Vol 14 October 2016

The Alumni Magazine of UWC South East Asia

JAXA Akihiko Hoshide returns to UWCSEA Graduation 2016 Updates and Profiles

(c)JAXA/NASA Our alumni community

Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dutch Caribbean, Egypt, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, , Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Trinidad And Tobago, Turkey, Turks And Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe

Alumni services Every student who leaves UWCSEA, by both UWCSEA and our alumni. Watch The UWC Hub regardless of how long they were the alumni website for updates and Launched in September 2016, the UWC enrolled, automatically becomes a details, and let us advertise your events! Hub is a web platform and mobile member of our alumni community. Alumni and Parents of Alumni eBriefs app that brings together the UWC Some of the services we offer include: These are emailed to alumni and community around the world. One°North parents of alumni throughout the year, Old Interscols The alumni magazine is published containing news and information to Let us know if you would like a soft copy annually. Please send contributions and/ keep you updated and informed. of your Interscol(s). or suggestions to: alumnimagazine@ Mentor opportunities uwcsea.edu.sg. Visits, tours and other requests Volunteer to be listed in the mentor We are happy to help in any way we can. Alumni website and mobile app section of the alumni site if you are If you are in Singapore and would like to Our password-protected alumni website willing to be contacted by drop in for a visit or a tour, we would be and mobile app allow you to maintain your students or other alumni for information more than happy to show you around, own profile, search for and contact other or advice regarding your university or any time. Send your requests to us at registered members, stay informed about career, or visit the pages if you have [email protected] or just drop in! news and events and more. questions of your own. Reunions and get-togethers Career services Alumni website: A reunion of the 40, 30, 20 and 10 year Check this section of the site for career http://alumni.uwcsea.edu.sg

October 2016 anniversary classes is held each August opportunities or candidates, or post Alumni email: in Singapore. Additional class reunions your own job opening or resumé. You [email protected] and alumni gatherings are held in various can also set up alerts to be notified of OneºNorth

2 locations throughout the year, planned new postings. Please stay connected! Contents

Message from the Head ...... 4 The path to happiness in a forest monastery Pramoad Phornprapha ’85 ...... 18 Note from the Alumni Office and physical changes at Dover ...... 5 From Engineering Physics to Visual Artist My post National-Service experience Elaine Kuok ’95 ...... 20 Nitin Natrajan, Ethan Barnes and Vinay Mitta, ’13 travel to South America ...... 6 Recent alumni events Worldwide alumni get-togethers and Reunion 2016! ...... 22 An interview with Dr Kling Chong ’79 One of only three full-time Paediatric Neuroradiologists in the UK ...... 8 From UWCSEA to Entrepreneur in two years! John Nnamchi ’14 creates an Graduation 2016 interactive and intuitive degree- 500 students across both campuses graduated planning tool at McGill University ...... 24 in May with an impressive average IB score! ...... 10

Alumni giving Adapting Permaculture in Ubud Thanks for the support! ...... 26 Roku Fukui ’07 introduces a venture by Nathan Pflaum ’07 and Inochi Fukui ’10 ...... 12 The human cost of fossil fuels Savannah Carr-Wilson ’08 embarks on a book about the human impact These Circuses that Sweep Through the of fossil fuel extraction ...... 28 Landscape Tejaswini Apte-Rahm ’91 describes her creative writing journey ...... 14 In Memory of Kay Louise Everett ’91 A tribute to an amazing human rights lawyer and humanitarian ...... 30 Cover story JAXA Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide ’87 Upcoming reunions returns to UWCSEA Don’t miss out! ...... 31 and speaks to almost 3,000 students ...... 15

Year in review A sample of the huge variety of events and activities that take place at the College ...... 16

One°North is published by UWC South East Asia anually for alumni, staff and friends of UWCSEA. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without written October 2016 consent. Send your address change to [email protected] and/or update your profile on the UWCSEA alumni website or through the alumni app. We welcome your feedback; please send comments to [email protected]. Please send your articles and/or suggestions for articles, for the next issue, to [email protected]. OneºNorth 3

Cover photo: The ‘selfie’ taken by JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide ’87 Editor Brenda Whately outside the International Space Station. Design Nandita Gupta Photo credit: (c)JAXA/NASA MCI (P) 156/07/2016 Message from the Head

