15 students and working adults get Singapore Sustainability Scholarship
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Singer-songwriter Jayne Peh, 19, received the scholarship from national water agency PUB on July 24.
PHOTO: PUB
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SINGAPORE – It was after writing a song in 2021 connecting the sense of loss to the ocean that singer-songwriter Jayne Peh began thinking more deeply about the importance of conservation.
This led the 19-year-old, who enjoys problem-solving, to consider a career in sustainable development in Singapore.
She hopes to take part in future coastal protection efforts and innovative ways of safeguarding Singapore’s water resources, with biodiversity conservation prioritised as much as possible.
She pursued Higher 3 (H3) geography in junior college, and wrote a research paper on the sustainability and economic viability of consuming plant-based proteins in Singapore.
H3 subjects allow academically advanced students to pursue a particular A-level subject in detail.
Ms Peh toyed with the idea of going into food science, but ultimately decided to specialise in spatial planning by reading geography at the University College London come September.
“I’ve always been interested in the way humans interact with their environment. While studying geography in junior college, I was most intrigued by the human aspects of it, such as in cities and migration, for example,” she said.
In land-scarce Singapore, solutions often have to be multifunctional, she noted.
For instance, “hard engineering” solutions involving structures like dams that help to protect the coastline often double up as a space for people to exercise and play. Likewise, a waste incineration plant doubles up as a source for energy.
With this in mind, Ms Peh, who received a scholarship from national water agency PUB on Monday, hopes to join the agency’s policy planning division, to help formulate, design and plan climate-resilient solutions that will help future generations.
She was one of 15 students and working adults who received the Singapore Sustainability Scholarship.
The scholarship is offered by the National Environment Agency, PUB and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for undergraduate and postgraduate studies in sustainability development areas such as environmental engineering, earth sciences and meteorology, and agricultural and aquaculture sciences.
SFA also offers diploma scholarships to students in local polytechnics.
Presenting the awards to the scholarship recipients, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said: “Through the scholarship, we aim to develop a capability pipeline to support our works in sustainable development and climate action.”
Some of the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s (MSE) efforts are expected to involve centuries of work, she noted. For example, coastal protection against rising sea levels and flooding could take place all the way till 2100.
“So we need a steady pipeline (of talent in) key technical engineering and competencies,” added Ms Fu.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu also presented certificates to 13 staff members from the three agencies.
PHOTO: PUB
The scholarship, which has been awarded to 239 recipients since its inception in 2008, identifies and nurtures future leaders who will tackle the challenges posed by climate change, energy efficiency, water resources and food security in Singapore.
During the ceremony at MSE’s Environment Building in Scotts Road, Ms Fu also presented certificates to 13 staff from the three agencies who are pursing postgraduate studies as scholars, in recognition of their commitment to enhancing their skills and professional expertise.
