The 2021 Odyssey Research Symposium took place on Thursday, 5 August 2021. A total of 34 undergraduates across the Divisions of Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics came together to present the research projects they undertook as part of the Odyssey Research Programme, where undergraduates are given the opportunity to immerse in full-time research under the guidance of faculty members over a 12-week duration. As the culmination of the Odyssey Research Programme, the Odyssey Research Symposium is a platform for undergraduates to share their experience and research work, build skills in scientific communication, learn about the various research advances across the divisions and to come together as a community that shares the passion for science and research.
While COVID-19 restrictions caused the symposium to be shifted to a virtual format this year, this did not dampen the enthusiasm and excitement of the students. In this new format, participants were grouped into various breakout rooms to give their Powerpoint presentations to the judges, followed by a Q&A session. As visual communication remains an important aspect in scientific research, participants were also required to submit their posters in digital form. The e-posters were published on the website to allow students to view the posters and vote for the “Best Poster”. This peer-voting award aimed to further stimulate engagement between participants surrounding the different research projects across the divisions.
With the prize presentation session as the highlight of the event, the Odyssey Research Symposium came to a close and this also marked the end of the 2021 Odyssey Research Programme. The experience, skills and knowledge gained by the undergraduates through this programme are immeasurable and serves as a stepping stone to further exploration and excitement in research.
The winners of the Odyssey Research Symposium are as follows:
Best presentation (Physics)
•Teo Hau Tian, “Topological Phase Transition in a 1D Phononic Crystal”, supervised by Prof Zhang Baile
•Soe Gon Yee Thant, “Streamlining and automating the design of superconducting transmon qubits”, supervised by Prof Rainer Dumke
•Gupta Chaitanya, “Thermodynamics of Misaligned Expectations”, supervised by Prof Gu Mile
•Bryan Cheng, “Perovskite Metasurface Light Emitting Transistor”, supervised by Prof Cesare Soci
Best presentation (Chemistry)
•Christine Ling Chun Hui, “SERS detection of NAFLD via multimodal probe-metabolite interactions”, supervised by Prof Ling Xing Yi
•Tan Zher Nin, “Incorporating Chaotropicity onto Photothermal Material to Chemically boost Solar Steam Generation”, supervised by Prof Lee Hiang Kwee
•Glen Loo Wen Bin, “Towards the Synthesis of Cellobiose-type Lipid II Analogues”, supervised by Prof Li Xue Wei
Best presentation (Mathematics)
•Loo Dong Lin, “Metric spaces and isometries”, supervised by Dr Tang Wee Kee
•Neo Chee Heng, “Forcing with Partial Functions and its Subsequent Iterations”, supervised by Prof Ng Keng Meng
Best poster
•(Physics): Choy Boy, “Towards simulating the potential energy surface of dihydrogen in a superconducting quantum computer”, supervised by Prof Rainer Dumke
•(Chemistry): Lok Xin Yi, “Liquid Marble and Its Sensing and Catalytic Applications”, supervised by Prof Lee Hiang Kwee
•(Mathematics): Oon Yu Yang, “Matrix Lie Groups and Lie Algebras”, supervised by Prof Andrew James Kricker
The e-posters can be viewed at this link: https://odysseyprogramme.github.io/ay2021-odyssey-research-programme-presentation-and-posters.html
Photos
Testimonial
“My Odyssey journey had been a pleasurable experience and the first of which I managed to be part of a research symposium. Although I had prior research experience through the popular URECA programme, there was no poster presentation involved due to COVID-19. I cherished the opportunity to present my research topic to my peers, hoping to share the joy I experienced while learning. It brought me greater confidence after realising I could communicate a scientific topic to not just my peers, but also established professors and lecturers that served as judges during the competition!”
- Wee Ze Yu, a CBC undergraduate
“The Odyssey programme have given me great insight in being in the research environment where I am was able to extend my own research interest with the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. This special opportunity, allowed me to venture into a research topic of my interest, apart from my major I am taking up in school. The supervisors and professors were very thoughtful in guiding me through my research journey! I have also made more friends and understand a lot more information from my peer’s research work.”
- Yip Qiu Mei, a PAP undergraduate