FASSTalk

Professor Irene Y.H. Ng hosts a discussion on the breadth and depth of our undergraduate programme – the social work curriculum, the unique NUS experience, and more – with her students Donna Choy, Amalia Ariffin, and Keane Ong, all in Year 3 at NUS.
 
Key points in this episode
01:53     How you decided to major in Social Work
06:02    Your social work learning experience
12:22     The breadth of your learning experience in NUS
22:03     Non-social work courses that add to the experience
26:19     A learning experience that stretched your limits
33:44    Tips for people unfamiliar with NUS Social Work
 
Host: Professor Irene Y.H. Ng
Professor Irene Y.H. Ng teaches Social Policy and Planning, Welfare Economics, Introduction to Social Work, Poverty and Asset-building Policy and Working with Multi-Stressed Families at NUS Social Work. Her research interests currently lie in poverty, inequality and intergenerational mobility; youth employment; and, social welfare policy.

Dr Alex Mitchell hosts a discussion of fandom and audiences – their evolution and differing impact on society throughout history – with his co-educators at NUS Communications and New Media, Associate Professor Zhang Weiyu (also Director of the Civic Tech Lab) and Dr Bertha Chin.
Key Points
01:00  The definition of fandom02.20  Who studies fandom and audiences?04:56  The present and future of fandom and fan studies06:49  Fandom in China07:46  Misconceptions the public may have about fans11:48   Is fandom a new phenomenon?14:12   The impact of technology and media on fandom19:51   What sort of relationship do creators have with their fans?23:37  What distinguishes fans from other audiences
CNM Podcast Host: Dr Alex MitchellDr Alex Mitchell teaches interactive media design and his current research investigates various aspects of computer-based art and entertainment, focusing in particular on interactive stories. This work involves creating digital and non-digital interactive storytelling systems, using these systems to develop creative works, and observing how people respond to the resulting pieces. It also involves theoretical work to understand what is happening in and around this process.

In this special edition of The CNM Podcast – produced by Create N iMpact, a group of NUS Communications and New Media (CNM) undergraduate students currently enrolled in NM4207 (Managing Communications Campaigns) –  CNM alumni Xie Jingyi (Creative Director of BREAVACO and Master's by Research student) and Ken Ng (Director of Operations at Parkway East Hospital) talk about their careers in development, elaborate on the skills and values they gained in their time at CNM, and offer advice for students today.
Key Points
04:20 Professional journey so far
07:05 Career-shaping moments
09:10 The skills acquired at CNM that are used the most today
14:55 Discovering one's strengths
27:00 Advice for students considering pursuing a major in Communications and New Media
31:10 Favourite classes and fondest memories of time at NUS CNM
The Team Behind this Episode: Create N iMpactThe CNM undergraduates forming Create N iMpact are: the host of this episode Joy Li Jia Ying (Year 4), Pang Zhuo Zi (Year 3), Sui Qinyi (Year 4), Hyun Jun Ho (Year 3), Goh JiaQi (Year 4), Shernice Wong (Year 3), and Cha Yu Xin (Year 3).
This episode is part of their campaign to raise awareness of the CNM programme by offering  insights and authentic experiences of what it truly means to be a CNM student.
Alumna: Xie JingyiJingyi is the Creative Director of BREAVACO and a Master’s by Research student at the National University of Singapore, where she explores novel food communications and public perceptions of alternative proteins. With a background that bridges science, storytelling, and design, she brings creativity and strategy into everything she does. As a creative entrepreneur and researcher, Jingyi understands the value of forging your own path—and wishes she had more guidance early on. Today, she’s passionate about inspiring and equipping juniors to navigate their own journeys with confidence.
Alumnus: Ken NgKen is the Director of Operations at Parkway East Hospital (Part of IHH Healthcare, one of the world’s largest private healthcare groups), where he champions strategic and tactical initiatives to deliver exceptional patient care. With over 20 years of experience primarily in Healthcare and Consulting, Ken lives by the mantra "Doing what you love, and loving what you do." Having navigated the corporate world himself, Ken wishes he had a guide to unlock its secrets during his undergraduate days. Now, he's passionate about paying it forward and sharing his insights with the next generation.

Host Dr. Soh Kai Ruo, Lecturer at NUS Communications and New Media (CNM), together with Assistant Professors Dr. Hong Soo Jung and Dr. Ivy Fong discuss the differences between risk and crisis communication in health and corporate communication.
Key Points
01:56 Differences between risk and crisis communication
10:09 Public perception and risk assessment
17:45 Impact of digital technologies in risk and crisis communication
27:05 Tips to manage risk and crisis communication
The CNM Podcast Host: Dr Soh Kai RuoDr. Soh Kai Ruo is a Lecturer at the National University of Singapore, Department of Communications and New Media. Her research area is in the field of cultural diplomacy through popular culture. Drawing on her professional background in campaign and communication management, she has been developing and teaching courses in this area.

