Geosphere: Geography Without Frontiers by Geosphere

GE SPHERE GEOGRAPHY WITHOUT FRONTIERS

FOREWORD Welcome to the 2018 edition of Geosphere! The team is proud to introduce this year’s issue themed “Geography without Frontiers”. “Geography without Frontiers” signals to readers that we live in a world that is multifaceted, multiscalar and multitemporal; a world in which everything and everyone are interconnected in unique and sometimes unexpected ways. The theme captures the publications team’s aspirations to push beyond current limits of understanding and rigid boundaries of categorisation. This issue maintains the academic rigour of previous issues but also aims to remain accessible to diverse audiences. This issue features reflections on maritime spaces faraway from our shores that are still relatively unknown to us. The publications team, in collaboration with the NUS Museum, visited the “17 Volcanoes” exhibition and interviewed prominent volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer to share with readers the different lens through which one can appreciate volcanoes. We subsequently embark on a journey to trace the food pathway of the dish, Chilli Crab, from its alleged national origins to the global gastronomic routes it is taking today, a topic which will leave readers salivating for more. We also follow the journey of members of our NUS Geography family across borders, featuring the reflections of students as they explore new landscapes during their Student Exchange Programme. Lastly, since future employment prospects are of interest to many aspiring geographers we have included a segment that highlights the diverse careers that our alumni have pursued. To conclude, it has been a fulfilling journey working with my wonderful fellow editors, Tifany Tay and Nicole Foo; the writers who agreed to contribute articles to this issue of Geosphere; and last but not least, the Publications Standing Committee consisting of Associate Professor Elaine Ho, Assistant Professor Woon Chih Yuan and the Geographical Society Vice President Leong Kah Heng who have guided us every step of the way. We hope that you will enjoy reading this year’s edition of Geosphere as much as we have enjoyed preparing it. We look forward to your continued support in the years to come. James Tan Song En Publications Cell (Director) NUS Geographical Society 52nd Management Committee For any feedback on this issue of Geosphere or to express your interest to contribute an article, please email us at nusgeosphere@gmail.com.

Meet the52ndPublications Team!

Nicole Foo Li Shuen (Executive)

James Tan Song En (Director)

Tifany Tay Jing Wen (Executive)

Nicole is an introvert but she will stun you with her quirky behaviour once you get to know her better. She is a coffee club enthusiast, so you could say she’s always on the grind!

James is an avid explorer with an insatiable appetite for hiking up mountains and hunting down the best food spots. In his free time, he enjoys thinking of Geography puns to unleash on his unsuspecting victims.

Tifany is a bubbly individual who enjoys travelling, baking sweet treats and planning amusing surprises for her family and friends. Her pet peeve is having her name spelled wrongly.

CONTENTS 18

The Oceanic Frontier: Beyond National Borders, Within National Interests Dr. Shaun Lin

From Inside the Volcano to Insights about the Volcano By Geosphere Team

15 Adapting and Learning From Overseas Performers — Husky and Mario: Street Performers in Taipei By Tan Xin Wei Andy

18 Don’t be ‘Shellfish’: A Crab-tivating Tale of Chilli Crab Crossing Oceans By Cherin Ng Shue Ning

21 Interracial in a Multiracial Society: Singapore’s Housing Estates By Raedi Haizer Sidik

25 Plastics: A Love Story Gone Toxic By Lim Youu Ming Aikeen 29 Faraway from Home: Landscapes of Wilderness and Wonder Inner Mongolia, China By Lim Bao Yi Banff National Park, Canada By Heng Kui Tsyr Joanne

35 From Smart Campus to Smart Nation By Osten Mah Bang Ping 39 JC Essay Competition By Bukoh Ming Jun Bryan 42 Career Frontiers Featuring Kayley Ng, Alexius Yeo and Other Alumni

46 NUS Geographical Society Feature By Geosphere Team

51 Puns Competition Various Contributors

The OceanicFrontier: Beyond National Borders, Within NationalInterests

Dr. Shaun Lin • Post-Doctoral Fellow The discipline of Geography is wide-ranging and the word, “Geography”, means writing about the Earth, which also happens to be more than two-thirds covered by water. Our oceans and seas have various depths and geological features, and they come under the maritime claims of states or are part of international waters. Much has been written about marine spaces close to shore, such as the high-profile South China Sea disputes between China and Southeast Asian countries over fisheries and potential hydrocarbons resources.

Less is known about the maritime spaces further from shore, namely the oceanic frontiers. These are the areas beyond the national jurisdiction (ABNJ) of coastal states, for example, parts of the central Pacific Ocean. These are also the marine areas which no one nation has sole responsibility for managing. Many states remain interested to gain mining rights to the marine genetic resources (MGRs) found on the seabed of these oceanic frontiers. To do so, such states have to apply to the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Moreover, the fact that these marine frontiers make up about 40

1 2

percent of our earth’s surface and nearly 95 percent of the oceanic volume means that the geostrategic concerns associated with oceanic frontiers are arguably more complex than the South China Sea disputes.

In an article for The Straits Times a few years ago1, Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large Professor Tommy Koh pointed out that the prospects of deep sea mining in the “last frontier on Earth” are fast materialising into reality. The seabed of some oceanic frontiers contain mineral deposits such as cobalt, nickel, manganese and other rare earth elements, which provide alternatives to rapidly diminishing land supplies. These minerals belong to the “common heritage of mankind” under the Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC) and their regulation comes under the ISA. Any company2 or state interested to mine the seabed in an area beyond national jurisdiction has to apply to the ISA for a contract. Oceanic frontiers, therefore, may be areas beyond national jurisdiction, but this does not mean they are isolated biophysical spaces with no relation to national interests.

Koh.T. “The Last Frontier on Earth”. The Straits Times. 24th August 2013. The company has to be further sponsored by a state that is a party to the LOSC.

The oceanic frontier could very well be an area with high economic potential for a state with commercial interests to expand its maritime economy via deep seabed mining.

Singapore is one country which has demonstrated its maritime interests in the ABNJ. Despite being far away from the oceanic frontier, Singapore has seized the opportunity to do deep sea mining. Ocean Mineral Singapore Private Ltd (OMS), sponsored by the Singapore government, was awarded a contract by ISA in early 2015 to explore the deep seabed of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (east of Hawaii and west of Mexico in the Pacific Ocean), known to contain rich deposits of precious metals. This gives Singapore, for example, an opportunity to further diversify its maritime economy portfolio, which has traditionally centred on its port activities.

Deep sea mining is set to increase in light of the high demand for precious metals that are being fast depleted on land. Applications to ISA for exploring mineral deposits will intensify as states focus on growing their ‘blue economy’3 prospects. With the number of deep seabed mining sites on the rise, regulations on the exploitation and environmental management of mining sites are also set to evolve. These mineral deposits are regarded as part of humanity’s common heritage, and thus crucial to be safeguarded for future generations. In fact, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has decided

The ‘blue economy’ refers to the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth.

to develop an international legally binding instrument under the LOSC for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction in its resolution 69/292 of 19 June 2015. Considerable progress has been made over four sessions of the UNGA meetings during the last two years.

As seen from the above, the ‘blue economy’ interests of various states need to be balanced against international environmental regulation. Such a balance can only be achieved through the cooperation of international organisations, states and non-state actors across national borders. More than two-thirds of Earth is waiting to be better understood.

