Singapore, 17 August 2021
Two doctors who contributed to Singapore's Covid-19 response last year, an international dispute resolution lawyer, and a communications specialist at a counter-terrorism think-tank are the four Singaporean recipients of the UK's 2021/2022 Chevening Awards.
The British High Commission Singapore announces today (17 Aug) Dr Glorijoy Tan, 32, Dr Muhammad Taufeeq Wahab, 27, Mr Aloysius Chang, 34, and Mr Teo Kai Xiang, 25, as this year's Chevening scholars.
They will pursue Master's-level courses in the UK starting this autumn, supported by the global Chevening scholarship programme which helps future leaders develop academically and professionally.
Dr Glorijoy Tan
Dr Tan is an Associate Consultant Infectious Diseases physician at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), with interests in infection prevention and control and public health.
In addition to her clinical work in the hospital, she served as a medical consultant to the Ministry of Manpower's ACE (Assurance, Care and Engagement) Public Health and Surveillance Unit during the Covid-19 outbreak. She was also a member of the team behind the Covid-19 Symptom Checker online system, created to help individuals with flu-like symptoms decide on what their next steps should be.
While a successful applicant for the Chevening Awards for 2020/2021, Dr Tan chose to put her postgraduate plans on hold for a year, to continue her work at the NCID and TTSH in tackling infectious diseases.
She said:
It is a great honour to have been awarded the Chevening Scholarship. I am looking forward to spending a year in London, learning from eminent experts in my field, being part of the global Chevening community, and experiencing a new country, culture, and people.
The pandemic has dramatically changed the way we live and view infectious diseases. I am confident that the skills and qualifications that I will attain through the Masters program in Public Health will enhance my abilities to serve my country and its people upon my return, in conducting research, policymaking, and nurturing the next generation of Infectious Diseases physicians.
Dr Tan will be studying for a Master of Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London.
Dr Muhammad Taufeeq Wahab
Dr Taufeeq is a Medical Officer with the National University Health System (NUHS) Preventive Medicine Residency Programme, with interests in mentoring, infectious diseases and improving global and regional public health and health equity.
Last year, he supported Singapore's inter-ministry task force dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak in the foreign worker dormitories, helping to develop protocols, distribute then-limited Covid-19 testing resources and build medical support teams.
Dr Taufeeq said:
Becoming a Chevening scholar is a dream come true, and I am extremely humbled by the opportunity. Being a Chevening scholar doesn't just offer me the chance to study in some of Britain's best universities, but also to network with like-minded Chevening scholars from across the globe!" said Dr Taufeeq.
With this precious opportunity, I am one step closer to my dream of contributing to global and regional public health. And I hope to inspire others to follow the same path so that we can achieve equitable healthcare for all.
Dr Taufeeq will be studying for a Master of Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London.
Mr Aloysius Chang
Mr Chang is an Associate at King & Spalding (Singapore) LLP, who has been working in the field of international dispute resolution. He has written articles for the Singapore Law Review and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Review. He won Fountain Court Chambers' Christopher Bathurst Prize in 2016.
Mr Chang is pursuing a Master of Law (LLM) at the University of Cambridge.
He said:
I am absolutely ecstatic to have been chosen for Chevening and very much honoured to join the hallowed ranks of Chevening scholars.
I will be pursuing a Master of Law at the University of Cambridge, where I hope to acquire specialist knowledge in international law to better contribute to Singapore's growth in the field of international dispute resolution.
Mr Teo Kai Xiang
Mr Teo is the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism's (ICCT- The Hague) Communications Officer, leading the organisation's digital strategy and public engagement. His current research focuses on online harms such as radicalisation and misinformation, and he is the creator of the "POFMA'ed Dataset", an online dataset of every electronic communication subject to Singapore's 'fake news' law.
Mr Teo will be pursuing a Master of Philosophy in Sociology of Media and Culture at the University of Cambridge.
He said:
I am excited to start my postgraduate studies in sociology at the University of Cambridge, where my proposed research focuses on how information policy influences online civil society. Armed with this knowledge, I hope to work with regulators and tech companies to make Singapore's digital public sphere more inclusive and transparent.
I am beyond grateful to Chevening for this amazing opportunity to expand on my past research on information and security policy. As a queer Singaporean who has taken an unconventional path in education, this scholarship is absolutely opening doors for me that I would have struggled to reach otherwise.
Her Excellency Kara Owen presented the four scholars with their Chevening Awards certificates today, during a private presentation at Eden Hall, the official residence of the British High Commissioner of Singapore.
Over 50,000 professionals from around the world have studied in the UK through the Chevening programme since 1983.
Notable Chevening alumni from Singapore include Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, Singapore mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, Singapore's Ambassador to the United States Ashok Kumar Mirpuri and world-record breaking wheelchair racer Dr William Tan. The Scholarship has also been known in Singapore as the Raffles Scholarship.
The Chevening Scholarship supports successful applicants to pursue a Master's-level course at a university of their choosing.
Applications for study in 2022-2023 are open until 2 November 2021, 12:00 (GMT)
