Here's - HEY! - Nanyang Technological University

THE NTU MAGAZINE NOV–DEC 2013 NO. 13

RA G P I F O R E W IN N

OLDEN

013 2 D R A W WORLD A DORM SWEET DORM

Expand your REPertoire SPEND A YEAR AT

Sean Lee National Sailor Nanyang Scholar

IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON OR UC BERKELEY ON THE RENAISSANCE ENGINEERING PROGRAMME

Oh Boey! How life has changed since...

Made in NTU SUPERSTARS, SCIENCE

SUPERHEROES, SNAZZY INVENTIONS…

Major in accountancy & business. minor in sailing

Steer yyour Steer our p passions assions iin n tthe he rright ight d direction irection at at NTU NTU WIN! RESORT STAYS • TOKYOBAY WATCHES • CLINIQUE PRODUCTS

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CHIEF EDITOR Dr Vivien Chiong EDITOR Eileen Tan ASSISTANT EDITOR Mabel Lee WRITERS Chrystal Chan Lester Kok Winifred Tan Anson Ong VIDEO PRODUCER Ei Ei Thei CONTRIBUTORS Christopher Ong (Class of 2009) Chua Wei Chong (Class of 2015) Darren Lim (Class of 2011) Jean Qingwen Loo (Class of 2007) Kapie Eipak (Class of 2015) Sam Chin (Class of 2012) Victoria Chang (Class of 2013) DESIGN Loo Lay Hua

HEY! GO GREEN Share your copy of the magazine, or return it to us and we will recycle it. HEY! is a publication of the Corporate Communications Office, Nanyang Technological University. All rights reserved. ©2013 by Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. T. (65) 6790 5116. F. (65) 6791 8494. Reg No 200604393R Printer: Times Printers Pte Ltd

2 FYI 5 FEATURE BUILD YOUR REPUTATION Go places on the Renaissance Engineering Programme 6 FEATURE GO FIGURE! The numbers speak for themselves 8 FEATURE MADE IN NTU Superstars, science superheroes, snazzy inventions… 14 FEATURE HOW NOT TO BE A WALLFLOWER Stand out in seconds 15 FEATURE MILLIONDOLLAR LADY Dressmaker, dressmaker, make me a dress… 16 FEATURE A WORD WITH LEE TENG AND ZAQY The one-word interview 18 FEATURE TWIN TOWERS OF STRENGTH That heady mix of studies and personal pursuits 25 THE P FILES JOO-VIAL MENTOR To students, with love 26 FEATURE DORM SWEET DORM Make room for more 29 FEATURE DRAW OF THE LUCK Looking to up your good fortune? 30 HOT SHOTS OUR HEY! DAYS Get the big picture in 2014 32 UNPLUGGED OH BOEY! HOW LIFE HAS CHANGED SINCE… The NTU Provost’s turning points 34 THINKING ALOUD SPYCAT THRILLER Animated final-year project wins hearts worldwide 36 MY SPACE MODEL WARDROBE Host with the most (style) 37 FEATURE OVERHEARD ON

TWITTER Meanwhile, on the branches of an NTU tree… HEY! CATCH US ON...

GET MORE FROM HEY! When you see the icon, you can enjoy exclusive stories, videos or photos via the HEY! iPad app, downloadable free from the App Store, and HEY! Online (www.hey.ntu.edu.sg).

Superheroes in the flesh

The Avengers have serious competition. At this year’s Molecular Frontiers Symposium in South Korea, which NTU co-organised, top-notch scientists were represented by various superheroes from Zorro to Thor, giving the 700 high school students in the audience a cheeky way

to remember the speakers by. Amongst the eminent scientists was this year’s Chemistry Nobel laureate Prof Ariel Warshel, who discussed issues related to the future of molecular science alongside NTU’s own president, Prof Bertil Andersson, whose cartoon self was Popeye the Sailor Man.

Hard like

sotong

Remember those times you ate squid and felt like you were chewing on rubber? Apparently, there is more truth to that than we know. Researchers at NTU have found that by mimicking the structure of protein in squid sucker rings, they were able to create a new biomaterial many times hardier than conventional plastic that might even be suitable for making organ implants. Other finds include sticky underwater glue and a super stretchy material inspired by mussels and sea snails.

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Lucky no.

The Nanyang Business School’s Executive MBA (EMBA) Programme debuted at 13th in a recent Financial Times’ global ranking. It is also the best EMBA programme offered solely by a Singapore university. Strong salary increases, rich international experience, and a culturally diverse class were key reasons cited for the programme’s success. The EMBA’s strong debut comes on the heels of the business school’s 64th placing on The Economist’s MBA league table, the highest rank ever by a Singapore institution.

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you. re

The future is bright for NTU graduates, and we don’t just mean the folks from science and engineering. Around 40 leading companies were part of NTU’s first career fair for undergrads in the humanities, arts and social sciences in November, seeking to hire these students six months ahead of their graduation. More than 200 resumes were matched to open positions, meaning many will have a job waiting for them when they return from their celebratory grad trip.

hired

Goody Goodies

CONGRATULATIONS... WOW VID For his video chronicling the best things about NTU in 20 seconds, third-year digital animation student Kapie Eipak not only showed the world how cool NTU is, but also took home the top prize in this year’s Times Higher Education World University Rankings video competition.

It’s that time of the year when students turn to coffee-chugging and late-night mugging. But helping NTU students cheerfully keep the exam blues at bay are several stress-busting events and goodie bag giveaways on campus. Organised by students for students, these “welfare goodies” prove one thing: you’re among caring friends.

OMY COOL PROF! It was a landslide victory for NTU’s Assoc Prof Phua Chiew Pheng, named “Teacher Most Wanted” in the university category of an online voting competition organised by news and entertainment web portal omy.sg. The Chinese dialectology expert won the votes of over 600 students. APPLE OF THEIR EYES (TOO) At the 9th QS-APPLE Creative Awards, NTU won top honours in the Most Creative Corporate Institution Video category, bagging the gold award. Catch a bird’s eye view of the campus filmed via a mini remote-controlled helicopter in this YouTube video on the NTUsg channel. NTU was also named the Overall Winner of the creative awards.

A ROSE

by any other name

CONSULT THESE WINNERS It was the best-case scenario when four Nanyang Business School undergrads – Reagen Low, Ler Shu Wei, Jennifer Xie and Tsang Qi Yu – came up with the winning business plan at the 2nd Nielsen Singapore Case Competition, convincing the judges to award them the top prize of $2,000 and internship opportunities at Nielsen for the entire team. Theyy beat out 991 university teams.

Life could get a lot rosier in a few years, thanks to LILY, ROSE and MAGIC, three new research centres at NTU promoting interactive digital media. LILY will help the elderly live independently in the digital age, while ROSE focuses on improving online search technologies. MAGIC, on the other hand, is all play and decked out to create the next generation of digital games. H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

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Feature

NTU students on the Renaissance Engineering Programme (REP) will get to spend a year in London or San Francisco

BUild your

REPutation

by Mabel Lee

tre.

l and leading financial cen

PHOTO: DAVE GUTTRIDGE

London – a cultural capita

Imperial’s main campus in Central London.

H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

It’s a top pick, whichever path they choose. From July next year, NTU students on Singapore’s top engineering programme, the Renaissance Engineering Programme, will get a choice to study a full year in Imperial College London or University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), both located in two of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. Those who choose to spend their one year of overseas studies at Imperial – REP’s second programme partner – will also take on internships at top ccompanies in Europe. “Imperial College London, like UC L Berkeley, is well-reputed B ffor its strengths in eengineering,” says REP Director Prof Teoh D SSwee Hin. “Imperial’s cconnectedness to Europe, and the presence of key industry d th players such as Rolls-Royce and IBM in London, will also benefit students when they embark on their overseas internships.” Third-year students from the inaugural batch of REP students are currently living and learning in UC Berkeley, reading highly popular courses on a lush

campus overlooking the San Francisco Bay. At the end of two semesters, the students will also do internships in Silicon Valley, famed for its fertile start-up environment. NTU Provost Prof Freddy Boey says that in an increasingly connected world, students need to be able to think on their feet and work with people from different cultures, nationalities and disciplines. Cross-cultural exchange is one way of developing these vital skills. “We believe in training our brightest minds to be leaders and engineers of the highest calibre, well-equipped with both technical knowledge and practical know-how that will enable them to lead interdisciplinary teams to solve complex real-world problems.” He adds: “Imperial, which is also the key partner for NTU’s medical school, has an excellent curriculum and a vast network of alumni worldwide. Having them partner us on the REP will certainly bring about a new dimension to our students’ learning while giving them the global exposure

The beautiful San Francisco skyline.

they need.” The Renaissance Engineering Programme is unique in that it offers top students a dual degree – a Bachelor of Engineering Science and a Master of Science in Technology Management – in just four and a half years. The rigorous programme aims to produce well-rounded engineering graduates with deep specialist knowledge as well as a broad base of expertise from business management to the liberal arts. Victoria Zhao is among the first-year REP freshmen with some exciting choices to make. “This is great news!” she says. “Both Imperial and Berkeley are world-class universities with unique cultural climates and deep strengths in the engineering field. I now have more options to pick a learning environment that will best meet the needs of my engineering specialisation later on in myy studies.”

