At 19, Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Engineering Scholarship recipient Choo Le Xuan has already overcome a major hurdle to a career with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).<\/p>\n
The Hwa Chong Institution graduate was initially medically classified PES E9<\/a> due to her autoimmune condition that was diagnosed in primary school, but she was determined to pursue a career in the armed forces.<\/p>\n After her condition stabilised, she was eventually upgraded to PES B1.<\/p>\n Spending six years with the National Cadet Corps at Hwa Chong had already sparked her interest in a career in defence, but it was an internship with the RSN’s Engineering and Logistics Department that cemented her resolve.<\/p>\n Through that experience, she saw first-hand how engineering and innovation help keep naval platforms operational.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you see people who speak with such a spark in their eyes, where they really love their job, where they are really passionate about what they do, I think that was my biggest takeaway,” Choo told AsiaOne.<\/p>\n She was among the 101 recipients awarded scholarships at Defence Scholarship Award Ceremony held at the Temasek Club on Wednesday (Aug 12).<\/p>\n The awards include seven SAF scholarships, eight Public Service Commission scholarships (Engineering), 27 SAF Merit scholarships, three SAF Engineering scholarships, 10 Defence Merit scholarships, one SAF Medicine Scholarship, two SAF Dentistry Scholarships and 43 DSTA scholarships.\u00a0<\/p>\n The internship led Choo to take up the SAF Engineering scholarship <\/strong>and pursue a career as a naval warfare systems engineer.<\/p>\n She will study Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London where she hopes to broaden her technical expertise and gain perspectives beyond Singapore.<\/p>\n “I hope that I’ll be able to contribute meaningful ideas because I think that currently the Navy is really in its innovation phase,” said Choo, the oldest of four siblings.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, she is looking forward to enjoying university life and make the most of her experience living in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n @asiaone<\/a> Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Engineering Scholarship recipient ME4T Joy Choo shares her journey towards a career with the SAF, from her childhood ambitions to the moment she found out she had received the scholarship, and what she hopes to achieve next. #sgnews<\/a> #Singapore<\/a> #Defence<\/a> #Military<\/a> #scholarship<\/a> \u266c original sound – AsiaOne<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n Tan Ee Shan’s interest in artificial intelligence (AI) was piqued after ChatGPT took the world by storm in 2022, prompting her to dive into the technology during her school holidays.<\/p>\n The 19-year-old Defence Science and Technology Agency scholarship recipient is set to pursue her passion for AI at Stanford University, California, where she will study Computer Science starting this September.<\/p>\n Tan became interested in detecting misinformation after seeing so much of that being used widely during the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n That led her to co-found SheCodes, a community aimed at giving girls the opportunity to explore technology without feeling they have to prove they belong.<\/p>\n “The problem with gender representation in tech is not so much about ability but exposure,” Tan told AsiaOne.<\/p>\n During a DSTA internship, she worked on AI for robot navigation, which sparked her interest in knowing how machines can handle unfamiliar environments.<\/p>\n Asked how she hopes to inspire more young women and girls to enter the field, Tan said: “I hope to keep holding the door open for more to enter this field, whether it is as a mentor, as a friend, or just someone to have a coffee chat with.”<\/p>\n Speaking at the ceremony, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing highlighted the need for defence talent to stay ahead of emerging technologies and develop new operational concepts as Singapore prepares for future threats.<\/p>\n “Our task is to think creatively and strategically to develop new operational concepts that can surprise and outmanoeuvre potential threats before they even arise,” he said.<\/p>\n He also urged the scholarship recipients to master emerging technologies, reminding them that “opportunities only favour the prepared”, while emphasising the importance of caring for the people they work with.<\/p>\n “You are now part of a bigger family, a tribe with a common ethos, bounded by our shared mission and purpose,” he added.<\/p>\n Chan said the new generation of defence talent must build on the legacies of those who came before them, adding that “you will be the generation that will take Singapore to SG100 in 39 years”.<\/p>\n [[nid:741138]]<\/p>\n helmy.saat@asiaone.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
From detecting misinformation to defence AI<\/h2>\n
Mindef invests in future<\/h2>\n
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