TDSI MDTS Info and NPS awards by MDTS students

Master in Defence Technology and Systems Programme
MDTS students win outstanding awards at NPS

The Masters Programme in Defence Technology and Systems (MDTS) carves a niche in postgraduate defence technology and systems education and research in Singapore. It optimises the synergies of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Naval Postgraduate School in USA (NPS) by bringing together military staff and defence technologists to plan, design, develop, operate and sustain integrated military forces for the 21st century. Managed by the Temasek Defence Systems Institute (TDSI), this Programme comprises a Common Curriculum at NUS and a Specialised Curriculum at NPS. Successful students receive a degree from each of these universities at the end of the 18-month full time programme. Rendering teaching support to this programme are the Faculty of Engineering, School of Computing, Faculty of Science, Tropical Marine Science Institute, Defence Science and Technology Agency and DSO National Laboratories. Three students from the two cohorts who completed this programme since its launch in July 2002 have won awards at NPS. In December 2003, Mr Teo Tiat Leng won the Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper Computer Science Award. This award is presented in recognition of excellence in Computer Science to the most outstanding graduate in Computer Science, who has demonstrated outstanding academic performance, thesis quality and leadership ability. A Programme Manager in DSTA, Tiat Leng was pursuing the “Information Assurance” specialisation track and submitted his thesis on “Scenario Selection and Student Assessment Modules for Cyberciege’’.

Mr Teo Tiat Leng (second from the left) with some of his classmates

In December 2004, Mr Koh Jin Hou and Mr Ong Chin Siang won two other awards. Mr Koh Jin Hou won the Naval Postgraduate School Outstanding Academic Achievement Award for International Students. This award is presented to a graduating military or civilian non-US citizen student who has exhibited outstanding academic achievement, conducted notable thesis research, maintained motivation and serious interest in the community, and who has interacted well with other students in the interest of international alliance. Mr Koh Jin Hou, who pursued the “Information Assurance” specialisation track, was pleased with the great honour of winning this award. He showered praises on his Singaporean classmates, his thesis advisor - Professor Gurminder Singh, and his wife for their invaluable support. “It has not only been a personal achievement”, but as his wife put it, “You have done Singapore proud”. Jin Hou’s thesis was “Simulation Modelling and Analysis Modelling of Device-Aware Network Architectures“. Jin Hou is a Project Manager with the Defence Science and Technology Agency.

Mr Koh jin Hou at the NPS Graduation Ceremony

Mr Ong Chin Siang won the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Award. The award is presented to the graduate who has achieved academic excellence and best demonstrated professional qualities in the programme. He pursued the “Communications Systems Engineering” specialisation track and submitted his thesis on “Digital Phased Array Architectures For Radar and Communications based on off-the-shelf Wireless Technologies“. Chin Siang is a Senior Engineer with Singapore Technologies Aerospace.


“I am honoured and delighted to receive this award. I wish to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to my professor who had nominated me for the award. I thank my Singapore classmates who were together with me in the communications track for their encouragement and the MDTS classmates for helping me to adapt effortlessly to the life in NPS. Last but not least, I would not have achieved this without the support of my wife and my family.” said Chin Siang.

Besides wrestling with the academic rigour at NPS, Tiat Leng, Jin Hou and Ching Siang, like other international students at NPS, had much to do besides studying. The MDTS students, some of them with families accompanying, enjoyed a rewarding and fulfilling social and cultural experience. With a large international student community comprising senior military and civilian officers from over 70 countries, NPS is a mini global hub for the students and their families to network and formed strong bonds after graduation. Such linkages provide a foundation for future international cooperation and peace. These students and families also had opportunities to learn and understand American culture first hand. They soaked in the fun at events such as a neighbourhood 4th July Independence Day celebration and a Halloween party. They also experienced the fervour of the US Presidential Election campaign.

Celebrating Independence Day	Halloween Party