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Feature

Go figure!

Gigantic jumps in global university rankings of 100 places (Times Higher Education) and 33 places (Quaquarelli Symonds) in the last three years. Ranked second amongst young universities worldwide and number one for industry income and innovation. The numbers speak for themselves why NTU is a rising star amongst global universities by Chrystal Chan

60% jump

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NTU’s double degree in Accountancy & Business is the No. 2 most popular undergraduate programme in Singapore amongst top students. Other programmes popular amongst the best and brightest are the Renaissance Engineering Programme, Medicine, C N Yang Scholars Programme, University Scholars Programme and the double major in Biological Sciences and Psychology.

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NTU has that many partner universities in 37 countries for student attachment programmes. Also, 13 travel subsidies are available, each offering a one-time allowance of up to a maximum of $4,800.

1:1

That’s the ratio of boys to girls at NTU. Meet your match here! The Nanyang Business School has the most balanced mix of genders, while in Engineering, it’s about 4 guys to 1 girl. At the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information, the balance swings the other way, with about 3 femme fatales to 1 hunk. So make friends across the campus by taking part in hall and student club activities.

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PHOTO: PHANG SHENG LONG

That’s the increase in top A-level students enrolling at NTU last year compared to 2011. This is a further jump after the 43% spike in 2012.

7 in 10 That’s how many NTU undergrads go overseas at least once during their studies. NTU believes global exposure is essential in today’s workplace. Let’s count the ways – internships, attachments, exchanges, summer programmes, international competitions and conferences, and more.

9,200

Places for campus accommodation. All freshies are guaranteed a place in one of the 16 halls of residence so everyone has a chance to live in a dorm. Yes, competition can be stiff but with 2 new halls ready next year, there will be 1,250 new places coming up.

1,500

353 No. of Nanyang Scholarships and College Scholarships awarded this year. There are 30 types of scholarships and more than 10 financial assistance schemes. It’s not difficult to find part-time work on campus, too.

PHOTO: EVERLYN LEE

No. of organisations that offer NTU students internships every year. 30% of these students clinch a permanent job at their internship companies, including the likes of P&G and Citibank. At the career fairs each year, 220 companies offer about 3,000 jobs in just about every industry.

$8,103

The highest average starting salary for the top 10% of a course and it is drawn by double-degree grads in Accountancy & Business. Aerospace Engineering grads have the highest starting mean salary of $3,443. Other than teaching, the course with the highest employment rate is Civil Engineering at 100%.

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1

101 Eating options range from food stalls and eateries to restaurants, with halal, vegetarian, local and international cuisines. Food reviewer and Makansutra founder KF Seetoh said NTU “must be the foodiest university in the world”, offering a gastronomic tour across the continents. Brave the long queues at McDonald’s, Starbucks and Subway.

The Renaissance Engineering Programme is THE top engineering programme in Singapore. You get both a Bachelor of Engineering Science and a Master of Science in Technology Management in 4.5 years. There are just 10 students to a professor, and 365 days’ worth of overseas study – at the University of California, Berkeley, or Imperial College London – plus internships at top firms in Silicon Valley or in Europe. H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

PHOTO: ANDREW YEE

NTU’s lush campus – the size of 240 football fields – is the only Singapore university among the Top 15 most beautiful universities in the world chosen by American Express’ Travel + Leisure magazine.

[ ] 7 in 10

That’s how many NTU students land a job offer before graduation, with many receiving multiple offers.

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u t n n i e d a m Feature

From superstars to science superheroes, our students, professors and alumni take the global stage

PHOTO: 8 DAYS

PHOTO: THE

BEST BUSINESS PROFESSOR

PHOTO: ARTISTE NETWORKS

STRAITS TIM

ES

© SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS LIMITE

D. REPRODUC

ED WITH PERM ISSION.

by Chrystal Chan, Mabel Lee and Christopher Ong

ARTISTES

Think about this the next time you walk through NTU. Big names in entertainment have navigated the same hallowed corridors on their way to classes. We’re talking about celebrities such as Mandopop queen Stefanie Sun, Asian Television Awards Best Actress Rui En and MediaCorp Best Info-ed Programme Host Lee Teng, all proud graduates of the Nanyang Business School, as well as MediaCorp Best Actress and communications alumnus Joanne Peh.

The inaugural Business Professor of the Year 2013 award from the Economist Intelligence Unit went to our very own Prof Vijay Sethi, netting him and NTU the world’s attention as well as lifetime bragging rights. In the global league with him is Prof Tan Hun Tong from the same school, named the world’s top accounting researcher for the third consecutive year.

CACANI

Rejoice, anime fans. Thanks to CACANi, an NTU-created animation software, the time spent making your favourite anime shows can be reduced from days to mere minutes, which probably means more manga for everyone. Developed by the geniuses at the School of Computer Engineering, this nifty invention requires only two images to animate an entire action. It was used in the award-winning film Calypso Agency and, most recently, the trailer for Internet Explorer in celebration of Anime Festival Asia 2013.

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EYE-DEAS

If our eyes could speak, they would thank NTU researchers for their innovative solutions, like LipoLat, a hassle-free anti-glaucoma drug that can be directly injected into the eye, doing away with troublesome twice daily eye drops. Or Nature Eyes, the world’s first spectacle frame made of recycled materials, that proves what’s good for your eyes can be good for the environment too!

DRIVERLESS VEHICLE

Think you’re seeing things when you spy a sleek buggy parking itself? Don’t worry, you’re not. The Energy Research Institute @ NTU is testing it to see how it can run on less electricity and adjust to traffic conditions on its own. This ingenious shuttle named NAVIA could replace cars in future. Dreaded driving tests be gone!

FILM RESTORER

These days, it’s hard to imagine watching any movie that isn’t of HD quality. But have you given a thought to how you’re able to watch good old classics like Ultraman in a quality that’s as sharp as the original? Enter Revival Digital, the automatic film restoration system developed at NTU that led to a spin-off company in 1999. This first-of-itskind process transfers movies from film to digital formats, clearing up “age spots” along the way.

GOOGLE DUDE

If all you aspiring Googlers have yet to hear of Tan ChadeMeng, you ought to google him. One of NTU’s most famous exports, the Computer Engineering graduate was the first Singaporean hired by the Internet giant. The most senior rank in Google is a Fellow. Wisecracking Chade-Meng has risen high enough to coin himself the designation Jolly Good Fellow, and now spends his days spreading goodness.

H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

HEY!

The bimonthly read for students – with print, iPad and online versions – was honoured with a prestigious gold award for Best Publication from the International Public Relations Association earlier this year. HEY! is a major part of NTU’s communication efforts, which bagged the overall communications award at this year’s QS-APPLE Creative Awards. Nice ways to mark its second birthday this year.

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JOINT PROGRAMMES WITH BIG NAMES Roll these names off your tongue – Imperial College London, University of California, Berkeley, BMW, Rolls-Royce... the list goes on. Sounds good? NTU graduates will walk out full of worldly experiences from studying or working with prominent names like these with a permanent presence on our campus.

EXTRA

KNOCKOUTS

Video: How to make things disappear

INVISIBILITY CLOAK

PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES

© SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDIN

SION. GS LIMITED. REPRODUCED WITH PERMIS

The “invisibility cloak”, an invention that made part of a cat disappear in a demo, was singled out as one of the world’s top 10 university innovations by Times Higher Education. Say hello to Asst Prof Zhang Baile, NTU’s very own Harry Potter, named one of the “20 Super Cool People” at the TED2013 conference in California. Spellbound during lessons? We know why.

