Next-generation innovators: Our undergraduate researchers show the way

September 1, 2025

Undergraduate research is more than just a learning experience – it can create real impact. Find out about the rewards (and challenges) of research from our College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) students, whose projects advance knowledge and address real-world challenges.  

“I found this project to be an invaluable opportunity to engage with a unique environmental challenge and broaden my understanding of the interactions between natural processes and climate change.” – Tara Lingaraj, Year 3, Cross-Disciplinary Programme in Environmental Studies

Tara examined coral reef atoll island formation in the context of global environmental change. Drawing on geomorphology, sediment dynamics and climate science, she explored how physical and ecological processes shape these systems.  

“I am interested in how culture and communication influence daily decision-making. I was determined to examine how these insights could be applied to pressing real-world issues and to contribute to culturally sensitive practices that resonate with a diverse demographic like Singapore’s.” – Ziv Ng Tian Fu, Year 4, Cross-Disciplinary Programme in Philosophy, Politics and Economics  

Through a comparison of responses to Western Conventional Medicine (WCM) and Chinese Proprietary Medicine (CPM), Ziv explored how language use shapes receptivity to different aspects of medication packaging such as language labels and message framing. The findings seek to inform culturally-aligned interventions that enhance medication adherence in multicultural healthcare settings.

“Dengue is a global endemic that has afflicted millions of people each year, including people close to my heart, and yet there is no cure and no vaccine to protect people. I pursued this research because I want to be part of the fight against this prevalent threat, and to be at the forefront of innovative vaccine research.” – Sruthi Annamalai, Year 4, Double Majors in Life Sciences and Psychology

It is challenging to design a tetravalent vaccine against dengue without accidentally triggering antibody-dependent enhancement. Sruthi’s research shifted the perspective from the virus to the vector; she delved into the deluge of salivary proteins being released into our blood in each bite. By characterising the Aedes aegypti NeSt1 protein and its complex with the human CD47 receptor, she hopes to contribute to vaccines research to control dengue transmission.

Take the opportunity to meet our student researchers and sign up for Shifting the Perspective: Innovative Approaches in Undergraduate Research!