Page 46 - Scholarship Guide Aug 2020

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NParks
Undergraduate
Scholarship
Lee Mei Hui, Rebecca
Age: 23

Attained: Bachelor of
Science in Geography
(1st Class Hons),
University College
London
Now: Manager / Park
Planning (Policy &
Planning)
What sparked your interest in of the days rowing in an open lake to collect
your course of study? data on lake depth and turbidity, which we From: School of the
Arts (SOTA)
would digitise in GIS to map out the lake ba-
My decision to pursue geography stemmed thymetry. This exposure to GIS has since been
from a love of being outdoors and fascination helpful in my job in Park Planning, which we
with the natural environment. I was always use in our daily work.
curious about landscapes – how they were planning. I also get to learn about matters con-
formed, evolved naturally over millions of Studying in London also offered many oppor- cerning other agencies such as transport and
years, infl uence the biodiversity they host, and tunities to volunteer with institutions such as housing. Understanding their concerns is cru-
how they are now changing drastically because the London Natural History Museum, which cial to being a good park planner, because while
of humans. Most of my free time as a teenager hosts one of the most extensive natural history we want lush green spaces for native wildlife
went into weekend forays into places like Chek collections in the world. It was great to work and people, there are plenty of non-greenery
Jawa Wetlands and Central Catchment Nature with the collections, and I really enjoyed repair- related assets that are also essential for Sin-
Reserve, which opened my eyes to the wildlife ing damaged dragonfl y specimens in a room gapore to function. It is both challenging and
our tiny urban island hosts. I wanted to play a that held some pretty iconic specimens. exciting to fi nd innovative solutions to resolve
part to protect these places and knew that a ca- these differences to create a high quality live-
reer in NParks could give me that opportunity. Academics aside, I liked the experience of able environment for people while conserving
meeting people from varied backgrounds our natural environment.
What were some of the and living in a completely different place. The I have learnt a lot from projects such as the Rail
UK has such awesome landscapes just a few
memorable/interesting hours’ train ride away, which provide beautiful Corridor, which comprises a sizeable amount of
encounters during your course backdrops to go walking, climbing and camp- land and goes through multiple planning areas
of study and why? ing. These gave me a great chance to apply with vastly different profi les and planning con-
what I was learning, and truly appreciate these
cerns, such as Sungei Kadut and Bukit Merah.
I studied geography at the University College landscapes in their entirety which are not just I really appreciate how there is always some-
London, which gave me the chance to learn pretty to look at, but also beautiful for their thing new to learn in Park Planning.
from leading researchers in the fi eld. One complexity and dynamism.
memorable experience was an internship with
one of my lecturers. We aimed to reconstruct What advice would you have
climate variations during the Pleistocene, What do you do at the Park for those who are exploring
which began around 2.5 million years ago and Planning Branch, and what are
ended 11,700 years ago. We did this through their scholarship options?
studying microscopic fossilised algae known some of the projects you are In choosing which organisation you would like
as diatoms, which are biological indicators currently working on or have to work for, it is important to really understand
of surrounding conditions like temperature worked on in the past? its core values and what it stands for. If the or-
and moisture. It was incredible to observe ganisation offers an opportunity to volunteer
the 40,000-year-old diatoms, which hold so In Park Planning, our role is mainly to ensure or intern, take that chance to better understand
much history and information about the past. green spaces for recreation and biodiversity, the organisation and its people, and see if your
These ornate organisms are like beautiful time which can be challenging given our land scar- values are aligned with the organisation. Work
machines! city, growing population and need for the becomes enjoyable and most meaningful when
country to remain economically competitive. you believe you can contribute to a larger pic-
My degree also gave me plenty of opportuni- We work with other agencies and developers ture, and if you love nature and want to ensure
ties to work in the fi eld, which is my favourite on projects concerning land use. I really enjoy green spaces for people to enjoy, then NParks
way to learn. Particularly memorable was a trip the collaborative environment, which allows might be the place for you.
to Mallorca in my second year. We spent most me to learn the intricacies behind Singapore’s
This article fi rst appeared in February 2020 issue.