In every fight, there has to be an ultimate winner, and these three NTU people have bested heavyweights in high-profile competitions to emerge victorious. Young Art, Design & Media graduate Sarah Choo won Singapore’s biggest photography award, the ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu 2013, while her senior, Joel Yuen, won the UOB Painting of the Year Award in 2008. Also notable is Asst Prof Wong Chen-Hsi’s impressive Best Director win at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival.

L

M ULTI-SCREEN SOCIAL TV N ONDON OLYMPIA dy Lim-Prasad. In October, the spee

Blink… and you’ll miss Dipna the of Education (NIE) lass broke 22-year-old National Institute r olde s year n seve is k – one that longstanding 200m national mar les national hurd 400m and les hurd 100m than she is – to add to her 36 years rst female track Olympian in records. She was Singapore’s fi Dipna follows cs. mpi Oly don Lon ’s year when she competed at last , one retired NIE professor, C Kunalan in the fast-paced footsteps of an. mpi Oly e -tim two a and s king of Singapore’s earliest sprint

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Leaving your house in the midst of Game of Thrones? Thanks to NTU researchers, you won’t miss a second as you “pull” it onto your smart phone or tablet – just aim your device’s camera at the TV and flick it away once you’ve picked your desired content. You can’t bring your TV set when you leave the house, but you sure can have your living room TV-watching experience wherever you go.

PHOTO: ANDREW YEE

NEWSPLEX ASIA

Photojournalist Neo Xiaobin, The Straits Times’ Deputy Foreign Editor Chua Chin Hon and TODAY’s Associate Editor Loh Chee Kong – the list of stellar, award-winning news hounds that have graduated from NTU’s Wee Kim Wee School of Information & Communication goes on. And now, thanks to the creation of Newsplex Asia – a model newsroom of the future and the first of its kind in the region – aspiring journalists will be trained to meet the demands of an integrated news environment.

OVERSEAS WINS

From exuding poise in Paris to working their magic in Montreal, our students have shown they can tackle anything from hair solutions to growth strategies as they triumphed in the global finals of competitions like L’Oréal Brandstorm and the McGill Management International Case Competition. Bring it on!

PRINTABLE BATTERY

Here’s a powerful prototype: a paper-thin, lightweight and flexible printable lithium-ion battery. In a few years, this cutting-edge technology from the School of Materials Science & Engineering could replace bulkier and more expensive batteries in our favourite gadgets and even small medical devices.

RFINGERS OBOTIC QUICK CHIPS AND SENSORS

The “Parasitometer” sensor cuts the time needed to detect contaminants in treated water from two days to an hour, while the VIRTUS microchip can transmit a two-hour movie in just 30 seconds.

H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

This pair of mini claws wrote history by performing the world’s first flexible endoscopy robotic operation in 2011. Built from scratch in NTU, the endoscope (a small tube inserted in intestinal tracts) has small robotic arms that remove cancerous tumours from the stomach through the patient’s mouth. When eight-hour surgery becomes a matter of minutes and scar-free, there’s no need for a hospital stay, too.

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SUPER COAT

Researchers at NTU engineered a rock-solid coating about 70% to 90% as hard as natural diamond to reduce wear, prevent corrosion and prolong the lives of products. A company was even set up to make it an industry staple. The award-winning thin film deposition technology coats everything from hard disk media and sunglasses to prosthetic hip joints and even aircraft parts.

TINIEST HEART PUMP VOI

Prof Freddy Boey and his research team revolutionised the treatment of late-stage cardiovascular disease in 2003 with the world’s smallest piezoelectric heart pump. Four times smaller than conventional heart pumps, it can be implanted without open heart surgery.

Fancy a scooter that offers the comforts of a car and doubles up as a mobile kitchen? Meet VOI. Named after the Vietnamese word for “elephant”, this two-wheeled two-seater comes with a cabin to protect its passenger from the elements and, powered entirely by batteries, is eco-friendly to boot. The front passenger pod can even be used as a mobile kitchen or ice-cream chiller. Now, how cool is that?

With plastic models replacing ultrasound images, you could soon hold a life-sized model of your child, even before it is born. NTU researchers have innovatively used existing technologies to print 3D plastic models of the human foetus. The bioprinters at our upcoming $30 million 3D printing research centre can even produce real human tissue, layer by layer. In future, doctors can use this technology to print complex structures like human skin, corneas and heart tissue to save many more lives.

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PHOTO: TUM CREATE

ULTRASOUND PRINTER

W ONDER WOMEN These NTU women were the first Singaporean females to scale the heights of Everest, conquer the biting cold of the South Pole on skis, and sail to a medal at the World University Games. Take a bow, Lee Peh Gee, Esther Tan, Sophia Pang (left) and Victoria Chan.

X-SAT

This one’s got the X-factor. X-SAT – Singapore’s first microsatellite built by NTU and DSO National Laboratories – launched into space in 2011. Two years on, it still soars 800km above earth, bringing us breathtaking images of our planet as it monitors sea pollution, forest fires and other ecological changes. It has in fact survived solar storms and near-collisions with stray debris to complete over 3,000 operations in space.

YOUTUBE SENSATION

Students love everything about Prof Lalit Kumar Goel – from his award-winning teaching to his “distinctive moustache and bald pate”. In 2006, the engineering professor became a YouTube star after a student uploaded a video of one of his lectures. The humorous clip has since clocked over a million views. Today, the “YouTube Prof ” continues to receive compliments on his entertaining teaching style from video-watchers worldwide.

ZERO-RUST PAINT

Here’s a painless solution to a paint-ful issue: a special paint that keeps your car shiny and new. An anti-rust wonder by School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering researchers, it contains microscopic capsules that carry chemicals highly reactive to water. If the coating is scratched, the capsules break and release the chemicals, which then react with moisture in the air or water to form a plastic-like sealant over the scratch.

H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

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Feature

How not to be

a wallflower Five ways to make a lasting impression at social events by Christopher Ong

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“Be well-read” For emcee and former TV presenter Darryl David, the most basic way to make a good first impression within seconds is to look the person in the eye, introduce yourself and then give him or her a firm handshake. Being well-read and having a good memory helps, too. Says Darryl: “I once met someone from Vigo and he seemed impressed that I knew Vigo is a city from Spain’s Galician region, on the Atlantic coast – I credit that to my years of presenting Spanish football!” The 2007 Nanyang Alumni Service Award recipient recommends these conversationstarters: “Food and sports usually generate conversation, but politics and religion are a no-no as they would be too intense for someone you have just met. Safe topics also include children, as people generally like talking about their kids.”

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“No smartphones, please” Find yourself all alone at a social function? Don’t whip out your smartphone and start texting, surfing or checking your email or Facebook account, says Darryl. “Instead, stand at a cocktail table or at the side of the room with a drink so you can comfortably ease into the setting. If you happen to be near someone and make eye contact, introduce yourself and start a conversation.”

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“Be fearless, yet humble” That’s the secret of recent NTU graduate Stanley Chia, who regularly hobnobs with

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policymakers like Minister for Education Mr Heng Swee Keat and Speaker of Parliament Mdm Halimah Yacob as a member of the Our Singapore Conversation committee. The 26-year-old says: “Whenever I converse with accomplished people, I fearlessly share my plans and humbly seek their advice on how I can accomplish them, hence delivering the impression of a purposeful young person that he or she might not mind nurturing.” He adds that it is important to be humble when trying to impress someone you are meeting for the first time. “People generally dislike those who keep bragging about themselves. Instead, always make an attempt to listen, and then work towards meaningful twoway conversation.”

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“Dress to honour your company” Fit into the setting you want to be in. This is the advice of Dr Cheryl M Cordeiro, who represented Singapore at the Miss Universe Pageant in Trinidad and Tobago in 1999. The NTU alumna, who now lives in Sweden and is an academic at the University of Gothenburg’s Centre for International Business Studies, elaborates: “Dress to honour and complement your host and the people around you, so you show that you appreciate and respect them.” “Overdressing is rarely a problem at a function while

turning up in casual wear might show a lack of interest. Honour your company by behaving politely and with common courtesy.”