Dr Shobha Avadhani, Dr Eunbi Lee and Dr Michelle Ho discuss the study of the intersection of gender and communication matters, their approaches to researching and teaching gender at NUS Communications and New Media, and share some of the insights they gain from this work.
Key Points
1:10 What does gender have to do with media and communication?
4:30 The methods and theories used in the study of gender and media and communication.
7:30 About the people who participate in Dr Lee's and Dr Ho's studies.
14:22 The unique significance and challenges of Dr Lee's and Dr Ho's work in gender, sex and media research.
18:13 Insights gained from teaching NM4244 Sex in the Media.
THE CNM Podcast Host: Dr Shobha AvadhaniSenior Lecturer Dr Shobha Avadhani teaches public speaking and various aspects of media studies at NUS Communications and New Media. With research interests in the areas of political communication, the politics of technology and education, and media literacy and citizenship, Dr Avadhani has published research on the intersection of youth, citizenship and new media: the meanings of social and mobile digital media for juvenile delinquents and youths at risk, the changing nature of democratic discourse in hybrid regimes, and the role of the Singapore school in shaping technological citizenship. Underscoring much of her research and teaching is a deep interest in gender studies, feminist theory and critical race theory.

Assistant Professors Kokil Jaidka, Chao Yu and Subhayan Mukerjee of NUS Communications and New Media review the state of algorithmic bias today and discuss approaches to mitigating its impact on the real world.
Key Points01:20 The definition of algorithmic bias, the different types of algorithmic bias, and the factors that could cause or amplify algorithmic bias.
06:40 The effects of algorithmic bias – examples in the real world15:20 Solutions for mitigating the impact of algorithmic bias33:30 Challenges posed by algorithmic bias in the future and what our response should be
THE CNM Podcast Host: Assistant Professor Subhayan MukerjeeDr Subhayan Mukerjee is a computational social scientist who situates his research at the intersection of digital media and online human behaviour. His work draws from a wide repertoire of computational methods that blend observational as well as experimental approaches – such as network analysis, statistical inference, and agent-based simulations to understand how digital audiences navigate online media environments. In addition to his research, Dr Mukerjee develops and teaches quantitative and computational modules for undergraduates, and postgraduate students at CNM. He also serves as lead organiser of the Singapore chapter of the Summer Institutes in Computational Social Science - the first such chapter in South East Asia.

Platforms are ubiquitous in this age of social media, and we are increasingly reliant on them for our everyday needs. Yet, when platforms are overlaid on existing practices, they often change them in particular ways. This episode, hosted by Dr Jinna Tay, explores these new changes with two researchers at NUS Communications and New Media, Assistant Professor Hong Renyi and Assistant Professor Jun Yu.
 
Key Points00:00 What are platforms and why do they feature in communications research today?
11:20 What kinds of new labour practices are brought into platforms?21:35 What does empowerment and access does platform consecutively make available and mask?28:17 Can we offer more protection at the national or global level?35:19 Could audiences or consumers play a role in advocating change for platform workers?
The CNM Podcast Host: Dr Jinna TayDr Jinna Tay is Senior Lecturer at NUS Communications and New Media and Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Her research interests range from the media, arts and humanities to cultural and national identities, material and popular culture and literature, television, film and cities studies.

Educator: Dr Nina Laurel Powell (NUS Psychology)
Dr Nina Powell has a Ph.D. in the psychology of human behaviour and decision-making (Social and Cognitive Developmental Psychology). She has more than 10 years of experience in grant and research publication writing and reviewing, and consultation for best approaches to assessing and measuring human behaviour and decision-making with respect to cognition, emotion and behaviour modification. Dr Powell is also the winner of multiple awards for her work as educator at NUS Psychology, and her accolades include a series of five Faculty Teaching Excellence Awards (2017 through 2021), Special Teaching Award for Innovation in 2018 at the NUSFaculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) and a FASS Inspiring Mentor Award in 2021 (along with our host Associate Professor Robin Loon).
Key points in this episode, hosted by Associate Professor Robin Loon (NUS English, Linguistics and Theatre Studies):-
0:00 Dr Nina Powell's start as a University Educator, and her circuitous route to University Education and understanding the value of a University Education
13:55 On Moral Psychology and helping students see purpose and their capacity to influence through an education of being human.
27:37 Her belief in Human Exceptionalism and her classroom being a space of play by embracing discomfort and helping students understanding the value of what they are doing.
42.38 Making agency the focus of study and activating student agency by encouraging student to be present and through reflective assessments.
58:39 The importance of the reflective educator, and refocusing on the human through research on Artificial Intelligence and agency.
1:10:53 Wish list for the future and how the educator can contribute to advancing University Education.