SUTD Confers Honorary Degree on Sir James Dyson

In recognition of the groundbreaking contributions he has made to design and engineering, as well as his lifelong commitment to nurturing innovation and talent worldwide, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) today conferred an Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree on Sir James Dyson – his first Honorary Degree from a Singapore university.

Sir James, who has become synonymous with modern design and innovation, was presented with SUTD’s highest form of recognition for outstanding individuals by SUTD Chancellor and President of the Republic of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, at a special commencement ceremony that was convened today.

Speaking at the ceremony, SUTD Chairman Lee Tzu Yang said: “Sir James has not only transformed how the world approaches everyday design challenges — he has redefined what it means to invent with purpose. His vision of combining creativity with engineering rigour mirrors SUTD’s own ethos. Through initiatives like the James Dyson Award, he has inspired generations of young engineers to turn curiosity into invention and ideas into impact. We are deeply honoured to confer this degree on Sir James, and we hope his story will continue to spark bold thinking and fearless experimentation among our students and budding inventors from Singapore and around the world.”

“This recognition is really testament to the ingenuity of Dyson engineers in Singapore,” said Sir James Dyson, Founder of Dyson. “SUTD and Dyson share a common belief in challenging convention and improving things through engineering. An engineer’s role is to do the unexpected, and the world needs more creative problem solvers! I urge young inventors to believe in their ideas, ignore the doubters, and never be afraid to fail. Be bold. Be different.”

Over the past five decades, Sir James has redefined modern design and engineering through his relentless pursuit of better solutions. From the world’s first bagless vacuum cleaner to bladeless fans, hand dryers and hair stylers, his inventions have reshaped entire industries and set new benchmarks for functional design. This same spirit of innovation would later find a natural home in Singapore.

Sir James is no stranger to Singapore, having maintained a longstanding relationship with the nation since 2004, starting with the production of digital motors, followed by the opening of Dyson’s first office in 2007. In 2019, Dyson made the pivotal decision to establish its global headquarters here, further deepening its ties with Singapore and strengthening its position in advanced manufacturing and research. Today, Dyson stands as a global symbol of design excellence and purposeful innovation, with its Singapore base driving the company’s cutting-edge technologies.

Sir James, who is renowned for his strong support of budding talent, has a strong connection to SUTD. His design-led, engineering-driven philosophy of solving everyday problems through technology and design aligns closely with SUTD’s mission to use design and technology for positive impact. In 2022, the Dyson–SUTD Innovation Studios was launched and has continued to this day to inspire greater interest in design engineering education among students and the community.

Annually, over 2,000 students benefit from hands-on experiences in engineering, design, and technology through courses and workshops. The studios serve as a vibrant hub where SUTD students, mentored by Dyson engineers, develop hardware and software-driven solutions to global challenges. Additionally, they host initiatives such as the James Dyson Foundation Prototyping Workshop, introducing secondary school students to design thinking and innovation.

Beyond campus, the studios extend their impact through learning journeys, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) engagement programmes for secondary and pre-university students, and professional development sessions for teachers.

Through the continued partnership with the James Dyson Foundation (JDF), SUTD has further amplified its outreach and influence in STEM education nationwide. Jointly organised initiatives such as the Ministry of Education’s STEM Talent and Outreach Programme, the 3D Printing and Design Innovation Challenge and the Robotics Competition have collectively reached more than 13,000 students across Singapore. These programmes, alongside the SUTD Guest Lecture and Distinguished Guest Lecture Series, have deepened interest in design and engineering, nurturing creative confidence and technical capabilities among young learners.

This collaboration has also had a broader impact, reinforcing SUTD’s strategic emphasis on Design AI. With Dyson’s Chief Technology Officer serving on SUTD’s Engineering Product Development Advisory Board and Dyson engineers contributing directly to courses such as Industry 4.0 & 3D Printing and Engineering Design Innovation, students gain authentic insights into real-world applications of design and technology. Through research collaborations like the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme, they also tackle real Dyson challenges, honing advanced problem-solving and innovation skills.

Beyond innovation, Sir James is equally known for his dedication to education and philanthropy. He founded the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology to train the next generation of engineers and established the James Dyson Foundation (JDF) to inspire young people to pursue careers in engineering and design, while supporting engineering education, medical research and design innovation. Through JDF, Sir James also created the James Dyson Award, an international student design competition challenging university-level students in product design, industrial design and engineering to “design something that solves a problem”.

SUTD students have benefited from this initiative, with successes in the James Dyson Award — including National Runner-up for a Braille Printer in 2023 and Winner of the Global Sustainability Award in 2024. The winners — research fellows Shane Kyi Hla Win, 34 and Danial Sufiyan Shaiful, 33 — invented the airXeed Radiosonde, a nature-inspired radiosonde designed to enhance weather prediction while reducing environmental impact.

As a gesture of appreciation, both Shane and Danial presented a model of the airXeed in a mini wind tunnel that Shane and his team had built for Sir James at the end of the commencement ceremony. As wind tunnels were used to develop and test the actual airXeed, the gift is an aesthetic representation of the engineering process. It levitates using electromagnets and spins with a fan whose speed can be adjusted to simulate different drop speeds. The device also measures humidity and temperature — echoing the environmental sensing capabilities of the original airXeed. The gift includes several airXeed models with different wing shapes that spin differently in the tunnel, reflecting the spirit of experimentation that defines both SUTD and Dyson.