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PHOTO: ANDREW YEE

“Size up your audience” Being memorable requires ample preparation, says Tan Chin Hwee, President of Singapore’s CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Society and winner of the Nanyang Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2011. “No matter how eloquent you might be, it is very difficult to predict what makes someone else tick.” Advises the founding partner of Apollo Global Management, one of the largest global alternative investment houses in the world: “Identify who you would like to speak with at a given event and make the effort to understand their background. This allows you to proactively approach that person and establish an emotional connection quickly.” The astute investor and active volunteer adds that one should never fear making the first move: “Be it at a social function filled with unfamiliar faces or lunch on your first day of work, remember that in the worst-case scenario, you only fail to make a lasting impression.”

PHOTO: SAM CHIN

Feature

million dollar lady Mabel Lee speaks to NTU communications grad Eunyce Yap, whose successful start-up went from a humble blogshop to two brick-and-mortar stores The garment that got her going. Eunyce Yap, 29, graduated from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information in 2008. She founded online boutique loveandbravery.com in 2007, and continues to put her public relations training to good use in an industry where competition is keen and brand loyalty is key. Her moneyspinning business – with over 22,800 fans on its Facebook page – has since expanded into two shops at Tampines Central and Collyer Quay.

“When I was a third-year student in NTU, I signed up for a dressmaking course and started tailoring some clothes for fun. I made easyto-wear flounce skirts to sell on my (then) blogshop, and one female customer quickly bought 12 pieces! She said she could see herself wearing them repeatedly as the skirts were fitted and flattered her body type. That really encouraged me and made me believe in my business venture.”

run this online business full-time. Love and Bravery was only about a year old then, but I believed it would be profitable as I was already making enough to pay for my school fees and earn pocket money.”

In the shoes of a female entrepreneur… “I fly to China every month to select fabrics and discuss designs with my manufacturers. I also oversee the styling and photo shoots for my models, and keep abreast with industry trends. Our target market is working women aged 18 to 29, so we always bear in mind their needs, such as work dresses with classic silhouettes, elegant embellishments and appropriate knee lengths.”

Risky beginnings.

She left a high-paying job to be a full-time boss. “A er graduating from “Aft NTU’s communication N school five years ago, I joined Mitsui & Co as a management associate. The pay was very attractive, but I left after three months to H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

“At first, I did everything myself, from packing clothes to taking pictures of the models and managing invoices. I was afraid I wouldn’t get a stable income as new online stores were popping up every day. From time to time, my friends would ask: Are you still running that business? Have you found another job? Thankfully, the company’s been blessed and now nets over $1 million in annual sales. As a public relations major in NTU, I was trained to think of creative and

effective ways to reach out to people – a useful skill I continue to use today to market my brand.”

Standing out from the racks. “We customise our designs, whereas our competitors tend to buy everything off the shelves. We’re also strict about quality – from the sewing workmanship to how smoothly a zip glides over the fabric. We’ve dropped suppliers from Bangkok that made poor shipments with unsatisfactory materials. Satisfied shoppers make up our loyal customer base. In online shopping, customers can’t try on the clothes and make purchases based on their faith in the brand. If you disappoint them once, it can be hard to rebuild that trust.”

Tips for those who want to strike out on their own? “First, see that your proposed venture fills a gap in the market, then make certain your product prices are both competitive and profitable. Also, do a lot of research. For example, before I rented the retail space at Raffles Place, I would sit inside the café opposite the vacant shop every day from 12pm to 2pm and from 6pm to 7pm to observe the people that passed by. A lot of people-watching and coffeedrinking took place before my second store finally opened its doors!”

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Feature

Television show host Lee Teng is known for his motormouth and energy on screen. Member of Parliament Zaqy Mohamad stands out for his deep passion for serving the community. Both winners of this year’s Nanyang Alumni Award, HEY! quizzes them and takes their word – literally one word – for it...

Lee Teng LLe to worry nese-born Singaporean host Lee Teng won’t have T Taiwa Ta ’t work doesn thing ity celebr whole the he’ll he be out of a job in case h from e degre y ntanc accou an with out. ou After all, he graduated ess School. NTU’ N s most sought-after school, the Nanyang Busin ntee him guara would that path cal practi To him, the degree was a j in the future. a job for hosting to Luckily then, that he managed to put his passion where he Club, e Emce s NTU’ g joinin by good go use while studying -hunt talent as such s event al nation hoste ho d university-wide and skills. his honed r furthe he where comp co etition Impresario, Host Even after shooting to fame with Channel U’s Super slow start a with along ling strugg lf comp co etition, he found himse win his es believ and vered perse he s, to his career. Nevertheles is 2012 s Award Star the in Host amme as a the Best Info-ed Progr what w got him noticed. award for “When I first heard the news that I had won the my opinion, In ised. surpr very was I i, nding young alumn outsta o says. ly humb he ” ss, succe to r I’m I still climbing the ladde

– Chrystal Chan

11. University life fe w was as rreally… eally Rewarding! 2. My time at NTU wouldn’t have been the same without my… Roommate 3. When I was not attending lectures, I brought the house down… Emceeing 4. The best thing to do with good news (like the alumni award) is… (Tell) Mum 5. I wouldn’t like someone who wasn’t… Straightforward 6. When I’m not working I’m… Gaming 7. Nothing on me is cuter than my… Eyebrow 8. Before I was Lee Teng, I think I was… (An) ang moh 9. I would rather face murderers, cockroaches and ghouls over… Regret 10. There’s nothing I like better than… Laksa 16

Zaqy Mohamad om As an undergraduate, Zaqy Mohamad tackled everything – from es me Games nic Polytech -VarsityInstitute the at medal winning a gold welfare student ning champio to tes, teamma with his rugby and financial assistance programmes for needy students as thee President of the NTU Students’ Union. In 2006, the engineering graduate entered a whole new balll game – politics – and became a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the people of Hong Kah constituency. Today, he is the MP for Chua Chu Kang constituency. He is deeply passionate about the community, in particular, the concerns of low-income families and the elderly. “How to build solid relationships – that was the biggest life lesson I learnt in university,” recalls Zaqy. “Treat people right,, d nd keep an open mind and learn from each other’s experience and knowledge.” nt He has won two alumni awards from NTU, the most recent y. society. to tions contribu and ents achievem one for his sterling

– Mabel Lee

11.. MMyy uundergraduate ndergraduate ddays ays w were ere nnothing othing bbut… ut … F Fulfilling ulfilling 22. A professor to remember? E Er (P (Proff E Er M Meng H Hwa)) 3. I would never skip any lectures in… Human Resource Management (This NTU module was both practical and enjoyable. Wait, that's more than three words!) 4. A successful leader has integrity, optimism, confidence and… Empathy 5. A weakness is not a weakness if it is… Honesty 6. Mission possible in five years? Peace (Inner peace, that is) 7. I would take to the corners of the earth my… Phone. I mean, family! 8. I will never teach my kids to… Stereotype

PHOTOS: LESTER KOK

9. It’s difficult to imagine a diet without… Satay 10. Complete this sentence: Zaqy is always… Up  and  about

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Feature

Twin towers of

strength

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and Jill a dull girl. Not so with these NTU undergrads who have a heady mix of studies and diverse interests outside the classroom

Keeping buoyant

EXTRA Video: Meet the fab five

Sean Lee loves the heat of a good challenge. The Nanyang Scholar started sailing competitively when he turned 10, represented Singapore in the sport a year later and won multiple awards at international competitions along the way. His shining moment, though, was his first place win at the 2006 IODA Optimist World Championship in Uruguay. This competitive spirit has now seen him sail into the Nanyang Business School, where he is in the first year of the double degree programme in Accountancy and Business, known for having the highest concentration of top students. The competition doesn’t scare him one bit. “I like to put my all into whatever I do. For me, it is either I aim for the top or not do it at all. And I know I want to get good grades at university.

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I think a part of why I chose the accountancy and business course is due to my love for tackling challenges,” he says. “Sailing involves lots of tactics and skills rather than pure athletic capability, and doing business in the real world is similar. I guess this is why I find my classes so fun and engaging,” he adds. He is having so much fun that since he started life as a university undergrad in August, he decided to let his sailing career take a backseat. He explains that the quest for good grades is the reason why he decided not to try for the upcoming Olympics. “If I want to make it to the Olympics, I’ll have to train full-time, which means I’ll have less time to pursue my studies,” he says. That decision must have been difficult, for Sean is just as passionate about sailing as he is

about his decision to enter one of Singapore’s most prestigious undergrad programmes. For sure, you can’t take the wind out of his sails as he is not about to give up competitive sailing for straight As. The 22-year-old will be representing NTU in July next year at the World University Championships in Trentino, Italy, as part of a combined team, and is considering taking part in the Southeast Asian Games or Asian Games. And he is all for taking part in less rigorous competitions like locally-held regattas. His latest race, the Singapore Sailing Federation Match Race League, in which he competed alongside more experienced sailors in the open category, garnered him a satisfying third place win. “I take part in local regattas because I enjoy the intensity of competitive sailing. I still prefer being in the heat of things!”

