James Kah

James Kah

Dr. James Kah is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He is also the Vice-Dean overseeing outreach and special projects at the College of Design and Engineering in NUS. Dr. Kah received his Ph.D. in Bioengineering (2009) from NUS and was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) prior to joining NUS. As an educator, James teaches undergraduate courses on Gerontechnology in Ageing and Assistive Technology for Persons with Disability (PWDs) while leveraging on community-based learning to teach and drive innovations through co-designing solutions with the elderly and disability communities in Singapore. He has also started the bGood programme as a platform to further develop the innovations from these undergraduate courses into products, several of which have been deployed to benefit users in the community.

Teaching Aspirations

My practice as an educator in biomedical engineering (BME) has evolved over the past ten years from equipping students with what they know, towards what they can create as I prepare them as innovators in VUCA – volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous times. Regardless of the shift, the key theme of my career as an educator has always centered around experiential learning, driven by my belief of it as an important driver of effective learning and innovation in engineering. In the courses that I have developed and taught, I explored creating authentic learning environments in the earlier years of my teaching practice, while progressing to focus on developing community-based learning in courses and expanding its community impact more recently. I also believe that student’s learning engagement plays a critical role for them to find meaning and fulfillment in the learning process, thereby promoting deeper learning, leading to higher order learning outcomes in value creation as engineers. I hold dearly to four core values that enhance learning engagement in my teaching practice as summarized by the acronym CARE – Clarity, Authenticity, Reflective and Experiential.

 

About being a part of the Teaching Academy

Being part of the NUS Teaching Academy is a rewarding opportunity that allows me to contribute to a culture of teaching excellence and innovation at NUS. I am excited to connect with passionate educators committed to enhancing student learning through collaborative projects, mentorship, and thought leadership to influence educational policies, pioneer new pedagogical approaches, and drive impactful teaching initiatives. As a member, I look forward to engaging with a vibrant community dedicated to reflecting on and improving teaching practices, making a meaningful impact on the academic environment. I believe these experiences continually inspires and empowers me to grow as an educator and leader.

 

Teaching Awards/Accolades

  • NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award (ATEA) AY22/23
  • College of Design and Engineering Educator Award AY22/23
  • Engineering Educator Award AY21/22
  • Engineering Educator Award AY20/21
  • NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award (ATEA) AY16/17
  • Faculty of Engineering Commendation List (Teaching) AY16/17
  • Faculty of Engineering Honors List (Teaching) AY15/16
  • Faculty of Engineering Commendation List (Teaching) AY13/14