About the Author Shaun Lin is a Max Weber Foundation postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Geography, National University of Singapore (NUS Geography). He graduated from the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), University of Wollongong in 2016. He earned his B.Soc.Sci (Hons) degree in Geography from the National University of Singapore in 2011. Shaun has also worked as a policy officer in the International Division of the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore, and as a teaching assistant in NUS Geography.

From Inside the Volcano to Insights about the Volcano Editors’ Feature on “17 Volcanoes” at the NUS Museum

Interview with Dr. Clive Oppenheimer 1. Dear Clive, we understand that you’ve been studying volcanoes for a long time. What drove you to become a volcanologist? Have your interests changed specifically on volcanoes, for instance their structure or their geography? Volcanology was the last career option when no other possibilities had presented themselves. At least I never had an alternative. I was interested in geology as a kid, possibly fuelled by visits to the Geological Museum in London (where I grew up). They had an erupting model of Mount Etna that caught my attention. My interests have evolved — I began with my PhD on remote sensing of volcanoes using satellite imagery. I used infrared images to measure temperatures on volcanoes. I did get to validate the technique through fieldwork in Latin America and Italy but realised that satellite remote sensing might lead me to armchair volcanology so I started using portable spectrometers for volcanic gas measurement. This got me interested in atmospheric chemistry and the impacts of volcanoes on the atmosphere and climate, but also got me deeper into probing the plumbing systems of volcanoes that deliver the gases I was measuring. A side interest in human origins has led me into geoarchaeology and the connections between humans and volcanoes in deep history.

2. What did you find most valuable when accompanying the team in the 17 Volcanoes expedition? Realisation that I knew more than the rest of the team did about volcanoes and drawing on this to project an air of general authority to overcome my anxiety at being out of my depth with a collection of erudite artists, architects, art historians and photographers. My legs were also valuable as they are quite accustomed to climbing and descending volcanoes. 3. There are cultural variations in how people who live around or visit volcanoes treat them. Is there a difference at all between, let's say, the ‘Western gaze’ compared to the ‘Asian gaze’? I think there must be very different understandings of volcanoes when one compares people who live on them and experience their activity and those who live far from plate boundaries or volcanic hotspots. But there is a remarkable convergence in some of the mythologies that derive from volcano experiences when one looks at oral traditions and cosmologies of societies living in volcanic regions.

It would be interesting perhaps to compare the 'Western gaze' as typified by the exponents of the Grand Tour in the 18th and 19th centuries on their visits to Vesuvius and Etna with the ‘Asian gaze’ of domestic tourists in Indonesia or Japan, who visit volcanoes with huge enthusiasm. 4. Are there new developments in the study of volcanoes we could watch out for? Well, science is generally rather incremental. We ask the same questions in volcanology today that the pioneers of the discipline were asking a century or two ago, which is always humbling. Of course, we have ever more sophisticated tools for observing volcanoes or simulating their activity. I am very impressed with the advances in observations at the microscale, for example the extraordinary insights we can get into magmatic systems using the high energy beamlines available at national synchrotron facilities. We're measuring things we couldn't measure before because they were either too small in size or did not contain enough of the stuff we were interested in. 5. Which is the favourite volcano that you have been to and why?

Image courtesy of Clive Oppenheimer

This is an easy question — Mount Erebus in Antarctica. It has been the most scientifically rewarding volcano for me — revealing remarkable behaviour of its lava lake and magma plumbing through the careful observations we have made and insights into the underlying physical and chemical processes from its deep roots beneath the Earth's crust to the surface. It is also a magical place to spend a month or so, camped at nearly 3500 metres elevation a couple of kilometres from the summit crater, and with breathtaking views across the Ross Sea to the Transantarctic Mountains. I also feel a connection with the pioneering work of the first explorers, Scott's and Shackleton's teams, who worked on Ross Island and climbed the volcano a little over a century ago. Their scientific legacy provided the foundation for the work we can do now.

About the interviewee: Clive Oppenheimer is a renowned British volcanologist and Professor of Volcanology in the Department of Geography of the University of Cambridge. He has wide-ranging interests in magmatic and volcanic processes, the long-range impacts of eruptions, and volcanic hazards. His book Eruptions that Shook the World, formed the basis of Werner Herzog’s documentary film Into the Inferno (2016), which he co-directed and starred in.

The exhibition “17 Volcanoes” is part of a research project titled “Tourism and Cultural Heritage: A Case Study on the Explorer Franz Junghuhn”, presented by Future Cities Laboratory in collaboration with the NUS Museum. At the entrance of the exhibit, visitors are greeted by a LED screen displaying a live feed of volcanic activity in Indonesia. A series of red and orange concentric circles populate various locations on the Indonesian map, corresponding to seismic activities in those areas.1

Stepping into the exhibition room, one encounters a wide space that is (surprisingly) minimalist in design -– plain and bare white walls, except for a few quotes from the famous German geographer, naturalist and explorer, Alexander von Humboldt. Franz Junghuhn, the central figure of this exhibition, is also known as the “Humboldt of Java” given on account of his thorough exploration and mapping of Java’s geography, geology and botany.

This project focuses on a series of expeditions to Java which a team of international explorers2 embarked on to trace the route to 17 of Junghuhn’s favourite volcanoes. The participants in the expeditions are from diverse backgrounds and include artists, scholars and professionals who are active in the humanities, science, urbanism and architecture. They trace Junghuhn’s footsteps to stand where he once stood, while retaining their own unique perspectives and interpretations which are presented through a visual archive of their works in this exhibit. In a single exhibit, one can view volcanoes through a range of artistic and academic lens. While volcanoes are traditionally regarded as natural features, this research project challenges the dualism between urban and natural environments through expeditions that explore both densely populated and rural areas.

To view the live feed, visit https://magma.vsi.esdm.go.id/ List of contributors: U5, Bas Princen, Armin Linke, Giulia Bruno, Deni Sugandi, Nadia Wagner, Franz Junghuhn, Philip Ursprung, Wermke/Leinkauf, Sebastian Linsin, Elisabeth Bronfen, Clive Oppenheimer, Alexander Lehnerer, Adrianne Joergensen

Prominent

British volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer explores both the physical and human dimensions of volcanoes. His work intertwines the scientific and the social, discussing methods of monitoring volcanoes for impending eruptions, the impacts of eruptions on climate, and human communities. He also discusses the social role of volcanoes as these natural features are given social meanings by various groups of people who visit them for diverse purposes. Deni Sugandi, an Indonesian photographer, showcases photographs of volcanoes and their surrounding landscapes. Having served as a tour guide during the expeditions, he presents the landscapes through the lens of a tourist. His pictures resemble photographs in a National Geographic magazine, which should not come as a surprise given his work as a field photographer as well as his role as a photography editor for various publications of the Geological Agency of Indonesia. Deni Sugandi. Gunung Merapi (2014). Image courtesy of the artist.

Juxtaposed against Sugandi’s visuals are Zurich-based artist collective U5’s artistic interpretation of volcanic landscapes. They present abstract images of arbitrary random objects, such as rocks and pottery, taken from the vicinity of the volcanoes they visited. These two very different artists present the same landscape through their unique lens, contrasting conventional and less orthodox representations of volcanoes.

U5. Collection of a Tourist (2017). Image courtesy of the artist.

