University Awards

Outstanding Educator Award

I believe that every individual is born with a unique measure of creativity which can be improved through training and practice. A successful education system helps students find the medium they can be creative in, and improves their capacity for it. ” Asst Prof Hans TAN
Master of Design (Cum Laude) (Design Academy Eindhoven)
BA (Hons) (NUS)
Division of Industrial Design
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Current Teaching Portfolio

  • Deputy Head of Academic, Division of Industrial Design
  • Lecturer and tutor for modules including Design Fundamentals, Design Platforms and Design Thesis Project

Teaching Achievements

  • Contributed to the refinement of the Division’s curriculum through developing innovative approaches to design pedagogy
  • Produced seven public exhibitions since 2009 with student works that engage themes through discursive and experimental design
  • Co-organiser of NUS Makerthon 2017, a university-wide, multidisciplinary collaboration challenge which attracted the participation of 19 teams comprising 57 students from 29 different programmes
  • Core member of "Q" Pillar team since 2016, developed the design segment for the General Education module "Asking Questions"
  • Dedicated mentor to students, with two successful candidates on the NUS Overseas Graduate Scholarship doing their Masters/ PhDs – both were his final-year thesis students; and others who have garnered local and international design awards

International Standing

  • His works are in the permanent collections of prestigious international museums including the Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands (2018); M+ Museum for Visual Culture, Hong Kong (2017); National Collection of Singapore, Peranakan Museum (2017); and Copper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, USA (2016)
  • Display of works in exhibitions such as Singletown at the Venice Biennale; Surface art/design in Dortmund and Cologne; No Boundaries at ArtStage Singapore; and Beauty at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York
  • Named one of Perspective’s 40 under 40, an award that recognises design talent from the Asia-Pacific region in 2013

Awards and Accolades

  • Designer of the Year, President’s Design Award 2018
  • Design of the Year (Pour), President’s Design Award 2015
  • His Spotted Nyonya series was awarded the distinction of “Les Découvertes” (best innovative product) at the fall edition of Maison et Objet 2012 in Paris and also Design of the Year at the President’s Design Award 2012
  • Annual Teaching Excellence Award (2015/16, 2014/15 and 2012/13) and Honour Roll (2018), NUS
  • Teaching Excellence Award (2015/16, 2014/15, 2013/14, 2012/13 and 2011/12) and Honour Roll (2017), School of Design
    and Environment
 Honour Roll Recipients