3D printing trailblazer Chua Chee Kai relocates to China from Singapore hub

Singaporean 3D printing pioneer Chua Chee Kai has joined Wuhan University of Science and Technology (WUST) as a full-time distinguished professor, receiving his appointment in a ceremony on October 10, according to the university’s website.

For decades, Chua led major 3D printing research initiatives in Singapore, helping to turn the country into a global hub for additive manufacturing technologies used in aerospace, biomedical and electronic applications.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Chua said WUST was a university with strong academic traditions and a deep sense of social responsibility. He added that he was honoured to join the institution and looked forward to the road ahead.

Chua said he hoped to dedicate himself fully to the university’s development and to share his knowledge, experience and international connections to support its growth and global reputation.

Wuhan University of Science and Technology in Hubei province, central China, is known for its strengths in materials science, metallurgy and mechanical engineering. Photo: Handout

From the start of his career at Nanyang Technological University through to the Singapore University of Technology and Design, Chua has helped to shape the global development of additive manufacturing – also known as 3D printing – by pioneering new processes and applications from industrial design to tissue engineering.

ScholarGPS, which identifies the top 0.05 per cent of researchers worldwide for their career-long impact, included Chua among its highly ranked scholars for lifetime contributions in 2024. He ranked first globally in rapid prototyping and fourth in 3D printing.

South China Morning Post