Graduates leave Singapore with a greater appreciation for Asia
Congratulations to young leaders Karen Jackson, Alex Toumar and Simon Geenty, who have recently graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
All three had their studies funded through Asia:NZ's Singapore Scholarships, which have been helping to strengthen New Zealand’s links with Singapore since 1998.
It was an eye-opening opportunity for all three young leaders. “NUS and Singapore were so centrally located and truly a hub for scientific endeavours. There was always someone amazing visiting to give a seminar, or some fascinating concert or exhibition on at the university’s cultural centre,” said Alex.
Karen now has a Bachelor of Science (Honours), majoring in life sciences and specialising in biology, with a minor in environmental biology. Looking back, Karen noted that studying in Asia had given her a much greater appreciation for Asian cultures, languages, and politics.
“For my degree, the location played a huge part. As I studied a lot of ecology, the location of the university in the tropics allowed me to learn about and actually experience tropical ecology. A real highlight at NUS was how close and friendly my cohort was, especially in the final year of study. One of my modules included a week-long field course to an island in Malaysia, where snorkelling amongst the corals and fish was part of my research for the course.”
Alex graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in engineering science, specialising in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Like Karen, she also valued being able to live and study in Asia. “It’s not until you live and learn among different people for an extended amount of time that you really begin to understand their points of view and way of life.”
Both Karen and Alex appreciated being part of the Young Leaders Network (YLN) while studying abroad. Advantages include meeting like-minded people with similar interests who could offer help and tips. “In addition, I have the knowledge that if I decided to move or visit elsewhere in Asia there would be a group of people to give me advice and introduce me to the area,” said Karen.
Alex agrees that being in the YLN gives her a sense of global community. “It allows me to meet people either socially or professionally in many different countries in the world.”
In September, Alex begins a five-year PhD course in materials science and engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston. Karen is looking into the various options for transitioning into a professional career.
Image:
1. Karen Jackson and a friend at the NUS graduation
