Thought Leadership

Some of the world’s leaders, and leading thinkers from NUS and overseas, regularly gather and add to the rich diversity of thoughts and ideas on our campuses, in Singapore and across the globe.
Here’s what they had to share.

What is “longtermism” and what does it have to do with our future?

What is “longtermism” and what does it have to do with our future?

Speakers: Assistant Prof F. Owen Schaefer 22 Dec 2022

The philosophy of longtermism, which has gained currency of late, is premised on the idea that future generations’ well-being should be a key priority, and prioritises the redirection of resources to protecting individuals’ interests for generations to come. However, Assistant Prof F. Owen Schaefer from the Centre for Biomedical Ethics at NUS’ Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine notes that the longtermism movement’s association with figures such as Elon Musk and FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried makes it controversial, and demonstrates how its tenets can be easily warped to justify personal gain. Dr Schaefer proposes that society adopt a more grounded and pragmatic “mixed-term” approach that would balance both the interests of individuals here and now, and in the far future. 

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If Singapore decides to invest in nuclear energy, floating power plants deserve a closer look

If Singapore decides to invest in nuclear energy, floating power plants deserve a closer look

Speaker: Dr Stefan Huebner, Senior Research Fellow from the Asia Research Institute at NUS 14 Mar 2025

Will new electoral boundaries affect voting patterns in GE2025?

Will new electoral boundaries affect voting patterns in GE2025?

Dr Teo Kay Key, Research Fellow at IPS Social Lab at the Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS 14 Mar 2025

Many of us use screens for stress relief, but it's actually making us worse

Many of us use screens for stress relief, but it's actually making us worse

Dr Samer Elhajjar, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Marketing at NUS Business School 6 Mar 2025

To raise the birth rate, the middle ground is fertile ground

To raise the birth rate, the middle ground is fertile ground

Dr Kalpana Vignehsa, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS 3 Mar 2025

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