A*STAR'smission is to foster world-class scientific research and human capital for a vibrant knowledge based Singapore. A*STAR represents today's research scientists and future generation of aspiring scientist who dare to race with the world's best towards the very limits of modern science.
Daniel, what’s it like to be a Senior Officer at A*STAR?
As
a Senior Officer in
the BiomedicalResearch
Council (BMRC), work
is dynamic and challenging.
We oversee the budget
and research infrastructure
for our institutes,
administer grants to
university and hospital
groups as well as encourage
collaborations, commercialisation
and translation of our
scientific output.
In
the Governance, Planning
and Strategy (GPS) Cluster,
we do strategic
planning on research
areas and management of
resources, organising
meetings and scientific
symposia, hosting of foreign
delegations, drafting
of speeches and interviews
and incubation of new
researchprogrammes
and initiatives.
I have also become involved in special committees like the Singapore Quality Class and the A*STAR Recreation Club. As you can imagine, work is varied and interesting – everyday I do something slightly different from the day before!
What are the goals and objectives of A*STAR?
The
Agency for Science, Technology
and Research (A*STAR)
is a governmental agency
under the Ministry of
Trade & Industry (MTI),
and our mission is to
foster world-class scientific
research
and human capital for
a vibrant, knowledge-based
Singapore: promoting,
supporting and overseeing
public sector R&D
research activities in
support of high-tech,
knowledge-based industries.
A*STAR
manages 14 public
research institutes
(RIs) and several
consortia, employing
more than 2000
research
scientists
and engineers
(RSEs) in a wide
range of research
areas from supercomputing
and chemical sciences,
to molecular biology
and biomedical
engineering.
A*STAR comprises:
•
the Biomedical Research
Council (BMRC), which
supports R&D
in the Biomedical Sciences
(BMS) sector and manages
7 research institutes
and several consortia;
•
the Science & Engineering Research Council (SERC), which supports R&D in the Physical Sciences and Engineering sector and manages 7 research institutes;
•
the
A*STAR Graduate Academy
(A*GA), which supports
A*STAR's key thrust of
human capital development
through the promotion
of science scholarships
and other manpower development
programmes
and initiatives;
•
Exploit Technologies (ETPL), which is the technology transfer and commercialisation arm of A*STAR; and
•
Corporate
Planning and Administration
(CPAD), which provides
overall administrative
support for A*STAR
staff.
What are some of your highlights working at A*STAR?
It’s
not everyday you
get a chance to
work with top
local and overseas
scientists
and administrators
on research policy
matters –
yet here we are
interacting with
them on a daily
basis! The experience
has been enriching
and meaningful
so far, and we
learn much from
staffing these
meetings.
I have also had the rare opportunity of travelling with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s delegation while staffing A*STAR Chairman Mr Lim Chuan Poh’s trip to Hungary last year.
What do you think are the prospects for the Biomedical Sciences (BMS) sector in Singapore?
The
opportunities
that exist in
Singapore’s
BMS sector today
are truly unprecedented
and unique. The
Government’s
firm commitment
and funding to
growing the R&D
sector and developing
a knowledge-based
economy, Singapore’s
hub status in
biomedicalmanufacturing,
our robust intellectual
property framework,
our geopolitics
in the heart of
booming Asia and
our
critical intellectual mass have all resulted in high growth for the BMS sector in recent years – and there’s no sign of it slowing down soon!
What are some challenges of working in the BMS sector?
One of the greatest challenges of working in the BMS sector in Singapore would be to achieve integration of our capabilities and resources, so as to avoid duplication and build synergy. Equally important is to stay focused on niche areas in research where we can leverage on our strengths and achieve greatest impact.
What qualifications and qualities does a person need in order to succeed in the BMS sector?
There’s no secret formula! As they say, success only comes with passion and hard work. Having said that, for those who are committed to breaking new frontiers and making a difference in people’s health and lives, now is the time to ride the waves and realise their full potential.
