New Student Exchange Opportunities in Korea!

Wednesday, 30th April 2014

From the left: Prof Soontae An (Associate Vice-President for International Affairs), Prof Dong-Sook Park (Dean of the College of Social Science), Assoc Prof Paulin Straughan (Vice Dean for International Relations and Special Duties), Prof Sung-Nam Cho (College of Social Science), Prof So Hyun Joo (Associate Dean of the College of Social Science).
From the left: Prof Soontae An (Associate Vice-President for International Affairs), Prof Dong-Sook Park (Dean of the College of Social Science), Assoc Prof Paulin Straughan (Vice Dean for International Relations and Special Duties), Prof Sung-Nam Cho (College of Social Science), Prof So Hyun Joo (Associate Dean of the College of Social Science).

To create more opportunities for FASS students to go on student exchange in Korea, the Faculty recently signed a student exchange agreement between College of Social Sciences, Ewah Womans University.

Ewha Womans University is a private women’s university in central Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the city’s largest institutions of higher learning and currently the world’s second-largest female educational institute. It is one of the best-known universities in South Korea, also considered to be one of the top universities in Korea.  As of 2012, it is ranked 40th in Asia and 341st in the world according to QS World Universities Ranking. Ewha is Korea’s only Harvard College in Asia Program (HCAP) partner.

With a broad spectrum of courses being taught in English, this will certainly in line with the many majors and interests of FASS students seeking to study abroad at Ewha. Their teaching and research strengths include English Language & Literature, Chinese Language & Literature, Public Administration, Women’s Studies, Media Studies and Law. Although a women-only university, they do welcome male exchange students.

Ozone Levels Drop 20 Percent With Switch From Ethanol To Gasoline

Tuesday,  29th April  2014

salvoThe Department of Economics’s A/P Alberto Salvo, together with Northwestern University’s Prof Franz M. Geiger, embarked on a four-year study, which is the first real-world trial, to look at the effects of human behaviour at the pump on urban air pollution.

For the full story, please go here and here.

Reflect on purpose of community projects: Chuan Jin

Saturday, 26 April 2014

Straits Times

This was a report on the Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme Symposium at NUS. Six students from the Programme presented their projects, including fourth-­year students Mr Tan Weilie and Ms Lok Yan Lin, who are both from the Department of Sociology at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. They shared how they improved the delivery of food to elderly residents in Lengkok Bahru.

Speaking at the event, Acting Minister for Manpower Mr Tan Chuan-­Jin noted that it is easy to think up ideas for social and community activities, but it is more important to reflect on the purpose behind them.

Click here to read the full article.

 

Hochstadt Scholarship commemorates family’s dedication to education

Ms Sylvia Yap Mr Hochstadt and President (2)

Ms Sylvia Yap, Mr Hochstadt and NUS President, Prof Tan Chorh Chuan 

“The wise old saying, ‘Give the man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime’ always rings true to me,” says Mr Herman Ronald Hochstadt, who established the Hochstadt Scholarship in The Humanities at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore (NUS).

Indeed, education has a special place in the lives of many members of the Hochstadt family. Mr Hochstadt’s father dedicated his entire working life to education in Singapore, serving as a school teacher, then school principal, and finally, as a senior Ministry of Education official. Mr Hochstadt’s three sisters were also all school teachers, as was his daughter, initially. He worked briefly as a tutor himself in the University of Malaya in Singapore and later University of Singapore, both predecessor institutions of NUS, from which his wife graduated and where she served as chief librarian. Mr Hochstadt later became permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education and deputy chairman of the Vocational & Industrial Training Board.

Mr Hochstadt attributes his success to his family’s help and support and wants to commemorate the family name with the Scholarship, which will benefit outstanding students majoring in Humanities subjects including English Language, English Literature, Theatre Studies, History and Philosophy.

“I was taught from young by parents, other family members, and teachers at St Andrew’s School where I had my primary and secondary schooling, that I should contribute whatever I could and whenever I could to deserving causes. And I have been doing so ever since I started working,” shares Mr Hochstadt.

