Love and aspiration in the 50s

-Lo Tien Yin

THEY ENJOYED the songs – and perhaps the memories brought back by the musical of Singapore set in Bukit Timah Campus of the 50’s. Man of Letters, presented by the Centre For the Arts, opened on 18 May to a packed hall. The occasion was graced by NUS Chancellor and Singapore ’s President Mr S R Nathan, himself an NUS alumnus who graduated in 1954. Among the audience were many other members of the alumni – including one who had specially flown back just for the musical.

BACK TO THE 50’s: Robin Goh plays medical student Ming who falls in love with Roseanne (Emma Yong). The musical’s gala night was attended by many prominent alumni; among them, President S R Nathan and Mrs Nathan (below, with cast and Mr Dick Lee, front, extreme right; Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Chairman, NUS Board of Trustees and Mrs Wong, extreme right); and Professor Arthur Lim, 5th from left, second row).

The spotlight also fell on the executive producer for the musical, ophthalmologist Professor Arthur Lim, an alumnus whose work From A Doctor’s Diary published in 1999, had inspired the musical. He took to the stage with co-producer Ms Susie Koh to introduce the musical to the audience after Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees gave the opening address.

Dick Lee’s first romantic musical, Man of Letters was directed by Sydney-based Darren Yap and starred Robin Goh, Emma Yong, George Chan, Gani Abdul Karim, Celine Rosa Tan, Lim Kay Siu and Neo Swee Lin in the lead roles. The musical dramatised the love affair of three university students as they pursue their hopes and dreams. Its run ended on 21 May.

Dare to be different

SHE WAS the first woman from the Asia Pacific region to be elected a corresponding member of the International Academy of Production Engineering, CIRP, one of the most exclusive associations for manufacturing researchers in the world. Associate Professor Ong Soh Khim, a faculty member with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and also a Nominated Member of Parliament, was also honoured recently by the Junior Chamber of Singapore as one of the 10 Outstanding Young Persons of Singapore 2006. Knowledge Enterprise catches up with her:

OUTSTANDING YOUNG PERSON: Associate Professor Ong Soh Khim (left) with Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan who presented the awards in March.

Which incident in your life would you describe as the most significant?

This would be the first award I received, the M Eugene Merchant Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award presented by the US Society of Manufacturing Engineers in 2004.

I did not realise that I was good enough to compete with young researchers and academics worldwide in this field! I was the first woman in ASEAN to receive the award and being a true product of NUS (I did my undergraduate and PhD degrees at NUS) this confirmed my perception that “made-in-Singapore” is as good as any made in developed countries.

What’s the best thing about being an academic?

Life as an academic is exciting as one is forever interacting with the young and dynamic. It makes you forget your age and rejuvenates your stamina and knowledge. I have always been inspired by top professors who have taught me. I have been hoping that one day I could also do likewise. I have aspired to be an academic since my undergraduate days.

What is the most challenging thing you have ever done?

It was to submit a nomination form for the Nominated Member of Parliament with support from friends and family members. I thought at least I should go for the experience of being interviewed by Ministers and Members of Parliament.

What or who inspire you most?

I am inspired by capable men and women... people who dare to go against the norm and yet make good sense... people who dare to be different, people who are mavericks.

An old Silk Road revisited

BORDERLANDS and frontiers fascinate Assistant Professor Yang Bin. But it has been a challenge as there is often a paucity of documentation on the history of borderlands. Dr Yang who has recently joined the Department of History, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, has been studying the history of Yunnan , a border province in Southwest China . In his paper, Horses, Silver, and Cowries: Yunnan in Global Perspective published by Journal of World History (Volume 15 No. 3), he demonstrated the global significance of Yunnan and re-drew the map of early Eurasian communication. Focusing on commercial items such as horses, silver and cowries, he re-traced the Southwest Silk Road . He gave a new global perspective to the importance of Yunnan by illustrating how Yunnan had shaped neighbouring societies.

NEW PERSPECTIVE: Dr Yang Bin gives a new global slant to history of the silkroute.

Dr Yang’s thesis was awarded the 2004 Gutenberg-E Prize by the American Historical Association (AHA). The AHA commended Dr Yang’s effort in its March 2006 issue of Perspectives: “Yang takes a global and long-term perspective on a local past. Criticising China-centric studies of southwestern China , he looks from Yunnan outward, locating the region’s central role in the Southwest Silk Road , and its transformations in terms of economy, administration, populations, and sense of ethnic identity. He seeks to show that a world history approach is stronger at explaining local dynamics than a national approach. The arguments are provocative, original, and engaging, and he is remarkably successful in covering such an extended period.”