Young Researcher Award

Associate Professor TEO Ho Khoon, Edward

PhD (Cambridge), BSc (Flinders)
Department of Physics

“ I believe that the final laws of physics are simple and mathematically beautiful, reflecting the true nature of Nature herself. ”

Research Interests
  • General relativity, quantum field theory and string theory;
  • Black holes and cosmology, particularly within the framework of string or M-theory;
  • Quantum field theory in curved space-time, quantum inequalities and negative energy densities

Research Achievements Made several important contributions to the fields of general relativity and quantum field theory including:
  • research on the problem of negative energies in physics;
  • co-development of a mathematical formalism, which for the first time, allows the systematic study and proof of the quantum interest conjecture;
  • inroads into the understanding of black diholes and other multi-black-hole solutions in general relativity and string theory.

Research Strengths
  • ability to connect ideas from different fields;
  • driven by the belief of simplicity and beauty in physics.

Publication Credits
19 papers published in top physics journals such as Physical Review Letters, Physical Review D and Nuclear Physics B.

International Standing
his research on negative energies were cited in a special issue of Scientific American entitled The Edge of Physics, which was devoted to some of the latest and most important developments at the frontiers of physics.

Awards and Accolades
  • NUS Excellent Teachers Award, 2002/2003 and 2003/2004;
  • Faculty of Science Teaching Excellence Award, 2000/2001, 2001/2002 and 2002/2003;
  • Faculty of Science Honour Roll for Teaching Excellence, 2003/2004 and 2004/2005.

Research Aspiration
to contribute to the quest for a unified theory of quantum gravity.