Issue 1 of 2016

A publication of Ngee Ann Polytechnic

/ highlights /

ayne Goh was just a 19-year-old Accountancy student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP)

when he co-founded AllDealsAsia with his sister in 2011. Today, the website — which aggregates deals across Southeast Asia — is a thriving business, generating about $12 million last year.

Wayne is among the success stories featured in Those Who Dared. The commemorative book was launched in March by The Sandbox, NP’s innovation and entrepreneurship office, with MOE Parliamentary Secretary, Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim as the Guest of Honour.

It features close to 50 interviews with NP alumni entrepreneurs, including Creative Technology CEO, Sim Wong Hoo, and Carousell’s co-founders, Quek Siu Rui and Marcus Tan.

At the book launch, NP also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE) to form an ACE Student Chapter facilitating student-driven

W

NURTURING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRITA commemorative book launch and a collaboration with Action Community for Entrepreneurship are among Ngee Ann's efforts to boost entrepreneurship TEXT: SARAH LIM

MULTIPLE INTERNSHIPS TO GIVE STUDENTS AN EXTRA EDGE

entrepreneurial activities.NP students can go on internships

at the 500 startups that are part of the ACE community. NP and ACE will also co-organise activities such as Campus Life Hackathons where participants will brainstorm solutions to solve campus issues.

Getting a career head start is what Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) students can look forward to with NP@Glints, a dedicated online platform with over 1,400 active internships and curated jobs.

The portal, launched in January under a Memorandum of Understanding between NP and Glints, lets students self-source additional internships instead of waiting for their final-year attachments. These supplementary internships allow students to deepen skills in their fields of study and develop new capabilities in alternative areas. Alumni who have graduated in the last two years can also access NP@Glints.

The portal is aligned with NP's Career & Professional Preparation modules, so students can hone their job application skills while seeking advice from NP's Education & Career Guidance counsellors.

Final-year Information Technology student, Yong Yao Wei, had secured a two-month internship as an events

MOE Parliamentary Secretary and Guest of Honour, Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (left) with NP Principal, Mr Clarence Ti, at the launch of the book.

co-ordinator at Nucleus Events Production through NP@Glints. He said, "I wanted to gain exposure in a non-IT field. I've learnt many lessons that can't be found in textbooks, like how much time and effort goes into executing an event."

/ contents /highlightsNurturing the Entrepreneurial SpiritA commemorative book launch and a new collaboration are among Ngee Ann’s efforts to boost entrepreneurship

Pioneering a New Pedagogy in Service-LearningNew initiative lets every student use their course-related skills and knowledge to benefit the community

Acting Minister’s Tour of Ngee Ann CampusNgee Ann Polytechnic welcomes senior MOE officials, led by Acting Minister Ong Ye Kung

cover storyThe Future is Now Ngee Ann’s evolving SkillsFuture initiatives give students and graduates a head start in lifelong skills development

featuresProject Heart-wareGraduating students showcase their creativity in final-year projects that can make a difference in the lives of others

Postcards from AbroadOur students return from their overseas trips with memorable one-of-a-kind experiences

Lighting Up the Big ScreenWeaving his lighting magic into Oscar award-winning movies at Disney, California, is a dream come true for Film, Sound & Video graduate, Roger Lee

the last pageDance for a Cause

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CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

EDITOR V Prema

ASSISTANT EDITOR Melanie Wee

DESIGNER Frances Sim

For enquiries, contact us at askNP@np.edu.sg or call 6466 6555.

Issue 1 of 2016

A publication of Ngee Ann Polytechnic

What it really means for Ngee Ann's students and graduatesSkillSFuture

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gee Ann Polytechnic (NP) welcomed senior officials from the Ministry of Education

(MOE) on 26 April 2016. Mr Ong Ye Kung, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), Dr Janil Puthucheary, Minister of State (Education & Communications and Information), and Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary (Education & Social and Family Development), toured the campus accompanied by NP’s Principal, Mr Clarence Ti.

They visited various academic schools, interacted with students and viewed their projects during the tour. They also made a stop at the Makers’ Academy, where budding innovators can build prototypes using a wide range of equipment.

ACTING MINISTER’S TOUR OF NGEE ANN CAMPUSN

Simulating the kicking of a ball on a virtual platform that makes rehabilitation exercises fun.

