In keeping with our mission to break open the classroom, our students, together with the NUSC Residential Team, engaged in diverse activities to aid in their pursuit of knowledge and new ways of thinking. Along the way, bonding happens!
From going on learning journeys to the Yakult Singapore factory and Asia Pacific Brewery, engaging in conversations on ChatGPT and critical thinking, to connecting with nature and culture, our students gained several insights beyond the confines of a traditional classroom.
How many of us know there is a Yakult factory in Singapore? Or have visited the facility at Senoko Avenue in Woodlands before? Our students had the opportunity to do so in April where they learnt about the high-tech production process of Yakult, the benefits of probiotics and the role L. paracasei strain Shirota plays in maintaining the digestive system.
Such unique learning opportunities were made possible when we explored learning beyond the classroom. Throughout the second AY22-23 semester, NUSC Masters, Residential Fellows, Residential Student Life Managers and Residential Assistants organised a variety of activities for our students to enrich their residential experience. The activities aimed to provide our students an opportunity for growth and acquiring new insights. We highlight some of these activities in this article.
In a separate visit to Asia Pacific Brewery, our students witnessed every phase of the brewing of Singapore’s iconic beer and learnt more about its illustrious history and heritage. Some even got to sample varieties of Tiger Beer!
Of course, our learning journeys were not just limited to developing our students’ gustatory sensitivities. Renowned avian ecologist David Tan introduced our students to the morbid world of dead birds, their many causes of death, and how the lives of these carcasses were essential to conserving the natural world. Visits to Sungei Buloh and Pulau Ubin also helped our students appreciate Singapore’s natural beauty and conservation efforts, while enjoying a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
With the rise of AI, our students engaged in a spirited discussion on ChatGPT’s responses, inner workings, limitations and strengths with Associate Prof Kang Hway Chuan (NUS Department of Chemistry and NUSC’s Master of West Wing), Associate Prof Kuldip Singh (NUS Department of Physics) and Rishabh Anand (Year 3 research student at NUS Computing). In keeping with NUSC’s interdisciplinary nature, Prof Peter Millican (Faculty of Philosophy, Hertford College, University of Oxford) and Associate Prof Loy Hui Chieh (NUSC Vice Dean, Academic Affairs) conducted an enlightening session on how closely intertwined philosophy can be to the discipline of computing, in various ways like mind, body and free will.
Our students also learnt about the history and evolution of Chinese calligraphy from renowned Chinese calligrapher, Ma Shuang Lu. At the end of the session, they had the opportunity to try their hand in writing Chinese couplets and auspicious characters.
We look forward to more activities with fellow residents next semester! Such diverse activities would not have been possible without the partnership of external collaborators with our NUSC Residential Team. We thank all our guests who hosted and conducted these engaging sessions for our students!
