It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Thursday, March 27, 2025
From parity to progress: Women in STEMM call for equity, mentorship and inclusive leadership at 2025 symposium
Pictured left to right: Tan Say Beng, Enny Kiesworo, Valerie Chew, Ann-Marie Chacko, Patrick Tan, Tan Chorh Chuan, Karen Chang, Chow Wan Cheng, Shiva Sarraf-Yazdi, Mara McAdams, Chris Laing, Gavin Smith and Jenny Low.
Singapore, 25 March 2025— Moving the conversation from parity to purpose, the International Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) Symposium 2025—hosted by Duke-NUS Medical School—brought together more than 350 leaders, researchers and students to discuss gender diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and confronted one of the most pressing challenges facing STEMM fields today: how to close the gender gap through sustained, systemic support.
In his keynote, Guest-of-Honour Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, Permanent Secretary for National Research and Development, emphasised the importance of a systematic “whole-of-ecosystem” perspective, which includes having a systemic focus.
“Individual development programmes are useful, but at the same time, we must address systemic barriers embedded in our institutions and processes. This includes examining how we hire new staff, evaluate merit, allocate resources, and structure career advancement.”
The full day event, held on 24 March 2025, featured speakers and panellists from across the biomedical, tech and academic landscapes—including the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), National University Health System (NUHS), National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Home Team Science & Technology Agency (HTX), and Duke-NUS Medical School—who discussed strategies to sustain and elevate women in research, leadership and policy-making, but also in building a diverse workforce.
In a powerful opening address, Dr Kanwaljit Soin, Singapore’s first female Nominated Member of Parliament and founding member of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), called on women in STEMM to shape change—not wait for it.
“Gender equity isn’t a women’s issue. It’s a systemic issue. It’s a societal issue. The conversation must shift from ‘helping women’ to transforming institutions. And here’s a little secret: men benefit from gender equity too. Diverse leadership improves research quality, clinical outcomes, and patient care.”
One of the most energising segments was the “To DEI or Not to DEI” debate, which saw early-career researchers from Duke-NUS tackle both the promise and pitfalls of diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Moderated by Professor Toh Han Chong, Deputy Director at the National Cancer Centre Singapore, the spirited discussion reflected the evolving views of the next generation on how DEI must evolve to remain meaningful.
This year’s symposium, co-chaired by Duke-NUS academics Assistant Professor Ann-Marie Chacko, Assistant Professor Mara McAdams and Associate Professor Valerie Chew, set out to do more than spark conversation—it aimed to spark change. The goal wasn’t just to talk about gender equity in STEMM, but to equip participants with real tools and ideas to make progress happen. Throughout the day, the sessions leaned into what it truly takes to shift culture—from building confidence and visibility through personal branding, to rethinking how we open doors to leadership, and how male allyship can help lift the load.
“This wasn’t another diversity panel—we sparked actionable dialogue on overhauling systems from boardrooms to labs,” said the co-chairs in a joint statement. “Every strategy shared carried one message—Progress needs propulsion. Let’s turn today’s blueprints into tomorrow’s STEMM revolution, where we create lasting progress and success together.”
Hosted annually by Singapore’s medical schools, the International Women in STEMM Symposium will next be organised by the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at NTU.
E-scooter crashes mainly caused by reckless driving
Credit: Chalmers University of Technology | Hanna Magnusson
Crashes on electric scooters are mostly due to the behaviour of the riders, with one-handed steering and riding in a group being some of the largest risk factors. The researchers are also concerned about riders who deliberately crash or cause dangerous situations when riding, a phenomenon that seems to be specific to electric scooters. This is shown by a study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, which for the first time examines the causes behind crashes with electric scooters from naturalistic data within an urban environment.
The arrival of electric scooters in cities has meant an opportunity to quickly and smoothly make shorter trips. But not everyone is using them to simply get from A to B.
"When working with road safety, it is important to understand that electric scooters not only meet mobility needs in cities but are also used for pleasure. Unfortunately, it is clear that leisure riding in some cases leads to dangerous behaviours that increase crash risks," says Marco Dozza, Professor of Active Safety and Road User Behaviour at Chalmers and one of the authors behind the recently published study.
The study is the first of its kind and is an investigation of risk factors and causes of crashes with electric scooters in urban environments. While the findings clearly show that the vast majority of e-scooter riders do not demonstrate risky behaviour, the study focused on the safety-critical events.
Using advanced technology and cameras attached to the vehicles, data was collected from almost 7 000 trips with rented electric scooters. This data allowed the researchers to examine the causes of the 61 safety-critical events that were identified, including 19 crashes and 42 “near-crashes”– critical situations that could have led to a crash.
