Ms Chen Wan Sin

Executive Engineer (Coastal Engineering),Infrastructure

Surbana Jurong

Class of Masters of Science (Geotechnical Engineering), 2020

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

Due to my strong interest in geotechnical engineering during undergraduate study, it spurred me to further expand on it by delving into MSc (Geotechnical Engineering).  “Soil” (properties), unlike steel and concrete, varies at different parts of the world, behaves differently under various loading stages, and these intricate details of “soil” never fails to pique my interest in geotechnical engineering.

Without hesitation, I chose this course to deepen and comprehend my knowledge in this specialisation.

What you like most about this course in NUS?

I like how the course materials are structured to promote problem-based learning and active thinking via discussions on various case studies and historical reviews around the world. These provide me the platform to refine and hone my engineering knowledge in the world of geotechnical engineering.

The professors also put in great effort in designing the modules and guiding the students throughout the course of study. All the modules offered in MSc (Geotechnical Engineering) are very relevant to practicing engineers as it prepares us (graduates) for work upon graduation.

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

The course contents in MSc (Geotechnical Engineering) focus not only on the understanding of advanced engineering theories and soil models, but also their application in real-world engineering problems. One example is the extensive hands-on experience using engineering software such as Plaxis which are very useful in our everyday work.

As an engineer working in the coastal engineering division of my company, due to the nature of our projects, we deal with challenging problems mostly related to geotechnical engineering. Through this course, my design capability in geotechnical engineering was enhanced, and I have equipped myself with a comprehensive understanding on the soil behaviours and its engineering properties, finite element concept and advanced numerical analysis. Furthermore, the introduction and application of the latest Codes of Practices and authority requirements are also very valuable for our daily work.

The skillset and knowledge gained have benefited me greatly in handling everyday design works and engineering problems at my workplace.

What other activities / programmes were you involved in?

I took the Coastal Engineering Course (a special course tailor-made by NUS for practicing engineers in the Coastal Engineering division of Surbana Jurong) in 2016. This course aims to provide practising engineers on basic understanding of coastal engineering and focuses on topics such as coastal hydrodynamic, coastal sediment transport, modelling coastal oceanography etc, whereby such knowledge are applied for the projects undertaken by our division. It is a very fruitful experience as we had the opportunity to learn from several professors about the impact of wave and current on coastal structures and what considerations to be made in our designs.

What would you like to share with the incoming and current MSc students?

Don’t be shy to ask questions in class. The NUS professors are very helpful and approachable, and you will gain more by asking questions.

Group study at times can benefit more than self-study because we get different insights, and also learn from each other.