Head of Department
Head of Department
Despite the pandemic, we continued to engage over 5,800 students and members of the public through our educational webinars, workshops and virtual programmes.
In December 2020, we conducted our flagship event where 148 participants from all walks of life tried out forensic techniques such as fingerprinting to pick up clues from the natural environment. They also learnt about forensic entomology and the illegal wildlife trade. The event was organised in collaboration with the NUS Forensic Science Programme and NUS’ Physics Department.
We conducted guided walks, in collaboration with Marina at Keppel Bay, for the public to observe and learn about the biodiverse marine ecosystem flourishing at Keppel Bay. We also brought NUS staff on guided tours in the museum galleries to encourage lifelong learning.
We diversified our volunteer programme this year by developing new activities and reinforcing our volunteers’ guiding skills for both indoor and outdoor programmes.
Our staff taught two undergraduate modules in the University Scholars Programme (USP), a graduate module in the Department of Biological Sciences and a Master of Science in Environmental Management module for working adults in the year. A field module for Life Sciences students was revamped to instil greater appreciation and understanding of biodiversity through field-based research.
We held our 5th Anniversary celebration online on 5 September 2020, with a lineup of talks by our research and education staff and a livecast of celebratory activities attended by a small group of special guests. A commemorative book, L:50 Stories of Labour and Love, was also launched.
Our museum staff produced 92 publications (86 in journals listed in the Science Citation Index) and two e-books on mollusc biodiversity in Thailand and the history of saltwater crocodiles in Singapore. Some 36 new species were described and eight other species were also discovered using specimens in our Zoological Reference Collection.
The Singapore firefly (Luciola singapura) was documented in a nationwide firefly survey by the National Parks Board (NParks) in 2009 and remained unidentified until Dr Wan Faridah Akmal JUSOH revisited the Nee Soon Swamp Forest with NParks in 2019 to collect additional specimens. Using modern deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) techniques through the genome skimming method with the help of a team of international researchers, the firefly was determined to be a new species. This discovery gives hope that continued research in the field and among museum collections, as well as advancement in molecular techniques, can help us better understand our natural heritage.
Cryptic species are similar in appearance but are genetically divergent. Some research has shown that many cryptic species have yet to be discovered. However, when investigating the diversity of puddle-frogs in the Philippines, Dr CHAN Kin Onn demonstrates that this is not necessarily the case. The study showed that gene flow among populations can result in phylogenetic patterns that mimic genetic divergence, creating a mirage of cryptic species that can artificially inflate species diversity. This study paves the way to reconceptualise cryptic species and how they are defined – using a more comprehensive approach that accounts for the influence of gene flow, spatial and environmental processes to provide more accurate estimates of biodiversity.
Despite the disruptions from COVID-19, the Museum continued to strengthen and extend our partnerships. We successfully completed our three-year research partnership with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation under the Research for Intensified Management of Bio-Rich Areas of Sarawak (RIMBA-Sarawak) programme. Our joint expeditions resulted in discoveries of species new to science and joint publications. The initiative is set to be extended to facilitate information exchange and training through workshops.
Our collaboration with Google Arts & Culture led to the launch of our inaugural virtual exhibition, ASEANA obscura, on 5 September 2020. We worked with specialists from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to select and portray 20 stories about ASEAN biodiversity, featuring a total of 135 species found across Southeast Asia. Now, these beautiful and intriguing creatures are displayed for a global audience to enjoy.
Together with the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris, France, we launched the digital version of the book, Voyageurs, Explorateurs et Scientifiques: The French and Natural History in Singapore, to the public in August 2020. The book was penned collaboratively by authors from France and Singapore and published in November 2019, supported by the Embassy of France in Singapore and the Total Foundation. It details 200 years of French contributions to Singapore’s natural heritage and research ties.
In March 2021, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia His Excellency Suryo PRATOMO visited the museum for the first time. Following the success of the South Java Deep-Sea Biodiversity Expedition (SJADES) in 2018, the Ambassador, together with the Head of the Museum, Prof Peter NG, reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate further and exchange ideas on future biological research projects for Singapore and Indonesia. Prof Ng also shared on the SJADES expedition findings in Conservation International’s panel discussion in June 2021, to highlight the importance of understanding our marine biodiversity.
On 1 June 2021, Prof Ng spoke at the virtual launch of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development to raise awareness and catalyse action on the Decade Outcomes on the path to “Creating the Ocean We Want”. The event was attended by key figures of state, policymakers and scientists from around the world.
