PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Daphne Teck Ching Lai

Also known as D. Lai, Daphne Lai, Daphne T. C. Lai, Daphne T.C. Lai

Daphne Teck Ching Lai is an AI and data-science researcher whose work connects evolutionary clustering with problems in health, geology and energy. Her 2013 breast-cancer study uses semi-supervised fuzzy c-means and feature selection, and a 2014 paper investigates distance-metric learning for the method. She coauthored particle-swarm clustering studies in 2020 and 2021, won the 2024 UL Research Institutes–ASEAN–U.S. Science Prize for Women, and coauthored a 2025 machine-learning study that identifies exploration targets of naturally occurring catalysts for carbon dioxide methanation. As of October 2026, she is a Senior Assistant Professor at Universiti Brunei Darussalam and Data Science Programme Leader for 2026/2027; she leads a 2026 project on wave-energy forecasting with physics-informed Kolmogorov–Arnold networks.

Now at
Universiti Brunei Darussalam
Works
136

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026. Citations and h-index are hidden because this OpenAlex record may be incomplete or mix in other authors.

Timeline

  1. 2013–2014

    Fuzzy clustering for breast cancer

    In 2013, she publishes a semi-supervised fuzzy c-means study on breast-cancer classification that uses feature selection. In 2014, she publishes a study on distance-metric learning for semi-supervised fuzzy c-means clustering.

  2. 2017

    A Hosei HIF application

    In 2017, she applies to Hosei University's HIF programme to pursue international research. While working at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, she finds a suitable Hosei academic adviser and proceeds with the application.

  3. 2020

    Semi-supervised particle-swarm clustering

    In 2020, she coauthors a semi-supervised particle swarm optimisation algorithm for data clustering with Minami Miyakawa and Yuji Sato. The method draws on semi-supervised fuzzy c-means and particle swarm optimisation to guide its search.

  4. 2021

    Cluster-based MOEA/D

    In November 2021, she and Yuji Sato publish a cluster-based approach to solution selection in a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm with bare bones particle swarm optimisation for data clustering.

  5. 2024

    An ASEAN-U.S. science prize

    She wins the 2024 UL Research Institutes–ASEAN–U.S. Science Prize for Women in the Mid-career Scientist category. Her work applies data science and AI to geology, including source-rock characterisation, deep-learning identification of rock facies and water-quality analysis.

  6. 2025

    Machine learning for catalysts

    In 2025, she coauthors a Fuel paper on a super-ensemble model that employs Multinomial Naive Bayes and Extreme Gradient Boosting to identify exploration targets of naturally occurring catalysts for carbon dioxide methanation.

  7. 2026

    Wave-energy forecasting

    In 2026, she leads a project on real-time wave-energy forecasting with physics-informed Kolmogorov–Arnold networks and wave-tank experiments.

  8. As of October 2026

    Data Science programme leader

    As of October 2026, she is a Senior Assistant Professor at Universiti Brunei Darussalam's School of Digital Science and Programme Leader for Data Science for 2026/2027. She holds a BSc from Strathclyde, an MSc from Kent and a PhD from Nottingham.

Career

  1. NowUniversiti Brunei DarussalamSenior Assistant Professor; Programme Leader for Data Science

Education

  1. University of StrathclydeBSc
  2. University of KentMSc
  3. University of NottinghamPhD

From the biography.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Nottingham. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  2. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes University of Nottingham. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  3. 11% of AI doctorate holders from 2010 to 2016 founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduationIncludes University of Strathclyde. We estimate how often AI doctorate holders founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduation, how waiting times compare between founders and top jobs, and which universities trained the most.
  4. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of Kent. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.

Sources and credits

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  1. Dr. Daphne Teck Ching Lai - Universiti Brunei Darussalam ubd.edu.bn. Checked 22 October 2026.
  2. Daphne Teck Ching Lai | HOSEI University Global Education Center global.hosei.ac.jp. Checked 22 October 2026.
  3. Semi-supervised data clustering using particle swarm optimisation - Universiti Brunei Darussalam expert.ubd.edu.bn. Checked 22 October 2026.
  4. An Empirical Study of Cluster-Based MOEA/D Bare Bones PSO for Data Clustering - Universiti Brunei Darussalam expert.ubd.edu.bn. Checked 22 October 2026.
  5. Current & Past Finalists – ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women Supported by UL scienceprize4women.asean.org. Checked 22 October 2026.
  6. Dr. Daphne Teck Ching Lai – ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women Supported by UL scienceprize4women.asean.org. Checked 22 October 2026.
  7. Super-ensemble learning of petrographic features as exploration criteria: Classification of chromitite with unconventional catalysts - Universiti Brunei Darussalam expert.ubd.edu.bn. Checked 22 October 2026.
  8. Daphne Teck Ching Lai - Universiti Brunei Darussalam expert.ubd.edu.bn. Checked 22 October 2026.
  9. Staff – School of Digital Science sds.ubd.edu.bn. Checked 22 October 2026.