Er Meng Hwa
Professor Er Meng Hwa is an Emeritus Professor at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, with over 38 years of distinguished service in higher education, research, and leadership. He has held key leadership roles, including Deputy President, Acting Provost, Vice President (International Affairs), Founding Dean of the College of Engineering, and Dean of the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at NTU. He founded the Centre for Signal Processing and the NTU Satellite Engineering Programme, playing a pivotal role in the launch of Singapore’s first micro-satellite, X-Sat in 2011.
​
A globally recognised engineering educator and innovator, Professor Er has published over 266 research papers, led S$49 million in funded research, and holds five patents. He is a Life Fellow of IEEE and IES, and an Honorary Fellow of IEE (UK) and AFEO. His numerous honours include the Public Administration Medal (Gold), the IES-IEEE Joint Medal of Excellence, and the Nanyang Award for Meritorious Achievement. In 2016, he was named one of the world’s most influential engineers by the UK’s Institution of Engineering and
Technology.
Internationally, he has served on advisory boards for top institutions such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and the University of Oman Project. He continues to contribute to education and policy through roles with the Academy of Engineering Singapore and NUS High School of Mathematics and Science.
Professor Er’s career represents a master class in the integration of leadership, vision and pedagogical innovation. His enduring contribution is not a single teaching method or educational theory but a holistic, system-level approach to transforming engineering education. He can best be understood as a “Pedagogical Systems Engineer”.
​​
Keynote Address
Teaching with the Brain in Mind: Nurturing Every Child to Thrive in the Age of AI
As we enter the Age of Artificial Intelligence, the most powerful learning tool remains the human brain. Understanding how it learns best is the key to helping every child thrive. This keynote explores how Brain-Based Learning (BBL)—grounded in neuroscience, psychology, and the science of learning—can transform classrooms into joyful, adaptive, and compassionate spaces where every learner feels seen, supported, and challenged.
Participants will discover how principles such as emotional safety, meaning-making, active engagement, and reflection cultivate both academic growth and psychological wellbeing. When combined with Differentiated Instruction and AI-enabled tools, teachers can personalise learning to match the brain’s natural diversity and pace.
Ultimately, this talk invites educators and parents to see teaching not just as information delivery, but as brain shaping and heart awakening—a human art that builds resilience, empathy, and lifelong curiosity. Teaching with the brain in mind is not only smart science—it is deep care for the next generation.