Architectural designer Adrianne Joergensen presents Volcanarium, a series of multiplanar portraits of volcanoes. Her work approaches the volcano as a subject of architectural scrutiny. Inspired by Humboldt’s illustrations, she similarly produces artistic renditions of scientific observations, and pushes the tradition of drawing landscapes through her unique perspective as a designer. Adrianne Joergensen. Volcanarium (2017). Image courtesy of the artist.

At the end of the exhibition room lies an alcove where the last exhibit is displayed. Featuring another artistic contribution by U5, this final exhibit is a video of the group’s travels between Singapore and Java. U5 departs from conventional factual descriptions of volcanoes and offers instead a commentary on the thoughts and emotions they experienced during their travels, as well as their reflections on the cultural meanings of volcanoes. Volcanoes are not merely neutral features in the natural landscape, but personified as subjects with emotions and unique temperaments (for e.g., fiery Merapi and sleepy Merbabu). The hour-long video is highly stimulating to the senses, offering not only visual intrigue, but also aural and olfactory experiences. The scent of wet grass and volcanic ash, which were purposefully crafted by a perfume manufacturer for this work, are emitted periodically to transport viewers vicariously to the landscape represented.

Visitors may leave the exhibition feeling lost, unsure of what conclusions to draw. The almost-bare white walls of the exhibition room serve as blank slates for visitors to craft their own interpretations. Similar to the participants in this research project, one is not bound by particular ways of ‘seeing’. Indeed, 17 Volcanoes exposes its visitors to diverse subjectivities and ways of researching, exploring and representing volcanoes.

Gallery impression by Harith Redzuan, for NUS Museum.

The works in 17 Volcanoes evoke curiosity and indeed, confusion or even shock, for they are so far removed from most viewers’ perceptions of volcanoes. Despite the mild discomfort, the elicited emotions help to trigger a realisation of the disjuncture between the knowledge ingrained in one’s mind about volcanoes and the way volcanoes are represented artistically.

This is perhaps a testament to the success of this project’s efforts to expand the repertoire of methods and narratives for the study of volcanoes. For more information about NUS Museum’s exhibitions and programmes, visit museum.nus.edu.sg. 14

ADAPTING AND LEARNING FROM OVERSEAS PERFORMERS Husky and Mario: Street Performers in Taipei

Tan Xin Wei Andy • Master’s Student became increasingly recognised as a means As dusk approached in Ximending, a youth leisure district in Taipei, a young man dressed in hip-hop fashion carefully positioned himself at the centre of a road intersection. The young man, Husky, began to set up a portable speaker, connect a music player, and pick up a microphone. As Husky pointed to a member of the audience who was holding a piece of Taiwan’s iconic street snack, he began to rap in Mandarin to rhythmic beats, “Let me once again introduce myself, my performance is all free style, I count my beats (节拍 jié pāi), as he eats his chicken cutlet(鸡排jī pái)”. At Huashan 1914 Creative Park, an abandoned factory which has been repurposed as a cultural cluster, another young man known as Mario and aptly dressed up as Super Mario, performed a juggling act by throwing multiple boxes into the air and catching them with ease. His set-piece was a self-designed Super Mario themed set. As delighted members of the audience donated notes or coins into a tip box, their actions triggered a ringing sound similar to the tune of a Super Mario game. Both Husky and Mario are street performers in Taipei, working hard to showcase their respective performances, which earns them tips from the audience as they contribute to enlivening street life in the city. Street performance in Taipei is a relatively new phenomenon, formally institutionalised only in 2005 under the governance of the Taipei City Government’s Department of Cultural Affairs. Street performance was once illegal in the city during the authoritarian Martial Law period (1949-1987). After democratisation, street performance 16 16

to both revamp the image of streets and boost the cultural life of the city as Taipei aims to become a vibrant global city. Aspiring street performers have to pass a highly competitive annual examination where they perform in front of a panel of judges. In 2017, only 60 performers were selected out of more than 500. Even after securing the coveted license, street performers face a slew of challenges. They endure an extended rainy season in Taipei’s outdoor performance venues and jostle for space with street vendors and unlicensed artists. Performers like Husky and Mario show grit as they navigate the challenges of the

street landscape while working towards their personal performance goals – Husky wants to become a renowned rapper while Mario wants to see a more vibrant street performance scene in Taiwan. As Husky moved into the second segment of his performance, he challenged the audience to identify a few objects that he would integrate into his freestyle rapping. Before he passed the microphone to the audience, he reminded them: “Do you know what things you cannot ask me to rap about? You can suggest a watch, a bottle of

mineral water, the drain, etc., but it cannot be anything to do with vulgarity, genitals, anti-society values, religion, political topics or excretion”! Husky learned to play the piano and flute from a young age but was drawn to hip-hop performance, particularly battle and free-style forms of rapping. He soon realised that the mainstream hip-hop styles from the West, which often involves using unrefined language and referencing negative things like guns and smoking weed, would not appeal to the Taiwanese audience, especially parents with young children. This was not the spirit of hip-hop that he aspired to convey to his audience. As Husky passionately told me about his dreams: “I want to be a rapper. I want to let the audience know that hip-hop and rap can be happy, everyone can laugh, please don’t label it as bad. Even if other hip-hop singers think that I am not hip-hop at all, I don’t care as I am expanding hip-hop by performing to people who don’t listen to hip-hop now”. Integrating comedic elements from Taiwanese variety shows, seeking audience participation, and incorporating objects in everyday Taiwanese life into his performance has enabled Husky to localise Western hip-hop music to suit his style and widen his appeal to the Taiwanese audience. Mario has a different goal. He loves creating performances that are original and innovative, and he believes in constantly improving himself by learning and getting feedback from artists around the world. He embarked on a learning journey by performing at street festivals in cities including London, Seoul, Ansan, Daidogei, Avignon, Edinburgh and Warsaw. He has scripted guidebooks on performing in these places, and dreams of organising similar large-scale street festivals in Taiwan

where local and foreign artists can interact and perform together. When I asked him about the unique learning points he obtained from performing overseas, he told me “Every country has a different performing environment and I can get different feedback. For example, artists in Taiwan tend to give feedback on the technical aspects of performance whereas the feedback from Korean artists focus on story design, narrative, and performance transitions”. Inspired by the collaboration amongst street performers in South Korea, Mario has initiated the Street Performance Learning Lab, a monthly event held at the Flower Expo in Taipei where artists gather to perform and share tips and feedback. The busker lives of Husky and Mario demonstrate that adapting and learning from overseas performance styles and cultures play significant roles in improving their individual performances and heightening the national standard of street performances. For Husky, young children are now part of his regular audience, while Mario recently assisted the Tainan city government in organising a much-acclaimed street performance festival in Tainan. Clearly, both have scaled new heights as street performers and achieved their aspirations. About The Author Andy is a final year Master's student in NUS Geography. He loves exploring cities, getting close to nature and drinking sugarless bubble tea. 17

Falah, G. (1996) ‘The 1948 Israeli-Palestinian War and its aftermath: The transformation and designification of Palestine’s cultural landscape’

Don’t be ‘Shellfish’: A Crab-tivating Tale of Chilli Crab Crossing Oceans ~ Cherin Ng Shue Ning • Geography Major, Year 3 ~ Singapore has attained notable standing in

Chilli Crab is a dish in which the main

various fields on the global stage. In

ingredient, mud crab, is stir-fried in a

particular,

garnered

savoury, thick sauce that consists of tomato

recognition as an international food hub

puree, chilli paste, Malay spices, butter, and

over the decades. In 2015, Singapore made its mark as a featured Culinary Destination

beaten eggs. It is typically served with Chinesesteamedbuns (馒头mán tóu). Chilli

at the San Sebastián Gastronomika, a

Crab brings together elements of European,

world-leading annual gastronomy congress.