PHOTO: MARK TEO / STYLING AND CLOTHES: CLINIQUE AND TOPSHOP

by Chrystal Chan

“Sailing involves lots of tactics and skills rather than pure athletic capability, and doing business in the real world is similar. I guess this is why I find my classes so fun and engaging.”

Sean Lee NATIONAL SAILOR

Nanyang Business School

H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

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No mean

feet by Chrystal Chan

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Nisha Srinidhi DANCER

Renaissance Engineering Programme

Her short-lived stint on the street dance crew left her hankering for more, which is why the ebullient Renaissance Engineering Programme student is now a member of NTU’s MJ Hip Hop Dance and Breakers – two clubs that keep her busy working on dance routines three days a week. In an ideal world, she would be part of more dance groups. She adds that her fervour for dance has actually helped in her studies. “For me, dancing is a way of leaving my studies behind for the moment to do something I love. When I return to my books, I find myself at peace and all my stress from before is gone.”

“I am training intensively now, because before I go to California – which has a very strong breakdancing culture – I would like to be able to do some power moves...”

PHOTO: MARK TEO / STYLING AND CLOTHES: CLINIQUE AND TOPSHOP

Nisha Srinidhi breaks the common stereotypes of engineering students. One of nine female students in her class of 42 Renaissance Engineering Programme freshmen, she is also the only female engineering student from her cohort in the breakdancing club. So serious is she about breakdancing that she has been training to reach the skill level of her seniors in two years or less. Why the hurry? That’s when she heads to the United States for her one-year studies at the University of California, Berkeley, a key feature of the Renaissance Engineering Programme, an exclusive course for aspiring engineering leaders. “I am training intensively now, because before I go to California – which has a very strong breakdancing culture – I would like to be able to do some power moves as well as develop my own set of moves that I can perform when I’m there,” declares the 19-year-old. The Raffles Institution (Junior College) alumnus says she’s always had a love for street dance. At 15, she kept herself glued to hip-hop videos on YouTube. Fast forward to junior college, where she earned herself a spot in its street dance crew, but had to regretfully quit a few weeks in because of her commitments to the Indian Dance club.

s n o i t i b m a sy

Ball

n

PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR

stal Cha by Chry

For medical freshman Julia Ng, size doesn’t matter. Being handson does. Attracted to NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine because of its mission to nurture doctors who are focused on treating their patients well, Julia believes in letting her hands do the talking. “I like how a big part of NTU’s medical programme involves hands-on work – it’s more exciting to be doing things rather than just sitting in front of a white board,” she adds. “That’s also why I would rather be a surgeon than an anaesthetist in the future, because I want to do something bigger, like saving lives.” Outside of the classroom, her passion lies in a different kind of touch – touch rugby. “It is really like playing a game of catching, and everyone can do that regardless of how big or small they are,” says the petite athlete who credits her father for her interest in sports at a young age, and has played almost every sport at least recreationally. So why touch rugby? “I was actually deciding between hockey, another team sport, and touch rugby, but I decided to go for touch rugby in the end because it is a full-body workout, unlike hockey,” she explains. “I love that in touch rugby, anyone can score a goal, at any time. I like the unpredictability of it even though it also stresses me out.” As we speak, the 19-yearold is getting ready to fly off to Shanghai to represent NTU in the Women’s Open category of the Shanghai International Touch Tournament 2013. H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

“I like how a big part of NTU’s medical programme involves hands-on work – it’s more exciting to be doing things rather than just sitting in front of a white board.” This is impressive, considering she only joined the NTU team in August this year. In fact, she is one of the two youngest members in the team heading to Shanghai. What’s also impressive is her unshakeable confidence in her ability to do well in NTU’s new joint medical undergraduate programme with Imperial College London. “I studied biology in junior college so the classes are going okay so far. I also really enjoy what I’m learning. For exams, I have a revision schedule so I’m not really worried.” Way to go, gal!

Julia Ng TOUCH RUGBY PLAYER

Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine

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s e m u l o v s eak His work sp by Chrystal Chan What drew Joash Seng to NTU was the University Scholars Programme, a course for highcalibre students that stretches them through a variety of interdisciplinary classes. Besides majoring in Economics, Joash also wanted to take courses that move him towards his goal of helping the needy overseas. It’s easy to be wowed and humbled at the same time when you hear him talk about his quest to teach underprivileged Thai children English. It all began eight years ago when he went to Khon Kaen in Thailand for a mission trip. The second-year Economics major was then 14 years old, but he saw enough to feel something change in him. “Even though the kids there didn’t have much, they were very contented with their lives, whereas back in Singapore, we have so much yet still often feel discontented,” he explains. Fuelled by that realisation, he decided to put his all into prepping himself for another trip, this time to the Chiang Kham district. “I saw these trips to rural Thailand as the pinnacle of each year, and I thought that by preparing for each one through the year, I might be able to change and mould myself into something more,” he says. To be an engaging teacher to his young charges aged four to 12, he learnt how to make balloon animals, picked up magic tricks, made his own puppets and even took lessons in the Thai language. Besides teaching at the English school in Chiang Kham every year, Joash has raised funds for classroom essentials such as laptop computers.

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“I think my passion for charity work and the modules I take at NTU that I can relate to my charity work is what drives me to do well.” “I think my passion for charity work and the modules I take at NTU that I can relate to my charity work is what drives me to do well,” he says. “One of my modules this semester is Introduction to Energy. I’m particularly fascinated by solar energy and how it is a viable source of renewable energy for those who might not have much access to electricity.” His dedication seems to be working. He attained a 4.9 Grade Point Average – that’s almost a perfect score – in his first year in NTU and an A in his level-two Thai language module. But he maintains that it isn’t really about the grades. “For me, going to university is more than just chasing after a certain Grade Point Average. I know what I’m studying contributes to my ambition and that makes me more inclined to work harder.”

Joash Seng HUMANITARIAN

School of Humanities & Social Sciences

Gladys’ edge of glory

PHOTOS: MARK TEO / STYLING AND CLOTHES: CLINIQUE AND TOPSHOP

by Mabel Lee

This kungfu princess has a firm stance. “I love wushu,” declares Gladys Low, a first-year Biological Sciences student. “It’s an allaround form of exercise that offers many health benefits.” Whether she’s slicing thin air with a double-edged sword, or attending a lecture on the functions of human cells, Gladys never forgets one thing. “Health – it’s very important,” she says. “In my classes in NTU, I learn about how the body works, and this knowledge inspires me to improve my fitness.” She stresses: “Wushu is a great way to do this. It trains your physical strength, agility, flexibility, hand-eye coordination and stamina all at once.” Having cut her teeth on wushu at the tender age of nine, Gladys has carved a name for herself in both the local and international martial arts scenes, having won multiple competitions including two bronze medals at the Asian Junior Wushu Championships in 2009 and 2011. “My wushu spirit comes from my dad, who did a lot of sparring during his heyday,” she reveals. “He’s now in his fifties, but is still in great shape!” In 2010, the 19-year-old clinched two silver medals at the World Junior Wushu Championships, a prestigious event organised by the International Wushu Federation. While she’s proud of her achievements, Gladys explains it’s the lasting health benefits of the sport that she values the most. Says the feisty lass, who sometimes spends up to six days a week training for competitions: “I love how mentally rejuvenated I feel after every training session. H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

Gladys Low WUSHU CHAMPION

School of Biological Sciences

Practising wushu has also made me more alert, which helps me to better concentrate on my studies.” The skilled martial arts practitioner also represented NTU at this year’s InstituteVarsity-Polytechnic Games, where she clinched two gold medals for NTU for her “tai chi sword” and barehanded “eagle claw fist” routines. “The ‘eagle claw fist’ is a special routine where you mimic an eagle’s habits, such as stretching a wing or preying on foods,” shares Gladys. “The movements are very quick and the techniques can be quite ruthless!” The former Victoria Junior College student, who was appointed a vice-captain in NTU’s Wushu Club when she joined the university, now hopes to spread the wushu spirit to her team. “I want to impress upon my peers that wushu is both a traditional art and competitive

“My heart is with the blade, but I also love biology – I hope to teach it full-time one day.” sport with physical and mental benefits,” Gladys says. “It toughens your mind and strengthens your body and overall health – in fact, I haven’t fallen sick in a while.” What else is next for this nimble queen? “I was invited to compete in this year’s Southeast Asian Games, but may pass it up to give more time to my studies and pick up other sports like judo and cheerleading,” she reveals. “My heart is with the blade, but I also love biology – I hope to teach it full-time one day!”

