The recently launched interdisciplinary course “Love that Kills”, led by Associate Professor Narayanan Ganapathy (extreme left) and Assoc Prof Stella Tan (second from left) together with Dr Shawn Lee (extreme right) and Ms Danielle Sng (second from right), approaches the topic of domestic violence through various academic disciplines. Ms Tabitha Ong (centre) from the Singapore Ministry of Social and Family Development was invited as a guest speaker in the first run of the course.

Celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, the NUS Faculty of Science (FoS) continues to deepen its commitment to providing an exceptional, interdisciplinary education by offering students fresh and relevant learning opportunities. New interdisciplinary courses, specialisations that equip students with real-word experiences, and global learning trips – these are just some of the programmes that enable FoS students to expand their learning journeys while also being enrolled in the NUS College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS).

Love that Kills: A multi-disciplinary study of domestic violence

An interdisciplinary course that was launched under CHS in January 2024 for Semester 2 of Academic Year 2023/2024 is “HS2916 Love that Kills”. The course, led by Associate Professor Stella Tan and Dr Shawn Lee from the NUS Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) under FoS, as well as Associate Professor Narayanan Ganapathy from the NUS Department of Department of Sociology and Anthropology under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, delves into the topic of domestic abuse through the lens of various disciplines such as forensic science, sociology, law and biology.

“Forensic Science takes a multidisciplinary approach to solve legal questions in court. We want to show through the course that there are many areas of expertise relevant to solving the issue which needs to be a collaborative effort,” said Assoc Prof Tan.

In the course, a sociological perspective is employed to understand the structural, socio-cultural and historical analysis of domestic violence. “Factors such as gender norms, power dynamics, economic disparities, and cultural beliefs contribute to the prevalence and perpetuation of domestic violence in societies characterised by gender inequalities. By understanding these structural factors, researchers can develop interventions aimed at addressing root causes rather than just treating individual cases,” said Assoc Prof Ganapathy.

Dr Lee approaches the topic of domestic violence from the angle of biology. “There are genetic factors that can affect violent tendencies. Through understanding neurochemistry and neurobiology, we can consider the suitability of punishments and penalties imposed, and even see domestic violence as a medical problem that can be solved with therapeutics in future,” said Dr Lee.

Additionally, students are exposed to aspects of the law and the role it plays in protecting abuse victims.  “The criminal justice system is currently implementing a lot of new ways to help people who have been abused and not in a situation where they can contact others. For example, in the case of emergency high risk cases, intervention and mediation can be done,” elaborated teaching assistant Ms Danielle Sng from DBS.

The topics of spousal violence, violence against young and vulnerable victims, and sexual-related abuse at home are addressed in the course, with relevant real-life, Singapore case studies. Students participate in creative learning activities such as designing a brochure for children of broken families, or debating on who should be the first port-of-call in the case of domestic violence. In the first run of the course, Ms Tabitha Ong, Director of Adult Protective Service at the Ministry of Social and Family Development, was invited as a guest speaker to share on child and adult protection services.

This hands-on, interactive approach to learning has led to greater understanding about the issue of domestic violence among students. “Examining case studies, engaging with the narratives of survivors, and hearing from professionals have allowed me to broaden my perspective on this issue. I’m more confident in my abilities to contribute meaningfully towards advocating for and supporting victims of domestic violence,” shared Faith Yeo, a Year 2 student who majors in Psychology and Data Science and Analytics, with a minor in Forensic Science.

Yuan Fang, a Year 2 student majoring in Life Sciences, elaborated, “Through the reflection prompted in this course, I have come to recognise instances of domestic violence that happened around me but were previously overlooked.”

One key objective of the interdisciplinary course is to train students to explore paradigms across multiple disciplines as well as develop the critical thinking skill and adaptability needed to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow effectively

“Students need to recognise and embrace the complexity of phenomena such as domestic violence. It's a multifaceted issue that demands a comprehensive analysis, and no single discipline holds all the answers. By acknowledging the diverse perspectives and expertise, we can better navigate the complexities and work towards creating a more inclusive society,” said Assoc Prof Ganapathy.

In the spirit of helping students find fulfilling careers in related fields, course students are updated about internship opportunities in industries such as government agencies and family service centres.

Learning industry ropes

Also adding to students’ industry knowledge is the NUS Department of Food Science and Technology (FST), which recently launched a “Specialisation in Industrial Applications” in Semester 1 of AY23/24. Available to FST majors enrolled under CHS, the specialisation comprises a full semester internship at a food company or organisation, an independent study course with a topic relevant to the field of specialisation and a course from a selected basket of electives.

Students can take up internships in industries such as dairy companies, flavour houses, government agencies, ingredient companies and food multinational corporations.

To complement industrial attachment, students will embark on an independent study course related to the industry they were attached to. “The independent study enhances the internship experience. For example, those attached to flavour houses may want to study how analytical techniques or artificial intelligence can be used approach flavours,” said Dr Leong Lai Peng, Senior Lecturer at NUS FST.

The internships give students practical exposure to real-world scenarios and tasks they will encounter as professionals in the food science and technology sector. “For example, those working in labs need to understand every step of an analytical method and why it is essential to obtain the final result.  One gets to learn how an equipment works and how it can potentially be used for other purposes. Apart from conducting analysis, they even have to learn to fix the equipment too!”

One of the skills that students can gain from the specialisation is multidisciplinarity says Dr Leong. “Students need to be multidisciplinary when it comes to food. When it comes to real-life product development, one will have to appreciate what the consumer is thinking and not just focus on analysis of the food components.  For example, sweetness may be affected by other factors apart from the concentration of sugar, and knowing sugar concentration does not equate to an understanding of whether the consumer likes the level of sweetness of the food.”

The world is your oyster in a global classroom

Going beyond the local classroom, FoS students can take their learning journey overseas.

One such overseas learning opportunity is “SP2201: Agri-Science in Japan in Singapore”, a two-week summer programme jointly offered by NUS FoS and the Faculty of Agriculture at Hokkaido University (HU). The programme, co-taught by lecturers from NUS FoS and HU, takes place in both Singapore and Hokkaido. Students will learn about topics such as agriculture technology, agri-business and aquaculture through a variety of means such as lectures, practical lessons, field trips and group work.


News from: https://news.nus.edu.sg/new-horizons-in-science-and-beyond/