Ms Wee Poh Hsien Engineer Class of Bachelor of Civil Engineering, 2019

What made you choose the course in NUS over other courses?

I love physics and math and knew that I would want to study an engineering-related course in NUS. High-rise buildings is ubiquitous in Singapore and I have always marvelled at how such buildings are designed and made possible. Thus, among the different fields of engineering, Civil Engineering stood out to be the most interesting course to me and I did not regret my choice!

What do you like most about the course and NUS?

The professors are really friendly and caring. They go beyond their call of duty to enhance the students' learning. They encourage students to think critically. And of course, some of the professors have a good sense of humour which makes the lesson more enjoyable.

I have also found really good friends during my time as a Civil Engineering student and as my Civil Engineering cohort is generally small, almost everyone knew everyone; you can turn to anyone for help and this helps to foster a friendly and enjoyable learning environment.

What other Activities / programmes were you involved in?

Student Exchange Programme (SEP)

I did my Student Exchange Programme (SEP) in University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia. I took 3 Technical Electives modules (Engineering Operations, Engineering Contracts and Sustainability in Construction), Transportation Engineering and Structural Steel Design.

Studying at UNSW was quite different from NUS, it was an unfamiliar setting with no familiar faces. The professors and students at UNSW were very open and helpful. Having my SEP in Sydney also allowed me to visit other parts of Australia easily and I travelled to 8 different cities in Australia during my exchange. I get to learn their culture and way of life which enhanced my SEP.

NUS International Winter School Programme

I mapped EG2401 Engineering Professionalism to the Winter School Programme at Hanyang University. The Winter School Programme is a 3-week programme, hence we had classes every weekdays, with each session lasting for 3 hours. Due to the short duration of the programme, the lessons were fast-paced and we had weekly presentations. We were also tasked to complete a group project, consisting of a report and a presentation. There were also a mid-term test and a final test at the end of the programme. It might sound hectic and stressful to complete a module within 3 weeks. However, the class was closely knitted and we worked hard together during lessons and had our fair share of fun after class. In addition, most of the students were from NUS and we were familiar on working on a project work. Hence, we managed to work efficiently and effectively, while still having time to explore and enjoy our time at Korea. We were assigned “student buddies” from Hanyang University to orientate us around the school and answer any queries we might have during our stay. Thanks to them, I managed to experience the Korean food delivery services which I often see in Korean dramas! At the end of the programme, Hanyang University also prepared a mini-graduation ceremony for the students. Overall, it was a fun and enjoyable experience which I made new friends!

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP)

Professor Koh Chan Ghee was my professor for the UROP module. Prof Koh and his team have developed a new particle method called Consistent Particle Method (CPM) which incorporates several novel ideas and is shown to simulate water sloshing well. This new method can help in simulating extreme waves to observe the impact on floating platforms.

My UROP project was to assist in carrying out experimental validation for the aforementioned novel particle method by conducting series of experiments of wave impact on a fixed platform in a ferrocement wave flume.

I decided to enrol for UROP to get a first-hand experience on research. Prof Koh's project sounded intriguing and exciting, and I was also looking for a hands-on project. The experience was eye-opening as it was my first time conducting experimental validations. Prof Koh and his team patiently guided me and taught me more about what research entails.

Industry Attachment Programme (IA)

I had an interesting and exciting IA experience at Arup Singapore Pte Ltd, where I was given the opportunity to incorporate AR and VR technology into the tender for an overseas project. It was one of the first few tenders in my IA Company that included such game-changing technology. It allowed me to have a first-hand experience of the wonders of technology and a glimpse into the future of the built environment where such technology are on the rise and will make a positive impact to it.

Clubs and membership

As the Project Director for Civil Engineering Freshman Orientation Camp 2016, I had to organise an orientation camp for the incoming freshmen and this entailed numerous things, ranging from logistics, publicity, sourcing for sponsors to creating a programme which we hoped the freshmen would enjoy. It was a huge step out of my comfort zone and I had to juggle between school work, personal commitments and planning for the camp. Thankfully, I had a wonderful team to share the workload with. They selflessly sacrificed their holidays to attend dry runs and worked together to plan the camp. The experience taught me to be a better and more responsible team player. It was an extremely rewarding albeit stressful journey as we had to liaise with numerous stakeholders.

The soft skills like leadership, time management, budget planning and communication skills has aided me in my personal growth and bettering myself as a leader and a team player.

How has the course helped you in your everyday/work life?

My current scope of work requires me to have good understanding on the design of structural members such as beams, slabs and columns. It is also advantageous for me to understand how to use design programs, such as Etabs and Plaxis. The design modules that I took in Year 3 and 4 are strongly relevant and useful as it helped to build my fundamentals of designing buildings. The design modules also encompassed assignments which required me to use Etabs and Plaxis. I was able to translate these knowledge into my current work.

What is your like to share with the incoming and current students?

There are numerous opportunities in NUS, so go forth and be brave to try out new things! University is an exciting time to experiment and do not be afraid to make mistakes.