Yale-NUS seniors gear up for postgraduate studies in diverse disciplines

Graduation marks a bitter-sweet time at Yale-NUS College. As we bid farewell to graduating seniors from the Class of 2022, we are also heartened that novel opportunities and pathways have opened up for them as they embark on their post-College journeys.

Three graduating students, Zhu Tian Rui, Anupriya Ramamoorthy, and Hun Kang, shared how their diverse experiences at Yale-NUS have helped spark their interest for academic learning, motivating them to pursue graduate specialisations at competitive, global programmes.

Zhu Tianrui (Class of 2022) will be pursuing a Master of Arts in Regional Studies-East Asia at Harvard University. Image provided by Tianrui. 

A History major at Yale-NUS, Tianrui was awarded the Harvard Yenching fellowship to study a Master of Arts in Regional Studies-East Asia at Harvard University. There, she will pursue research in the history, art, and archaeology of East Asia and the Silk Roads, connecting well to her passion in studying ancient civilisations.

Reflecting on her undergraduate experience, Tianrui shared that she has received invaluable opportunities provided by the College to sharpen her scholastic competencies vastly. Specifically, she is thankful for the guidance of the History faculty here, whose critical feedback and mentorship helped her carve out an early career as an undergraduate researcher.

“An important experience at Yale-NUS was my collaboration with Associate Professor of Humanities (History) Ernst Emmanuel Mayer in an interdisciplinary project on Roman numismatics. Through working as a research assistant, I gradually became more familiar with the processes of academic publishing and grant application, which are foundational skills needed for any research study,” she reflected. “My experience affirmed my passion for historical research and developed my scholarly skills.”

On top of that, Tianrui was grateful to have received the Summer Language Scholarship to undertake intensive and immersive linguistic training in French.

“I really appreciate having the opportunity to learn French. It proved to be very helpful for my applications, as most graduate programmes in my field have strict language requirements,” she added.

 Anupriya Ramamoorthy (Class of 2022) will be pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS). Image provided by Anupriya.

While Tian Rui will be delving into the humanities, Anupriya, a Life Sciences major, has chosen to embark on a PhD programme in Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS). She plans to pursue cutting-edge developmental biology research and push the envelope in the field of stem cell biology.

On her reasons for selecting ISMMS, Anupriya shared that she gravitated to the prospects of working with devoted faculty in an open, collaborative intellectual environment, which is reminiscent of what she most enjoys about Yale-NUS. Similar to Tian Rui, a key milestone that cemented her conviction to pursue graduate studies was her research collaboration with Yale-NUS professors.

Anupriya has been working as a research assistant for Associate Professor of Sciences (Life Sciences) Nicholas Tolwinski since her first year.

“Working with Assoc Prof Tolwinski, I’ve learned to plan experiments, conduct different biological assays, even publish my own papers, and more. These experiences instilled in me the interest to pursue further research,” she reflected. “I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am now if it weren’t for the wealth of learning experiences and the patient guidance that I’ve received as a student at Yale-NUS College”.

Hun Kang (Class of 2022) will be pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health at the Yale School of Public Health. Image provided by Hun.

Meanwhile, Hun is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health, as part of the College’s five-year Concurrent Degree Programme (CDP) with the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH). He is specialising in Social and Behavioral Sciences at YSPH, with a special interest in the mental health of older adults.

As a Psychology major, Hun is greatly attuned to issues of mental health. When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit in early 2020, he started observing how collective, traumatic experiences could trigger population-level depression and anxiety, particularly among marginalised populations. This realisation motivated him to pursue higher studies in Public Health, where he hopes to devise individual and public-level interventions to improve the psychosocial welfare of the elderly.

While he recognises that tackling mental health research is not an easy feat, he feels heartened that his academic training at Yale-NUS has equipped him with the scientific literacy and critical thinking needed to take on that challenge.

“During Psychology seminars such as Pursuit of Happiness and Goals and Motivation, the professors challenged us to think further about how societal and structural forces could shape human behaviours and motivational processes and, accordingly, health outcomes. These classes exposed me to the complexities underlying societal welfare, teaching me to approach my public health research from various angles, from the individual to macro level,” he shared. 

Looking to the future, Hun hopes to be a voice to advocate for more equitable health outcomes in society, such as through examining the caregiving burden in society as well as policy changes for insurance coverage.

“Through my graduate training, I hope to develop programmes and initiatives aimed to address mental and physical health of the ageing population, especially for those with minimal family support,” he said.