Story #20
Q: How did you decide on your undergraduate course of study?
A: Physics was not my first choice for undergraduate studies. I was more interested in psychology. I recall one of my Hwa Chong classmates asked why I did not consider studying Physics, since I was good at it. My CT also thought I had good potential in physics. So when I did not receive a scholarship to study psychology overseas, I decided to give physics a shot in a local university.
Q: In retrospect, what did you think were the most useful lessons/ skills/ knowledge you'd gained from your undergraduate education?
A: Doing well in physics requires a lot of critical thinking, logical thinking and abstract reasoning. Majoring in physics has certainly prepared me well for my future career and personal life. In addition, I had the opportunity to read varied modules in NUS under the University Scholars' Programme. I took on modules outside my comfort zone (I recall an English writing/literature module and an Islamic studies module) and survived. The experience prompted me to be more open-minded about trying new things in future. Also, my active involvement in clubs and societies (Physics society and Chinese society) provided me opportunities to interact with students other than my coursemates and to work on non-academic projects. These taught me many important life skills such as project management, working in teams, and leadership.
Q: How has your undergraduate education influenced your career choice?
A: My experience as a physics major has made me realise the importance of a high quality education, especially a high quality science/physics education, in promoting students' learning of higher order thinking and reasoning skills. The low number of female physics graduates in my cohort also made me consider the importance of having good female physics educators as role models for female students who are aspiring towards careers in science and science education. Hence, I have chosen to continue my career in science education, no matter what roles I perform.
Q: Briefly describe your current job scope.
A: I am currently a full time PhD student at Pennsylvania State University (USA) under the area of curriculum and instruction, with an emphasis on science education. I also work as a research assistant to my advisor. I have had the opportunities to contribute as a member of various research teams. The work I have done include: conducting literature reviews, data collection, and data analysis, writing conference papers, posters and journal articles, writing book reviews, etc.
Q: To what extent is your current job related to your undergraduate course of study?
A: Somewhat related.
Q: What are some additional areas you wish your undergraduate education could have covered?
A: On hindsight, I wish my undergradate education could have emphasized the importance of acquiring skills (including thinking skills and learning skills) rather than the content knowledge. Achieving a high CAP or GPA is really not as important as having acquired the lifelong skills which have served me well in future learning situations, including learning in the workplace.
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