HSS welcomes new Acting Chair – Professor Euston Quah

Professor Euston Quah is Head of Economics at the Nanyang Technological University. Prior to this, he was Vice-Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at NUS; Deputy Director of the Public Policy Programme (now called the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy); Founding Director of the Singapore Centre for Applied and Policy Economics (SCAPE); and headed the economics department at NUS. He is a prolific writer with more than 40 peer reviewed publications in well-known international journals and some 5 books including Cost-Benefit Analysis (5th edition with E.J. Mishan; Routledge, UK); Siting Environmentally Unwanted Facilities (with KC Tan; Edward Elgar, UK) and Economics and Home Production (Ashgate, UK). In 2008, he published a textbook, Principles of Economics, (Thomson, USA) with Gregory Mankiw (former Chairman of US Council of Economic Advisors and Harvard Professor). Professor Quah had published some first Singapore studies relating to the environment such as the first cost of air pollution study of Singapore; the first study in the world on the transboundary haze problem in Southeast Asia(published as an individual researcher); and the first study on the social cost of smoking in Singapore. Professor Quah was also the first recipient of the Komai Fellowship for Southeast Asia awarded by the Hitachi scholarship Foundation, Japan in 1989.  He is an advisor to many government ministeries on the environment as well as contributed to cost-benefit studies on key public projects. Professor Quah is Editor of the Singapore Economic Review; Co-Editor of International Gambling Studies (edited at Australian National University); past Associate Editor of the Asian Economic Journal (edited at Chinese University of Hong Kong) and on the editorial board of the ASEAN Economic Bulletin (edited at ISEAS), and Open Law Journal(Bentham Science UK). He had served on the Board of Trustees of ISEAS; Council Member of SIIA; Adjunct Senior Research Fellow of IPS and presently a Vice-President of the Economic Society of Singapore. Professor Quah’s views have appeared very frequently in the popular press and both local and foreign media.

Singapore Literature in English: Launch of Annotated Bibliography and Symposium 7 November, 2008

The Symposium, Seeking an Audience: Singapore Literature in English followed by an evening of performance and readings, was the first literary event to be co-organized by NTU’s Centre for Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) and the National Library Board (NLB).  It also marked their co-publication and launch of Singapore’s first annotated bibliography of the body of literature in English from 1947 to 2007, but including The Straits Chinese Magazine (1897- 1907).  Compiled and edited by Prof Koh Tai Ann of the English Division, the 278-page Singapore Literature in English: an Annotated Bibliography contains some 1200 titles of novels, short story and poetry collections, plays, anthologies, periodicals, e-journals and miscellaneous works, and marks 60 years since the Literary and Debating Society of the Medical Union published the first Singapore literary journal in English, The Cauldron, in 1947. Previous bibliographies were of “Singapore Creative Writing in English”, but this is the first to be titled “Singapore Literature in English”.

Annotations in the sections on novels, short stories, drama, anthologies and periodicals include background or historical facts, literary awards, when plays were first staged, summaries of contents,  etc. As the National Library (NL) has holdings of almost all the titles, NL Call Nos. are provided and where the NL has no holdings, readers are directed to other local libraries.  Included are an index of Authors and Titles and major local internet sources of biographical information about authors.

Symposium “Seeking an Audience”: Singapore Literature in English”, 7 November, 2008.