A phenomenon that was discovered surprised the researchers and clearly differs from studies of other vehicle types: in 20 per cent of safety-critical events, the rider deliberately created a risk situation, or collision while driving. Because the incidents were intentional, they were not included in the analysis of crash risks, but Marco Dozza sees significant concerns with this behaviour, which he thinks can be likened to a type of vandalism. He points out that there are not the same established social norms for the use of electric scooters as for other types of vehicles.
"This behaviour seems to be specific to electric scooters. The lack of ownership because the electric scooters are rented may make the rider feel less responsible for the vehicle and care less about the consequences of a crash," he says.
Odd riding behaviour reduces focus
According to Marco Dozza, the study shows that it is primarily the rider's behaviour that causes crashes, not the electric scooter as such.
"There are significantly more varied, strange, and dangerous behaviours among electric scooter riders compared to other road users," he says.
And the dangerous behaviours have consequences. The study shows, for example, that riding with only one hand on the handlebar increases the risk of crashing by six times. Riding together in a group, or using a mobile phone during the journey, almost triples the risk of a crash occurring.
"It is not possible to steer and brake with an electric scooter in the same way as with a bicycle, so riding with one hand on the handlebar is significantly more difficult – and dangerous – than many people might think. The results confirm how important it is not to be distracted while driving. Looking at your mobile phone or riding with many people in a group can take the focus away from driving and the surrounding environment," he says.
An important take away from the study is the importance of experience when riding an electric scooter.
"The risk of being involved in a crash is greatest the first time you ride an electric scooter. For those who have ridden less than five times, the risk is still more than twice as high," he says.
Another conclusion is that the type of trip the electric scooter is used for matters a lot. Commuting to and from work, or to another designated point, leads to fewer crashes than more aimless riding or riding where the user takes detours on the way to the destination.
Unexpected number of incidents with cars
Of the critical events analysed, almost 20 percent involved other electric scooters, 16 per cent pedestrians and 5 percent bicycles. Most critical events, 30 percent, occurred with cars. As an unprotected road user, you risk serious injury from a car crash, points out Marco Dozza, who is somewhat surprised by the results.
"Since bicycles and electric scooters should be ridden on bike lanes, I had expected more conflicts with bicycles. The fact that so many cars are involved suggests that many crashes may occur when the electric scooter is ridden outside the bike lanes, or when there is no bike infrastructure available. The risk of crashes is greatest at intersections, and my impression, even though this is not something that the study has concluded, is that it may be difficult for motorists to see the electric scooter riders in time, especially if they are not riding on a bike path," he says.
According to the researchers, technical solutions can improve the traffic safety of electric scooters. For example, technology can warn of dangerous situations and remind the rider to keep both hands on the handlebars. Technology can also keep track of how the driver is using the vehicle and identify whether it is being ridden as part of a ‘pack’ or if the rider is using a phone at the same time. Geofencing can employ this information to automatically adapt vehicle speed to crash risk.
At the same time, Marco Dozza believes that it is behavioural changes, possibly nudged by technology, that can make the biggest difference to road safety in the short run. He is convinced that education and training are important ways to reduce the number of crashes.
"Parents can teach their children to ride an electric scooter in the same way as they teach them to ride a bike. Maybe there is a need for education, and preferably practical training, to be able to rent an electric scooter," he says.
The study has been funded by the Swedish Transport Administration.
"This is an important research project because it concerns a new, relatively unresearched area, where accidents increase in line with use. The results show that a combination of training and technical solutions on the electric scooter can be effective in reducing accidents and injuries," says Rikard Fredriksson, senior expert in vehicle safety at the Swedish Transport Administration and adjunct Professor, Division of Vehicle Safety, Chalmers University of Technology.
The authors are Rahul Rajendra Pai and Marco Dozza at Chalmers University of Technology. The study was funded by the Swedish Transport Administration, within the FFI project e-SAFER, led by Chamers.
How the study was conducted Data was acquired from 17 extra-equipped electric scooters for rent in Gothenburg, Sweden, and data was collected from 6,868 trips made by 4,694 electric scooter riders over a total distance of 9,930 kilometres. Data included speed, accelerations, and how the brakes were used. The vehicles were also equipped with cameras aimed forward to facilitate the analysis of risky situations.
Risk factors when riding an electric scooter The figures indicate how many times the risk of crashes and safety-critical events increases with different behaviours and types of conflict vehicle.