Trying out a puppet that aims to promote bilingualism in young children.

Learning more about how the Rapid Detection Kit works to quickly detect and identify pathogens in the water.

Acting Minister Ong viewing the Levitating Garden at the Makers’ Academy – a landscape model containing rocks that can “levitate”, thanks to the use of electromagnets.

ow is what I’m studying relevant or useful? This is a question which many have asked at some point in their student lives.

And it is a question that Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) is aiming to address through the Service-Learning pedagogy, which it has infused into its core curriculum from the new academic year in April 2016. NP is the first polytechnic in Singapore to do so.

Service-Learning aims to imbue a sense of purposeful learning and active citizenry in all NP students. They will take at least one such module, using skills and knowledge gleaned from their course to develop projects that benefit the community.

“Service-Learning presents an ideal platform for our students to identify, empathise with and develop a deeper understanding of the community’s needs,” said NP Principal, Mr Clarence Ti. “We also want to encourage purpose-driven learning, that is, to address the ‘why’ behind what they

New Service-Learning initiative lets every student use their skills and knowledge to benefit the community TEXT: GRACE YEOH

PIONEERING A NEW PEDAGOGY IN SERVICE-LEARNING

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Jacob Tan Wei (right) with colleagues at the National Heart Centre.

NURSING A PASSION FOR PEOPLEAs a trainee nurse on a clinical attachment at the National Heart Centre, Jacob Tan Wei got to put his classroom skills into practice every day.

“We modify the principles we’ve learnt in school according to each patient’s needs and condition. I also got to practise my communication skills because these are real people, not mannequins, whom I am dealing with,” said the final-year Health Sciences (Nursing) student.

“Service-Learning exposes you to different kinds of people and helps you step out of your comfort zone. When you learn about the world, you also learn about yourself,” he said.

For his excellence in applied learning, Jacob received 18 glowing testimonials from his patients and NP's Service-Learning Student Champion Award.

are studying. When students know why, they will be more passionate in their pursuits.”

Final-year Business & Social Enterprise students, Liew Yan Zhang and Chong Yao Xiang are among those who have benefitted from the Service-Learning experience. The duo embarked on a trip to Cambodia’s SMILE Village, where they used their skills and knowledge of building a social enterprise to create a recycling project for the villagers.

“We’re very fortunate that Service-Learning has allowed us to apply classroom knowledge to the real world and be at the ground level to understand real-life problems. It’s deeply rewarding to apply what we’ve learnt in our course to help the needy lead better lives,” they said.

To date, NP has partnered some 40 local and overseas non-profit organisations, including the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore, SMILE Village and Hong Kong's Lingnan University to offer students diverse and meaningful Service-Learning opportunities.

Liew Yan Zhang (left) and Chong Yao Xiang share their Service-Learning experience of creating a recycling project for Cambodian villagers.

Taking a “wefie” with a student project, Xuan the robot, during the signing of the Power Engineering MOU are: (from left) Mr Ong Ye Kung, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Defence; Mr Clarence Ti, Principal, Ngee Ann Polytechnic; Mr Ng Wai Choong, Chief Executive, Energy Market Authority (partially hidden); and Dr Gog Soon Joo, Group Director, Training Partners Group, Singapore Workforce Development Agency.

SkillsFuture is about deep skills and a future-ready workforce. Deep skills come with knowledge, practice and experience. We must study first to acquire head knowledge before we can apply what we know to gain skills and the applied knowledge. This learning cycle is iterative and lifelong… the learning goes on until you attain mastery.– Mr Ong Ye Kung, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), at the MOU signing ceremony for the Power Engineering Sector

EDUCATION & CAREER GUIDANCE

The ECG curriculum is delivered over three years:

Role-play networking sessions, mock interviews and business etiquette classes are now an integral part of the curriculum at NP. With Education & Career Guidance (ECG), a key element of SkillsFuture, students will be better equipped to make well-informed choices for their future.

"The ECG modules taught me what I should include in my resume and portfolio, said Aaron Sng, a final-year Engineering Science student. "I've also learnt the importance of updating my resume regularly. With these tips, I feel better prepared to enter the workforce."