A few weeks ago I was sat in Harvard Back at the ranch we are this year University’s Graduate School of opening Ideas Hubs on East and Education as part of a UWCSEA team. Dover, sipping coffee in a seriously We were explaining to Harvard’s world cool Heritage Centre on Dover (East’s renowned Professor of Cognition and equivalent will be up and running Education, Howard Gardner, what we before the year is out) and basking for had been up to in terms of our work the moment at least in another set of on assessing just what impact a UWC tremendous IB results. (Conveniently— education has on students and the for me at least—the two campuses world into which we send them. The managed to secure virtually identical meeting was another step of a journey averages, and thus a line of furious we are on to move from anecdotal to parents is kept at bay for another year). research based evidence so that when I’m constantly told we are the biggest we are asked “What’s the big deal international school in the world (I’m about UWC?”, we can do more than sceptical as there always seems to be tell stories. something bigger in China if you look hard enough) but the great thing is it But sometimes stories are best. They just doesn’t feel like that. The UWC make real what research shows merely spirit seems to make the campuses, to be true. And so I wish I’d had this indeed the wider world, not small magazine when I was with Professor exactly, but connectable. It’s no village Gardner. Yes, in terms of our extensive school, but neither is UWCSEA a alumni diaspora it represents only a few leviathan: our intimacy is not borne of people, but I suspect it has measured small numbers but rather a prevailing the pulse of that larger demographic bias for ethical action in the furtherance very well. Rich, varied and riveting, of the mission. we have here tales of art, forest monasteries, asylum seekers and much Thank you for staying in touch. We more. The accounts are shot through appreciate it. Do check out those with passion, deep thinking, empathy funky campus cafes when next you and success. UWC alumni don’t have all are in Singapore. I recommend the the answers, but you’re asking essential mushroom quiche. questions. I am enjoying and learning from my meetings with you. I’m not a UWC graduate, so these encounters mean a great deal to me as I try to understand Chris Edwards your UWC experiences and extrapolate Head of College how those experiences have affected your own ethical dispositions in later years. If truth be told, though, most alumni prefer sharing the hairy rule breaking episodes that all of us look back on with greater clarity than any lessons or lectures. Current students listened in wide eyed disbelief as some alumni at our recent reunion shared October 2016 tales of derring-do that would most likely now lead to dire retribution. OneºNorth

4 Note from the Alumni Office

Welcome to the the foreseeable future. The alumni office The UWC Hub, an online networking October 2016 moved into the new High School Block in platform for alumni of all UWCs, was issue of the alumni November—we are now much easier to launched on UWC Day, 21 September magazine. find. We also have a two-story Heritage 2016. We hope you have, or will sign Centre on Dover where we can buy you up and take advantage of the news, Another academic a coffee and by January will have one on year has begun for the events, networking and mentoring East as well. nearly 3,000 students opportunities therein. at Dover and approximately 2,550 at East We’ve met quite a few alumni on We are looking forward to seeing many Campus, Graduation saw another 500 campus in the first week of classes, of you at upcoming alumni events this students across both campuses become settling their own children into the academic year. All the best. the newest members of the alumni school. We must do an article on Warm regards, community, and notably, the five-year second-generation alumni and alumni building plan at Dover is now complete! who are married or partnered with other Brenda Whately No more major construction, at least for alumni. Prepare for a survey! Director of Alumni Relations

Some physical changes at Dover …

1 The new High School Block opened in November 2015 on the footprint of the original Languages Block, Small Hall and Library. It houses the Library, Exams Hall, Black Box Theatre, Art Gallery, Conference Centre, University Advising and High School offices, English, Drama, Admissions and the Foundation and Alumni Relations offices. Please do drop by and have a look next time you are in Singapore.

2 1 The Dover Heritage Centre is an informal meeting place located at a focal meeting point between the Main Hall, the Tent Plaza and the High School Block. It features some old photos of the campus, some posters of former students and the original stone tables that used to sit along the side of the Main Hall. It’s open late and on weekends, making it a great place for our community to stop in for a coffee and snack!

3 The Tent Plaza received a nice new Tent this past summer that’s larger and higher than October 2016 the previous one and the Plaza floor now has a flattened surface, making the space much more usable. OneºNorth 5 2 3 My post-National Service experience