Chinese

This achievement casts the spotlight on the

multicultural aspects of the dish have

city-state’s vibrant culinary culture.1 Its

triggered fiesty discussions over its cultural

signature dish is, of course, the Chilli Crab,

origins.

touted by the Singapore Tourism Board

then-Malaysian Tourism Minister Ng Yen

(STB) as one of the country’s “greatest

Yen claimed Chilli Crab as a Malaysian dish,

culinary inventions”.2

provoking the ire of many Singaporeans

Singapore

has

and

For

Malay

instance,

cuisines.

The

2009,

who considered it a local creation.3 While Chilli Crab is considered and

Although the assertion has yet to be

promoted as a National Dish in Singapore,

substantiated, this episode exemplifies how

the cuisine was, and continues to be shaped

the hybrid identity of a dish can raise

competing claims over which ethnic group

variety

influences.

extra-local

cultural

or nationality owns it.

NOTES:z 1 “Singapore a Feature Culinary Destination in San Sebastian Gastronomika 2015”. Singapore Tourism Board. 1st October 2015. 2 “Chilli Crab”. Singapore TourismBoard. 2018. 3 Lee, J. “Chilli crab was created in Singapore”. The Straits Times. 19th September 2009. 19

While

this

article

provides

brief

exploration

the

geography

and

history

chilli

crab,

means

does

mean

privilege

the

dish

the

expense

other

culinary

delights

Singapore.

Rather,

the

article

seeks

demonstrate

how

food

should

not

considered

isolation,

but

appreciated

part

complex

network

global

flows.

Indeed,

chilli

crab

embodies

the

very

Singaporean

flavour

blend

multicultural

influences,

befitting

its

title

Yet it is this very nature of Chilli Crab that

Chilli Crab has left a deep impression on the

makes the dish uniquely Singaporean. Chilli

global

Crab encapsulates Singapore’s distinctive

international chefs and media outlets

culinary culture – aptly described in the

regularly mention the dish in news reports.

Shanghai Daily as:

The United States’ Cable News Network

“ a famous hybrid of multicultural influences, fusion without confusion”.4 Over the years, Chilli Crab has evolved to take on even more hybrid forms, influenced by the kaleidoscope of cultures that have congregated in Singapore. Chilli Crab has been incorporated in previously unheard of combinations, such as with prata, sushi rolls and croissants. Such innovative forms of the dish that blend diverse culinary styles have grown increasingly popular throughout the island.

food

scene,

evinced

how

(CNN), for example, ranked Chilli Crab as one of the top 50 dishes in the world.6 Today, the dish can be found in cities around the globe such as Hong Kong and London. While

this

article

provides

brief

exploration of the diverse geographies and histories of Chilli Crab, it does not seek to privilege the dish at the expense of other culinary delights in Singapore. Rather, the article seeks to demonstrate how food should be appreciated as part of a complex network of global flows. Indeed, Chilli Crab embodies the very Singaporean flavour of a blend of multicultural influences, befitting

There are also active efforts to promote the

its title as the national dish.

dish in the global food scene. For example, Chilli Crab is introduced and promoted to foreign audiences through overseas food festivals like the Tiger Beer Chilli Crab 5

Festival , a strategy employed by the STB to promote

Singapore’s

signature

dishes

abroad. Such activities are meant to establish Singapore as an international food hub and a leading culinary destination.

NOTES: 4

Gao, R. “Singapore fusion without confusion”. Shanghai Daily. 21st February 2013. 5

Fletcher, M. “Showcase: Tiger Beer Chilli Crab Festival”. Campaign. 3rd October 2007.

“World food: 50 best dishes”. CNN Travel. 12th July 2017.

Interracial in a Multiracial Society

Singapore’s Housing Estates

Raedi Haizer Sidik • Master’s Student Since Singapore introduced its first official census in 1824, the Chinese-Malay-Indian-Others (CMIO) racial categorisation system has undergirded various national policies such as in the domains of public housing and education. This commentary explores the relationship between race and space in our everyday lives by focusing on the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) in Singapore’s public housing landscape. First implemented in 1989, the EIP aims to promote racial integration and harmony by enforcing an ethnic quota in housing policy. This was done in a bid to remedy what was believed to be a “dangerous trend” towards “communal clustering” and “ethnic enclaves” in Housing Development Board (HDB) estates, a concern first raised by then-Minister of National Development, S. Dhanabalan, in his speech to community leaders.1 After its most recent revision in 2010, the permissible upper ethnic limits at the neighbourhood level currently stand at 84% for ‘Chinese’, 22% for ‘Malays’, and 12% for ‘Indians’/’Others’2 in an attempt to reflect Singapore’s contemporary racial composition. The policy is premised on the belief that ethnic mixing would enhance racial integration. Tied to such ways of imagining both society and space is the view that people can be neatly divided into racial categories, and that the only way to foster social and racial cohesion is through the ordering of residential landscapes along racial lines.

Wee, A. “Racial enclaves forming - Dhana”. The Straits Times. 7th January 1989. 2 “Speech by Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development, at Committee of Supply Debate (Supporting An Inclusive And Cohesive Home, Part A)”. Ministry of National Development. 5th March 2010.

In recent years, however, interracial marriages3 and the changing ethnic diversity of Singapore has prompted calls from academics and citizens alike to move beyond rigid notions of racial categories. According to the Department of Statistics, about one in five marriages in 2016 were inter-ethnic, an increase from 15.4% in 2006.4 Indeed, governmental discourses frequently laud interracial marriages as epitomising Singapore’s multiracial ideal, and serving as good indicators of how Singaporeans have transcended the paradigms of race, language, and/or religion. However, state policies have been slow to reflect the growing number of interracial families in Singapore. For instance, there is little recognition of interracial couples in home ownership statistics, given that this data only captures the race of the head of the household. One major gripe with the EIP as expressed by interracial couples is that it does not keep up with Singapore’s increasingly complex racial mix. Under the EIP, the race of the head of the household – normally the husband – would determine the racial group taken into consideration during the purchase of a resale flat in the open market. While HDB may exercise flexibility to reclassify the household to the spouse’s ethnic group, such negotiations between HDB and the interracial couple may not always be successful. Relatedly, the EIP also has an impact on persons of mixed race backgrounds. HDB’s InfoWEB e-Service indicates that buyers with a double-barrelled race5 (e.g. Malay-Chinese) indicated in their identity cards may only use the first racial identity to determine their eligibility6. 3

I define “interracial marriages” here as marriages that take place between two persons who are “raced” differently in their NRICs, even if these persons do not identify with such racial(ised) identities. 4 “Statistics on Marriages and Divorces Reference Year 2016”. Department of Statistics Singapore. July 2017. 5 Double-barrelled race refers to a racial classification for children born to parents belonging to different racial groups 6 “Enquiry on Buyer's Eligibility under the Ethnic Integration Policy and SPR Quota”. Housing and Development Board.