• Personal discovery• Goal setting• Interpersonal skills

• Internships and industry immersion programmes

680Lecturerstrained as Education & Career Guidance advisors Curriculum hours

dedicated to ECG

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• Job search strategies• Resume-writing and interview skills• Professional communication

YEAR 2

YEAR 3

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irst unveiled during last year's Budget Speech, SkillsFuture is a national movement that provides every Singaporean with opportunities to achieve

their fullest potential regardless of age. Here at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), our SkillsFuture initiatives are paving

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THE FUTURE IS NOWNgee Ann Polytechnic's students and graduates get a head start in lifelong skills development, thanks to evolving SkillsFuture initiatives

NP leads the implementation of SkillsFuture initiatives within these sectors. This includes incorporating Education & Career Guidance into the academic curriculum, as well as working with industry partners to develop Enhanced Internships and Earn & Learn Programmes.

FORGING CLOSER INDUSTRY TIES NP has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) in the three SkillsFuture sectors it co-ordinates. NP students will be able to embark on enhanced internships, while graduates can enrol in SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programmes which enable them to work while pursuing a part-time Specialist or Advanced Diploma.

Offshore & Marine Engineering SectorMOU signed: 16 October 2015Partners: Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic (SP), Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI), Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), Keppel Offshore & Marine, Sembcorp Marine and Singapore Technologies Marine.

Offshore & Marine

Engineering

Accountancy & Financial

Services

Power Engineering

Accountancy & Financial Services SectorMOU signed: 11 December 2015Partners: Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), Republic Polytechnic, SP, Temasek Polytechnic, ITE and 16 accounting companies and financial institutions. Among them are the “Big Four” international accounting firms – Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, KPMG and Pricewaterhouse Coopers – and major banks, such as Citibank, DBS, HSBC, OCBC and UOB.

Power Engineering SectorMOU signed: 13 January 2016Partners: Ngee Ann Polytechnic, NYP, SP, ITE and 17 companies including PSA Corporation, SBS Transit, Singapore Power, SMRT Corporation and Tuas Power.

the way for every student to build a bright future based on lifelong skills mastery.

To date, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has identified 27 growth sectors to be developed under SkillsFuture. NP is the designated Sector Coordinator for the following sectors:

ENHANCED INTERNSHIPS While the long term benefits of the SkillsFuture initiative can only be realised sometime in the future, we are already witnessing immediate benefits – the closer collaboration across the institutions and the deepening of partnership between institutions and key industry players.– Mr Clarence Ti, Principal, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, at the MOU signing ceremony for the Offshore & Marine Engineering Sector

Second- and third-year students can look forward to enhanced internships which feature:

Extended internship durations for relevant diplomas

More defined learning outcomes and structured activities

Better integration with classroom learning

LEARNING BY TEACHINGChildcare teachers are known to be highly versatile – singing, feeding, nurturing, and educating are among the myriad tasks they do. Recent Child Psychology & Early Education graduate, Risa Miyazaki, had the chance to experience all that and more when she was attached to My First Skool Jalan Sultan for her enhanced internship last September.

A longer 22-week internship, compared to the previous three-month period, allowed Risa more time to bond with the children. “We spent a week with each class during orientation, which gave me time to get to know all the children and teachers. I had more time to try out different activities and pick up effective classroom techniques from the other teachers,” said Risa.

“Thanks to the enhanced internship, I also received regular feedback from my mentors which pushed me to improve further. Their advice has been instrumental in my development as an early childhood educator,” she added.

Improved supervision and mentorship

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ight from their first year, NP students will gain increased exposure to career pathways and opportunities within their chosen industry, thanks

to the Industry Mentors' Network (IMN) programme. They will also be able to interact personally with an industry practitioner in their field of study.

With the IMN, each student will be assigned an industry mentor who will provide professional guidance and career advice to a small group of three to four students. Previously, only final-year students were assigned mentors.

The IMN forms a vital segment of the Education & Career Guidance initiative. It was launched with 27 companies coming on board with NP, Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic. Ernst & Young, Barclays, NTUC and Pricewaterhouse Coopers are among the corporations which have joined the programme.

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INDUSTRY MENTORS' NETWORK

GAINING INDUSTRY INSIGHTSAs part of the Industry Mentors’ Network (IMN) programme, second-year Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering student, Athanasius Tan, got an inside look at just how the biopharmaceutical industry works when he visited Lonza Biologics in March.

