Seven (7) high school students from SISC bagged awards in the Science Summer Camp 2019 held at the National University of Singapore (NUS) campus last July 4 – 9, 2019.

Cathryn Ciara Hernandez of IB 2 won Best Essay in her event participated in by 70 contestants from six countries while Choi Sung Min of Gr. 12 – Initiative scored as a member of the Best Team. In the Science Camp Quiz Bee, Mikaela Frias of Gr. 10 – Leadership and Kim Seung Hyun of Gr. 12 – Grit got the gold award while Daniel Dacanay of Gr. 12 – Grit and Stefano De Castro of IB 2 settled for silver. Sewing up the bronze medal was Miguel Tupaz of Gr. 12 – Grit.

The event attracted more than a hundred students from India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Australia, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia,  Myanmar, and the Philippines who learned elements of Nanotechnology, DNA Analysis, Gastronomy, Game and Graph Theory, Smartphone

Microscopy, Animal Classification, and many more interesting scientific disciplines.

The program intended to inculcate a life-long fascination for science to the participants as they engage NUS professors in lecture series, perform hands-on workshops at state-of-the art laboratories, and visit highly specialized research labs.

Jose Ang (Grade 10 – Innove)

They had a myriad of designs and tech scattered about all with seemingly varying degrees of importance and complexity. From the strange app that could perfectly auto-tune someone’s reading voice to the tone and lyrics of Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon,” to an F.P.S you could control with your “stress levels,” to an odd room with motion-sensing fans that turn on when you get close to them. Scientists are somewhat odd and eccentric bunch. Their oddness certainly exfoliates into their work, but don’t get me wrong, these silly things do certainly make quite an impact to the world whether it be for understanding the human condition and advancing medical science, or whether it be for saving ones singing career at karaoke night. These fellows at A*Star certainly know what they’re doing and most certainly have their work cut out for them. If you get the opportunity to tour the place then I suggest taking it, it’s certainly worth the effort. The building itself is quite nice to walk around. 

Michaela Martin (Grade – 12 STEM)

The time I spent at the NUS Science Summer Camp was incredible. My favorite experience was when they took us to the Advanced Surgery Training Center (ASTC) to undergo a surgical simulation. They began by introducing us to the modern breakthroughs in the surgical field, such as laparoscopy. It amazed me because I was not yet aware of the fact that a non-invasive surgical method was available for treating various conditions like cysts and obesity. 

We then were allowed to try out surgery for ourselves. We used laparoscopic instruments in various practice exams that required dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and a keen eye for depth of field. This also included an informative lesson on how to suture surgery wounds closed. After all of this, we were taken to another practice room to use our newfound skills on actual organic matter. 

Miguel Tupaz Grade 12 – Grit

My stay in NUS was rather interesting and fun. I learned numerous things that I didn’t even know about. One particular topic that piqued my interest was our lab activity on genetics. I was not exposed to this topic before, therefore I really enjoyed it. We had e.coli bacteria and made it glow. It was a strenuous procedure, but it was all worth it. I was able to bond with my fellow monarchs and at the same time I learned something new. I definitely would not have any doubt of coming back to NUS to learn more and new things. 

Testimonial from the Mentor/s

“I think Science classes really helped a lot such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The basic knowledge that they were able to learn from this topic helped them to understand an even complex concepts taught in Singapore. I was happy to note that they were able to bring those knowledge in Singapore and showed what we have here in Southville.”
– Mr. Mark Ernest Isabelo (Mentor, SISC Faculty)