1 August 1995 New Zealand Years Provided Valuable Rewards For Singapore Student Oi Wah Liew

After nine years in New Zealand at Lincoln University, Singapore scientist Oi Wah Liew felt right at home in the land of sheep, green pastures and rugby football. But she was there to invest in her future, not to settle, and now she is back in Singapore with the very tangible rewards of those Kiwi years - academic degrees from Lincoln University in horticultural science and biochemistry.

Oi Wah Liew arrived at Lincoln in 1985, aged 22, and over the next three years completed the Bachelor of Horticulture course. She is remembered as an outstanding "straight A" student and on the basis of her excellence she was encouraged to enrol in the Horticultural Science Honours degree programme. This she completed in 1990, graduating with First Class Honours.

She recalls the Graduation Ceremony clearly. It was Lincoln's first year as an independent and autonomous university – it had previously been a constituent college of the University of Canterbury. For family members and friends back in Singapore, it was an occasion of happiness and pride as Oi Wah received not only a First Class Honours degree but the distinction of being named Lincoln University's Senior Scholar in Horticultural Science.

With her Honours degree behind her, Oi Wah immediately enrolled for doctoral studies – switching from horticulture to biochemistry, but still working with plants. Now, this month she graduates Ph.D in Biochemistry when Lincoln University holds its first international graduation ceremony, in Kuala Lumpur.

It's been a long but happy journey for the ex-Hwa Chong Junior College pupil who made the decision to pursue horticultural studies as an international student in New Zealand.

"I was the first member of my family to study horticulture, and the only one interested in that field. The rest have studied computing or engineering

"Actually it was quite unusual in Singapore for a girl to take a horticulture degree ... it was probably the last option anyone would take. But I was born with an interest in it and have always liked going outdoors and enjoying nature. In New Zealand and at Lincoln it's not unusual and plenty of girls study horticulture.

"How did I choose Lincoln? Well, because horticulture is not available as a university subject in Singapore. I spoke to a lecturer about where best to study it and he suggested the courses at Lincoln in New Zealand.

"Going to Lincoln rekindled my enthusiasm for higher studies and I really liked it there because they take such a practical approach. Field trips, practical work, laboratory classes are all part of the course and it's so much more satisfying learning something in an applied way rather than just leaning by rote in order to pass examinations."

Oi Wah says that Lincoln's applied approach is very good preparation for subsequent employment in fields such as scientific research.

Her own Ph.D research involved working with a special genetically engineered potato which she intended to use to produce atrial natriuretic factor, a human hormone that is a powerful regulator of blood pressure. This approach, which has been termed "pharming", focuses on creating genetically engineered plants and animals that produce high value pharmaceuticals. It was a project she carried out under the supervision of the head of Lincoln University's Molecular Biology Centre, Professor David Bullock, and molecular biologist Dr Jonathan Hickford. The process and techniques of investigation were excellent experience for a future scientist.

With her Lincoln studies and research Oi Wah spent a total of nine years in New Zealand. Did she get homesick?

"Yes, naturally in my first year I missed home a lot, but I surprised myself, after a trip back to Singapore I started to miss Lincoln and wanted to go back to New Zealand.

"Lincoln gives very good support to international students and there is no need to feel lonely or lost there. There are plenty of other students from overseas and the small scale of the university means everyone knows everyone, there is a good staff-student ratio and it's easy to feel safe and secure."

Today, with the New Zealand educational building blocks for a sound career, Oi Wah is working as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the National University of Singapore in the Biochemistry Department. She is engaged in research on recombinant protein expression in bacteria, putting into practice knowledge, expertise and experience acquired during her education in New Zealand. The date 29 August is clearly marked on her calendar – the day when her Ph.D will be conferred at the Lincoln University Graduation Ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.