Established in 2007, the SMART Centre is MIT’s first research centre outside of Cambridge, MA and its largest international research endeavor. The Centre is also the first entity in the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) currently being developed by NRF.
The SMART Centre will:
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identify and carry out research on critical problems of societal significance and develop innovative solutions through its interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs);
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become a magnet for attracting and anchoring global research talent to Singapore;
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develop robust partnerships with local universities and institutions in Singapore;
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engage in graduate education by co-advising local doctoral students and post-doctoral associates; and
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help instill a culture of translational research, entrepreneurship and technology transfer through the SMART Innovation Centre. |
Three interdisciplinary research groups, each headed by a senior MIT faculty member, are currently active :
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The Infectious Diseases IRG aims to develop an integrated, cutting-edge research programme to study pathogen-host interactions of infectious diseases such as respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, tuberculosis and malaria. |
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The Centre for Environmental Sensing and Modelling(CENSAM) IRG aims to develop a model of the natural and built environment of Singapore. The “virtual Singapore” model will be an invaluable tool in areas such as urban planning, environmental forecasting and environment impact assessment.
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BioSystems and Micromechanics (BioSyM) IRG aims to establish Singapore as the center of innovation for healthcare technologies of the future by merging diverse engineering and bioscience disciplines. |
The plan is to have up to five interdisciplinary research groups established under the SMART Centre.
Susan Hockfield, President of MIT
“The SMART Centre will offer participants from MIT and Singapore unique opportunities to advance research agendas that will shape the development of science and technology in the coming decades.”
The SMART Centre allows researchers from MIT to collaborate with their counterparts from universities, research institutes and industries in Singapore and Asia. With many MIT faculty members, post doctoral fellows, PhD students and staff participating at SMART, it is helping promote a vibrant knowledge-based atmosphere in Singapore. |
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