For instance, if a double-barrelled race buyer is officially registered as a Malay-Chinese, he/she would have to abide by the quota restrictions imposed on ‘Malay’ occupants, regardless of the fact that they are also technically ‘Chinese’. The perennial debate around the EIP and relevance of the CMIO model in an increasingly borderless world has undoubtedly left Singaporeans divided in their views on whether these policies should remain, be tweaked, or abolished. Geographers can certainly contribute to this debate by offering insights on alternative approaches to foster social cohesion in ways that transcend racial divisions, since proximity does not necessarily foster racial integration. Relatedly, geographers can also seek to unpack state rhetoric around the reproduction of racial identities in our everyday lives, and critically analyse how such racial categorisations influence both our perceptions of ethno-national identity and Singapore’s political landscape (e.g. the reserved presidential elections for ethnic minority groups). Alternatively, geographers can also suggest ways in which we may produce more convivial spaces that transcend racial, language and religious boundaries.

About the Author Raedi Haizer Sidik is currently a Masters’ student in the Department of Geography. His research interests include gender, race, religion, and geopolitics. He enjoys bouldering and photography in his free time.

LIM YOUU MING AIKEEN

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES MAJOR, YEAR 3

Plastic, a man-made resource, is so ubiquitous that one relies on it for a variety of daily uses. Disposable plastics used in the form of plastic bags, takeout containers, and bottles are all too commonplace in Singapore, to the point where an overreliance on plastic products is taking a toll on the environment. A statement released by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) in 2011 revealed that Singaporeans used a whopping three billion plastic bags during that year alone equivalent to the weight of a hundred Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) trains. Indeed, our everyday lives cannot be divorced from the imprudent consumption of plastics. For instance, we frequently encounter such wastage at the supermarket checkout counters where groceries are double-bagged for added strength (or so the cashiers claim), and individual items are unnecessarily placed in separate plastic bags. Using additional plastic bags at no cost is a social norm in Singapore. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that it costs close to nothing (approximately one cent) to produce a standard-sized plastic bag. This is great for the consumer, but not so much for the environment.

Consumers tend to neglect the environmental costs associated with the indiscriminate use of plastic bags. Land scarcity in Singapore means that disposables are collected and shipped to the offshore island of Semakau for landfill burying, or transported to the incineration plants located at Tuas. While these methods of handling the disposed plastics may obscure the physical evidence of our excessive consumption, its effects are revealed on the very shores of Singapore in the form of plastic pollution.

PLASTIC LONGEVITY, ENVIRONMENTAL MORTALITY The longevity of plastics arises from their non-biodegradable property, which renders them incapable of natural decomposition. The cumulative effect of additional plastics dumped into the landfill with each passing year will gradually reduce the size of available space for waste disposal on Pulau Semakau. The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) estimates that our final remaining landfill will run out of space by 2035 should current disposal rates remain unchanged.

Moreover, the incineration of plastic trash produces highly toxic fumes which contribute to air pollution that can be hazardous to humans and nonhumans alike. Plastic trash which is not properly disposed can find its way into drainage canals and may eventually get shored up at Singapore’s coastal fronts, such as at Changi and East Coast. Indeed, plastic pollution can pose a considerable threat to the marine life found at these beaches, which include hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, sea jellies, corals and sea stars. Perhaps of even greater threat are microplastics - plastics less than five millimetres in length - which are found in shower scrubs, cleansers and toothpastes. The potent threat they pose is attributed to their minuscule size, which allows them to easily bypass the filtration systems found in Singapore’s waterways, ultimately discharging alongside filtered water into the oceans. While larger plastics found on beaches and in the ocean may be mistaken as food by larger animals like coastal birds or turtles, microplastics are unconsciously ingested by smaller filter feeders like mussels, fish larvae, and worms.

As these organisms occupy the bottom rungs of the food chain, the effects of plastic ingestion cascade on to affect organisms at higher trophic levels.

THE IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMANITY Humans arguably face the greatest risk of plastic poisoning since we sit at the very apex of the food chain, thereby potentially bioaccumulating copious amounts of plastics unknowingly through the consumption of plastic-filled seafood. Micro-plastics can act as nuclei for the absorption of toxins such as lead, cadmium and mercury, all of which are detrimental to humans. Various studies by the National Institute of Health have shown that ingesting plastic over an extended time period has been linked to cancers, birth defects, mental depreciation in children, and immune system dysfunctions. It is ironic that the very material created by humans to improve their lives has now become a key source of harm to them instead.

WHAT CAN WE DO? Firstly, let us do away with the misguided notion that recyclable plastics will be automatically recycled the moment we toss them into the recycling bin. Of the plastics disposed each year, only approximately ten percent gets recycled, whereas the rest are combusted or end up in landfills. Once we have recognised the abysmal recycling rates, we can hopefully be motivated to use less plastics and disposables. Opt for fewer plastic bags; better still, bring your own shopping bag or lunchbox when doing grocery shopping and ordering takeaways. You might receive a few curious stares from other shoppers, but that is a small price to pay for playing your part to save the environment. Be supportive of nationwide policies such as plastic bag taxes. Such taxes reflect the partial production cost involved in the making of these plastic bags. While taxes still do not fully cover the negative externalities of using plastic, it would deter consumers from casually asking for additional bags to contain their groceries.

Over the years, more schools have incorporated environmental issues into their curriculum to highlight how pertinent and grave these problems are to us. We should shift our mindset away from the notion that a reliance on plastics is necessary, and it is paramount that we start now.

FARAWAY FROM HOME: Landscapesof Wilderness and Wonder

Heng Kui Tsyr Joanne • Geography Major, Year 3 Lim Bao Yi • Geography Major, Year 3 A key highlight of a NUS student’s academic journey is the Semester Exchange Programme (SEP) which gives him or her the opportunity to study in a partner university for up to a year. There is a wide array of universities for students to choose from, each promising a unique experience in terms of academic and cultural life. Students often take advantage of their overseas stint to explore physical and cultural landscapes that are vastly different from those in Singapore. The landscapes encountered in foreign environments often appear fresh and fascinating to one’s eyes, inspiring a deeper sense of appreciation. During these excursions, students can enrich their worldview and geographical knowledges as they appreciate the beauty of diverse landscapes first-hand, and take the time to contemplate the social dynamics that have shaped (and are shaping) them. Landscapes are not purely ‘natural’ features; their appearance and identity are continually being altered by human actions that seek to shape landscapes to cater to different interests. It is thus worthwhile to interrogate landscapes as they help to reveal place histories and the wider social contexts in which those landscapes are embedded. We asked two of our Geography majors to share with us their experiences of SEP and how their time abroad has enhanced their appreciation of the landscapes they encountered.

Inner Mongolia, China Lim Bao Yi (second from right) Nanjing University

Prior to my visit, my geographical imagination of Inner Mongolia had always featured a vast landscape accompanied by cloudless blue skies, sprawling grasslands and mesmerising lakes with mirror-like reflections. Indeed, I was not disappointed when I arrived at my destination. Inner Mongolia is located along the northern edge of China, and has an average altitude of over 1000m above sea level. Dramatic weather fluctuations can be harsh for unaccustomed visitors. I had not anticipated the full extent of the drastic diurnal temperature variation, despite having been warned about it.