Conceived as both an academic conference and a community event, the Symposium-cum-launch of the Annotated Bibliography aimed to generate debate about and highlight the literature among the general public. The full-house Symposium opened with a historic dialogue between poet/literary scholar, Lee Tzu Pheng and poet/playwright/novelist Robert Yeo who began writing in the sixties. Younger  writers were featured in Assoc Prof Neil Murphy’s “Contemporary Singapore Poetry and the Search for a Centre” and Assoc Prof Wee Wan-Ling’s paper on Alfian Saat, while poet/literary scholar Dr. Gwee Li Sui spoke on “The Anthology [in Singapore] and its Audience”, commented on  by anthologist/poet, Aaron Lee. A panel on Singapore Literature in the School Curriculum featured teacher-educators Dr. Angelia Poon on “Making Space for the Cosmopolitan Subject: Teaching Literature in Singapore” and Dr. Benedict Lin on “Literature for Language and Language for Literature: deepening the Lang-Lit Connection in the Classroom” while students from Raffles Girls’ School and Nanyang Girls’ High School respectively presented “Students’ Responses to Singapore Literature in English”, and “Singapore Literature: Where Past Meets Present”. A panel comprising publisher Goh Eck Kheng, e-journal founder/poet/critic, Cyril Wong, newspaper literary reviewer Stephanie Yap, former librarian and bookshop owner, Lena Lim and librarian, Jillian Lim discussed their roles in facilitating the literature. The concluding panel, Debating Singapore Literature, chaired by playwright Eleanor Wong, with poet Leong Liew Geok, novelist Christine Suchen Lim, poet/performing artist Ng Yi-Sheng and poet/journalist Yeow Kai Chai hotly debated  the lack of an audience and the challenges of being writers in Singapore.  A publication based on the Symposium papers is being planned.

HSS Student Awarded the SCCCF Chinese Studies Scholarship

HSS congratulates the following student for being presented the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce Foundation (SCCCF) Chinese Studies Scholarship!

• Tan Li Wen Jessica – Chinese Major

This prestigious scholarship is awarded to students specialising in Chinese Studies with good academic performance, good CCA records, outstanding leadership skills & character records and has keen interest and knowledge of the local Chinese Business.

HSS Students Awarded the Tan Sri Dr Tan Chin Tuan Scholarship

HSS congratulates the following students for being presented the Tan Sri Dr Tan Chin Tuan Award!

• Fernandez Stephen Frederick – English Literature Major
• Seah Li Hwa Suzanne – Psychology Major with 2nd Major in English Literature

This prestigious scholarship is awarded to local final year students with good academic performance and CCA records.

Assistant Professor Tamara Silvia Wagner, from the HSS English Division, receives the Prestigious CAPs Young Researcher Award!

Dr Tamara Silvia Wagner, from the HSS English Division, is presented the prestigious 7th Conference of Asian University Presidents (CAPs) Young Researcher Award.

The CAPs Young Researcher Award is presented to young scholars based in Asia in recognition of their achievement in completing research of the highest academic caliber.

Award Presentation Ceremony
13th and 14th Nov 2008
NTUH International Convention Center, Room402CD
National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

Find out more here.

Tu Zi aka 'Bunny' Emerged Champion in the Local Talent Competition – Superband!

HSS' 3rd year English student, Carissa Foo, is a member of the band Tu Zi, which means "bunny" in Chinese. The band, consisting of 3 NTU students, emerged champion in the local talent competition, Superband!

Find out more here.

中国改革开放三十年 --- 回顾与展望

2008年正值中国开放三十周年。三十年来，中国经济建设所取得的成就令世界瞩目。其经济发展速度傲视全球。这时期也见证了新中两国经贸间的密切合作。 今后三十年，中国的发展形势更将牵动世界，影响每一个新加坡人，令人关注。

通商中国、南洋理工大学和联合早报首次联手，邀请本地著名企业家和南大"市长班"的中国高级官员从经商投资和政府管理的角度共同回顾三十年中国改革开放之路程，展望今后三十年中国经济建设的机遇和挑战。

日期：2008 年11 月8 日
时间：2.00pm – 5.00pm
地点：泛太平洋酒店　太平洋宴会厅

购票处：通商中国（Business China）
          c/o CDAC Building,
          65 Tanjong Katong Road,
          Block B #B1-01A,
          Singapore 436957
票价：  $10.00
购票时间：上午9时至下午5时
询问电话：6842 1233

欲了解更多信息，请点击这里。

Language and Communication Centre together with NTU French club, coordinates a French Students’ Singing Contest!