By Nitin Natrajan ’13 ever been to. This was also the best time for us to do it, as once we are all at university, who knows when we will be able to do The time-period between finishing school or National such a trip again. Service (NS) and starting university can be one of the biggest unknowns you will ever face. In my situation, I ended up with a With a limited knowledge of Spanish and Portuguese under gap of eight months between the completion of my National our belts, we set forth into the unknown with a jam-packed Service and the start of university. I had received an enlistment schedule ahead of us. date of December 2013 and although I then spent two years On this trip, we visited some truly beautiful places and we proudly working for the Singapore Police (SPF), the delay learnt that no matter how many photos you take, they will in enrollment and the two years of NS resulted in my university never do justice to the beauty that is out there. The trip took us entrance being delayed by a solid three years. When my time through all kinds of terrain. We had to be prepared for climates in the SPF was coming to an end I was faced with a dilemma— ranging from desert fun to a desolate nightmare in the form what am I going to do between December 2015 and the start of a glacier. With 20 kilos worth of clothes (and in my case, an of university in August 2016? The university I been admitted to extra seven kilos of camera equipment) we were ready. didn’t have a spring intake for freshman students. I had eight months of absolute nothingness and I had to make the most In Bolivia, we got to experience the charm that the people of of it. I decided to go crazy and chart out an adventure which the Andes had to offer. We did a wide array of activities ranging ended up changing my life for the better. from the salt flats at Salar De Uyuni to riding a bicycle down the most dangerous road in the world—the ‘Death Road.’ This voyage came in the form of a six-week South American Afterwards, we explored the world’s highest navigable lake, Adventure. I travelled with two fellow alums from UWCSEA Lake Titicaca, at the Bolivia-Peru border. In Peru, we got to Class of 2013 who had also just completed their National experience a wide range of natural landmarks and Incan ruins. Service. These two characters were Ethan Barnes and Vinay First, we celebrated Christmas in the town of Cusco where we Mitta. Ethan came up with the idea for this trip and when he not only took part in the local celebrations but we invented our pitched it to Vinay and I, we jumped aboard. We ended up own wintertime drink. The recipe is a closely guarded secret, planning a backpacking adventure that would take us through but message one of us to find out what’s in this delightful Bolivia, through the Andes into Peru and along the Pacific concoction! After Christmas, we started what I named ‘Andean Ocean to Ecuador. From there we would fly to Rio in Brazil and hell week’. This was due to what some might call our insane then home. The trip allowed the three of us to really broaden scheduling. We trekked for four days to Machu Picchu on the October 2016 our horizon as it was a part of the world that none of us had famous Inca trail. Not content with that effort, we decided to OneºNorth

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The beautiful prelude to the most dangerous road in the world, in Bolivia. Cycling fun in Bolivia.

take an overnight bus in order to climb a 5,800-metre volcano. After that, we headed to a beautiful oasis in the desert and then trundled up north on a 30-hour bus ride that would take us into Ecuador. In Ecuador, we experienced the adventure town of Banos, Cayambe (or as we called it, ‘Death Mountain’) and Quito, one of the world’s first UNESCO Heritage cities. Why did we call Cayambe, ‘Death Mountain’? All three of us fell violently sick there and it took us a full three days just to be able to walk again. Sadly, we explored only a bare minimum of the city of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. This was mostly due to time constraints, weather, and budget Our view on New Years Day after summiting 5,800 metres to the issues, and we owe it to ourselves to visit these wonderful top of a volcano in Peru. places again. Through the various pitfalls along the way that included a GoPro being stolen, we learnt some valuable lessons on this trip. We realised that there will always be places in the world that can stun you and that Ecuador was the biggest surprise of all, as we fell in love with all aspects of it. The main lesson from this trip however, is that you have to work as a team, especially when the times are hard. You have to swallow your pride during moments when you disagree and do what is right in order to ensure you have the most amazing trip ever. At the end of those six crazy weeks, everything worked out fine and we came back with a lifetime of stories and a huge desire to travel more. This past year I have been trying to make the October 2016 most of my time. My new mantra is, “Go crazy and say yes to opportunities that will change your life for the better.” OneºNorth 7

Salt flat shenanigans at Uyuni, Bolivia. An interview with Dr Kling Chong ’79 Paediatric Neuroradiologist and photographer