It was extremely cold, and unbearably so at night, even in a crowded yurt.1 However, the stunning beauty of my surroundings more than compensated for such discomforts ― I saw stars by the billions each night, followed by a breath-taking sunrise the next morning. Compared to neighbouring Beĳing, Inner Mongolia is relatively undeveloped and inaccessible. Tourists are generally advised to book tour packages as independent travel is inconvenient. For this trip, my group liaised directly with our host, a family that owned a vast piece of land in Zhenglanqi (Zhènglán Qí正蓝旗), and on which they had set up yurts for visitors. Our host prepared all our meals, organised our itinerary (e.g. sand sliding, archery, etc.), and drove us around for sightseeing trips. Overall, while the trip contained some elements of packaged tourism, the warm interactions with our hosts made it a more intimate experience.

During the return ride to Beijing in the van provided by our host, it dawned on me that this excursion has been one of the highlights of my SEP experience. Inner Mongolia seemed like a hidden gem, its landscape yet to be overwhelmed by tourists. However, I wonder if the tranquil beauty of the landscape will remain undisrupted for much longer. In the near future, it is likely that tourists will flock to Inner Mongolia as it receives increased publicity as an ‘exotic’ destination. This possibility is a source of dismay for visitors like me who wish for the landscape to be preserved in its pristine beauty. The Chinese government, on the other hand, envisions other uses for the landscape such as its potential for tourism development. The desire to cater to a growing number of tourists may lead to the destruction of the natural landscape in order to make way for the proliferation of tourism infrastructure and resorts. I can only hope that development imperatives will not drastically alter the physical and social character of the landscape that I admired.

A yurt is a round tent covered with skins or felt and used as a dwelling by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia.

Banff National Park, Canada Heng Kui Tsyr Joanne (middle) Concordia University Banff National Park, located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, is Canada’s first national park. Its origins can be traced to 1883 when the Canadian government discovered hot springs in Banff and decided to capitalise on this natural resource for tourism purposes by converting it into a hot springs reserve. Today, the park spans over 6000 square kilometers and provides extensive tourist support services, such as transport infrastructure and camping grounds. As part of Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations in 2017, Parks 2 Canada offered free passes to encourage people to visit its parks. 2

Canada’s National Park Service responsible for the protection and management of sites with significant natural or cultural heritage.

I took advantage of this opportunity to visit Banff twice, once during fall and another time during winter.

Banff ’s landscape is marked by a series of contestations between the economic development imperatives of corporations, the Canadian government and the ecological concerns of environmental groups. In Banff ’s early history, its natural endowments were initially exploited by mining and logging companies. Such profit-oriented development marginalised the ecological preservation of the park and was eventually seen to be unsustainable. Subsequently, the government’s plan to win the bid to host the Winter Olympic Games at Banff National Park in 1972 was met with strong resistance by environmental groups. The bid was eventually retracted, but this period marked an increased awareness of the pressing need to preserve the natural landscape.

In the summer, melting glaciers produce fine sediments that stay afloat in the lake, producing a striking turquoise colour through reflection. The transition to winter sees temperatures drop to -30°C making it a perfect destination for winter activities like skiing and horse-sleighing, or immersing oneself in a hot spring.

Regardless of the season, Banff ’s majestic landscape never fails to amaze me. With each visit, I was inspired to learn more and reflect about the park and its history.

Today, Banff remains a contested landscape as developmental pressures continue to be resisted by different stakeholders. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) and other environmental group frequently organise petitions or court injunctions to halt commercial developments on the site, such as the expansion of ski resorts. Tensions between development and preservation remain pertinent, such as opposition towards plans to host the 2026 Winter Olympics at Lake Louise in Banff National Park given the environmental impacts of such activities on the natural landscape.

Preserving the natural beauty of these landscapes is not the sole responsibility of the government, but also that of various groups and individuals. As a visitor, I also play a role in protecting the landscape, albeit a small one, by being generally respectful of the area and only venturing into the areas designated for visitors. These national parks are frequently called national treasures, and the way we treat them should be befitting of such a title.

Even though our two Geographers have returned to Singapore, one common thought echoes in both their heads; how would these landscapes change and evolve in the years to come? While abroad and away from the typically fast pace of everyday life in Singapore, one has the time and freedom to reflect on one’s experiences in these environments. However, it is also imperative that we take a moment to reflect on the significance of our everyday landscapes back home.

Although these landscapes may have grown mundane to our accustomed eyes, the histories and current issues surrounding them are still deserving of rumination. We must be mindful not to take for granted landscapes at home that are facing (or may face) the threat of human removal or alteration, such as Bukit Brown Cemetery3 or MacRitchie Reservoir.4 The SEP is not merely about experiencing life in foreign environments; it also serves to inspire students to appreciate the everyday landscapes back home.

For more information: Zaccheus, M. “Bukit Brown Cemetery named on global list as a site at risk”. The Straits Times. 9th October 2013. 4 For more information: Tan, A. “Call for ‘zero impact’ for Cross Island MRT Line under MacRitchie nature reserve”. The Straits Times. 14th February 2016.

From Smart Campus to Smart Nation

Osten Mah Bang Ping Geography Major, Year 3

Singapore’s vision to become the world’s first Smart Nation was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2014. This vision encapsulates the pursuit of improvements to everyday lives by harnessing networks, data and info-comm technologies. Geographers can make significant contributions to this quest through the application of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. GIS technology enables Geographers to visualise, question, analyse, and interpret data to understand relationships, patterns and trends. This allows informed decisions to be made when addressing a range of issues such as natural disaster risk management, land-use planning and navigation GIS students of NUS Geography also play a role in this Smart Nation vision as they apply skills learnt in the classroom to tackle real-world problems. For instance, in 2017, a group of students undertook a project in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President (Campus Infrastructure) to create visualisations of the undergraduate population density in the NUS Kent Ridge campus. The project sought to promote optimal usage of space in response to concerns about overcrowding.

Multi-Stakeholders Collaboration and Fieldwork Contrary to stereotypes of GIS professionals as desk-bound workers, GIS projects are collaborative in nature

and involve meeting with multiple clients and stakeholders in order to understand their needs. For this scenario, the team’s client was the Office of the Vice President (OPVI) which requested a two-dimensional visualisation of changes to the occupancy of campus buildings by undergraduates. Subsequently, the project progressed to creating a three-dimensional visualisation that would incorporate the buildings’ energy usage data. Collaboration with the NUS Registrar’s Office and the Ambient Intelligence Lab was necessary to acquire relevant secondary data, such as the occupancy status of various venues on a typical five-day work week. In a Smart Nation where fast and precise data is prioritised, teams need to conduct on-site investigations to verify the accuracy and validity of data. Subsequent fieldwork revealed that information on the status of particular buildings was outdated because those buildings were either undergoing renovation or have already been demolished.

Two-Dimensional Data Visualisation Traditionally, maps are two-dimensional visualisations as these are perceived to be more user-friendly and simpler for readers to understand. The initial product of the project was a choropleth map1 (Figure 1) that helped OPVI to identify popular lesson timings and venues in order to reallocate classes from packed buildings to underutilised ones.

Choropleth maps are thematic map in which areas are distinctly colored or shaded to represent classed values of a particular phenomenon.

