09 February 2019

Dr Wijaya Martanto is working as an Analytical and Computing Technology Clinical Researcher at the Ministry of Health Office for Healthcare Transformation.

He obtained both his first degree and doctorate in Chemical Engineering from American universities and spent five years working at Intel Corporation as a Senior Process Engineer.

Out of all the higher learning options available in the region, he chose Duke-NUS Medical School as “it is the only graduate medical school in Singapore that provides joint-degrees from Duke University (USA) and National University of Singapore, and both are highly reputable”.

His unique work experience at Intel and his PhD graduate research experience in medical devices (microneedles) earned him a full scholarship for his medical doctorate course at Duke-NUS.

With the constant technological advancements and innovations today, Dr Martanto foresees an increasing need for more individuals with a combined MD and PhD degree to drive impactful changes in healthcare.

07 February 2019

The National University of Singapore Students’ Union council has weighed in on the recent debate over the turnover of faculty members, saying it wants students’ opinions to be heard.

“We think it is important to put students’ voices front and centre in this debate,” the representatives of the students’ union said in a recent Facebook post.

In response, Professor Florence Ling, NUS vice-provost (student life) said that the university will be working with the Students’ Union on a new initiative to gather students’ views on academic experiences and the recent debate on academic freedom.

On the other hand, Nanyang Technological University said that it values teaching and research, and both are equally important criteria in its promotion and tenure process.

Both NUS and NTU will hold a conference in August this year to bring back 200 Singaporean scholars doing research in universities and industry overseas.

06 February 2019

According to a Private Education Institute Graduate Employment Survey, only half of fresh graduates from Singapore’s private schools secured full-time jobs six months after graduation.

The survey was conducted by the Committee for Private Education, which reported that there has been a deep drop in the full-time employment rate of private school graduates.

More graduates opted for freelance employment, and the proportion of those in part-time or temporary employment also went up.

The graduate employment survey for National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University also saw a dip in the proportion of graduates starting work within six months of completing their final examinations.

While fresh private school graduates saw a S$100 uptick in gross monthly salary, with the latest batch earning S$2,650, graduates of autonomous universities continued to earn more, with a median gross monthly salary of S$3,400.

05 February 2019

The National University of Singapore’s School of Design and Environment has embarked on an ambitious project to solve many of the urban living challenges facing Singapore, ranging from inefficient air-conditioning to providing sufficient ventilation in public buildings.

The school has recently launched a futuristic SDE4 Net-Zero Energy Building, which aims to become a living laboratory that will promote research collaboration in sustainable building design.

The six-storey SDE4 building is climate-responsive with net-zero energy consumption and it features a range of green building concepts, such as the harnessing of solar energy as well as a hybrid cooling approach.

In the ideal smart building, technology and science must work in tandem to create an indoor environment that is comfortable and that works for the comfort and health of its dwellers.

To heighten the sense of “home”, one example project that researchers will be undertaking at SDE4 is the development of a system capable of improving indoor aural comfort by picking ideal sound profiles to mask undesirable ambient noises.

03 February 2019

Mr Daniel Teh, a recipient of the Singapore Youth Award 2018, had a checkered teenage past, during which he was surrounded by bad company and had repeated brushes with the law.

Today, however, Mr Teh is a far cry from the delinquent he used to be. He runs a Thai restaurant chain Pope Jai, a social enterprise whose workforce consists mainly of youth-at-risk.

The Singapore Youth Awards were first given out in 1976 and they are Singapore’s highest accolade for young people who have not only excelled in their fields of pursuit but also demonstrated a strong passion to make a difference in the community.

The award cites Mr Teh’s commitment and perseverance in serving underprivileged groups.

The 2018 winners embody the values of resilience, courage, service, leadership and inspiration.

02 February 2019

Speaking at a forum on employability organised by the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Students’ Union, leading employers have said that companies are still drawn to candidates with good grades as they are a strong marker of capability.

For instance, Economic Development Board managing director Chng Kai Fong said: “Everyone is trying to shift away from an emphasis on grades but there is no substitute.”

Chief executive of DBS Group Piyush Gupta, who delivered a keynote speech, said that grades still provide the easiest way to shortlist candidates.

Other employers said they look for different character traits such as curiosity, humility and a willingness to learn.

Mr Danny Yong, chief investment officer and founding partner of Dymon Asia Capital, said: “A lot of learning is done on the job and not in school. So the most important ingredient for success is opportunity.”