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giveaways

WIN A TOKYOBAY WATCH

Free stay at

Costa Sands Resort… … for 12 lucky HEY! readers

We have five TOKYObay YObay watches w (each worth up to $270) 270) to give away!

To win, simply name two items that Asst Prof Zhang Baile made “disappear” in the video “Inventing the invisible cloak”, which you can watch at NTU’s YouTube channel.

To own one, simply n: answer this question: NTU offers the top engineering programme in Singapore. Whatt is is the name of this programme?

Email your answer, with “Resort stay” as the subject line, along with your full name, school/year of study/department (if applicable), contact number and email address, to [email protected] by 20 December 2013. Winners will be drawn from among entries with the correct answers. Multiple entries from the same person will not be accepted. All resort vouchers are to be collected from the Corporate Communications Office, NTU. Winners can choose to redeem their vouchers at Costa Sands Resort (Pasir Ris) or Costa Sands Resort (Downtown East). Other terms and conditions apply.

Email your answer, with “TOKYObay giveaway” as the h subject title, along with w mail add your full name, NTU school/year of study, contact number and email address, to [email protected] by 20 December 2013. Winners will get one of two TOKYObay watch designs, subject to availability. Five winners will be drawn from among the names of NTU students with the correct answers. Multiple entries from the same person will not be accepted. All prizes are to be collected from the Corporate Communications Office, NTU.

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JOO-VIAL by Victoria Chang

MENTOR

You don’t have to approach this prof with caution. For one, there’s a big hand-drawn smiley pasted on his office door, inviting you to knock. Assoc Prof Tan Joo Seng also offers multiple avenues to reach him. “I have Skype, Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, LinkedIn… so students can contact me conveniently.” “The days of the sage on stage are over,” he adds with a laugh. “In this generation of social media, I find myself using multiple forms of media to engage my students.” For the genial professor of management, laughter is the best medicine – and also the best teacher. His students sound positively hooked. “His class is always full of mirth!” says one diehard fan, second-year Renaissance Engineering Programme student Zheng Kaixi. Adds her classmate, Germaine Tan: “His lessons are very interactive and I look forward to going to all his tutorials.” Tan’s efforts to “use For Nur Syazana, Assoc Prof Ta ways to teach” make very different, innovative way him stand out among the faculty. “Not to the most stylish mention, he is one of th with his skinny professors in school, w ties and colourful shirts!” sh joined the Assoc Prof Tan jo in 1994, Nanyang Business School Sc popular course on where he teaches a po cultural intelligence. NTU set up the In 2004, he helped N centre dedicated to world’s first research ce cultural intelligence research. res year he won a 2004 was also the ye More graduate award for teaching. teach teaching excellence awards for teach followed, including the followed Teacher of the Year Teach accolade in 2005, acc which he dedicated wh to his father, who passed away in pa 1999. “When I 19 chose to pursue ch my PhD, he told m me to give my best m in whatever I do. I took his advice to to heart,” he says. he Assoc Prof Tan A

has been involved in the Renaissance Engineering Programme (REP) since its launch in 2011. He says his job as an “REP Fellow” is to impart the finer points of business design and business modelling innovation. Although he doesn’t teach the REP students the subject of cultural intelligence, it inspires his lesson plans. “Cultural intelligence is a really cool concept for today’s generation,” he enthuses. “It pools together streams of research from various disciplines over the last 25 to 30 years, ranging from anthropology and sociology to behavioural psychology, business leadership and management. How do you rebuild trust? How do you make friends? How do you avoid a cultural faux pas? These are useful things to know in a globalising world where most technological problems require multidisciplinary perspectives.” In class, Assoc Prof Tan gets students to study a problem and then come up with a solution as a team. Recently, his students had to think of ways to manage ambiguity at the workplace. “Our graduates must be able to think broadly while being deeply specialised in their own chosen fields. So I like to challenge them to come up with multiple solutions to problems from a particular domain or discipline. Surprisingly, a technical problem may sometimes require a social solution.” Affable and friendly though he may be, Assoc Prof Tan puts his students through their paces. Assignments must be submitted on time, because “being late can have serious business implications in the real world”. Every year, he also sets his students a goal to strive towards. Last year’s was to “raise the bar”. This year, it is to “be exceptional”. He explains: “I believe that one needs to be exceptional in his or her field and discipline these days. Also, it is not just about staying on top of your discipline, but being passionate about what you believe in.” Words he puts into practice. As Kaixi says: “Assoc Prof Tan truly believes in our potential. That’s why he keeps pushing the boundaries by introducing us to advanced business and management theories.”

“Cultural intelligence is a really cool concept for today’s generation.”

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Feature

Dorm sweet dorm

Immerse yourself in the bustling action of NTU’s halls of residence by Winifred Tan

Three things for an enriching university life: Join an orientation camp, check. Go on overseas exchange, check. Stay in a hall, check. These were the words of advice from a senior to Bao Ningyu, a second-year accountancy undergraduate. He certainly took the last piece of advice to heart, stamping his personal style on his hall room and even giving it a name — M.A.R.I.N.E, the Most Awesome Room in NTU Ever. Why is staying in hall so

“Hall life is definitely very vibrant, because we have so many activities and so many like-minded friends to share them with.” popular? According to history undergraduate Zhang Suyi, a resident of Hall 15, the answer boils down to 3Cs: convenience,

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company and the chance to be independent. “Living in hall is a milestone experience,” she says. “For many of us, this is our first time staying away from home and our first taste of becoming independent adults.” “One of the best things about hall life is the convenience,” explains Ningyu. “If you have an early-morning lesson, you can wake up 10 minutes before it and walk over to class. If you’re tired in the middle of the day, you can pop back to your room for a quick nap.” NTU’s halls are strategically located around the various colleges and schools, which means that students like Ningyu can cut down on travelling time and devote more attention to their studies and extracurricular interests. Many facilities are also a mere stone’s throw away, including Giant supermarket at Hall 2 and popular supper haunt Ah Lian Bee Hoon. Adds Adarsh Kanodia, a resident of Hall 8: “I like to invite my friends to my hall for foosball and a game of darts, or head over to the nearby squash courts and

swimming pool to exercise.” Aside from the convenient amenities, many NTU students welcome the chance to step outside their comfort zone and learn how to be “dormestic” – clean, cook, do the laundry and generally take charge of their own well-being without parental supervision. “Staying in hall has instilled in me a stronger sense of independence and responsibility. It has also given me the opportunity to pick up new hobbies, such as cheerleading,” says business undergraduate Michelle Tang. Michelle was the cheerleading captain of Hall 10 last year, while her roommate Geraldine, who majors in animation, plays softball. The duo recently started taking two elective courses in singing. At the NTU halls, students wind down together after classes and bond over activities such as hall suppers, night cycling and talent showcase performances. Many halls also organise special celebrations for festive occasions such as Chinese New Year and Christmas.

Hall of fame: True or false

Q: “It is difficult to get a place in hall after your first year.” A: That’s true to a certain extent. All NTU freshmen are guaranteed a place in hall, but senior students also stand a fair chance, as long as they meet the requirements of the hall admission scheme. Based on the past year’s trends, the “safe” cut-off weight is 16 points and above. Housing demand is expected to ease when the two new halls at Nanyang Drive are completed in July next year.

PHOTOS: SAM CHIN

Q: “Some halls tend to be more popular than others.” A: True. While all halls offer similarly styled accommodation, the newer ones often have additional furnishings such as lifts and sheltered walkways. Halls 3 and 8 to 16, for example, are fitted with air-conditioners on a pay-for-use basis. Though older, Halls 1 and 2 come with suite-style attached bathrooms.