Figure 1

Three-Dimensional Data Visualisation While two-dimensional visualisations are easier to read, they are often limited in the amount of information they can depict. As GIS technology advances, Geographers are also equipped with an expanding arsenal of tools to overcome such limitations. Meeting a subsequent request by OPVI to include the energy usage of buildings would have been difficult to pull off without the tools to create a three-dimensional visualisation. The objective of this new task was to display

changes to data on building occupancy and on the energy usage of buildings over time. The choropleth mapping technique was once again employed to indicate the energy usage per capita of the buildings, with each building represented as three-dimensional building blocks of the same height. The centroid of each building was then assigned an extrusion value equivalent to the raw total of undergraduates in that particular building (i.e. the purple bars protruding from the three-dimensional blocks), which culminated into the final product as seen in Figure 2. 37

Figure 2

Future Applications These visualisations can help to tackle the problems associated with crowding in the NUS Kent Ridge campus by facilitating a more efficient allocation of resources. For instance, automated switches for air conditioning systems can be introduced in rooms to regulate energy usage when there are no lessons scheduled. Hence, smart buildings can be operationalised. To conclude, future contributions of Geographers to the advancement of Singapore’s Smart Nation vision can be achieved through the use of GIS technology to create similar visualisations for other topics. For example, mapping the population density

of the elderly in residential areas, or the spread of endangered animals and plants in our nature reserves and parks, can promote more targeted approaches towards eldercare and wildlife management respectively. Knowledge and skills gained in the classroom should not just remain there but can be channelled into making society a better place.

JC ESSAY COMPETITION Winning Entry: Bukoh Ming Jun Bryan (Raffles Institution)

What do you think is the most significant external threat facing Singapore today? Propose some possible approaches that Singapore can take to adapt to or mitigate this threat. What insights do you think Geographers can contribute to the discussion of this issue? In today’s interconnected world, Singapore faces many external threats. These are defined as potential dangers to Singapore originating from outside it. An often overlooked external threat is food insecurity, which refers to the absence of constant access to sufficient and safe food that meets Singaporeans’ dietary needs.

However, if future crises last longer, food shortages can result as imports dwindle. As food is a basic need for everybody and more erratic weather conditions affect harvests, there is an undeniable risk of a food crisis happening in the near future with devastating effects for Singapore. Possible Approaches

Why is food insecurity the most significant external threat? Singapore is small and highly urbanised with only 0.931% of Singapore’s land area of 709km2 used for agricultural activities.1 As such, over 90% of Singapore’s food is imported. Singapore is therefore reliant on global markets for food supply, making the threat of food insecurity external. If global food supply is affected, Singapore has little local supply to rely on, rendering it vulnerable to food shortage. For example, during the global food crisis in 2007-08, prices of grains spiked, causing major rice exporters, including China, India, and Indonesia (major food sources for Singapore) to impose export bans on rice and as a result, prices of imported food rose by 12.1%.2 Thankfully, prices stabilised quickly.

Though it is unlikely Singapore can ensure food security, Singapore can take several approaches to mitigate the threat posed. Firstly, Singapore can upgrade its existing farms to make them more efficient. When supplier countries limit exports, the most reliable food source is local. Perhaps Singapore can emulate the Netherlands. Despite its relatively small land area, the Netherlands is the second-largest food exporter worldwide (by value). Through innovation and high-tech farming, Dutch farmers achieve immense crop yields using few resources. The Netherlands yields 55, 804 tons of tomatoes per square kilometre farmed, many times more than that of any other country. Examples of innovation include rooting tomato plants in specialised fibres, which requires only 25% of water used in open fields.3 Lorem ipsum

Singapore | Data. The World Bank. 2015 2 Siau, M. “The Big Read: Far from people’s mind, but food security a looming issue”. TODAY. 26th May 2017. 3 Viviano, F. “A Tiny Country Feeds the World”. National Geographic. 232(3), (82-109). September 2017.

To deter pests, their predators are introduced into the greenhouse, eliminating the need for pesticides. By learning from Dutch efficiency and adopting high-tech farming, Singapore can strive to upgrade its existing farms to produce a substantial crop yield despite its limited resources. It would then be able to fall back on local supplies in the event of a food crisis. Secondly, Singapore can utilise rooftops for urban farming. Singapore’s small land area makes an expansion of conventional farms unrealistic. Thus, urban farming must be embraced. A successful example is Brooklyn Grange, a rooftop farming business. Its farms, totalling 2.5 acres, yield over 22, 600kg of produce annually.4 Apart from exploiting unused roof space, urban farms can enhance urbanites’ understanding of agriculture. Workshops by Brooklyn Grange familiarise New Yorkers with agriculture and allows them to appreciate its importance. This is especially critical in Singapore, where few recognise the importance or even existence of local agriculture. Similar projects would not only utilise unoccupied roof space, but also stimulate the interest of Singaporeans in agriculture and inspire them to support local produce. What insights can Geographers contribute to the discussion of this issue? Food security is a complex issue. Nevertheless, it can be better understood through the geographical concepts such as environmental possibilism and place.

For example, environmental possibilism can explain challenges that Singapore faces in becoming self-sufficient. As Singapore’s population increased, more food was required. Increased competition from other land uses reduced the land available for agriculture. As the population’s needs grew beyond the land’s capacity to provide, Singapore turned to foreign food sources to support its growing population. Despite humanity’s attempts to overcome environmental limitations, they remain constrained by their environment. This also highlights the importance of land use planning, which involves weighing needs of different land uses. The concept of place uniqueness holds that each place has unique circumstances, thus requiring appropriate solutions. Equipped with knowledge of Singapore’s unique needs and constraints, geographers can tailor specific solutions, and hence effectively mitigate the issue. For instance, Singapore faced similar water insecurity after its independence. NEWater and desalination plants were developed to make use of used water and sea water respectively, successfully enhancing Singapore’s water security. In conclusion, Singapore can take various approaches to mitigate food insecurity, including researching into efficient farming techniques, and exploiting unused rooftops for agriculture. Geographers are able to contribute Singapore-specific insights and consider how food insecurity is linked to land use patterns.

“About Brooklyn Grange”. Brooklyn Grange.

CaC CAREER FRONTIERS

KAYLEY NG Regional Community Operations Specialist at Uber Year of Graduation: 2015 Tell us briefly what you do. I am a Regional Community Operations Specialist at Uber. I understand driver partners’ concerns, and deepdive for potential areas for improvement, using a data-driven approach to provide the best driver experience in Singapore! Beyond Singapore, I also work with counterparts from the Southeast Asia team to look for ways to make regional improvements. Glocalisation is key! My time in Uber has so far has been a dynamic and fulfilling one.

How did you end up pursuing this career path? Pursuing a career in Uber came naturally. For me, we are seeing a world where the Internet of Things (IoT) is so pervasive. Our handphones can do wonderful things, but ultimately, IoT solutions are aimed at providing a more comfortable, efficient way to live our lives. When I heard about Uber and tried the app, I was very impressed by the solution, and how in linking drivers to commuters through internet and communicating one’s location to another, we were able to radically transform and disrupt the way people commute. I certainly identified with what Uber was building and saw a lot of potential where I could provide a good fit.

