Dr Gurdev Singh

Deputy Director, Technology Department, Public Utilities Board (PUB) Singapore

Class of PhD Civil and Environmental Engineering,2007

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

Shortly before graduating with my Bachelors Degree, SARS hit Singapore hard. I had always been drawn to teaching or lecturing and through it explore new grounds. Therefore I applied for MOE Scholarship to pursue teaching as well as a Research Scholarship for postgraduate work. Eventually, I chose the NUS Research Scholarship to deepen my knowledge in water. The reason I chose NUS was due to its outstanding faculty, research facilities and friends who were already pursuing research there.

What you like most about this course in NUS?

I enjoyed the freedom to identify, propose and defend the original research I was keen to pursue.

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

The freedom to piece together something fairly new and original really helped me develop both the independent and collaborative thinking that I require in my everyday work and life.

Any tips for incoming and current students?

Today with SARS-CoV-2, we are faced with a bigger challenge than SARS, but in every challenge there are opportunities. Seek these opportunities to develop your skillsets, overcome the silos and build friendships that will see you through life beyond your courses.