SNIC Principals Forum

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SNIC Principals Forum

• T S A Hor
• Professor of Chemistry NUS
• President of SNIC
• www.snic.org.sg
• Sat 21st Aug 2004

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BMRC RD Capabilities Strengthen the Key
Biomedical Industry Clusters of Singapore
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SERC RD Capabilities Strengthen the Key Science
Engineering Industry Clusters of Singapore
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Jurong Island An 3,200 ha 40b Investment
Dedicated to Chemistry Chemical Engineering
In the beginning, there was just sea
Now, there is Jurong Island
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Biomedical Science Taking Off

• All leading manufacturing operations (Aventis,
  Baxter, CIBA Vision, Fischer Scientific,
  GlaxoSmithKline, Leica, Merck Co., Novartis,
  Perkin Elmer, Pfizer, Schering-Plough, Siemens
  Medical Instruments, Wyeth etc.) and leading RD,
  companies (Novartis, Eli Lilly, and MerLion
  Pharmaceuticals etc.) are represented.
• Biopolis opened in Oct 2003, bringing together
  more than 2,000 researchers from the BMRC RIs
  and industry

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Chemical Industry in Singapore

• The chemical industry grew strongly in 2002
  despite difficult conditions. Output grew by 7
  percent to S31.2 billion and value-added grew 22
  percent to S4.9 billion. The petroleum sector
  accounted for slightly more than half, or S17.6
  billion, of the total output, with petrochemicals
  generating S8.5 billion.

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Why are we Short of Chemists?
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Current SNIC Activities for Schools

• Chemistry Olympiads (local and international)
• Crystal Growing Challenge
• Chem.Com
• Education Symposium
• Skill-development Workshops (Microscale
  experiments, project-base learning etc)
• International Conferences (e.g. SICC)

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New Developments in Chemistry in Singapore at
Tertiary Level

• NUS A through-chain BSc(Hon)PhD Chemical
  Science program supported by ASTAR
• NTU A new chemistry department and major of
  study from 2004/5
• NUS Medicinal Chemistry PhD program with new
  facilities supported by NUS ASTAR
• NUS BEng in Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE)
• NTU A new chemical engineering school and major
  of study from 2004/5
• TUM-NUS Industrial Chemistry MSc program
  supported by EDB and industry (from 2002)
• MBBS-PhD program at Faculty of Medicine in NUS
  (from 2002)

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Chemistry in the Research Institutes (RIs)

• Institute of Chemical Engineering Science
  (ICES) (organic chemistry, catalysis, proces
  technology, catalysis etc)
• Institute of Materials Research Engineering
  (IMRE) (polymer, nanomaterials, macromolecular
  chemistry etc)
• Institute of Bioengineering Nantechnology
  (IBN)(delivery of drugs, proteins, genes,
  nanobiotechnology etc)
• Institute of Molecular Cell Biology (IMCB)
  (genomics, signal transduction, structural
  biology etc)

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Integrated Program

• Introduction of university-level courses?
• Riding on the university research resources?
• Attachment in research institutes?
• Enrichment workshops for students?
• Study-camp hosted by SNIC?
• Industry-oriented activities connected through
  SNIC?

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Teacher Training Professional Enrichment

• Regular education symposia
• Theme-specific workshops, e.g. chemical biology
  appreciation
• Skill development clinics e.g. project management
  and supervision
• Current awareness seminars
• Research ideas brainstorming
• Experimental skill development

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SNIC Camps in Project Work

• Retreats targeting at educational outcomes
• Knowledge application
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Independent Learning

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Teachers Prime Challenges

• Are you coping with the changing education
  landscape?
• Are you meeting the expectations of the public?
• Are you facing a career stagnation?
• Are you out of touch with the current knowledge
  domains?
• Are you too stressed to enjoy a professional life
  that you once loved?
• Have you lost your pride and dignity after years
  of frustrations and robotic teaching?

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Interconnections Through SNIC