Is Geography relevant to what you do? How has the study of Geography impacted/shaped you in your career path? For me, Geography has been about acquiring a heightened sense of empathy for myself. I had a very deep interest in Social Geography, and was challenged to understand issues not only from the context of space, but also of social relations. As a result I became more aware of what discriminatory behaviour looks like and the consequences of such behaviour. This guided me to always think from the receiver’s point of view. Empathy is a very crucial skill regardless of the industry you find yourself pursuing. Having a nuanced understanding of empathy has been very important for me in my role at Uber, because whatever technology you are building, you have to think from a consumer’s point of view, and only then can you deliver the best user experience and ensure the relevance of your product. Geography’s biggest strength, I believe, is the fact that it is such an expansive subject. Whether it’s technical or soft skills, Geographers like yourselves will certainly be able to find a domain, craft your own stories as you go on this period of self-discovery, and develop useful skills in that area. 43

ALEXIUS YEO Urban Farmer Year of Graduation: 2010

Tell us briefly what you do. I started a social enterprise that focuses on re-connecting urbanites through nature-based activities and urban farming. The company has 3 prongs: 1) We conduct a range of education programmes that teach individuals how to grow their own food. 2) We build urban farming communities by organising social events and farm tours. 3) We help institutions, businesses and private home owners convert plots of land into urban farms that are beautiful as well as productive. We hope that through our efforts, we would be able to help strengthen the social fabric of Singapore through the way we produce, consume and discard our food.

How did you end up pursuing this career path? I like being with nature and I realised that a lot of us don’t know where our food comes from. Urban farming is one of the most tangible ways in which we immediately know where our food is growing and who is growing them. There is a need and demand for locally produced foodstuff and I saw this niche. I thought that I really needed to crack the code on how we can do farming with complex urban spaces and work with the challenges these spaces give us.

Any advice for the Geography community? In terms of future employability or anything in general? Appreciate the concepts you learn in geography, like place-making, identity, and technical research skills. Go out in the workplace and be creative about how these concepts can be applied to real-life projects. For example, in my field of urban farming, we are looking at how to deepen the place meaning of those sites. Also, we aim to create a sense of identity among urban farmers and morph these identities into something people would want to adopt. Essentially, enjoy the concepts and techniques you learn in geography and bring a different dimension to projects in the corporate world and in the government.

Geography Alumni Our alumni recently came back during the NUS Geography Open Day to share about the diverse fields in which they are working. Check out where they are now! ENG HWEE OH

MATHIEU TAN HONG EN

Senior Planning Analyst HERE Technologies Year of Graduation: 2008

Executive Transport Planner Land Transport Authority Year of Graduation: 2015

LIN YUEYUN

GOH JIA CHEN JUDY

Project Manager Infinitus Productions Pte Ltd Year of Graduation: 2005

Desk Officer of Climate Change & Sustainable Development International Organisations Directorate Ministry of Foreign Affairs Year of Graduation: 2016 45

52ND GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY

The NUS Geographical Society (Geogsoc) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to serving the needs, welfare and aspirations of Geography students in NUS. It seeks to maintain a strong and close relationship between the student community and faculty at the Department of Geography, and to promote the discipline of Geography amongst the Singaporean student community. The following are blog entries written from the perspective of a first year student.

July 2017

FRESHMAN IMMERSION CAMP: PANGAEA 2017 I remember feeling nervous attending Pangaea 2017 as it was my first university camp. I’m glad that I signed up for it as it turned out to be a fun-filled four days of bonding with new friends and seniors over the adventure game “Amazing Race”, beach games and delicious supper (in particular the butter chicken along Clementi Road). Finale night was also spectacular with a buffet, magic shows and laughter shared over guessing our seniors’ baby pictures during the games. I felt more confident entering university as I had the chance to meet very kind and helpful seniors who shared their experiences and knowledge about the module bidding system and exchange programmes. There was also a senior who just returned from a year long Joint Degree Programme at the University of North Carolina. He was doing a minor in GIS and his experience made me look forward to the wide range of programmes at NUS Geography. After the camp, I felt excited to see what other programmes NUS Geography had in store for me and I am thankful that it gave me a better idea of how to plan my university life.

Dec 2017

GARDENS BY THE BAY TRAIL Led by Dr Ong Chin Ee, the “Gardens By The Bay” walking trail exposed me to the world of cultural geography. Dr Ong introduced us to concepts such as themed spaces and hyperreality as we explored the “Flower Dome” and “Cloud Forest”. The 47

15-minute tour we joined also taught us more about the Christmas plants on display in the domes. There was also a post-outing activity where many of us had the opportunity to visit the enthralling “Christmas Wonderland” fair in the Gardens. Overall, the outing was not only enjoyable, but also an insightful experience as we were challenged to rethink this popular tourist attraction through a geographical lens. We were grateful to Dr Ong for passionately sharing his knowledge.

Jan 2018

MAJORS’ CHALET

The holidays flew by so quickly, I could hardly believe that a new semester was about to begin again! Luckily, I ended the holidays on a good note with the Major’s Chalet. I had fun helping out with the barbecue, which was delicious. We also enjoyed movies, card games and interacting with one another. It was good to catch up with all my friends in Geography after a month-long holiday as we chatted about plans for the upcoming semester. After the chalet, I felt more energised and ready to face the semester ahead.

Feb - March 2018

GEOGRAPHY CHALLENGE

I am so glad I managed to participate in this year’s iteration of Geography Challenge which is an annual Geography competition jointly organized by the NUS Department of Geography and the NUS Geographical Society for secondary school students to cultivate their interest and see the relevance of Geography in their everyday life. This year’s theme was about security and it engages with a gamut of cognate topics such as food, water and border security. Geography Challenge consists of four rounds: the Preliminary Round which comprises individual and team assessments; the Creative Component in which students identify a location related to 48

the theme and create a photo essay; Geotrail which is similar to the format of “Amazing Race”; and the Grand Finals where the top 5 teams compete in a game-show format. As a planning affiliate for Geotrail, I had the opportunity to set up a station at Vivocity and plan a series of questions to engage the participants. It was heartening to see the participants’ passion for Geography and their greater appreciation for the spaces around them.

Feb 2018

MAJORS’ TEA

The Majors’ Tea was really a good platform for my peers and I to interact with the Geography faculty members in a more casual setting. After a welcome speech by the Head of Department, Professor. Neil Coe, there were several sharing sessions to inform us about updates in the department. In particular, the presentation on internship opportunities for Geography Majors to sign up for was something that really interested me. We subsequently separated into different groups with the purpose of exchanging ideas and sharing feedback with various faculty members. These included suggesting new modules to add to the curriculum, student exchange programme matters and career prospects. As with any event, we had some light refreshments at the end and enjoyed more relaxed interactions with other members in the Geography community.

OTHER EVENTS GEOGRAPHY DINNER AND DANCE: COLOURS OF THE WORLD (Sept 2017)

VISIT TO URBAN FARMER ALEXIUS YEO’S HOUSE (Oct 2017)

#GEOGTEEUSDAY (Nov 2017)

VISIT TO PULAU SEMAKAU (Feb 2018)

PUNS COMPETITION Winning Entries 1st You canchooseweatherto beresistantor caveinwhenlifekarsts problemsat you

2nd What isaGeography major’sfavourite dancemove?The Man-grove

Consolation What didthewaterfallsay aboutits surroundings?It isvalleygorges!

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