REAlumni Testimonials

My experience in REP is nothing short of amazing. During my 4.5 years journey, I have met many talented and motivated individuals who constantly push me to improve myself. The REP community is very closely knitted. We can easily seek support and guidance from our fellow classmates and seniors, whether it is academic, internship or career matters – everyone is very willing to help each other. REP facilities such as the Maker’s Lab also provide the necessary platform for hands-on learning as well as for aspiring entrepreneurs to experiment with their ideas.

As a Mechanical Design Engineer, the understanding of a system is often limited by the mechanical aspect. However, the broad-based learning in REP allows me to appreciate engineering systems through different engineering lenses and to analyze problems more holistically. Furthermore, my hands-on experiences through academic projects, internships and working with my peers on a startup provided a head-start in my career.

Herh Peng Leng, 2023 graduate 
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Design Engineer, ST Engineering

 

REP has provided me with diverse opportunities for discovery and development, all of which I am thankful for.

Its unique community of motivated and fun-loving individuals has allowed me to not only pursue many interests through student-led initiatives but forge long-lasting friendships. I am very grateful of the network of friends and teaching staff that have supported me in numerous aspects of my life.

REP’s multidisciplinary curriculum has benefitted me greatly by helping me to build and solidify a strong generalist foundation for my career, and I believe that the knowledge and holistic skillsets acquired throughout the course of the programme would prove to be useful in the future.

Loh Aik Hui, 2023 graduate 
Mechanical Engineering
Consultant, Oliver Wyman

 

I had an enjoyable 4.5 years in REP!

A big part of that was down to the tight-knit cohort-based setting that REP aspires to create. An example would be the small group approach to learning in REP-based modules that helped immensely in familiarizing ourselves with our cohort mates. The dynamic discussions and interactions that arose from these created strong impressions that will live long in the memory.

Programme structure-wise, I can also confidently say that REP’s interdisciplinary environment has prepared me well for a career in tech. Starting from our extensive exposure to multiple engineering disciplines in our first year, it has always been clear that we can explore various career directions over the course of the programme. I particularly appreciate the fact that my major in Materials Engineering inspired me to dive into adjacent industries like alternative proteins (biomaterials) and climate tech (batteries, solar, renewables etc).

Supplemented by a strong emphasis on business through modules like financial management, systems thinking, and entrepreneurship, we have essentially been granted the freedom to make intentional decisions about what to pursue. In my case, the combination of business and engineering helped me get my foot in the door early when figuring out which industries will be a good fit.

Chan Yu Yang Johann, 2022 graduate 
Materials Engineering
Associate Product Manager, Voltus, Inc

 

REP has provided me with a strong foundation in each of the different engineering disciplines, together with a good understanding of business concepts, resulting in a more well-rounded understanding of what makes the world tick. The overseas exchange in Year 3 has also provided me with a solid theoretical grounding for further studies, which I am constantly utilising as a researcher.

Staying on campus throughout the entire 4.5 years also meant that I had plenty of time to pursue hobbies outside of the curriculum, which has definitely added value to my time at REP. The equipment that we had access to in the REP facilities also allowed for quick prototyping of various ideas we had and let us apply and test our understanding of the theoretical concepts from the courses.

I am currently a PhD student and a research assistant, and the multidisciplinary foundation of REP helps greatly in robotics, my area of research, where I constantly draw on my knowledge from the mechanical, electronics, and computer engineering fields. The foundational knowledge of each engineering discipline also provides a jumpstart for delving deeper into each area when required.

Shen Chen, 2022 graduate 
Computer Engineering
PhD Student (Engineering Product Development) & Senior Research Assistant (Temasek Laboratories), Singapore University of Technology and Design

 

The multidisciplinary focus of the Renaissance Engineering Programme (REP) has enabled me to communicate with a diverse set of stakeholders and contribute effectively to both technical and business-oriented conversations.

I had previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey and am currently a Product Manager (PM) at a rising technology company, ShopBack. During both my roles, I had to lead conversations and coordinate cross-functional work streams across Engineering, Design, and Commercial counterparts. I am grateful for my education and experiences gained from REP that have set me up for success.

Dennis Tan Yi Xuan, 2022 graduate
Mechanical Engineering
Product Manager, ShopBack

 

YaoYang_R5If you are looking for a truly unique university experience, look no further. REP has challenged me to think of a university education as much more than an accumulation of knowledge or a series of hoops to jump through. Instead, the two greatest takeaways from my REP experience were community and perspective.

As part of the REP community, I am constantly inspired by my peers. Like most people, I used my time in university to figure out my career aspirations. So I am extremely grateful to have gone through this discovery process surrounded by peers who are both passionate and capable. At REP, I met people of many kinds: makers, hackers, researchers, engineers, and even entrepreneurs at heart. By delving into a wide range of experiences, I learnt to define myself first as a software engineer and more broadly, as an engineer and problem-solver. 

The multi-disciplinary curriculum of REP has helped me to build a holistic perspective. REP has exposed me to multiple paradigms of problem-solving: from materials to computer science and from contract law to management. I am confident that these modes of thought would be useful in my career as I begin to interact with various stakeholders. Furthermore, a year-long exchange at Imperial College London in my third academic year expanded my horizons, taught me about European culture, and showed me alternate ways of living. For these reasons, I am especially grateful to the REP community, including my professors and peers, for the awesomely rewarding years.

