Meet The Team

Professor Michael Chia, a tenured Professor of Pediatric Exercise Science at NIE, NTU, Singapore, advocates for transforming obesogenic lifestyles into energetic ones in early childhood through collective efforts.  

He highlights the transformative power of nature play, which fosters creativity, resilience, and environmental connection. For urban children, it offers a break from screens and indoor routines, nurturing life skills, emotional well-being, and a sense of wonder. This approach, he believes, cultivates resilient individuals who, like trees, provide shade and bear fruit for society. 

Professor Chia fondly recalls his childhood outdoor adventures—swimming in canals, fishing for eels, biking down slopes, and playing soccer in the rain. He reflects, “In the rain, we found joy. In the mud, camaraderie. In the struggle, strength. Life is about dancing in the rain!” His later experiences, such as leading a youth delegation to Hong Kong and sailing to the Philippines, where they faced pirates and storms, taught him the indomitable human spirit. “No matter how fierce the storm,” he says, “the ships come out sailing” 

Professor Chia believes life is meant to be lived in nature’s boundless embrace, where the soul breathes, the mind wanders, and the heart rediscovers its rhythm. Nature, he emphasizes, nurtures and nourishes, and it is our duty to respect, cherish, and protect it.  

His philosophy underscores the importance of outdoor experiences in building resilience, fostering connections, and nurturing well-being, urging society to prioritize nature play for future generations. 

Dr Chung is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS), National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

As a child, he was always drawn to outdoor activities - riding bicycles, sledding during the winter, playing tag, hide and seek, sliding down playgrounds, and enjoying the simple pleasures of exploring nature with friends. These experiences shaped who he is today and fostered a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors. Reflecting on his own childhood, he feels incredibly fortunate to now be researching how nature and outdoor play can enrich the lives of children, our future generation.

As the Co-PI for the Leave No Child Indoors project, he is passionate about advancing scientific knowledge in this area. He hopes that our research will help shape policies that will promote healthier, more fulfilling lifestyles for children, encouraging them to connect with nature and embrace outdoor activities in a world that is becoming increasingly digital.

Through this project, he hopes to not only contribute valuable research but also inspire others to recognise the importance of childhood experiences in shaping lifelong well-being. 

Dr Tommy is a faculty member at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS), National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

He lives an active lifestyle with a particular love for running, trekking, and skiing. These pursuits are a reflection of his love and appreciation for the great outdoors. The intricate relationship between the natural elements and human wellness is undeniable. 

Nature has a profound impact on the physical, mental, and emotional well-being, offering a sanctuary for rejuvenation and growth. 

When he laces up his running shoes and hits the trails, the fresh air fills his lungs, and he feels his whole-being invigorated. Trekking through rugged terrain or gliding down snow-covered slopes, he relishes the sense of awe in the face of nature's grandeur, reminding him of his place in the larger ecosystem. 

The serendipity of the great outdoors often leads us to discover things about ourselves or the world that were previously unknown. 

Let us embrace it, respect it, and treasure it.

Dr Jernice serves as a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS), National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. Her passion for the field is evident in her research interests and dedication to child development.

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Her driving force behind the “Leave No Child Indoors” project is her deep interest in exploring how play environments, particularly outdoor spaces, impact children's physical development, especially gross motor skills. Working with the team, she assesses the impact of a nature-inspired intervention program, with a specific focus on how it supports the physical and socio-emotional growth of children from under-resourced families in Singapore.

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Her energetic spirit is also reflected in her personal preferences. She favors cold climates, fast-paced activities, and sunny weather. Her love for the sea and nature is clear as sea sports are a source of joy and reinforce her connection to her favored environments. 

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It is this appreciation for the outdoors that drives her aspiration for every child to experience its wonders. For her, the "Leave No Child Indoors" project is not just a study, but a meaningful endeavor deeply rooted in her personal values.

Dr Hanin is a senior lecturer at the Psychology and Child & Human Development department.  She specializes in early childhood education and has a keen interest in outdoor learning and physically active play for young children.  

She also enjoys designing programmes and curricula for a range of contexts.  In her previous lives, she was a PE teacher in Singapore and an early childhood teacher in New Zealand.  

Hanin enjoys the outdoors and is grateful to have had many outdoor experiences.  In her childhood, she and her friends used to spend a lot of time outdoors, playing football and softball, chasing kites, catching guppies and exploring ‘haunted houses’.  

As a student at NTU in the 1980s, she used to run on campus and at the Chua Chu Kang cemetery.  When she became a PE teacher, she led students for hikes to various places, including Pulau Ubin.  Later, Hanin lived in New Zealand where she and her family went camping, hiking and canoeing in the country’s bountiful nature.  

Nowadays, her time in nature is spent in Punggol where she runs, walks or does yoga in the neighbourhood parks or along the Park Connectors every morning.

Dr Fannie Khng is co-Deputy Centre Director and Senior Education Research Scientist at the Centre for Research in Child Development (CRCD), National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. 

Her research focuses on executive functions and self-regulation, including their development and role in the cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical well-being of children and adolescents. With a particular interest in holistic, biopsychosocial models of well-being and development, her research includes examining the quality of provision of motor-skill-related spaces and activities in early childhood education classrooms and early fine and gross motor skill development; the interplay between early cognitive and motor skills in early school readiness and later cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical well-being; and mind-body interventions that enhance executive functioning, self-regulation and well-being in children, such as breathing-, movement- and mindfulness-based activities.

In her younger days, Dr Khng was an avid trail cyclist. She continues seeking to learn outdoors, especially on her travels abroad, like exploring the Angkor Wat inner circuit by riding the backtrails on a mountain bike, or chasing down dinosaur tracks in the (recently) coastal cliffs in Portugal, and (upcoming) mountain ridges in Colorado. 

Ms Dan Li is a research associate at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS), National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

Her research focuses on promoting the healthy development of preschool children, with a special interest in how nature and outdoor play can support their physical, emotional, and social well-being.

Personally, Dan enjoys spending time outdoors and appreciates the simple yet profound connection between nature and well-being. She has participated in marathons and loves hiking as a way to challenge herself and stay active. For her, being in beautiful natural surroundings — closing her eyes to feel the breeze, soaking in the sunshine — is a way to relax, recharge, and reconnect with herself.

Through the "Leave No Child Indoors" project, Dan hopes to inspire more opportunities for children to experience the joy and benefits of nature, encouraging healthier and happier childhoods. She believes that even simple outdoor moments — like feeling the sun or walking among trees — can bring comfort, strength, and a sense of wonder to children growing up in an increasingly digital world.

Ms Seow Ting is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS), National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

An avid outdoor enthusiast, Seow Ting believes in the profound impact that spending time outdoors has on well-being, resilience, and perspective. Her love for exploration has taken her to breathtaking landscapes, particularly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, where she has embarked on exhilarating hikes through rugged terrains and towering peaks. From traversing the serene valleys and boglands of the Wicklow Mountains to conquering Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the UK, and wandering through the enchanting glens of the Isle of Skye, she finds solace and inspiration in the raw beauty of the natural world.

For Seow Ting, the outdoors is more than just an escape – it is a space for reflection, renewal, and personal growth. She values the lessons nature teaches her: resilience in the face of tough trails, patience through changing weather, joy of reaching new heights and the humility that comes with standing before vast, untamed landscapes. 

Whether she is immersed in her academic work or reaching new heights on a mountain, she faces each challenge with a spirit of determination and a thirst for discovery. She looks forward to many more adventures, where each hike and journey adds to her ongoing passion for the natural world.