Tell us about what you do at IHPC?I’ve been working with Dr Freda Lim in the area of
sustainability in polymer degradation, building tools that help us better understand and predict polymer biodegradation. We couple high-throughput virtual screening with graph neural network (GNN) to obtain bond dissociation energies (BDEs) and apply quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modelling to existing predictor variables to correlate polymer structure with their tendency to biodegrade. In short, this can help us create models for predicting how fast polymers can biodegrade under different environments. With this on-going effort, our objective is also to figure out the design rules for future biodegradable polymers.
What are your motivations for getting into this field of research?Plastic pollution is becoming a worldwide problem with more plastics ending up in the natural environment. Biodegradable plastics and polymers play a key role in reducing plastic accumulation and
finding out the rate at which plastic biodegrades in a specific ecosystem is a necessary step in understanding biodegradability. Being a mother of a young child, I feel strongly about contributing to this area of work so as to create a more sustainable future for our children.
What does being a woman in science today mean to you?I have always thought that science is cool and
being at the forefront of new ideas and technology is a very fresh way of seeing things happening. And as a woman in STEM, being part of a minority, makes me feel even
more privileged and appreciative of these new wonders.
How do you handle stress and pressure?Honestly, I’m still trying to find a balance. Being a working mother to a 1 year old toddler is definitely a whole new challenge. I am also thankful to the fellow working mothers in this field – like Dr Freda and Dr Zhang Jia – who share their experiences with me. They helped me realise that I’m not alone in my current situations and that things will get better with time.
How does some of your research work create impact to industry or societal benefits, or help companies improve products / process / services?This is really important work. For example, with the recent pandemic, we have been using and disposing many masks; and these masks are made of non-biodegradable polymers and in the long run, we can foresee consequences like waste treatment issues and pollution brought about by such actions. In the consumer care industries, there are also concerns over the polymers in formulations that get released into the environment in large volumes daily. Specialty chemicals companies and brand owners have also indicated interest in working with us on this due to legal and societal expectations for a more sustainable future.
Share something about yourself – favourite pastimes outside of work.I dabble in calligraphy (since childhood) and is now a full time babysitter to my toddler (haha).
What advice would you have for young people, especially women who aspire to be a leader in their field(s)?
Don’t be shy! Ask and ask and ask. I think curiosity is a very important tool to have and not knowing the answer to everything is a perfectly great way to start. IHPC is a treasure trove of rich science and friendly faces so there is also good support in this community.