Science of Cities Symposium 2026: SMU Research Shaping the Future of Cities

Published on 14 June 2026
Science of Cities Symposium 2026: SMU Research Shaping the Future of Cities
Science of Cities Symposium 2026: SMU Research Shaping the Future of Cities

Faculty and researchers from the SMU Urban Institute, SMU College of Integrative Studies, SMU School of Computing and Information Systems, and The SULTREE Lab came together at the World Cities Summit Science of Cities Symposium to showcase interdisciplinary research on how data, technology, and human-centred design can create more responsive, resilient, and liveable cities.

Research Posters Presented

  • Heat Stress Mitigation – Multi-site assessments of heat stress in tropical schools (Philip Kestel, Aikeen Lim, Winston Chow)
  • Lower-cost Sensor Approaches – Assessing the impact of greenery on thermal and environmental conditions across different greenspace configurations (Aikeen Lim, Philip Kestel, Clayton Miller, Winston Chow)
  • "Good Enough" Low-Cost VR Trainers – Virtual reality training solutions for maintenance technicians (Vincent C., Rajesh Balan, Swapna Gottipati)
  • Fluctuation-Aware Agent – Modelling emerging urban intentions using intelligent agents (Junfeng Jiao, Jiamin Bai)
  • Translating Climate Projections into Policy Using Virtual Reality – Leveraging immersive technologies to support climate adaptation and policymaking (Terry van Gevelt, Hui Ying Pak, collaborators from the Hydroinformatics Institute, Ven Paolo Valenzuela, Ho Xiang Tian, Aram Cho)
  • Using Social Archetypes to Strengthen Social Resilience in Singapore | Adaptive Behaviours and Outdoor Thermal Comfort (Adam Roberts and collaborators from the Singapore-ETH Centre)

SMU Booth Showcase

Throughout the World Cities Summit (14–16 June), the SMU Urban Institute's Urban Fellows and Research Pillar Leads also featured their work at the SMU Booth:

  • Orlando Woods (Director, SMU Urban Institute) – Exploring how gamified augmented reality technologies are transforming the way people experience cities.
  • Winston Chow (Research Pillar Lead, Urban Systems) – Showcasing research on Cooling Singapore 2.0 and the greening of data centres.
  • Sayd Randle (Urban Fellow, Urban Systems) – Presenting Pig in the City, a project examining multispecies urbanism.
  • Paulin Straughan (Urban Fellow, Urban Experiences) and Phang Sock-Yong (Urban Fellow, Urban Growth) – Sharing research on affordable housing and ageing in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SMU's participation in the Science of Cities Symposium reflects the University's commitment to bridging science, policy, and practice. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and translating research into real-world solutions, SMU continues to advance knowledge that supports more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban futures.