Riding - Number of times increased risk of safety-critical events One-handed control: 6.5 Riding in a group (pack riding): 2.7 Mobile use while riding: 2.7 Rider experience ≤ 5 trips: 2.2
Type of trip - Number of times increased risk of safety-critical events Aimless riding/detours vs point to point: 4.9 Leisure riding vs commuting: 2.4
The proportion of vehicles involved in safety-critical incidents Passenger car and van: 30,2 per cent Electric scooter: 19 per cent Pedestrian: 15.9 per cent Bicycle : 4,8 per cent
The shock-absorbing layer of a bicycle helmet has a geometric structure that absorbs crash forces better than today’s helmets. Photo: Mohammad Hossein Zamani
By using new geometric shapes in the shock-absorbing material, researchers at the Universities of Gothenburg and Isfahan have developed a bicycle helmet that provides better protection against head injuries. The material absorbs shock by contracting bilaterally.
Bicycle helmets are important for protecting cyclists from head injuries, but traditional designs have limitations in terms of impact absorption and fit. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Isfahan in Iran designed a bicycle helmet whose shock-absorbing material utilises what is called auxetic metastructures. The material is designed in special geometric patterns that behave differently under impact conditions compared to conventional foam liners.
“When exposed to energy from an impact, the liner material contracts, and this improves the absorption of impact energy, which means lower risks of injuries to a cyclist's head in an accident,” says Mohsen Mirkhalaf, Associate Professor in the mechanics and physics of materials at the University of Gothenburg.
Geometry is key
The research study, published in the International Journal of Solids and Structures, combines what is known about auxetic metastructures with computer simulations and optimisation techniques to develop a safer bicycle helmet.
“We used a specific design optimisation method to identify the best possible geometric configuration to minimise crash forces. The geometry of the material structure is a key factor.” says Mohsen Mirkhalaf.
Finally, the new helmet's protective layer was printed on a 3D printer for testing. The material chosen was a plastic, a hyperelastic polymer, which can undergo significant deformations and return to its original shape. Standard tests on two different types of impacts against the new helmet show that it protects the head better.
Can be customised
“The knowledge of auxetic metastructures that expand laterally when stretched has been around for almost 40 years. However, development of different metastructures has exploded due to the advancements in 3D printing technology.” says Mohsen Mirkhalaf.
Not only does the new helmet design provide better protection, but it is also lighter and the auxetic liner can be customised to individual head shapes using 3D printing. That is beneficial for professional athletes or people who have difficulty finding a comfortable helmet.
This research is a step towards smarter protective equipment, which could eventually be used not only in cycling but also in other areas that requires a protection against impacts.
“With further development, this technology could lead to a new generation of bicycle helmets that are safer, more comfortable and more customisable. Although 3D printing technology currently is more expensive than mass-produced foam liners, costs are expected to fall as the technology becomes more widely used. In the future, it may even be possible to have personalised helmets printed on demand, ensuring that each rider receives the best possible protection.”
The shock-absorbing layer of a bicycle helmet has a geometric structure that absorbs crash forces better than today’s helmets.
Credit
Mohammad Hossein Zamani
Illustration how the auxetic structure absorbs the impact.
The photo was taken by our research team on Iwo Island in the Satsunan Archipelago, Kyushu, in 2023. We measured the underwater transmission spectrum, iron oxide concentration, and the cyanobacterial species present
Imagine the world’s oceans with their beautiful blue color. Now, imagine that the same oceans were green. This is the intriguing possibility suggested by new research from Nagoya University in Japan. A group led by Taro Matsuo has found evidence that cyanobacteria, important bacteria in the evolutionary process, flourished in green seas. They published their findings in Nature Ecology & Evolution.
Their discoveries suggest how different the world was 2.4 billion years ago during a period called the Great Oxidation Event. This event was triggered by cyanobacteria performing oxygenic photosynthesis for the first time, which used the energy from the sun and released oxygen. Over time, this oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere, dramatically transforming Earth's environment and paving the way for the emergence of our oxygen-breathing ancestors.
In the modern world, most oxidation is performed by plants, using chlorophylls. However, the ancient cyanobacteria also used additional pigments called phycobilins, which were an integral part of their light-harvesting antennas. The researchers became interested in the question of why cyanobacteria required phycobilins in addition to chlorophylls.
Using advanced simulations, they found that the underwater light spectrum during the Archaean era (4–2.5 billion years ago) changed to green due to iron precipitation. At the time, the Earth's oceans contained high levels of ferrous iron, which was released by hydrothermal vent systems. The Great Oxidation Event changed this balance, as the oxygen reacted with the iron, changing it from ferrous to ferric iron.
