Mr Benjamin Choo
I graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Second Upper Honours) in 2004 from the National University of Singapore, and was awarded the Singapore National Academy of Science Award in Microbiology for my academic performance.
I have a strong interest in science research and was actively involved in it during my undergraduate days. I was fortunate to have published two international scientific articles on West Nile Virus, as co- or first author, by the end of my undergraduate studies. Before joining the teaching profession, I briefly worked in the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, one of the research institutes under A*STAR. My research focused on using zebrafish as a model organism in the study of developmental biology. Consolidating the work done by the research team, I managed to publish another international scientific article, as a first author, cataloguing the various genes involved in the biological development of zebrafish.
Upon completion of my Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Institute of Education (NIE), I was posted to a junior college to teach Biology from 2007 to 2015. Teaching allows me to share my interest in science research with the younger generation and hopefully inspire them to pursue a career in science. I was actively involved in science enrichment work in the junior college and was appointed as the Deputy Head (Science Enrichment) in 2011. I worked with a team of dedicated teachers to initiate and coordinate science programmes, including seminars, science research attachments, and overseas learning trips to Cambridge University, UK and TRIUMF, Canada.
Desiring to deepen my understanding and appreciation of science education, I joined the Sciences Branch, Curriculum Planning and Development Division (CPDD) in 2015. My five years in Sciences Branch was very fruitful, I was deeply involved in the design and implementation of the current H1, H2 and H3 Biology syllabuses, as well as piloting the implementation of Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) resources. I am thankful to be recognised for my contributions in CPDD, being awarded the MOE Service Excellence Award for three consecutive years – Silver, Gold and Platinum.
I believe that learning science is more than just the acquisition of knowledge. Learning science should be a dynamic process that involves practice, a certain disposition in thinking, and communication of scientific knowledge and ideas. The learning of science should be more than just a pure academic pursuit (even though there is beauty in that). It is important to appreciate and apply scientific knowledge in societal and economic contexts. The current world we live in is made possible because of science and the future that we aspire to have will only be possible with the betterment of science.