Manoj Thulasidas

I'm a Teacher

About

I am an educator and a thinker with a deep passion for physics and writing. Now a professor at SMU, I have pursued previous careers in experimental physics at CERN, applied research at A*STAR, quantitative finance at OCBC and SCB. My diverse pursuits have led to significant accomplishments, including publishing "The Unreal Universe," a book exploring the philosophy of physics, which I consider my raison d’être. My thoughts have regularly appeared in publications like Wilmott Magazine and the Singaporean newspaper Today.

Thinker, Writer, Scientist & Technologist

Born in Munnar, India, I earned my undergraduate degree at IIT Madras before pursuing my passion for physics at Syracuse University. My research in high-energy physics at Cornell and with the ALEPH collaboration at CERN led to numerous publications. Later, my work on human body-based measurements and neuroinformatics at Singapore's Kent Ridge Digital Labs (now part of A*STAR) reignited my curiosity about the mind-matter interplay, culminating in my first book, The Unreal Universe.

In 2005, I transitioned to the field of quantitative finance, leading risk management efforts at OCBC and SCB in Singapore. This role broadened my understanding of pricing models and the complexities of financial risk. After a short sabbatical, in 2016, I embarked on what I consider my final career: teaching mathematics for computer science, web programming, business modeling and data analytics as a professor at Singapore Management University. This academic role aligns with my scientific, research and finance background, bringing my professional journey full circle.

Happy Students and counting in Computer Science, Data Analytics, Web Apps, and more.

Publications
Peer-reviewed Articles, Newspaper and Magazine Columns...

Legacy
My parting gift to humanity, in a ten-minute video, one peer-reviewed article, and one full-length book

Skills

Skills aren't particularly relevant since I'm not currently seeking a new job. Here's a high-level summary:

Teaching & Pedagogy 95%
Computer Programming 95%
Writing & Philosophy 90%
Physics 90%
Mathematics 90%
Computer Science 85%
Management & Consultancy 80%
Finance & Investment 75%

Resume

  • Physics, mathematics and computer science education and pedagogy.
  • Data analytics and automation techniques for SMEs, and knowledge-systems.
  • Foundational topics in physics, role of perception and cognition in physics.
  • Quantitative finance, management of information technology in the finance industry.
  • Find a more detailed CV on my Faculty Page at SMU or a video version on YouTube.

Summary

Manoj Thulasidas

Dedicated and innovative Educator, lifelong Physicist, published Writer and inspired Developer.

  • Lives in Singapore
  • Works as an Associate Professor of CS (Edu) at SMU, SCIS
  • Teaches, writes, thinks and generally behaves like decent human being
  • Email and other contact details available

Education

PhD in Experimental Particle Physics

1987 - 1993

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA

I completed my PhD in Experimental Particle Physics at Syracuse University, where I conducted advanced research as part of the CLEO II experiment at Cornell University. My work focused on analyzing data from high-energy electron-positron collisions, contributing to the understanding of quark dynamics and rare particle decays. This experience allowed me to develop expertise in data analysis, detector calibration, and collaboration within a large international research team, ultimately enhancing our understanding of fundamental particles and their interactions.

Bachelor of Technology

1983 - 1987

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, India

I earned my BTech in Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, where I developed a strong foundation in electronic circuits, signal processing, and embedded systems. My coursework and projects focused on the design and analysis of advanced electronic systems, which equipped me with practical skills in hardware design, software integration, and system optimization. This rigorous program honed my problem-solving abilities and provided me with a solid technical background, preparing me for complex challenges in engineering and technology.

Honors and Awards

  • Dec 2024, Auckland, New Zealand. Best paper award at TALE2024.
  • Sep 2004 Malta. Best paper award at MEDSIP’04, Malta.
  • Summer 1983, India. Ranked 63rd (out of about 75,000) in India in JEE for IITs.
  • Summer 1982 Trivandrum, India. Ranked 3rd in the state of Kerala, India in the Engineering Entrance Exam (out of about 10,000 students).

Professional Experience

Education and Pedagogical Research

2016 - Present

Associate Professor of Computer Science (Education)
Singapore Management University, Singapore

  • Teaching mathematics for computer science, data analytics and business modeling at the School of Computing and Information Systems
  • Research in the field of data analytics and management, and their applications in pedagogy, health and wellness
  • Pedagogical and Education research
  • Taught over 2500 undergraduate and masters students

Banking and Quantitative Finance

2005 - 2013

Associate Director and Vice President
Standard Chartered Bank and OCBC, Singapore

  • Team lead for quantitative library development and pricing model integration
  • Quantitative finance: stochastic calculus, simulation, multi-layer software design
  • Head of Analytics for Market Risk Management: pricing model analysis and validation
  • Applied mathematics: Stochastic calculus, partial differential equations and Monte Carlo simulations, implemented in C/C++ and Excel/VBA

Applied Research

1998 - 2005

Associate Lead Scientist
Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), Singapore

  • Team lead for the New Initiative research group. Expertise in bio-signal processing, sensors, actuators and embedded programming
  • Research and development on Brain-Computer Interface for locked-in patients

Scientific Research

1993 - 1998

Research Engineer
CERN, Switzerland and CNRS, France

  • Research and development of the precision tracking Vertex Detector for CERN
  • Measurement of b quark production fraction in Z0 decays at ALEPH

Portfolio

Here are some of the recent projects I have worked on, both professionally and for fun.