The APFS French Students' Singing Competition will be held on 28 November. LCC and NTU French club is organising a competition to select two singers to represent NTU for the finals. There are prizes to be won! For more info, please visit www.apfs.sg/anglais.htm

The selection of the NTU representatives will done on campus.
Date: 5 November 2008 (Wednesday)
Venue: LT26
Time: 5 pm

Career Seminar for Graduating Econs Students - Life After School: An Aspiring Economist That Turned to Strategy Consulting

Abstract
What is strategy consulting? What does a strategy consultant do? What does it take to be a strategy consultant? How do I know if I want to be a strategy consultant? Does my Economics degree prepare me to be a consultant? What differentiates me – an Economics student – from other university graduates? What can I do to prepare myself for the working world? As an Economics graduate herself, Soo Ruey will share with you her personal life experiences and anecdotal accounts of work and life in the years after graduation. This will be an interactive session with lots of opportunities for questions and to hear first-hand the stories of an Economics graduate like yourself.

About the Speaker
Soo Ruey graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences with a 1st Class Honours in Economics. Upon graduation, she joined International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore), where her work facilitating the overseas expansion of Singapore companies required substantial traveling to countries such as China and India. Soo Ruey is currently a Manager with the Strategy Group of the Transactions Advisory Practice in PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where she works with a team of dynamic individuals providing strategy consulting and M&A advisory services to a broad spectrum of clients.

Date : 4 November (Tuesday)
Time : 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Venue : S3.2-B1-09 (HSS Building, level B1 meeting room)

To register, please email Ms Evelyn Yeo at eveyeo@ntu.edu.sg

NTU Library's Annual e-Resource Fair!

This is the 3rd year NTU Library is running the e-Resource Fair. Do visit the fair to learn about useful library resources for your term paper or research. You can also participate in the various quizzes and win prizes — MP3 player, flash drives, scientific calculators and other goodies!
 

Date: 8th to 9th October 2008 (Wednesday and Thursday)
Venue: Linkway @ North-South Spine

For more info, please go to http://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/library/hss/
index.php/archives/787

CLASS Distinguished Public Lecture:
God, Science, and the Universe
Our universe was created by God and God evolved in a higher Newtonian universe

Speaker: Professor Ng Yew Kwang
Visiting Professor, Division of Economics, Nanyang Technological University;
Monash University, Australia

Date: 9 October 2008 (Thursday)
Time: 6.00 pm - 7.15 pm (light refreshment provided at 5.15 pm)
Venue: LT2, Nanyang Executive Centre (NEC), NTU

Registration: Admission is free.
As seats are limited, pre-registration is required. Please click https://wis.ntu.edu.sg/pls/
webexe/REGISTER_NTU.REGISTER?EVENT_ID=OA08091609435543  to register for the Lecture.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact Joey at 65148364 or email kqkek@ntu.edu.sg

NTU Psychology Society: Invitation to Mental Health Week Events

The NTU Psychology Society organizes a four-day event held in accordance with the World Mental Health Week. This event is collaboration between the NTU Student Counselling Centre, the Health Promotion Board, and NTU Psychology Society.

It will feature an exhibition focusing on Mental Health and Anxiety Disorders, particularly Society Anxiety Disorder and Test Anxiety, and a talk on 8th Oct on "Understanding and Managing Anxiety".

Date: 6th – 9th October 2008 (Monday to Thursday)

Venue: Pavilion @ TCT LT

Team HSS Recruitment Drive!

Recruitment Drive for Inter-School Games 2008!

Date: 6th and 7th October 2008 (Monday and Tuesday)
Time: 11am – 5pm
Recruitment Booth: North Spine (Near MacDonald’s area)

For enquiries, contact:
Veronica – 93858724 or
Seri - 98346864

What Is This Thing Called Love?
-- A Very Limited Overview –

L-O-V-E. A four letter word that we use so often yet we seldom do ponder over its true meaning and its complexities.
 
'It takes no time to fall in love. But it takes you years to know what love is' - Jason Mraz, Life is Wonderful.
 
How do you comprehend the totality of the meanings of love? Let Professor Stephen Yeh from University of Hawaii bring you through the study of love and its multifaceted theories as part of our NTUSS Distinguished Lecture Series in 2008.

Speaker: Professor Stephen Yeh,
University of Hawaii
Date: 3 October 2008 (Friday)
Time: 12.30pm – 2pm
Venue: LT25