“It is only fitting, in fondness, gratitude and memory, to give in my retirement to NUS which since its predecessor days, nurtured me, my late wife, my daughter and her husband, and my son into  whatever we did become and helped us achieve whatever we did achieve. And especially for me to give back in support of undergraduate study of the Humanities at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences from which Peggy, Karen Lynn, Erwin Wei-Sung and I all graduated ourselves.”

For information on making a gift to NUS, contact us at 1800-DEVELOP (1800-338-3567) or email askdvo@nus.edu.sg.

If you have a story to share, please contact us at whatsyourstory@nus.edu.sg.

Article reproduced with permission from NUS Development Office.

Love to explore places in Singapore?

Hi everyone!

Need to take a break between revisions and exams?
Looking to explore and learn new things about Singapore?
Got 1hour or so to spare between April 21st and May 4th?

We are looking for paid research subjects to walk a designated trail with our app and a GoPro camera.
For details see our attached advertisement here: NUS Research Study on Understanding Mediated Sense of Place

To sign up, begin by answering a short questionnaire at:
http://bit.ly/1hNK5Qk

For more information, you can also contact Joy Ng (joyngxueqi@gmail.com).

 

Academics propose setting up agency to support social research

Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Lianhe Zaobao

It was reported that academics have expressed support for the suggestion by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong that the government or the People’s Action Party could set up a committee to review social policies. Academics from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – Professor Brenda Yeoh, Dean; Associate Professor Paulin Straughan, Vice Dean (International Relations and Special Duties); Associate Professor Tan Ern Ser from the Department of Sociology – and Dr Matthew Matthews, Senior Research Fellow from the Institute of Policy Studies at NUS, also suggested that the government can set up a national agency dedicated to social issues and to fund related research.

Interested in Volunteering in Places like Ecuador, the Fijian Islands or South Africa?

VESA (www.vesabroad.com) is a truly unique two week experience incorporating meaningful volunteer work and an Amazonian jungle tour in South America’s Ecuador, volunteering whilst staying with a host family, followed by an incredible week long cruise of the Fijian Islands or working in orphanages or in crocodile conservation in South Africa and Kwa-Zulu Natal followed by an amazing safari!

Where would you like to volunteer this year?

 

ecuador

If you choose South America, you will be based in a picturesque Ecuadorian jungle village and commute daily via canoe to an indigenous community to undertake vital volunteer work. This includes helping to construct much needed facilities for the village school, teaching English and installing ablution facilities to give the villagers access to better health and hygiene! Your second week with us will see you trekking through the wild jungle of the Amazon Basin. Here you will see all manners of jungle life, stay in tribal accommodation & lodges, visit a shaman and top the trip off with an intense day of white water rafting.
If your choice is The Fijian Islands, you will be working alongside, a local non profit organization. Here, you will be staying with a local family in their village, working in the community helping to educate the children by teaching them English, as well as basic hygiene, building washroom facilities at the school as well as helping to construct water tanks and pipelines. Your second week of your trip will see you sailing up the picturesque remote Yasawa Islands. Every day will see you partake in a different activity, whether it be relaxing in your own private hammock, snorkelling/scuba with sea turtles, kayaking to a deserted island, or chilling on the beach with new mates, it’s a trip like no other!

 fiji

 

 africa_leopard Or if your choose Africa as your destination you will be working in the world heritage site of St. Lucia. This year we will be working alongside the local Zulu tribe; working in orphanages, teaching English, building houses for impoverished families and working alongside cheetahs and crocodile`s in our conservation projects. To top off your time in Africa, you will travelling by open air bus, visiting 3 game parks, sighting Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffe, Hyena, Zebras, Leopards, Hippos and Lions!

 

If you would like to be a part of something incredible this summer, or would simply like more information we will be hosting information sessions at the following location:

Visit www.vesabroad.com and apply online,  or alternatively join us at National University of Singapore Wednesday 16th April 2014, in the Kent Ridge Guild House- Cluny Room @ 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, & 4pm

Why not check out our Facebook group, Volunteer Eco Students Abroad to see what current participants have to say!