Inspiring the Next Generation: CHIJ Secondary School's Education and Career Guidance (ECG) Learning Journey at NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI)
On October 21, 2024, NERI had the pleasure of hosting about 30 enthusiastic students and teachers from CHIJ, St Theresa's Convent Secondary School on their ECG Learning Journey. The objective of the learning journey is to provide students with deeper insights into the Scientific Research industry and provide them with the opportunity to interact with professionals.
NERI’s director, Assoc. Prof. Sanjay Swarup, warmly welcomed the group and provided an insightful overview of NERI's mission and research focus. Assoc. Prof. Peter Todd from the Faculty of Science and Assoc. Prof. Olivier Lefebvre from the College of Design and Engineering followed with presentations on NUS's environmental studies and programs that could be of interest to the CHIJ students considering their future academic paths. The students also learned about the Singapore International Science Camp on Sustainability, shared by Dr. Ajay Pathania from the Asia Pacific Centre for Management Education (APCME).
The highlight of the visit was undoubtedly the interactive informal sessions between the CHIJ students and the NERI researchers. The students were highly engaged, asking insightful questions about the researchers' education and career journeys, and the aspirations and challenges they face in pursuing environmental research. These discussions created a lively and inspiring atmosphere, showcasing the students' genuine curiosity and passion for learning.
During the visit, the students had the chance to see firsthand the innovative projects led by the researchers. They also had the opportunity to walk through NERI’s analytical lab, which houses some of the sophisticated analytical mass spectrophotometers used for cutting-edge environmental research.
NERI hope the visit has ignited the students' interests in environmental sustainability and inspired them to consider careers in this vital field.
