What do business analytics and the environment have in common? To many of us, the two topics seem worlds apart, but for Koay Tze Min, they come together like the final pieces of a jigsaw.
While the term “business analytics” may sound like it is meant only for the mathematically inclined who are destined for the finance industry, Tze Min views the interdisciplinary course as the perfect stepping stone towards achieving her dream of creating positive change for the environment.
Equipped with an arsenal of skillsets that range from the technical, such as machine learning, to problem-solving, like the ability to pick out patterns, she is now ready to change the world for the better by harnessing the power of data.
An unexpected journey
Tze Min’s love for the environment runs deep and began — somewhat unexpectedly — on a blisteringly hot day in Australia.
Having been dragged on a road trip with her family down the 240km Great Ocean Road, then six-year-old Tze Min was grumpy and reluctant — until she saw the ocean. Since then, nature has been an intrinsic part of her life.
Fast forward to NUS Open Day 2018, where Tze Min first heard about the Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics, a unique programme that incorporates courses from Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Accounting, Marketing, Decision Science, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Computer Science and Information Systems.
Immediately drawn in by its interdisciplinary offerings, she felt it would equip her with transferable skills which she could then apply to almost any industry of her choice, including the sustainability sector.
“I figured I would go for a degree that sounded more versatile, that I can apply to any field in four years. That way, I can engage in any of my interests, like the environment and social issues.”
Exploring the roads less taken
Tze Min also cites the vibrant student life and academic flexibility as two of the main reasons she chose NUS. As part of the University Scholars Programme (USP), now known as NUS College, she had the freedom to mix and match courses from various disciplines.
She was able to pursue her interest in the environment by signing up for popular classes such as Biodiversity and Natural History in Singapore. Taking advantage of Biocurious, a biodiversity club which her friends founded, she also went on plenty of enriching outdoor activities like intertidal walks.
Tze Min went on intertidal walks along Sentosa’s coast with Biocurious.
Always ready for new challenges, Tze Min frequently ventured out of her comfort zone to explore the school’s ever-widening variety of diverse interest groups. While she enjoyed picking up new skills and interacting with the communities in each group, there were a few especially close to her heart, such as the Space Policy Unit (SPU), where she was Research Vicehead and an EXCO member. At the time, SPU was one of three subcommunities making up the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (NUS SEDS), an international student organisation which aims to promote space exploration and development through educational and engineering projects.
Other exciting activities Tze Min dabbled in included NUSClimatech, where students had the opportunity to attend Singapore Greentech Festival 2022, the ASEAN Data Science Explorers and the SGX-NUS Sustainability Challenge.
Illuminating the path ahead
Living in Cinnamon College at NUS University Town also meant that she was surrounded by a community of passionate, like-minded students keen on discussing real-world matters and forming intellectual connections.
Tze Min recalls with fondness the new friendships that blossomed in the hallways between classes, or on the way to the dining hall or to do laundry.
Tze Min (first from right) relaxing with her Cinnamon College suitemates.
“When you meet people outside of your major, it’s no longer solely about assignments or comparing grades. The experience of living together allows for more casual conversations to happen, and that’s when friendships are formed.”
The enriching environment imbued Tze Min with a new sense of purpose, and she joined NUS Enactus (now known as Social Impact Catalyst), a student organisation that brings together people interested in setting up social enterprises and catalyses socially driven projects and businesses.
Serendipitously, it was also there that she met peers with the same preoccupations, Zhang Quyi and Daryl Lim. Together, the three budding entrepreneurs took advantage of the agile learning culture in NUS and co-founded Illuminate Singapore, a social enterprise that runs physical and virtual events teaching youth how to discuss social issues with people of different — and sometimes conflicting — values through engaging in civil conversations.
Charting a course for the future
Today, Tze Min dedicates her time to both internships and studies.
Her internship at Cialfo, an educational technology platform start-up, gave her a taste of what it was like to work in the data team of a tech company. Undaunted by the challenges inherent in such a role, the intrepid Tze Min rolled up her sleeves and got her hands dirty with data collection, project management and developing new workflows.
While the internship, offered to Tze Min in early 2022, would have clashed with her university classes, she made the most of the schedule flexibility offered by NUS, and took a Leave of Absence (LoA) period to take on the opportunity.
The stint gave her a much-needed confidence boost for her next internship at Paia Consulting, a boutique sustainability consultancy. There, she harnesses the power of data and automation by performing research and analysis that helps the company’s clients achieve their sustainability goals — the perfect marriage of her two passions.
For aspiring students who are considering juggling work and their studies at the same time, Tze Min has two suggestions — to take classes that offer a more manageable workload along with flexible timetables, and to always plan ahead for peak periods and assignment deadlines.
“It comes with practice,” she says with a laugh. “By the time you get to your fourth year of university, you’ll know when to expect busy periods.”
Forging ahead into the unknown
No matter which industry she chooses to settle in, Tze Min is committed to always being guided by her work ethics and personal values.
“Passion, to me, is fleeting. Regardless of whether it's data analytics or climate change focused, whatever I end up doing in the future will be driven by the conscious choice I make every day to remain true to my values.”
Tze Min loves being in nature — one of her many hobbies is birdwatching.
This interview was conducted in September 2022, three months before Tze Min graduated.