Emerging developments across business, science, environmental sustainability, and education illustrate the accelerating convergence of technological advancement with complex global challenges. In the realm of data analytics, rapid progress in AI-driven predictive modeling and generative artificial intelligence is transforming how decisions are made—enabling real-time forecasting, enhanced automation, and the creation of synthetic data to support industries ranging from healthcare to logistics. Businesses, responding to both regulatory pressure and stakeholder expectations, are increasingly embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into their operational frameworks. Here, AI plays a crucial role in monitoring ESG performance, while innovations such as blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) are redefining transparency, accountability, and transactional efficiency. Scientific research is advancing at a remarkable pace, with breakthroughs in CRISPR gene-editing technologies, quantum computing, and synthetic biology opening new frontiers in disease treatment, materials science, and high-performance computation. These innovations are not only reshaping research paradigms but also driving applications with profound societal impact. Environmental science is at the forefront of urgent efforts to address climate change, with significant investment in carbon capture technologies, long-duration renewable energy storage, and smart grid infrastructure that enables more efficient and adaptive energy distribution. At the same time, concepts such as urban biodiversity preservation and circular economy design are gaining momentum, as cities seek to enhance resilience and sustainability in the face of ecological stress.
Education systems are undergoing a parallel transformation, fueled by AI-powered personalized learning platforms that adapt content to individual student needs. The growing adoption of micro-credentials is enabling targeted, flexible upskilling, particularly in response to the rapidly changing demands of digital and green economies. Additionally, virtual and augmented reality technologies are expanding access to immersive, interactive learning environments, helping to bridge geographic and socioeconomic divides.
Across all these domains, interdisciplinary collaboration is becoming essential. These intersecting developments highlight a pressing need for innovation that is not only cutting-edge but also ethically grounded and socially responsible, capable of addressing the multifaceted challenges of the 21st century.

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Chiang Liang Kok, University of Newcastle, Australia & Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education, Singapore

Biography:  In 2010, Dr Kok graduated with First Class Honours in Bachelor of Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU). His exceptional performance earned him the highly coveted Singapore EDB Integrated Circuit Design PhD Scholarship to pursue his PhD at NTU. In 2014, Dr Kok was awarded his PhD Degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering in which he delved deeply into power management units, AI, sensors and energy harvesting systems. He also served as an NTU undergraduate tutor and teaching assistant for NTU-TUM Master courses. In 2014, Dr Kok joined the Ministry of Défense, Mindef DSO National Lab as a senior member of technical staff. Here, he spearheaded several state-of-the-art projects, earning acclaim with the prestigious Design Innovation Award (Individual) at the Electronics division level. Dr Kok was invited to be the Adjunct Professor (Faculty Member) at Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), where he teaches electronics courses with passion. In 2021, he was bestowed with the prestigious Gold Medal Award for Teaching Excellence (University level) at SUSS.
In 2020, Dr Kok joins the Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education as a lecturer and program coordinator for the Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (BEEE). His influence extends far beyond the classroom, as evidenced by his exclusive invitation to the Channel News Asia (CNA) Money Mind programme in May 2021, where he shared his expertise on blockchain technology and sustainable energy solutions. In Nov 2021, he receives the Best Paper award at the 3rd ICESA. Dr Kok also serves as chairman for the STEM Industrial Advisory Board Committee and a committee member for the PEI Exam Board Council. His expertise is sought after on the international stage, with invitations as keynote/plenary speaker and local organising chair for GMASC 2023, MSM 2024, CCCN 2024, ASET 2024, ACEE 2024 and PCDS 2024. Furthermore, he is in the technical program committee for ICET 2024, ITET 2024, ICICDT 2024, TENCON 2024 and RASSE 2024. He is also the chairperson and moderator for WES 2023, session chair for AGBRP 2024, TENCON 2024 and ISCAS 2024. He also serves as the publicity chair for MCSoC 2024 and RASSE 2024. Recently, he also serves as the special session chair and co-trainer for workshop titled “Modern Technologies for Sustainability and Asset Management” in McSOC 2024. In July 2024, he is appointed to the Topical Advisory Panel for MDPI Electronics, Circuit and Signal Processing Section. He also serves as guest editor and reviewer for esteemed Q1/Q2 ranking journals such as MDPI Sensors/Electronics/Applied Sciences, IEEE Access, Circuits, Systems, and Signal Processing and IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics. Till date, he has been awarded research funding of more than S$240K in both PI and co-PI capacity. With over 50 publications in Q1/Q2 ranking journals, top conferences, and several book chapters, Chiang Liang's scholarly impact continues to reverberate across the global engineering landscape.