At the invitation of his mentor, Mr Chai Chong Meng, Lonza’s Head of Mammalian Manufacturing, Athanasius toured the large-scale biotechnology facility along with four other coursemates. There, they were introduced to the cleanroom environment where biopharmaceutical drugs and therapeutic proteins are manufactured.

“The IMN has been a great eye-opener so far. It has helped us to better understand our field of study and has given us a more realistic idea of what to expect in our future jobs,” said Athanasius.

200Mentors from 27 corporate partners

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The IMN was launched in December 2015 with:

YOUNG TALENT PROGRAMME -MARKET IMMERSION

tudents can look forward to broad international exposure with the Young Talent Programme (YTP)-Market Immersion that prepares them for

global careers. Under an MOU signed in November between trade

agency International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and the five polytechnics, the YTP-Market Immersion will provide talented youths with overseas opportunities to equip

GETTING GEEKY IN CAMBODIAClass of 2016 Mass Communication graduate Rizqina Bte Mohamad Mahdzar used to be afraid of venturing beyond Singapore's shores. All that changed after her internship in Cambodia last year which was made possible with the YTP-Market Immersion. Now, a career overseas is something she is more than game for.

"I spent five months in Phnom Penh as the editor of

Sthem with the right skillsets and experience for future roles abroad. They will receive between $100-$300 in co-funding per week for up to 24 weeks, making global internships and work-study programmes more affordable.

Close to 50 per cent of the YTP-Market Immersion polytechnic cohort sponsored by IE Singapore in 2015-2016 were NP students.

Geeks In Cambodia, an online technology platform. I wrote articles on mobile and digital trends, interviewed government officials and entrepreneurs, and even developed digital strategies and solutions for our clients.

“I never thought I’d meet with people from so many different countries in just five months. I used to be afraid of trying out something new, but this overseas internship has made me much more open to a global career," she said.

Rizqina Bte Mohamad Mahdzar (third from left)

with colleagues from Geeks in Cambodia.

EARN AND LEARN PROGRAMMELength of structured work-study stint under the ELP

Target number of NP graduates on the ELP by 2018

$5,000500

Fresh graduates can look forward to getting a head start in careers related to their field of study. Under the Earn and Learn Programme (ELP), a SkillsFuture work-study initiative, they will benefit from industry placements, on-the-job training, mentorship and full company sponsorship of course fees while pursuing a Specialist or Advanced Diploma.

SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITYHe was undecided about which path to pursue after his National Service until he chanced upon the Earn and Learn Programme (ELP).

“Back then, I was keeping my career options open, but when I knew about the ELP, I thought, ‘Why not give this a shot?’” shared Muhammad Syafiq Bin Nazrin, a Class of 2013 Mechanical Engineering graduate.

Today, Syafiq is an Assistant Engineer in the workshop section of the Mechanical Department of Sembcorp Marine. He is assigned a project vessel and tracks the progress of its parts as they are removed from the ship and sent to the workshop for repairs. Syafiq is also taking a one-year part-time Specialist Diploma in Marine Production in NP which he will complete in October 2016.

“The ELP acts as a bridging programme which I find beneficial. It gives me insights into the marine industry and how it operates. If you’re keen on a career in the marine and offshore sector, you should definitely sign up for the ELP. Seize every educational opportunity you can to enhance your industry knowledge,” he said.

Sign-on incentive for local fresh graduates*

*conditions apply

/ cover story /

From October 2016, EE graduates can pursue a one-year part-time Specialist Diploma in Electrical Design and Operation, newly launched by NP.

These graduates can attend evening classes at NP while receiving on-the-job training with ELP partners, and obtain a Specialist Diploma in Marine Production or Marine Design at the end of one year.

ACC graduates can work and pursue an 18-month part-time Advanced Diploma in Accountancy, offered by NP and the Singapore Accountancy Commission.

Upon graduation, they can enrol in the Singapore Qualification Programme to be certified as a Chartered Accountant of Singapore, without going for a degree.

