ABSTRACT

The National Security Studies Programme (NSSP) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU), in conjunction with Nexus-MINDEF, will be organising the second NSSPAD on 18 February 2022, from 9.35 am to 3.15 pm. NSSPAD 2022 will be held at NTU@one-north, located at Buona Vista.

NSSPAD, supported and endorsed by the National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS) in the Prime Minister’s Office, aims to function as a platform to educate students from public funded universities on how non-traditional security challenges impact Singapore’s national security, and how Singapore is adapting. Because the next generation will face a more unstable world order and complex environment, preparing our youths to work and live within such an environment is crucial. NSSPAD will thus serve as an opportunity for students to challenge traditional ideas and formulate new ones, while acquiring critical foundational knowledge that will help them to recognise underlying cultural, economic, social and geopolitical forces at work in the world around them.

Themed “Navigating National Security Issues – A Whole-of-Nation Approach’’, NSSPAD’s target audience will comprise second-to-fourth year students from all faculties of the six public-funded universities.

GUEST-OF-HONOUR

Mr Aaron Maniam is a Singaporean civil servant, having served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Centre for Strategic Futures, Civil Service College and Ministry of Trade and Industry. Currently Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information, he oversees digital economics, digital regulation, digital literacy and access, and public sector broadcasting. In his free time, he writes poetry, facilitates inter-religious dialogues, and teaches at the National University of Singapore’s Scholars Programme. He is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, an Asia 21 Young Leader of the Asia Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

SPEAKERS

Cyber Security

BG Gaurav Keerthi was a helicopter pilot in the Republic of Singapore Air Force and held a diverse range of senior command and staff appointments in MINDEF over his 20-year career. In his final tour, he was the Commander of the Air Defence and Operations Command, where he oversaw the networked operations and cyber defence for the RSAF and was concurrently the Chief Innovation Officer of the RSAF. Gaurav has also served a stint at the Ministry of Trade & Industry (2008-2010), as part of his exposure in the Administrative Service.

Gaurav was the Assistant CE in CSA, covering International Cyber Policy, Operational Readiness, and Engineering, prior to his current role. As the Deputy CE, he oversees the cybersecurity capability and ecosystem development to help keep Singapore’s cyberspace safe and secure. He has given numerous talks and keynotes on cybersecurity, to students, members of the public, multinational organisations, and at conferences locally and abroad.

Gaurav completed his undergraduate at Stanford University on an SAF scholarship, and his graduate studies at Harvard University (he was a recipient of the Littauer Award at Harvard Kennedy School) on the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship.

Outside work, he enjoys reading, jogging, playing guitar, and programming. He was an active volunteer in the debate community previously and has developed numerous non-profit digital platforms and tools. He leads the national “TechForGood” volunteer-run charity under BetterSG.

Food Security

Dr Alvin Yeo is Senior Director, Joint Policy and Planning at the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), He is also the Chief Risk Officer, Chief Data Officer and Board Secretary. SFA ensures and secures a supply of safe food for Singapore. His portfolio includes policies, strategic planning, data analytics, enterprise risk, resource management, organisation development and transformation.

Prior to 2020, Alvin assumed various roles including as CIO and Director of Industry Development in the energy, infocomm and financial sectors. He was responsible for, amongst others, directing R&D innovations, mentoring start-ups, introducing human capital initiatives, and catalysing digital transformation.

A recipient of Singapore Government scholarships, Alvin possesses a PhD, MBA (Distinction) and a Finance degree. He completed the Stanford Executive Program at Stanford University, is a certified Specialist Adult Educator and currently pursuing a MSc in Info Security.

Economic Security

Mr Soh Leng Wan – As the Assistant Chief Executive (Manufacturing & Engineering) of Enterprise Singapore, Leng Wan leads various teams to champion enterprise growth in Singapore’s manufacturing and engineering industries.

Prior to this, Leng Wan spent seven years in the Ministry of Trade and Industry. As the Senior Director (Industry Division) between 2017 and 2021, he led his team to formulate policies and initiatives to ensure the competitiveness of the Singapore economy as well as the vibrancy of Singapore as a global city and tourism destination. His teams worked closely with the Economic Development Board to anchor significant foreign investments in Singapore’s manufacturing sector, as well as with the Singapore Tourism Board and Sentosa Development Corporation to develop iconic tourism projects in Singapore. Between 2006 and 2009, he was Deputy Director (Resource Division) where he led his team to develop manpower initiatives to support enterprises to meet their labour and talent needs.

Land use and economics have a strong nexus in land-scarce Singapore. Between 2012 and 2017, Leng Wan was Senior Director (Strategic Planning) in the Ministry of National Development in charge of reviewing Singapore’s land use plans and development strategies. Some of the notable publicly accessible projects include the Singapore Land Use Plan (2013), Master Plan 2014, the Singapore Sustainable Blueprint (2015), and the Future City Sub-Committee Report (2016) under the auspices of the Committee on the Future Economy.

Leng Wan had also served in various portfolios dealing with public policy formulation in the Ministry of Defence and the then-Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.

Leng Wan has a Masters of Science (Civil Engineering) from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Civil Engineering from the National University of Singapore.

Water Security

Ms Chong Mien Ling is the Chief Sustainability Officer and Director of the Policy & Planning Department of PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, and currently oversees PUB’s sustainability efforts. Prior to her current appointment, Ms Chong was involved in water R&D for eight years in PUB’s Technology Department, where she was part of the team that developed PUB’s technology roadmap and sourced for water technologies from concept, development to eventual adoption. Ms Chong was also involved in the development of NEWater as a young engineer.

Nexus Representative

SLTC Psalm Lew is the Director for Community Engagement from Nexus MINDEF. Before this appointment he was head of plans in the Army Information Centre where he helps to develop info-media capabilities and was responsible for the Army’s communications plans across a spectrum from planned announcements to crisis such as the Terrex incident. He previously commanded a Division HQ National Service Battalion from 2009 to 2015. He was also head of Schoolhouse leadership development in the SAF Centre for Leadership Development responsible for the introduction of numerous leadership and values programme. He holds an MA in International Communications from the University of Leeds as well as a BSc with 1st Class Honours from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. He has published articles in military journals and psychology conferences and has won an international award in 2004 for an article he co-authored on the SAF Leadership Framework.