Our student researchers on the world stage

Life Sciences students Zachary CHUA and PAN Shih-Yu, and Chemistry’s CHEN Meng-Fu are among the Faculty’s undergraduate students who had the opportunity to present research from their UROPS (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in Science) projects at international academic conferences this year.

CHEN Meng-Fu

Meng-Fu’s work provided insights into the adsorption process of ionic liquids, which are a greener alternative than conventional inhibitors. He dived into the world of ionic liquids to develop new, sustainable corrosion inhibitors, using computational modelling to analyse corrosion inhibition mechanisms.

Zachary CHUA

PAN Shih-Yu

Zachary and Shih-Yu’s research into the genetics of allergic diseases is an important step to better understanding these diseases, which carry a high economic burden and affect more than one in 10 people locally. This knowledge is useful in the development of future treatment and therapies.

Drawing on knowledge from his Bioinformatics Minor, Zachary developed a new method to analyse genetic information to look for mutations that increase the risk of developing allergic diseases. Similarly, Shih-Yu identified two previously unidentified SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms), which are variations at a single position in a DNA sequence, that could contribute to the development of allergies.

Zachary and Shih-Yu shared their findings on the genetics of allergic diseases at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Congress held in July 2022 at Prague, Czech Republic. Meanwhile, Meng-Fu attended the American Chemical Society Spring conference, held in March 2022 at San Diego, USA, to share about his findings on ionic liquids as the greener alternative to conventional corrosion inhibitors.

Such opportunities broaden the students’ perspectives by offering them broader global exposure and facilitating networking, dialogue as well as the exchange of information with fellow scientists.

Shih-Yu said, “It was eye-opening to be exposed to the views, findings and emerging focus areas of others working on the same area of research. I was encouraged that other researchers benefitted from my findings. Therefore, I have learnt to never underestimate the contributions of undergraduate researchers.”

Meng-Fu said, “It was a very rewarding experience. I met many like-minded students from different countries. By presenting my research to a wide audience, I also received valuable feedback that helped me grow as a young researcher.”

Participating in UROPS projects also allowed the students to apply what they learned in class. “Taking on a research project presents unique challenges which are distinct from those faced in the classroom. Through this process, I developed soft skills such as scientific problem-solving and effective communication of research ideas,” said Zachary.

The Faculty is proud to support our aspiring researchers by providing undergraduate students opportunities to bring their work to international audiences.

Discover your passion in research! Find out more on UROPs.