If I meet a former student 10 years after they graduate and they do not remember
much of the content of what we discussed, I am not bothered – provided they remember how to frame
the questions they need to ask, critically analyse the relevant evidence and express independent analytical views of their own.
When a student learns how to learn, a teacher can feel some sense of accomplishment.
”
Prof Brian FARRELL
PhD, MA, BA (McGill University)
Department of History
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- Modern military history
- Modern European history
- Imperialism and empires
- Made significant contributions to the educational landscape of Singapore and NUS through leadership appointments in university, faculty and national initiatives
- Served on the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences’ Teaching Excellence Committee, helping raise the Faculty’s evaluation and enhancement of teaching and learning
- Scores consistently high ratings and glowing reviews from students and participants across different modules and programmes
- Makes history come alive by organising comprehensive and enriching field trips, a learning experience many students have found to be illuminating and fruitful
- Designs innovative re-enactment and role-playing scenarios that help students imagine the past and analyse it for the present, promoting their appreciation and interpretation of history
- Offers substantial, personalised and critical feedback in multiple forms, on essays, presentations to online discussions, to help students reach higher and do better
- Adept at turning content relevant and accessible to different people, from students, the armed forces, fellow military historians to museum staff and volunteers
- Demonstrates an outstanding ability in teaching a wide variety of modules to students from different disciplines and backgrounds
- Published two single-authored books, two co-authored books, three edited books, and numerous journal articles, book chapters, handbook, dictionary and encyclopaedia entries, and book reviews
- Contributed articles on teaching to university publications
- Regional Coordinator, Pacific region (Asia, Australia), Society for Military History, the world’s largest professional society of military historians (since 2009)
- Member, Editorial Advisory and Review Board, Global War Studies (since 2008)
- Member, Publishing Committee, NUS Press (since 2006)
- Presented at numerous international conferences and symposia, including 11 invited papers
- Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (2013/2014, 2007/2008, 2006/2007, 2005/2006)
- Honour Roll, Annual Teaching Excellence Award, NUS (2009)
- Annual Teaching Excellence Award, NUS (2007/2008, 2006/2007, 2005/2006)
"I want my students to be a different person at the end of the semester from the person they were when our journey began, and to see that difference for themselves."