The peak activity, however, happens in the second semester of every year, when all 16 halls come together in the spirit of friendly competition during the Hall Olympiad. This consists of three major traditions: the Inter-hall Games, Inter-hall Cheerleading Competition and Inter-hall Dance Competition. “Hall life is definitely very vibrant, because we have so many activities and so many likeminded friends to share them with,” reflects Hall 16 resident Vivien Tan. “Our social networks are not confined to just one block or hall. For example, we held a combined Halloween event last month with our sister halls, 3 and 12.” At Hall 10, the community spirit even spills into sharing responsibility for their hall cat, Gogo. “Our entire block of around 50 residents chips in for the Gogo fund, which is used for our cat’s daily necessities and medical bills. Like a big family, we also pooled resources to buy an air fryer for our hall pantry,” says Geraldine. H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

Q: “I’m allowed to stay with my friends in their hall room, so long as I have their consent.” A: False. If you’re unsuccessful in getting a place, please apply for Temporary Sharing with the respective hall office. You pay $40 per month for lodging. To protect the safety of registered residents, illegal squatting is deemed a serious violation and both the “squatter” and the bona fide occupants are liable to be evicted if found out. If you intend to stay late in your friends’ hall (e.g., to work on a project), please seek prior consent from the hall office. Official visiting hours are from 7.30am to 11.30pm. Q: “I hear that hall raids are frequently carried out in the middle of the night.” A: False. Like many other residential campuses, NTU conducts random spot checks to ensure that residents comply with the hall rules and regulations. These visits typically occur at the start of the day at around 7am.

. HEY! Poll What s your hall room inspiration

EXTRA Videos: Perks of hall life

who. s got the best furnishing touch 1st

2nd

3rd

Bao Ningyu, Business

Vivien Tan, Arts

Adarsh Kanodia, Engineering

After two rounds of voting on Facebook and YouTube, together with the judges’ scores, Bao Ningyu emerged as overall champion of HEY!’s Decorate Your Hall Room contest. His hall room video, which showcases multi-coloured LED lights flashing in synchrony with the ambient music, has clocked over 2,400 YouTube views to date. On his win, Ningyu says: “During my summer exchange at UC Berkeley, I chanced upon a video by a fellow Singaporean student who had spent several hundred dollars creating an automated dorm room. Inspired to do the same at a fraction

of the cost for my NTU hall room, I purchased most of the materials from Amazon and spent several days fine-tuning the setup.” For his unique disco-themed room, Ningyu won the grand prize of a three-day, two-night trip to Phuket for two. Vivien Tan emerged as first runner-up for her whimsical hall room decorated with dreamcatchers and painted artworks, while Adarsh Kanodia came in third for his dorm room featuring an eclectic mix of gadgets and circular photo frames made from paper plates.

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Feature

Asst Prof Chew Lock Yue showing the audience that bucking up can get your luck up.

Draw of the luck Experts gave their take on chance at “The Luck Factor”, the fourth TEDxNTU conference organised by NTU students. Were you one of the fortunate ones that got a seat? by Lester Kok

As luck would have it, a conference organised on a Saturday drew a full house of 700 students. Maybe it wasn’t the organisers who got lucky but, rather, they knew that this elusive thing called luck can pull in a crowd. What is luck?

Beating Lady Luck at her own game

Weighing the odds of evolution Charles Darwin, the English naturalist, wrote that all animals evolve through natural selection. This has been referred to as “selection of the fittest”. However, to science historian Dr John van Wyhe, the phrase “selection of the luckiest” would be more apt. Showing the TEDxNTU audience a cartoon of birds that prefer to eat blue beetles over brown ones because the blue H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

variety tastes better, better Dr Wyhe said this preference of the birds would eventually lead to the extinction of blue beetles, through no fault of their own. He noted that Darwin’s evolution theory was not developed by sheer luck and unfounded assertions, but based on the work of many other scientists who had spent much time observing fossils.

Great harvests come about from talk, not luck The rice terraces of Bali are a must-see of the Indonesian island, having persisted over 1,000 years. At Bali’s 172 water temples, farmers meet annually to discuss when to flood their rice terraces. This beautiful heritage of flooded rice paddy fields was not the result of luck, as it turns out. Famed anthropologist Prof Stephan Lansing said it occurred because the farmers were talking to one another to learn how to deal with pests and when to plant their rice crops. In a simulation he ran, this arrangement of the water temples was the most efficient the computer could find. Prof Lansing also discovered that water temples and their long tradition of flooding rice fields actually prevented pests from breeding and gave the largest yield of rice as compared to when farmers used pesticides and fertilisers to plant all year round. When the simulation was reversed with each temple doing their own thing without learning from others, there was complete chaos, said the Visiting Professor at NTU. “This is now a famous example of emergent complexity. What appears to be a random process of chance has a tendency to move towards order,” said Prof Lansing. “The question now is: What else are we missing?”

PHOTOS: LESTER KOK

Asst Prof Chew Lock Yue said having a streak of good fortune may not be all coincidence – it could be because you had prior information that “influenced” your luck in some way. With enough information, or even practice, you can eliminate chance and uncertainty, thus creating your own “good luck”. “The element of luck only comes in when there is uncertainty, so the information that we have, and how we use it, can modify our luck,” said the theoretical physicist from NTU’s School of Mathematical & Physical Sciences, speaking at the TEDxNTU conference organised in October as an offshoot of TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) to share “ideas worth spreading”. For example, scientists have beaten Lady Luck at the casino tables, winning a game of roulette with the help of a mini computer in their shoes that was fed information about the roulette wheel and could predict where the ball would fall. “They achieved this by knowing the initial conditions of where the ball started and the speed of the spin,” said Asst Prof Chew. “This gave them more chances of winning than losing.”

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Hot Shots

OUR HEY! DAYS Step into the groove of campus life with NTU’s 2014 desktop calendar

ART ATTACK: Creative play at our doorsteps.

PHOTOS: TOS: KEVIN YANG

COOK UP A STORM IN THE DORM: Friends who eat together stay together.

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THE NEXT BIG DISCOVERY may be just around the corner.

FORWARD... PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT tra mile. and going the ex

A POD for f your thoughts. thoughts h h GO ON A GASTRONOMIC TOUR at the world’s “foodiest university”.

H HEARTWARE AAND HARDWARE CCOME TOGETHER aat the new m medical sschool.

GREEN GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME in this garden campus campus. H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

Grab your copy of the NTU calendar in December at the Union Shop at the Student Activities Centre.

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Unplugged

Oh Boey! How life has changed since... Mabel Lee quizzes NTU Provost Prof Freddy Boey on the turning points intss in his illustrious life and gets some candid answers from this serial ial inventor who is behind a string of life-saving innovations such as the world’s smallest piezoelectric heart pump

Q: How did your life change when you… … received your first research grant? When I first joined NTU in 1987, faculty rarely applied for research grants. I was probably one of the few gullible enough to accept the extra work – a research grant of $400,000 (yes, you didn’t even need a detailed proposal to get it!). The grants were chasing after the researchers! Looking back, it was the best decision I ever made. … became the Provost in 2011? There was a quantum jump in my responsibilities. Aside from handling academic and research issues, I learnt to quickly grasp more intractable socio-political issues. As Chair of the School of Materials Science & Engineering, my decisions affected only my school, but now, they affect the whole university – students, faculty, staff and alumni. It does dampen my intuition for making daring creative decisions. I

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need to quickly crystalise core issues correctly, communicate effectively and execute efficiently. You can’t do all three alone, so you need an effective, cohesive team. The most difficult part? Having clever people (they all are in the university!) work as one team. To survive as Provost, I must have really good mediation skills to resolve all sorts of relational problems. One thing keeps my feet on the ground – something I have done outside NTU throughout my career. I pioneered community work for the poor in Indonesia, rural Malaysia, China, North Thailand and, more recently, Myanmar. Helping the marginalised, and letting them know someone cares… this brings hope and inspiration, especially to the children, many of whom haven’t had parents or siblings to turn to. It is especially satisfying work and reminds me of what life is really about.

