This book tells the story of Singapore – how an island and a people with limited resources turned vulnerability into strength, with human ingenuity and good engineering — Lee Hsien Loong

Engineers play a vital role in the development of the infrastructure and facilities required for Singapore society and economy. This was especially crucial in the drive towards industrialisation, the main engine behind Singapore’s economy during the early days of nation building.

Engineers serve in many positions across the public service, as well as in a variety of professional and technical roles in the private sectors. In five decades, numerous initiatives and programmes they devised and executed contributed to Singapore’s rise from the third world to the first. To remind people of the important role that engineers play, NTI (now known as NTU) Pioneer Engineering Class of 85 reflected on their career over the past 30 years and the part they played.

This collection of 100 stories will provide inspiration and far-reaching vision for the move towards smart nation, artificial intelligence, nano-technology and other advances awaiting to be part of every Singaporeans’ life. In its concluding remarks, the authors also look into prevailing issues in the engineering profession.

This book was published on the 50th year of Singapore’s independence, and the 30th anniversary of the first batch of engineers from Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI), now Nanyang Technological University (NTU).