Leow Yao Yang, 2020 graduate 
Computer Science 
Software Engineer, Facebook

At REP, one is driven to do more and become the best. I spent valuable time during the 4.5 years learning from the brightest and sharpest minds whom I have collaborated with across multi-disciplinary school projects and competitions. We worked together in a "coopetive" environment where peers openly shared information and continuously strove to outshine each other.

While the curriculum may be demanding at times, REP encourages students to go beyond and explore their passion, gain practical and unique industry experiences through overseas professional attachment and our very own Maker's Lab. Broad-based learning in the first two years allow you to build a solid foundation in various engineering disciplines and business management skills, followed by a full-year overseas exchange which some say were the best days of their REP life. Completing with a Masters in Technology Management has brought even greater credibility in my ability to both command a technical edge (engineering) and demonstrate business acumen.

In short, REP has been a highly exciting and empowering place to be in.

Poh Yong Keat , 2020 graduate
Mechanical Engineering 
Technology Strategist, Microsoft Corporation 

REP has been a defining moment in my life, a game changer which shaped me to whom I am today. The 4.5 years have been a fulfilling journey, one filled with valuable and memorable experiences.

Exposure to various fields of engineering and management through the broad-based curriculum allowed me to better appreciate the multi-dimensional nature of work. The academic rigour of the programme sparked my thirst for knowledge and spurred me to study smart and learn fast. This helped me to pick things up quickly and facilitated the transition into the new work environment in the aerospace industry, where I had limited experience and exposure.

Student life was never boring in REP, with frequent student-led initiatives to spice up university life. Multiple avenues for personal development through leadership opportunities and sharing classes helped provide a holistic education for the students.

The overseas experience was undoubtedly one of the major highlights of my university journey, one that allowed me to learn many things and grow in the process. Two semesters at University of California, Berkeley, as well as a summer internship with Boeing, were complemented with enjoyable travel trips around the US. Gaining a global perspective and understanding the privilege of education were just a few intangible outcomes of the year-long adventure.

All in all, REP has been a wonderful journey. A stepping stone into my next phase of life, REP shall always be special to me.

Oo Guolin, 2019 graduate
Mechanical Engineering 
Engineering Graduate Associate, Engineering Graduate Programme 
Pratt & Whitney

The 4.5 years in REP have been some of the best years of my life. Sharing life with a tight-knit bunch of friends from different disciplines, I have learned so much from each and every one of them. Collaborating with them has broadened my perspectives, challenged my thinking and grown me as a person. Together, we have tried new things both inside and outside of the classroom, from pitching to VCs to learning how to ski or snowboard by watching YouTube videos. 

Graduating from this broad-based, multidisciplinary engineering and technology management program, I am immensely thankful for the multiple opportunities to learn and explore, as well as the confidence it has given me in my ability to pick up new things quickly. Entering the workforce, there are many times when I feel that I don't even know what I don't know, but the REP experience has proved time and again that we can learn anything, as long as we put our heart to it and persevere. I can see the wide variety of modules culminating beautifully as different disciplines intersect in the working world - data visualisation & analytics in construction, for example, would tap on knowledge from our computing, design and civil engineering modules. Most importantly, I am thankful for this new family that I have gained - precious relationships, wonderful memories, and people who I know I can count on and continue to learn from in the years to come. 

Amber Tan Chun En, 2017 graduate
Civil Engineering 
Assistant Project Manager, JTC  

REP has provided me with an intense, enriching and vibrant university life. Not only was I able to dive deep into my science and engineering interests, it also equips me with the skills to connect to the business and entrepreneurial world, while allowing me to strengthen a clearer thought process of engineering and commercial feasibility. I greatly appreciate the all-rounded education that REP offers which I believe would bring me far into my career. The 3rd year overseas experience is certainly one of my defining moments in my life where I am exposed to vast, diverse perspectives and opportunities, which I learned to believe in openness and diversity in generating innovative ideas.  

I am greatly thankful for REP for being an enabler for me to engage in vibrant hall life and capacity to pursue other non-academic interests like dance and community involvement. It is a place where I learnt the most about collaborating and empowering individuals when working in projects groups and REClub. It is also a place where I have forged many long lasting friendships. I would say it was a rollercoaster 4.5 years ride in which I have grown tremendously, and not just gaining of academic knowledge. I am very thankful for such opportunities given.  

Chew Jia Rong, 2016 graduate
Mechanical Engineering 
Economics and Scheduling, Scheduler, Business Team
Shell

 

REP has taught me that engineering is not just a means of delivering optimal solutions to various problems. Engineering is also responsible for creating value that can impact society in unprecedented ways. The entrepreneurial modules from REP have equipped me with a greater awareness of the importance of building capabilities that meet real needs.

With this insight and the training I've received, I venture to find the significance of what I do in the bigger scheme of things. It gives me a greater sense of purpose and ensures that the research work I do is not only done to advance technological but is also directed towards meeting the needs of customers.

Aaron Ang, 2015 graduate
Aerospace Engineering
Research Engineer in the defense industry