Diploma in Accountancy (ACC)

Diploma in Electrical Engineering (EE)

Diploma in Marine & Offshore Technology (MOT) and related engineering disciplines

12-18 months

I’ve always wanted to create something that will benefit the community. Tapping on my design skills to help others has been very rewarding. – Lim Cai Jin

Lim Cai Jin with Voyar, a child-friendly assistive

walker for young cerebral palsy patients.

AN EASIER WAY TO WALK For children with cerebral palsy, even simple tasks like standing and walking can be a challenge. Recent Product Design & Innovation graduate Lim Cai Jin hopes to give them a little support with Voyar, a final-year project she fine-tuned during her internship stint at XentiQ Pte Ltd, a local product development and manufacturing firm.

Voyar is an assistive walker with specially-designed springs located under its seat. When children attempt to rise from the seat, the upward force of the springs helps to lift them onto their feet. If they accidentally fall backwards, the seat unfolds and “catches” them so they do not hurt themselves.

Cai Jin worked on the prototype with Xentiq. The process was challenging – she had to pick up Xentiq’s computer-aided design software from scratch and learn how the springs worked.

“I really had to step out of my comfort zone as there were so many unfamiliar concepts to learn! But I’m glad I persevered because we were able to produce something beneficial for the young cerebral palsy patients,” said Cai Jin.

“I’ve always wanted to create something that will benefit the community. Tapping on my design skills to help others has been very rewarding,” she added.

I’m grateful for the chance to apply what I've learnt in class to develop the Aqon. We hope it will be a boon to fish farmers in Singapore. – Zason Chan

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THE FISHERMAN'S FRIEND It may only look like a plastic manta ray bobbing in the water, but the Aqon is an aquatic device that could well save fish farmers in Singapore millions of dollars in future.

In 2015, over 70 fish farms suffered crippling losses as an algae bloom wiped out over 500 tonnes of fish and disrupted the supply to markets and stalls.

With the Aqon, fish farmers will be able to monitor key water variables and analyse trends that will help them spot potential algae blooms. Its four probes can be lowered into the water to measure levels of nitrates, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity and temperature at different times of the day. The data is then sent to a customised app or website for easy access by fish farmers.

Class of 2016 Product Design & Innovation graduate, Zason Chan was part of the multi-disciplinary team working on the Aqon as their final-year project.

"I had to create a watertight casing for the device. After researching buoyancy and materials, I chose fibreglass as it is light and floats easily. I also had to ensure the internal components were suitably placed so they would not get dislodged," he said.

Besides Zason, students from the Environmental & Water Technology course shared their knowledge on water and micro-organisms. Meanwhile, Electronic & Computer Engineering students programmed the website and microprocessor, and tested out the probes.

"I'm grateful for the chance to apply what I've learnt in class to develop the Aqon," said Zason. "We hope it will be a boon to fish farmers in Singapore."

PROJECT HEART-WAREGraduating Ngee Ann students showcase their creativity in final-year projects that can touch lives and make a difference TEXT: MELANIE WEE

Zason Chan was part of the multi-disciplinary team behind the Aqon device that can help fish farmers predict algae blooms.

EYE CAN MOVE Commercially available eye-gesture-controlled wheelchairs, while a boon to immobile patients, tend to be highly-priced. Thanks to recent Automation & Mechatronic Systems graduate Wang Jinyu’s efforts, such a device could become more affordable, giving these patients a new lease of life.

Jinyu’s eye-gesture-controlled wheelchair comprises a motorised wheelchair connected to a laptop and an eye-tracking device. With a customised graphical user interface, patients can view on-screen directional arrows on the laptop. Using the arrows as a guide, patients move their eyes in a specific direction — emulating a joystick control — to steer the wheelchair. The eye tracker is able to “read” the co-ordinates of the patient’s eye-gaze.

During the project’s testing stage, Jinyu struggled to keep her focus as she had to spend long stretches staring at the laptop. “It must be so much more difficult for patients who are unable to move,” she said.

Senior Manager Mr Edwin Ho, who was Jinyu’s project advisor, noted that other similar commercial devices can be priced at over $7,000. In comparison, the eye-gesture-controlled wheelchair only requires a basic eye tracker costing $137. The graphical user interface customised by Jinyu compensates for its lower-end accuracy. The end result is an affordable, intuitive device which can be utilised in nursing homes, community hospitals, daycare centres and patients’ homes.

