Teo Tang Wee

Assoc Prof Teo Tang Wee serves as Associate Professor and Head of the Natural Sciences and Science Education Department at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, while also co-leading the Multi-centric Education, Research and Industry STEM Centre (meriSTEM@NIE). With over 20 years of STEM education experience, she has secured approximately SGD 3 million in research funding as Principal Investigator from organizations including the Ministry of Education, Temasek Foundation, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Her educational journey includes a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2007-2011), funded by the National Institute of Education Overseas Graduate Scholarship. Prior to her doctoral studies, she taught Chemistry at NUS High School of Mathematics and Science, Singapore's specialized STEM school for gifted students.

As an equity scholar in STEM education, Assoc Prof Teo focuses on inclusivity for underachievers and students with special education needs, while also examining gender issues in STEM fields. Her research has produced influential frameworks like the STEM Instructional Quartet, and she has spearheaded the Certificate in STEM Curriculum Development program and Minor Degree in STEM Education at NIE/NTU. Her work extends to international collaborations, including contributions to a UNESCO report on gender in STEM education.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on inclusive STEM education methodologies, with particular attention to eye-tracking studies examining learning processes across diverse student populations. Her work increasingly explores STEM education as cultural practice and investigates epistemic infrastructure across various learning environments including hackathons and specialized STEM schools, with research spanning Singapore, China, Thailand, and the United States.

Her scientific achievements are recognized through multiple prestigious awards:

• Nanyang Award (Teamwork) - 2012
• NIE Research Excellence Award - 2018
• Xilong Scientific - Singapore National Institute of Chemistry Industry Award - 2018
• Asia-Pacific Science Education Best Paper Award - 2021
• NIE Excellence in Teaching Award - 2021 and 2025
• NIE Long Service Award - 2021

Assoc Prof Teo demonstrates exceptional leadership through her editorial roles as Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of Research in Integrated STEM Education, Associate Editor for multiple journals, and her direction of professional development programs for STEM educators at all levels. She actively leads meriSTEM@NIE's international collaborations, including workshops like the WAFC event in Shanghai focused on project-based learning, reflecting her commitment to transforming educational practices and informing policy development across the Asia-Pacific region.

meriSTEM@NIE operates with a philosophy centered on transforming school practices, improving educational programs, informing policy formation, and ultimately enhancing student learning outcomes through empirically-grounded STEM education research in curriculum, teaching, learning, assessment, and evaluation.