Dr. Chia Kok Hwee, Associate Professor
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University (NIE/NTU), Singapore
BEd (TESOL), BEdStudies (Special Ed & Psych), PGDES (Reading Studies), MEd (Language & Literacy), EdD (Dyslexia), LTCL, FCP (Literacy), FCoT (Dyslexia)

Dr. Noel CHIA Kok Hwee is Associate Professor with the Early Childhood & Special Needs Education Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and is a programme leader for the Master of Education in Special Education programme at NIE.  He is also an elected Fellow of The College of Preceptors, UK, and holds one associateship in hyperlexia awarded by The College of Preceptors and two fellowships - one in literacy and the other in dyslexia - awarded by The College of Preceptors and The College of Teachers (the new name for The College of Preceptors) respectively.  Moreover, as a result of his keen interest in Singapore Children's Literature in English, he was appointed as a Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow at the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, National Library Board, Singapore, in 2010.  Earlier in 1996, he was awarded the Literacy Merit Award by the Society for Reading & Literacy for his contributions to the promotion of literacy among disadvantaged readers at the First Asian Reading Congress.  More recently, he has been given two accolades - the NIE Excellence in Teaching Commendation (2013) and the Nanyang Education Award (School) in recognition of his teaching excellence (2013).  A former Japan Airlines (JAL) scholar at Sophia University, Japan, in 1984, Dr Noel Chia has been elected into the Omega Gamma Chi Honor Society, an integral part of the National Association of Special Education Teachers, in November 2012, in recognition of outstanding scholastic achievement and excellence in special education.


Dr. Thana Luxshme Thaver, Senior Lecturer
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological Univeristy (NIE/NTU), Singapore
PhD (Nanyang Technological University), MEd (National University of Singapore), BA (National University of Singapore)

Dr Thana Thaver is Senior Lecturer and Assistant Head in the Early Childhood & Special Needs Education Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.  In her early years in education, she taught mainstream and gifted secondary school students in Singapore.  Prior to joining the National Institute of Education, she worked in the Ministry of Education, Singapore, where she was involved in curriculum development and implementation and professional development of teachers in the Gifted Education Programme.  In recent years, she has expanded her teaching and research interests to include provisions for diverse learners, inclusive pedagogies, and nurturing inclusive teacher dispositions.  Dr Thaver has been involved in teacher education not just in Singaore but also internationally, and has conducted professional development workshops for educators from Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the United arab Emirates.  In recognition of her quality of teaching and care for her students, Dr Thaver received the Nanyang Award for Excellence in Teaching (2007) from NTU and the NIE Excellence in Teaching Commendation Awards (2011 and 2012).  She is also the co-authoor of Exploring Disability in Singapore: A Personal Learning Journey (2008).


Dr. Wong Meng Ee, Assistant Professor
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University (NIE/NTU), Singapore
BA (Hons), PhD

Dr. WONG Meng Ee completed his PhD. from the University of Cambridge.  He is assistant professor at the Early Childhood and Special Needs Education Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University.  He teaches diploma and masters courses in special education.  His research interests includes: inclusive education, disability sociology, assistive technology, support for students with visual impairments, support for students with disabilities in higher education and teacher education.  Outside his academic work, he is also involved with various charities and organizations supporting persons with disabilities.  He sits on the Board of SG Enable, chairs iC2PrepHouse, member of the SPD Services Committee and serves on the Steering Committee for the 8th ASEAN Para Games 2015.  He is also a keen sportsman having previously swam competitively at regional and international competitions.  To date, he has completed 5 full marathons, 2 biathlons and 2 10km openwater swims.  He is visually impaired.


Dr. Jude Chua Soo Meng, Associate Professor (Sub-Dean, Research Degrees)
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University (NIE/NTU), Singapore
PhD, FRHistS, FCOT, FcollT, FBCap, MDS

Dr. Jude CHUA Soo Meng is Associate Professor of philosophy at Policy & Leadership Studies Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and Sub-Dean of Research Degrees at the Graduate Programmes Office, NIE.  He is programme leader for the NIE - IOE EdD Dual Award Programme and has been a Visiting Academic at the Institute of Education, London.  With an enduring interest in Aquinas, he is on occasion Visiting Research Scholar at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford, and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FRHistS), London.  He held the president's graduate fellowship at National University of Singapore and won a visiting graduate fellowship at the Center for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Notre Dame, and worked with the eminent natural law theorist John Finnis.  Awarded Acton Institute's prestigious Novak Award (2003) for outstanding research at the interface of religion, economics and ethics, he has also been a Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Business and Humanism, University of Navarre, Spain.  He holds a Fellowship and is an elected Fellow of the College of Teachers (FCOT, FCollT), London for published work in education.  His research interest is in design, ethics and educational policy thinking.  Some of his works appear in Angelicum, The Modern Schoolman, London Review of Education, The Routledge Handbook on Design Research, Design Studies and Semiotica.  He serves as associate editor of the Journal of Markets and Morality.  He is also "new natural law" section editor for the Springer Handbook on Virtues in Business.