Kimberlyn Loh and Max Pang's mind-reading robot

is controlled by brainwaves which are read by the headset.

or nervous, we couldn't control the robot well as our brainwaves would fluctuate. It was an intense challenge," said Max.

The team hopes the project can be adapted for the physically disabled who are wheelchair-bound. "Patients who are paralysed would be able to move their wheelchairs, just by using their minds. Imagine the freedom it would give them!" said Max.

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BREAKING DOWN LANGUAGE BARRIERS Patients at the National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) dialysis centres can now communicate better with the nurses who attend to them, thanks to a mobile translation app created by two Class of 2016 Information Technology graduates.

Kenny Tan and Lim Wei Jian took four months to develop the Mobile Language & Dialect Assistant (MoLDA) currently used by the NKF nurses. It can translate English words into Mandarin, Malay, Cantonese and Hokkien, depending on the user’s selection. The app lists commonly-used words in different categories such as “Greeting”, “Numbers”, “Medicine” and “Anatomy”.

Users can tap on a word to hear how it sounds. This makes communication simpler for nurses and patients who speak different languages as they can use the app to convey basic words and phrases.

The app includes photos of selected words for visual cues and translations of commonly-used sentences for different medical scenarios. Users can also insert or remove words and graphics, and add multiple languages and audio recordings.

Inspiration for the app came from Kenny, who witnessed how his grandfather had struggled to converse with a nurse when he was hospitalised. “My grandfather could only speak Hokkien, but the nurse was Malay. So when the NKF approached Ngee Ann to collaborate on this project, I couldn’t wait to be a part of it,” he said.

“Getting direct feedback from the NKF nurses really helped us to improve MoLDA’s features and user-friendliness,” added Wei Jian. The project was supported by the Tote Board’s Social Innovation Research Fund which aims to develop solutions that improve lives and promote independence.

MOVE IT WITH YOUR MIND When Max Pang and Kimberlyn Loh first embarked on their final-year project, they didn't expect it to be quite so mind-boggling and intense.

The Class of 2016 Engineering Science graduates came up with a mind-reading robot on wheels that is controlled by the user's brainwaves. The robot moves when the user is in "meditation" mode or a relaxed frame of mind. When the user blinks, the robot changes directions.

Over six months, the duo experimented on the robot, together with a Bluetooth-enabled headset they had bought. The headset "reads" the user's brainwaves and sends these signals to the microcontroller mounted on the robot.

"Most research on the emerging field of brain computer interface isn't well-documented. So we spent hours testing out the headset and its sensitivity in ‘reading’ our brainwaves. Whenever we got tired

Wang Jinyu with the eye-gesture-controlled wheelchair which enables disabled patients to be independently mobile.

Patients and nurses who speak different languages can communicate more easily, thanks to the MoLDA app.

It’s the people you interact with and their cultures that make travel such a rich, vibrant experience. Just ask Kristine, who returned from Manchester after a two-week summer school programme at the University of Sheffield that saw her working on engineering design projects while making new friends along the way.

NEWFOUND FRIEND: I enjoyed working together with my team to design a 3D model of a solar kiln. It was challenging, but I was fortunate to have a great facilitator who patiently guided me through it. I’m glad we have continued to stay in touch and grow closer as friends.

GET CREATIVE: We attended lessons on innovative thinking. As a future engineer, I learnt the importance of developing

I enjoyed working together with my team to design a 3D model of a solar kiln. It was challenging, but I was fortunate to have a great facilitator who patiently guided me through it. – Kristine Teoh

products that will meet the needs of our customers. The activities also made us think about different perspectives and emotions, and how to communicate more effectively.

BE BOLD: Don’t be afraid to ask questions as people are always happy to share their knowledge. Put yourself out there and be brave enough to take on new challenges. Who knows? Your experiences may just come in useful in future!

RIGHT CONNECTIONS: Although there were 20 of us from Ngee Ann’s School of Engineering, many of us didn’t know each other as we were from different disciplines. But the projects drew us all closer. We often gathered as a group to share our ideas over ice cream and chips!

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE: We went hiking and even had a chance to explore the Treak Cliff cavern. It's one of only two locations in the United Kingdom where the semi-precious Blue John stone is mined. Plus, I got to try abseiling for the first time in my life!

