From groceries to electronics, everything we buy comes with a hidden environmental cost. Behind every product is a vast supply chain, with each link in the system—raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation and more—producing its own share of carbon emissions. While many businesses today want to go green, the complex nature of supply chains can make their overhaul an overwhelming task. Without the right tools and expertise, it can be difficult to know where to start or how to measure real progress.
For Ginny Lee, understanding such systems and minimising their impacts are crucial steps toward a sustainable future, as well as career-defining challenges. As a Senior Scientist at the A*STAR Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (A*STAR SIMTech), Lee applies data-driven approaches to help industries cut their carbon emissions in meaningful ways.
Lee’s work spans research and industry applications, from carbon footprint assessment software tools for food suppliers to the Green Compass decarbonisation framework, which guides businesses in Singapore through their net zero transitions.
In this interview with A*STAR Research, Lee shares highlights from her journey in science, including sustainability research at leading institutions as well as ongoing efforts to shape Singapore’s energy decarbonisation pathways.
1. What sparked your interest in science and sustainability?
Science has fascinated me since my school days, from watching bananas turn blue with iodine to growing crystals in the science club. I love seeing experiments confirm the concepts from textbooks and my understanding of how the world works.
As a child, I was deeply influenced by messages about environmental protection from sources like wildlife documentaries. As I’ve always felt that conservation matters, I took classes on environmental history in college, hoping to understand how human beliefs and actions have shaped the environment over time. Recognising the significant impact humans have on the planet, I try to respect nature by reducing my own consumption and seek to contribute to its protection for future generations through dedicated time and scientific effort.
2. How has A*STAR supported your scientific journey?
My first research experience was at the then-Institute of Chemical Engineering and Science (ICES), now the A*STAR Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (A*STAR ISCE2). I enjoyed working on nanoparticle experiments with guidance from kind and knowledgeable scientists. The experience deepened my enthusiasm for scientific discovery, leading me to accept the A*STAR National Science Scholarship, which enabled my chemical engineering studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US.
My thermodynamics professor, Manos Mavrikakis, took me on as a research assistant and introduced me to molecular simulations, which we used to study ethylene synthesis with nanogold cluster catalysts. This opened my eyes to the world of computational research; I started leaning towards work I could do with a laptop.
After graduating, I returned to Singapore to intern at ICES. This time, I was introduced to life cycle perspective and system thinking by many leading sustainability researchers. These experiences deepened my technical expertise and led me to pursue sustainability research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US, once again on an A*STAR scholarship.
3. How did your time at MIT shape your research focus?
Big data was the exciting tech trend when I joined MIT, and I was immersed in a culture dedicated to cutting-edge quantitative methods built on high-quality data. I joined MIT’s Engineering Systems Division to work on food supply chain sustainability with Edgar Blanco. For my Master’s degree, I developed a carbon footprint tool to help with recipe design for a local restaurant and a catering service. To tackle the issue of missing information in carbon footprint calculations, my tool readily estimates meal emissions with increasing accuracy as users provide more details about the ingredients.
For my PhD degree, I worked with Alexis Bateman to analyse how over 200 companies managed sustainable sourcing of palm oil, profiling them by maturity. The results helped companies identify measures they can use to effect positive upstream changes. I also analysed consumer willingness to pay for sustainability labels such as ‘organic’ and ‘fair trade’, using large datasets of nationwide supermarket sales. Working with the researchers and professors at MIT reinforced my commitment to tackling sustainability challenges through data-driven research.
4. Tell us about your work at A*STAR SIMTech.
At A*STAR SIMTech, I led the development of Green Compass, a decarbonisation framework that helps companies plan their sustainability transitions. Working with TÜV SÜD Pte Ltd, a global technical service provider, we created the Green Compass framework and developed a course that uses it to guide companies.
Over the past three years, about 40 companies have benefited from Green Compass’s structured approach, which has been licensed by Singapore Polytechnic and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation. The Knowledge Transfer Office of A*STAR SIMTech and the A*STAR Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (A*STAR ARTC) has also recognised it as a best-in-class training programme.
Through this project, we’ve found that small and medium-sized companies need hands-on guidance in carbon footprint calculations and supply chain decarbonisation. To support this, A*STAR SIMTech recently launched an Enterprise Transformation Project initiative that provides grants for companies to execute proof-of-concept projects for sustainable technologies they may want to implement.
I currently lead a project examining energy decarbonisation pathways for Singapore in collaboration with the energy sector. Singapore primarily relies on burning natural gas for energy, which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere; as the nation aims for net zero emissions by 2050, adopting alternative technologies becomes a priority.
Exploring new hydrogen production and transportation technologies, our team assessed over 50 potential supply chains. Among our findings were that local and Malaysia-produced turquoise hydrogen have the lowest economic costs if their carbon black products are sold; wind-generated hydrogen transported in liquefied form or as ammonia has the lowest greenhouse gas emissions at high costs; and integrating carbon capture and storage into natural gas combustion offers the best balance of low emissions and cost efficiency.
We are now sharing the results with policymakers to translate them into actionable strategies. Currently, we are using our modelling approach to evaluate carbon dioxide storage and utilisation options, such as mineralisation and fuel synthesis, for Singapore’s power sector.
The collaboration has been an exciting challenge, integrating both academic rigour and practical relevance. This being my first time working closely with an industry collaborator on a scientific paper, I value their active engagement and constructive input, which enhances the real-world relevance of our research. We look forward to sharing our findings in an upcoming publication.
The success of these projects was a team effort. Jonathan Low Sze Choong, now A*STAR ARTC Assistant Chief Executive, gave me the opportunities to be involved. Green Compass has been a key workstream at A*STAR SIMTech, and its proliferation and continuous development have been a shared responsibility among the institute’s management, researchers and trainers. My teammates’ dedication in our projects was essential to the rigour of the work.
5. What advice do you have for young scientists in sustainability research?
Passion for a topic is key. When you care about it, you’re naturally motivated to solve its challenges and change the world with your research outcomes. My journey has taken me through different methodologies and domains, but I could see that they all contributed to sustainability in some way, which kept my work fulfilling and fun.
Sustainability research can sometimes feel frustrating. Even with your best efforts, progress may be slow, and scepticism—like stakeholders asking, “Why should I care?”—is common. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with like-minded people who are equally committed to making a difference; we encourage each other to stay engaged with the work.
I’ve also learned the importance of being strategic about turning rigorous science into real-world applications; my experiences with MIT, A*STAR SIMTech and industry collaboration continue to help me learn what it means to make an impact with research.
