Since 2010, Singapore has made substantial investments its scientific and technological capabilities through successive Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) five-year masterplans. These have driven progressive transformations across the nation’s research and development (R&D) landscape, including at A*STAR, where the complementary expertise of its diverse research institutes (RIs) has increasingly converged on strategic initiatives that translate groundbreaking science into impactful innovation.
Behind such bold moves are world-class leaders whose insights have helped shape the agency’s approach to RIE. Among them is Sir John O'Reilly, who over the past 15 years progressed from member to Chair of A*STAR's Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC)—later retitled Chairman of the Science and Engineering Advisory Council. He also served on the A*STAR Board.
Tapping on years of industrial and academic experience, as well as numerous scientific advisory roles at an international level, O’Reilly’s tenure has been defined by cultivating dialogue that underpinned pivotal initiatives, including accelerating R&D collaborations with multinational engineering companies; fostering new synergies between SERC and the Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) and advancing cross-disciplinary programmes.
In this interview with A*STAR Research, O’Reilly reflects on the highlights of his tenure, his philosophy as a scientific advisor, and the key R&D areas that will keep Singapore and A*STAR globally competitive in the years ahead.
1. What first drew you to a scientific advisory role? What shaped your approach to it?
With a background spanning industry, government laboratories and academia, I was invited to serve as a committee member of the UK Research Council, which shaped policy and research funding for my field—that is, communications engineering. Through this role, I met senior figures across the sector and found myself being approached by other organisations, such as the European Commission’s Research and Development in Advanced Communications Technologies in Europe (RACE) programme. These experiences were professionally stimulating and significantly broadened my perspective.
In 2001, I was appointed Chief Executive of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the UK body responsible for research policy and funding in those fields. There, I also served as the national representative for annual meetings between leaders of science funding organisations from across Europe and with the G7 countries.
This period highlighted the need for diverse approaches to supporting research, alongside a consistent focus on excellence. It also underscored the value of selectively identifying promising emergent areas for focused intervention—what I refer to as ‘sensing weak signals’. As Chairman of A*STAR’s SERC, I sometimes described this as ‘stirring the miso soup’: bringing ideas to the surface to stimulate discussion and consideration.
2. How has Singapore’s R&D ecosystem evolved over your 15-year tenure as SERC Chairman?
My interactions with Singapore predate my time with A*STAR. Prompted in part by connections with Singaporean students at my university in the UK, I visited several RIs and institutions of higher education in Singapore. I also engaged with Singtel through my work with British Telecommunications Plc.
In the early 2000s, I visited more frequently through my roles at EPSRC and as President of the UK’s then-Institution of Electrical Engineers, now the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
At that time, growing R&D was high on the agenda in Singapore. With companies such as Rolls-Royce establishing a local presence, the UK actively fostered stronger engagement with Singapore. I became involved in both the Rolls-Royce collaboration and the development of the initial 10-year UK-Singapore Partners in Science initiative, and was privileged to attend its signing ceremony at the Istana in 2004.
Since then, I have certainly seen progression in the ecosystem. Universities that once focused primarily on teaching have become research-intensive institutions of international standing, integrating education with world-class RIE. A*STAR has also experienced change; RIs that operated largely independently were encouraged to collaborate, and a competitive element was introduced into what had previously been largely dedicated funding to individual RIs. While challenging to implement, this shift represented an important step forward.
When we were developing the European Research Council (ERC), we’d noted informally that its acronym also stood for Excellence in Research through Competition—the competition for support between the best, most promising and potentially impactful research ideas. Of course, achieving the right balance between stability and agility is not easy, but it is essential. The ecosystem is strongest when it supports both individual research and collaborative pursuits that bring together complementary expertise across institutions in priority areas.
3. What are some achievements of your tenure that you are most proud of?
There is one aspect of my role I wish to emphasise. I see it not so much as ‘advising’ per se, but as stimulating discussion—surfacing promising topics for consideration and bringing collective wisdom to bear on key issues. As such, credit for successful outcomes belongs to the collective and not the individual; I’ve been privileged to interact with very able and dedicated individuals in A*STAR in this capacity.
I would also like to be clear that no individual has a monopoly on what is ‘right’ in science and R&D policy. However, international experience across a broad span of science and RIE actions may bring a distinctive perspective, and prompt one to raise topics worthy of consideration that might otherwise not get attention.
To illustrate: early in my tenure, I observed limited interaction between SERC and BMRC RIs. I suggested that A*STAR could be particularly well-positioned in medical fields such as bioelectronics by drawing on the complementary research strengths of both councils. While I don’t claim that my recommendation was the principal driver, I was pleased to see subsequent cross-council developments in medical technologies.
In another instance, drawing on insights from the EPSRC’s e-Science programme and my chairmanship of the Physical Sciences Search Committee for the Körber European Science Prize, I proposed that combining data science, materials theory and machine learning offered the possibility of in silico design of new materials with predefined properties. It was fulfilling to see this concept—reiterated in the report from our international review of materials research in SERC—lead to international visits and collaborations that contributed to accelerated materials development at A*STAR.
4. How can Singapore and A*STAR stay globally competitive in science and technology?
Manufacturing—an important pillar of Singapore’s economy—was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, declining from around 20 percent of GDP pre-pandemic to 17 percent today. Supporting its recovery remains a national priority.
In this context, I have highlighted several forward-looking R&D actions that I see as important for maintaining and growing foreign direct investment in manufacturing and further developing local manufacturing enterprises, including startup ventures, enabling them to compete globally. These include emergent developments in integrated metrology that could contribute to sustainable manufacturing; advanced developments in neuromorphic vision and tactile sensing; and Manufacturing-as-a-Service initiatives.
Of course, there is artificial intelligence and all that it brings. One particularly important area is the development of sixth-generation (6G) mobile telecommunications standards. This may come as a surprise, as local telecommunications companies typically acquire equipment from leading international suppliers based elsewhere, resulting in limited industry demand for Singapore-based telecoms R&D. However, 6G—the next generation of mobile telecommunications—is so much more than that; I see it as a potentially pervasive technological development and a source of novel enterprise opportunities.
5. What are you looking forward to in your future endeavours?
I can’t imagine not being involved with the world of science and engineering research. I have continuing links with universities where I’ve previously worked or had advisory roles; I also chair the search and selection panel for the annual IET A. F. Harvey Engineering Research Prize, a global research award.
I am also pleased to continue my association with A*STAR by chairing the review panels for the ongoing Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity (MTC) 2025 Industry Alignment Fund pre-positioning and programmatic projects. I would particularly commend my colleagues in the Office of Grant Administration for how they have established and currently operate this initiative. Expert reviewers can provide early-stage constructive feedback on collaborative proposals, allowing project teams to refine their work in response. This support greatly benefits both the final proposal and ongoing project monitoring and management, enhancing the contributions of all parties towards RIE in Singapore.
On a personal note, I’m looking forward to spending time with my family—including my two beautiful granddaughters—which is an endless source of great pleasure. We also have a relatively large garden that I hope to devote more time to; that is, as and when the UK weather allows!