FROM STRANGERS TO FRIENDSKRISTINE TEOH

Clean Energy Management, Year 3

If there was one lesson that Joel learnt during his 10-day social leadership trip in Melbourne, it would be that change is often led by people who dare to think differently. The aspiring social leader shares how his perspectives were altered after interacting with Australia’s ‘First People’, also known as the Aboriginals, on his first day there.

GREEN LIVING: Did you know that soap can be made from natural materials? I didn’t know that until the Aboriginals showed us how to wash our hands with soap made from leaves! I never realised that the Aboriginals were so dependent on their natural habitat. It has made me more conscious of the pressing need to preserve our environment.

REMEMBER YOUR ROOTS: The Aboriginals have maintained

POSTCARDS FROM ABROAD Two Ngee Ann students returned home with the ultimate souvenir: a memorable one-of-a-kind experience that broadened their perspectives TEXT: SARAH LIM

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many of their ancient cultural practices and values despite our rapidly changing world. This really inspires me to preserve our traditions so that we can pass them on to the next generation.

PAY-AS-YOU-FEEL: We visited many social enterprises like Lentil As Everything, a vegetarian restaurant founded on the motto that everyone deserves a place at the table, regardless of their bank balance. You only pay what you can afford based on what you think the meal is worth. I think it’s a great concept that should be implemented in Singapore!

BE ACCEPTING: We can all play a part by being more accepting and inclusive as a society. For example, we learnt that people with disabilities can be more crippled by a society’s mindset, than by their own disabilities.

GAME PLAY: We conducted social experiments on the busy streets of Melbourne, where we used chalk to write phrases like ‘Give me a hug’ on the sidewalks, just to see how people would react. It was really fun!

LASTING ‘FIRST’ IMPRESSIONSJOEL CHAN

Business & Social Enterprise, Year 3

DANCE FOR A CAUSE

Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s (NP) Arts Fiesta, held from October to December 2015, was a colourful showcase of dance, music and drama, all for a good cause. The annual arts festival, featuring performances and concerts by NP’s arts and cultural CCA groups, raised $112,246

for the polytechnic’s Student Aid Fund which provides support for needy students.

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or Walt Disney's lighting and compositing artist Roger Lee, pursuing his dream meant uprooting his family — which included his eight-month old

triplets — to begin life anew in America. Four years and three Oscar wins later, the Class of 1998 Film, Sound & Video (FSV) graduate still hasn't lost his love for weaving animation magic into iconic Disney movies.

How did you land your job at the Disney headquarters?Working at Disney has always been my dream. I applied through their website and included my showreel, then did a phone interview with several heads from the Lighting Department. And that was it! Within hours, Disney emailed me with a job offer. I flew with my family to their headquarters in California and began working on the animated feature, Wreck-It Ralph. Relocating with our young triplets wasn't an easy decision, but my wife was very supportive.

You've worked on Oscar-winning films like Big Hero 6, Frozen and Rango. What's your role in the production process?My job involves digital lighting and compositing. In digital

lighting, we manipulate colours and light using 3D software, to set the mood for a particular scene such as a foggy London street or an eerie room. During compositing, all the raw images are combined to form the final, polished image. I love the fact that my work plays an important part in how the movie finally turns out.

How has your FSV background helped in your work?FSV gave me a solid foundation in film-making basics. I learnt a lot about studio lighting using real lights. This has helped in my current job at Disney where I also handle lighting − only it's now virtual lights in a 3D software!

What advice can you give to those who may be inspired to follow in your footsteps?I'd like to quote from former American president, Abraham Lincoln: "I will prepare and some day my chance will come." To aspiring animation professionals, I would say never stop honing your craft. Be ready for opportunities and rise to the challenge, even if it may be uncomfortable and you may be tempted to let it pass by. I strongly believe that if you want something and pursue it with a passion, you will achieve your goal one day.

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LIGHTING UP THE BIG SCREENF

NP News is a production of Ngee Ann Polytechnic For enquiries, please contact:

Corporate Communications Office Ngee Ann Polytechnic

535 Clementi Road, Singapore 599489 T: 6466 6555

www.np.edu.sg