Prof Phoon Kok Kwang is President, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), as well as Cheng Tsang Man Chair Professor. He is Deputy Executive Chairman (Research) of AI Singapore (AISG), an appointment he took on from 1 August 2025. He is also a fellow of the Academy of Engineering Singapore (SAEng) and the Singapore National Academy of Science (SNAS). Prof Phoon also sits on numerous national and international boards, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Home Team Science and Technology Agency, Land Transport Authority, the International Advisory Council of Universiti Teknologi Petronas, and the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences.

He obtained his BEng and MEng from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and his PhD from Cornell University. Prior to joining SUTD, Prof Phoon was Senior Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs) at NUS. He has also served as the Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor (DCSA) and a member of the Committee of Government Scientific Advisors, National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore.

Prof Phoon’s research on engineering risk and reliability has influenced international codes and specifications. He is now regarded as one of the foremost experts in data-centric geotechnics. He is the founding editor of Georisk (Taylor & Francis) and Geodata and AI (Elsevier). He is also the editor of the book series “Challenges in Geotechnical and Rock Engineering”, CRC Press. Prof Phoon is the recipient of several significant research awards, notably ASCE Norman Medal twice (2005, 2020), John Booker Medal (2014), Humboldt Research Award (2017), Harry Poulos Award (2023), ASCE Alfredo Ang Award (2024), and ASCE Alfred M. Freudenthal Medal (2026). Prof Phoon is a Professional Engineer in Singapore and an ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineer.