Faculty Profile

Education

Current Position(s) Held

Recognition and Honors

• SMU Faculty Contribution to Student Life Award, 2022
• Member, Arthur W. Page Society, 2021
• SMU MBA Teaching Excellence Award, 2020
• SMU Teaching Excellence Honour Roll, 2019
• SMU-X Excellent Teacher Award, 2019
• Specialist Adult Educator Award (Curriculum Development), SkillsFuture SG/Institute for Adult Learning, 2018
• SMU Teaching Excellence Award, Postgraduate Professional Programmes, 2016
• SMU Faculty Contribution to Student Life Award, 2016
• Excellent Teacher Award, Singapore Management University, 2015
• Most Promising Teacher Award, Singapore Management University , 2006
• Dean's Teaching Honour List, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University , 2005 - 2011, 2013 - 2024
• Outstanding Graduate Instructor, International Communication Association, 2002
• Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant, Cornell University, 2001

Research Grants

• MoE AcRF Tier 2 grant, 2021
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) research grant, 2003
• Asia Rice Foundation research grant, 2001
• Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) research grant, Cornell Genomics Initiative, Cornell University, 2001

Latest Publications

• Chong, M., Leung, A.k.-y., & Fernandez, T.M. (2024). One-site sensory experience boosts acceptance of cultivated chicken. Future Foods, 9, Article 100326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fufo.2024.100326.
• Dai, X., Leung, A.k.-y., & Chong, M. (2024). The link between people’s social perceptions of cultivated meat eaters and their acceptance of cultivated meat. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 27(3), 473-486. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajsp.12609
• Chong, M. (2023). Increasing the acceptance of cultivated meat. Asian Management Insights, 10, 24-30.
• Chong, M., Leung, A.k.-y., Fernandez, T.M., & Ng, S.T. (2023). Effects of framing, nomenclature, and aversion to tampering with nature on consumer acceptance of cultivated meat in Singapore, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 91, Article 102140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102140.
• Thomas, O.Z., Chong, M., Leung, A., Fernandez, T.M., & Ng, S.T. (2023). Not getting laid: Consumer acceptance of precision fermentation made egg. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1209533
• Leung, A.K.-y., Chong, M., Fernandez, T.M., & Ng, S.T. (2023). Higher well-being individuals are more receptive to cultivated meat: An investigation of their reasoning for consuming cultivated meat. Appetite, 184, Article 106496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.106496
• Chong, M., Leung, A.K.-y., & Lua, V. (2022). A cross-country investigation of social image motivation and acceptance of lab-grown meat in Singapore and the United States. Appetite, 173, Article 105990. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.105990

Invited Talks and Keynotes (Selected)

• Consumers’ risk perception and acceptance of novel food technologies. Singapore Food Agency Annual Science Series 2025, 5 Jun 2025.
• Experiential learning and Generative AI. University of Tokyo, 15 May, 2024.
• Risk communication regarding novel foods. 5th International Heads of Food Agencies Forum (IHFAF), 17 Apr, 2024.
• The art & science of storytelling. SingHealth Inaugural Communications Summit 2024, 5 April 2024.
• AI x storytelling. Temasek Polytechnic School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Keynote Address, 10 Nov, 2023.
• Acceptance of alternative proteins. SMU Sustainability Forum, 20 Sep, 2023.
• Psychological wellbeing and consumer acceptance of cultivated meat. FHA-Food & Beverage, 25 April, 2023.
• The cultivated nutrition: public perception & consumer acceptance of cell-based food. FHA- Food & Beverage, Singapore, 3 Sep, 2022.
• Perception and acceptance of cultivated meat in Singapore. Singapore International Agriculture Week, Good Food Institute, Singapore, 23 Aug, 2022.
• The role of risk communication in consumer acceptance and regulatory management of future foods. Singapore Future Foods Communication Initiative Webinar Series, Future Ready Food Safety Hub, 29 Oct, 2021.

Societal Impact

• Chong, et al. (2022) study cited by the World Health Organisation & FAO (2023) in its publication Food Safety Aspects of Cell-Based Food. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978924007094