  • All
  • Web Apps
  • Books
  • Pedagogical Tools
  • For WAD1 Students

For WAD1 Students: Grader

A grading assistant application for lab tests.

Web Apps: EZ PayPal

The easiest way to sell your digital products online.

Pedagogical Tools: Grader

A grading assistant application for lab tests.

Books: Principles of Quantitative Development

A practical guide to designing, building and deploying a trading platform.

Books: Linear Algebra for Computer Science

Essential concepts and practices of Linear Algebra for computer science students.

Web Apps: Ads EZ

A feature-rich personal ad server designed for your needs.

For WAD1 Students: Other Apps

More information and a demo site for my PHP/MySQL apps, including WordPress plugins.

Web Apps: Theme Tweaker

A WordPress plugin to customize the colors of your favorite theme.

Pedagogical Tools: Secure AnswerBook & AutoGrading

A secure answer book and an automated grading tool.

For WAD1 Students: My Old Home

My first homepages from the mid-1990s.

Pedagogical Tools: Moderation Tool

The strategy and principles behind statistical moderation.

Books: The Unreal Universe

Exploring the true nature of our reality.

Services

I don't offer any services other than my professional engagement with SMU. But I am capable of providing the following, although I may be far too expensive for most. Honestly, it may not be worth it...

Consultancy

Advisory services for starting a new business in Singapore, including assistance with legal and financial requirements, international hiring, and more.

Software Architecture

Consultation and support for the design and development of large-scale software packages, with a focus on web-based workflow automation.

Student Motivation

Inspiring young learners to love their STEM subjects is my passion. Although I don't do private tutoring, you can try talking me into it.

Writing Engagements

Columns or essays for newspapers, magazines, and books on a wide range of topics—from physics and philosophy to pedagogy, life, death, and everything in between.

Philosophizing

Alright, this one's on the cheap side. Take me out for dinner and good wine, and I'll talk at length about life, the universe, and everything. Don't you want to know why the answer is 42?

Anything Else?

Some people are born with the unshakable (and often mistaken) belief that they can do anything. I'm one of them. So, what do you need?

Testimonials

Testimonials are mainly sourced from my student feedback (anonymous) and the student images are AI-generated.

★★★★★ A must-read!
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2014
Verified Purchase
An excellent read, shifting things inside of the human psyche. Recommended to all and sundry. Skip the maths if you like, but read it. This is the kind of book that grows human intelligence with the passing of time. Let it impact upon you too...

"Axiomena"

Amazon Review: The Unreal Universe

I love the way Prof Manoj teaches! He is very engaging and shows genuine interest and passion for the topic he's lecturing about. Even as someone who does not appreciate math that much, hearing him talk about the beauty of the consistency of linear algebra inspires me to look deeper and appreciate linear algebra for its amazing properties and applications.

Anonymous UG Student

Feedback on my Linear Algebra Course

Honestly one of the better Prof across all the modules I have taken. He scaffolds the learning appropriately and is able to break down challenging topics into bite sized pieces for better understanding. Clearly very passionate about what he does.
Very knowledgeable, especially when it comes to the technical underpinnings of the theory

Anonymous PG Students

Feedback on my Text Analytics Course

He was very clear in everything, even made an effort to tell us if we missed something (even if it was our fault) we could still clarify with him. His consult was very good, he is one of the few profs that actually bothered to try to understand what my group was talking about for the group discussion unlike some profs that just brush you aside and assume they understand what you're saying. Thank you prof, you are really amazing!

Anonymous UG Student

Feedback on "Spreadsheet Modeling and Analytics"

Prof Manoj is very clear and patient in teaching, he would always provide us with examples so that we can relate the things taught in class to real-life applications. He makes sure that no one is left out in the class by frequently asking if there are any questions thus far in between lessons. He has made analytics foundation class very much enjoyable and fun.

Anonymous UG Student

Feedback on "Analytics Foundation"

Prof is super nice, funny and charismatic. He has a deep understanding of the lesson content and able to explain concepts so well. I am so thankful to be in his class.
Prof Manoj is so enthusiastic in class and he always explains the chunky slides into minimal ideas that he draws on his iPad or demonstrate to us. He really helped me be wowed by the world of coding. He also constantly checks on me when I look lost which I really appreciate it so much.

Anonymous UG Students

Feedback on my Web App Dev Course

Contact

If you don't know me by now, you will never, never, never know me. But you can still give it a shot.

Address

School of Computing and Information Systems,
Singapore Management University,
80 Stamford Road, Singapore 178902

Call Me

+65 6828 9625

Email Me

If you can!

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