Professor Subra Suresh, the fourth president of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), is described by the institute as an “educator, scientist, adviser, inventor, entrepreneur and leader all rolled into one”. It’s a fitting description for the Indian-American, Mumbai-born polymath, who flaunts considerable experience in scientific leadership and higher education.

His list of achievements is enviable. Among other feats, he was the first Asian-born professor to serve as engineering dean at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prof Suresh was also one of only 19 American scientists elected to the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. He has also written more than 220 research articles in international journals, and is the co-editor of five books on materials science and engineering, as well as the co-inventor of a dozen US and international patents.

During the pandemic, Suresh announced the NTU Covid-19 Relief Package, which was disbursed to students facing financial challenges and which was funded in part by new mechanisms for attracting private donations.

Under his watch, NTU launched the Centre for Microbiome Medicine at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in September 2022, which aims to look at the relationship between the microbiome and conditions such as obesity and cancer.

Prof Suresh has also voiced plans to turn NTU into an eco-friendly and smart campus. Initiatives include fully electric as well as driverless shuttles, the greater adoption of robotics, more energy-efficient infrastructure, and a smart pass that can be used for numerous daily activities on campus with a single tap.