“Hope is an incredible thing. For all the money in the world, if you don’t have hope, you will never find happiness.” … mentored your very first student? My first PhD student was very bright, but he had many personal problems. Twice, in the middle of the night, I had to go to his flat to literally drag him out of his depression and provide him alternative lodging. Today, he’s a happily married father and runs a successful company. There was another student caught committing a crime who called me; I persuaded the police not to press charges by guaranteeing them that I

PHOTO: JEAN QINGWEN LOO

This year, Prof Freddy Boey received the President’s Science and Technology Medal, the highest honour given to top research scientists and engineers in Singapore. His distinguished list of inventions runs the gamut from a biodegradable heart stent to a new anti-glaucoma drug. would personally mentor him. Two years later, I handed him his second class upper honours degree at the convocation. Former students still email me to thank me for inspiring them to take up materials science and engineering. It is very heartening. Learning by inspiration is critical in a university – a great university is one that inspires people, and encourages them to think in a multitude of ways. NTU has done well here, and we should continue to do so. … were in the army? For a good 18 months, I managed to represent my army formation in football, swimming and even water polo. I was a full-time sportsman! We trained very hard, but it also gave me time to give tuition and earn enough to start my studies in Australia. For the record, I was a pretty decent football striker who was known for my ambidextrous feet – I scored with both legs and sometimes even with my head. H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

… were fighting to make ends meet as an undergraduate in Australia? Tuition was free but the living cost was horrendous back then, with SGD3.5 for the Aussie dollar! But that was where I cut my teeth in innovation – I did everything I could to find a job, any job. Cleaning the pub at 4am, removing grease in restaurant kitchens, waiting tables in restaurants, driving a taxi, delivering fresh chickens to Asian students… I’m a born optimist. To me, complaining is something others do and often a waste of time. To succeed, you don’t gripe about failures, but dig deep to find another way around things, and plough your way through. … became a grandfather? I joked: Now I can enjoy the company of a kid without having to take care of her! My twoyear-old granddaughter Lily has been a real delight and brings the whole family together.

Being a granddad has mellowed me and it reminds me not to take work life too seriously. The happiness you can derive from your family is invaluable, and ironically we easily neglect our family in the pursuit of providing for it! … heard the best advice of your life? I try to live by this line: Do what is right, love mercy and walk humbly. If I ever get to retire, I hope I can write a book about hope. Hope is an incredible thing. For all the money in the world, if you don’t have hope, you will never find happiness. Yet, even the poor who have hope can be contented and happy! The cell phone is one of the greatest inventions in the world, because it is a great social equaliser amongst everyone, rich or poor. Hope is an even greater equaliser. No matter how bleak your situation is, if hope stays alive in your heart, it will transform your life.

EXTRA Digital story: 3 things he wishes to achieve as Provost

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Thinking Aloud

Spycat thriller by Darren Lim

Spycat and the Paper Chase is a final-year project by Digital Animation graduates (clockwise from top left) Darren Lim, Fung Chun Hong, Derwin Silamaya Suhali and Soh Yu Xian (Class of 2011). Darren is a project officer at the School of Art, Design & Media. Chun Hong is pursuing a master’s degree in game design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Both Derwin and Yu Xian are animators at Sparky Animation.

EXTRA Video: A cat saves the world

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Most final-year projects end with graduation. But for four of us from the School of Art, Design & Media, it’s been two and a half years since… and we’re still counting! In our animated short film, Spycat and the Paper Chase, a secret agent named Spycat pursues the maniacal Captain Chico, who has robbed the world of every paper product there is. Inspired by a real cat that always seemed to disappear for long periods of time, we came up with the idea of a cat that goes out to save the world without its owner’s knowledge. After a year of seven-day work weeks and too little sleep, we couldn’t bear to put Spycat aside after leaving NTU. Encouraged by the positive response to Spycat at our graduation show, we decided to try our luck and submit Spycat to film festivals. We had no idea how timeconsuming “trying our luck” would turn out to be. There were endless forms to fill and submission packages to prepare, which in turn led to countless visits to the post office and costly postage fees. Rejections came a lot more often than acceptance letters. We originally aimed to get Spycat shown at just two film festivals anywhere in the world, and even that seemed out of reach at first. We persisted, and the number of film festivals that said “yes” to Spycat climbed slowly but surely. To date, the film has had almost 1,000 screenings in over 31 countries, and won seven awards. In 2012, Spycat won its most important award at the 42nd Giffoni Film Festival – one of the top children’s film festivals in

the world. We picked up “Best Short Film” in the Elements +3 category, for films aimed at children aged three and up. This award was the most meaningful to us, because it was decided entirely from the votes of an audience of hundreds of children. It still amazes us that a student film could triumph over 26 other films – many by professional animators and studios – to win that top prize. Giffoni gave Spycat invaluable exposure. Film festivals would approach us requesting copies of Spycat, from places as far away as Mozambique and Venezuela. We also managed to land a distribution ution deal with German film distributor stributor magnetfilm. At last count, unt, Spycat has been en presented ted at 63 film festivals ls over five continents. ntinents. Onee of the perks of doing a film festival run is gettingg to travel! In support of Spycat, cat, we’ve attended film festivals stivals in China, the United d Kingdom, Germany, Italy and nd Japan. It was extremely rewarding ding to meet our peers and industry dustry professionals from all corners ners of the world. We left each off these countries inspired and full ll of new insights. The best part of our entire experience, ence, however, has been witnessing sing children from all over the he world enjoy Spycat. It’s been a treat to see children laugh at Spycatt screenings, even when the film is dubbed in another ther language. It’s been flattering ng to hear (and overhear) them say ay that they loved Spycat, or see them imitate characters from the he film. And it’s been surreall to watch raucous kids

NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3 HEY! N

on everything from animation principles to film festival submissions. We hope our story will inspire more of our juniors to actively send their finished creations out into the world, be it to film festivals, exhibitions or competitions. Don’t let shyness, a lack of experience or a fear of rejection stop you from trying to get your work seen. To read more about Spycat and the Paper Chase and its film festival run, visit http://spycatproduction.wordpress.com

Spycat playing at the Singapore Art Muse

PHOTO: GIFFONI FILM FESTIVAL

sudd suddenly go quiet, spellbound one cat’s antics onscreen. by o One festival organiser shared O with us a story about a boy at a special needs school in Australia. He enjoyed Spycat so Aust much that he kept clamouring muc for tthe film to be replayed. We sent two Spycat DVDs over right away! One copy went to our fan, away while the other was forwarded whil to an Aboriginal homelands community. com Back when we were working B on SSpycat in the basement cubicles at the School of Art, cubi Design & Media, we could never Desi have imagined that our work would one day be appreciated in wou places halfway around the world plac from Singapore. As our film festival run A draws to a close, we would draw like to express our gratitude to everyone who contributed to ever Spycat, especially our project Spyc supervisor, Assoc Prof Hanssupe Martin Rall, for his guidance Mar

um.

Children casting their votes at the 42nd Giffoni Film Festival. Spycat picked up Best Short Film in the Elements +3 category.

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These Jeffrey Campbell boots give me a lot of height. I wear them to look edgier

My ripped denim shorts, from Zara, for that casual, “rocker” vibe

I wear foldable Ray-Ban aviators nearly everywhere. They bring out the cool and mysterious factor in me!

I’m all for the minimalist look, and this simple pair of black strappy heels from Love, Bonito matches almost anything My black leather jacket from Topshop, another staple that exudes biker girl chic

PHOTOS: SAM CHIN

One of my basic must-wears is this dress from online shop All Would Envy. Every girl needs a white dress for both formal and casual functions

One of my favourite bags, from epicurations, an online shop. It’s roomy enough to contain all my stuff. The colour is also perfect for the fall/winter season

My statement necklace from a local jewellery e-retailer. Such sparkly bling add a “pop” to my outfits

This oxblood knitted sweater is from missypixie, a blogshop. It keeps me warm, especially during the monsoon season

My Space

Model wardrobe

Andrea Chong is a trendy multihyphenate majoring in literature at the School of Humanities & Social Sciences. A popular blogshop model and fashion blogger who co-hosts Clicknetwork.tv’s That F Word, she even designed her own walk-in wardrobe at home, which she meticulously created with a wall divider. Raiding this busy fashionista’s cosy retreat one evening, HEY! discovered her obsession with being colour-coordinated. Courted by sponsors – the folks who send her free apparel – Andrea jokes that she has never really needed

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to buy new clothes. On her fashion philosophy, she says: “A lot of people think that looking good means you have to spend on expensive clothing. In fact, there are many cheap steals online. As long as you have a classy style with the right accessories, you’ll look like a million bucks without ever needing to bust a hole in your wallet.” Her advice for girls struggling with a wardrobe malfunction? Prioritise basic pieces in classic colours like black, white, emerald green and oxblood. Oxblood? That’s a classier term for maroon, says Andrea. – Anson Ong

H E Y ! NOV– DEC 2 0 1 3

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