Ferric iron has different properties, such as being insoluble, causing it to precipitate out as rust-like particles. The presence of these iron-rich particles changed the wavelengths of light that could penetrate the water. As the particles preferentially absorbed blue and red light, mainly green light was transmitted, causing the underwater environment to be dominated by green hues.
“Genetic analysis revealed that cyanobacteria had a specialized phycobilin protein called phycoerythrin that efficiently absorbed green light,” Matsuo said. “We believe that this adaptation allowed them to thrive in the iron-rich, green oceans.”
Could we be looking for the wrong signs of alien life?
Matsuo also believes his research may help in the search for life in outer space. On Earth, the ocean appears blue because water absorbs red light and scatters blue; however, the green oceans in the Archean era might have efficiently reflected green light due to iron precipitation. Therefore, looking for green oceans could be used as a sign of primitive life on distant planets.
Matsuo is excited about the possibility of green oceans improving the search for alien life. “Remote-sensing data show that waters rich in iron hydroxide, such as those around Iwo Island in the Satsunan archipelago, appear noticeably brighter than typical blue oceans,” Matsuo said. “This leads us to think that green oceans might be observable from a longer distance, making them easier to detect.”
The green ocean hypothesis
The research shows the intricate balance between the surface environment of the Earth and photosynthetic organisms. The findings suggest that the emergence of photosynthetic life led to environmental changes, which in turn fostered further evolution of photosynthetic organisms, showing how life and the Earth often coevolve.
Matsuo is convinced that the green ocean hypothesis brings together findings about the Earth in its early stages. “When I first had the idea that the oceans used to be green, back in 2021, I was more skeptical than anything else,” he said. “But now, after years of research, as geological and biological insights gradually came together like pieces of a puzzle, my skepticism has turned into conviction.”
“For me personally, a major turning point was our field survey on Iwo Island in the Satsunan archipelago in 2023,” he added. “From the boat, we could see that the surrounding waters had a distinct green shimmer due to iron hydroxides, exactly like how I imagined the Earth used to look.”
Archaean green-light environments drove the evolution of cyanobacteria’s light-harvesting system
New research reveals venomous findings in non-animals
Animals share much in common with other life forms regarding their reliance on toxic secretions to solve critical problems such as predation, defense, and competition
Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center
Representative venom delivery systems in plants, including (A) co-habiting ants that numerous ant-plants provide a home and food for; (B) haustria of parasitic plants that attack other plants; (C) stinging trichomes of stinging plants; and (D) raphides that penetrate the oral membranes of animals that browse on plants. Artwork by Loma Linda University student M. Benjamin Streit.
A new published study reveals plants, fungi, bacteria, protists, and even some viruses deploy venom-like mechanisms, similar to that of venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, according to researchers at Loma Linda University School of Medicine.
The definition of venom is a biological toxin introduced into the internal milieu of another organism through a delivery mechanism such as a sting or bite that inflicts a wound. According to lead author William K. Hayes, PhD, professor of biology for the Department of Earth and Biological Sciences at the School of Medicine, the findings show that reliance on venom for solving problems like predation, defense, and competition is far more widespread than previously recognized.
“Venomous animals have long fascinated biologists that were seeking to understand their deadly secretions and the traits associated with their use, but have also contributed numerous life-saving therapeutics,” Hayes said. “Until now, our understanding of venom, venom delivery systems, and venomous organisms has been based entirely on animals, which represents only a tiny fraction of the organisms from which we could search for meaningful tools and cures.”
According to the study, It’s a Small World After All: The Remarkable but Overlooked Diversity of Venomous Organisms, with Candidates Among Plants, Fungi, Protists, Bacteria, and Viruses, plants inject toxins into animals through spines, thorns, and stinging hairs, and some also co-exist with stinging ants by providing living spaces and food in exchange for protection. Even bacteria and viruses have evolved mechanisms, like secretion systems or contractile injection systems, to introduce toxins into their targets through host cells and wounds.
Hayes has a long history of researching venom in rattlesnakes, and began exploring a broader definition of venom over a decade ago while teaching special courses on the biology of venom. As he and his team were working on a paper to define what venom truly is, they found themselves encountering non-animal examples and decided to dig deeper to identify numerous examples that may have been overlooked.
This new study paves the way for new discoveries, and Hayes hopes it will encourage collaboration among specialists and scientists across disciplines to further explore how venom has evolved across diverse organisms.
“We’ve only scratched the surface in understanding the evolutionary pathways of venom divergence, which include gene duplication, co-option of existing genes, and natural selection,” said Hayes.
It’s a Small World After All: The Remarkable but Overlooked Diversity of Venomous Organisms, with Candidates Among Plants, Fungi, Protists, Bacteria, and Viruses
