults.

 On the international stage, Professor Gluckman has written and spoken extensively on science policy, risk assessment, science diplomacy, and science-society interactions. He continues to influence international policies and research through notable forums and platforms. He served for several years as the Chief Science Advisor to the New Zealand Prime Minister. Professor Gluckman also led the regional network of Chief Scientific Advisors and Equivalents, an extension arm of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), as well as the Small Advanced Economies Initiative (SAEI), which brought together Singapore, New Zealand, Israel, Finland and Denmark and Ireland to discuss issues relating to science and innovation in small country economies.

More information about the awards can be found here. 

More information about Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures can be found here.