W.K. ‘Kling’ Chong ’79 by Brenda Whately Can you describe that impact? Dr Kling Chong is currently one Some time last year, on a flight to the These were really the formative years of of only three full-time Paediatric UK, fellow alumnus Robert Milton ’78 my life in terms of exploring the world, Neuroradiologists in the UK. happened to find himself sitting next to relationships and experiences away from Paediatric neuroradiology is the a man he thought he recognised. The home. I’m still in contact with several investigation of neurological diseases man was Kling Chong—they had been fellow boarders as life-long friends and of the brain and spine in children, boarders together in Senior House at remember very many more with fondness using diagnostic imaging. UWCSEA from 1976 to 1978! Robert as family. My fellow boarders were in mentioned Kling Chong to us as an essence my family for those years. Dr Chong attended the University example of someone who has lived of Sheffield UK where he received The teachers were all fantastic. the UWC values throughout his life a degree in Medicine in 1985 as Mr Wilkinson, a truly inspirational and career. well as a degree in Medical Physics. Physics teacher and Mr Kerr, Chemistry Specialising in Radiology and then Dr Chong kindly agreed to an interview: and Photography, both significantly Neuroradiology, he completed his shaped me for my career in Medicine Where are you from, originally? MD thesis, a higher research degree and then Radiology. Mr Engmann was a that is the medical equivalent of a I was born in a small town in Malaysia larger than life father figure throughout PhD, in 1993 on the application of and completed my primary schooling those years. So very many others Quantitative Neuro-MR techniques. there before joining UWCSEA as tried to round me off with a broader Since then he has worked at the Great a boarder. education. I remember them well for the Ormond Street Hospital for Children various lessons in life which I still carry How long did you board at UWCSEA? in London and has given lectures at with me; Mr Butler for Maths, Che’gu I was a boarder from 1972 through 1979; numerous National and International Parwati for Malay, Miss Archer for first in Lim House and then Sharp House courses and conferences. With a English, Mr Burgess for Sports. and Senior House. number of research papers to his The multinational, multicultural name, Dr Chong currently conducts Why did your parents wish to send understanding that came from the research in the application of you to UWCSEA? privilege of sharing learning and other magnetic resonance techniques to the For my older brother Wui Kheong, experiences with scholars from many investigation of brain development, my sister Su San and myself, it was continents, formed the world view as well as research into paediatric the opportunity to complete our that I have had ever since. We should stroke, epilepsy and central nervous education in an English medium school all thrive in the richness of diversity. In system tumours. whilst retaining most of the cultural many ways, these values have guided my aspects of living in South East Asia. personal and professional relationships, I don’t think any of us realised at that my continued travels and also paved the time how much greater an impact way for making London my home. It was October 2016 our experiences there would have on the reason why I chose to do my medical our lives. elective in Zambia, Africa. OneºNorth

8 Dr Chong has taken up in recent years, which he says gives him the Playful hawksbill turtle who came to check us out as strange invaders to her home, taken at Papua opportunity to blend his passions for travel, New Guinea. diving, photography and love of nature.

What was that like? It was in the early ’80s and a very good learning experience to see how to provide good medical care with limited resources. I witnessed many young people coming in to hospital and dying from unexpected illness. Years later, back in the UK, I realised that I had witnessed the first cases of African AIDS. Soon after starting basic training in Radiology, I undertook a higher research degree (the equivalent of a PhD) in MRI. I applied the MRI technique to investigate and understand AIDS and its effect on the brain in the UK population. I continue to apply what I learned then in my daily practice and teaching, so you could say Tiny blennie peeking out from its home in the , with huge eyes and long eyelashes, taken at the that much of what I do was inspired by , Thailand what I saw in Zambia. I also collaborate with research teams in Kenya and Vietnam and to analyse scans for them.

I understand that you are an avid photographer? Two of the UWCSEA friends that I have stayed in contact with over the years, Shahrin Merican and Zain Willoughby, share with me a common love for photography, which really developed whilst at UWCSEA. Zain shared my passion for Physics and IT. Shahrin, like me, continued into medical school and then subspecialised in Radiology. October 2016 Perhaps it has something to do with visual memory, but it is amazing to note what a large proportion of Radiologists OneºNorth 9 have photography as a hobby!

The local villagers at Papua New Guinea were also curious about us and a bunch of children came out to investigate in their dugout canoe, peering at us through the crystal clear waters. GRADUATION 2016

Raphael Bijaoui ’16, Dover graduation speaker

Outstanding IB Diploma results of Class of 2016

36.4 30.1 UWCSEA Worldwide

500Students Average points

For further details, please see the UWCSEA website, www.uwcsea.edu.sg

UWCSEA alumna Georgia Gray ’11, guest speaker at October 2016 the Dover graduation ceremony. A graduate of Oxford University and a competitive swimmer, Georgia is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health. Her message to OneºNorth

the Class of 2016 was, “Don’t live someone else’s life. Find

10 your dream and promise yourself that you’ll never let it go.” Blake Bullwinkel ’16, East graduation speaker

80.8% 5.1% 99% Worldwide 28.4% Worldwide UWCSEA (2015) UWCSEA (2015)

Pass rate Percentage receiving 40+ points out of 45 October 2016

Peter Dalglish, guest speaker at the East Campus

graduation ceremony. A graduate of Stanford University OneºNorth 11 and Dalhousie Law School with three honourary doctorates, Peter is the founder of Street Kids International and a leading authority on working children, street children, and war-affected children. Adapting Permaculture in Ubud

By Roku Fukui ’07 the development of agricultural Nathan Pflaum ’07 ecosystems intended to be sustainable Inochi Fukui ’10 and self-sufficient. When we think of entrepreneurs, we Nathan and Inochi started everything typically think of tech-savvy individuals from scratch. Putting together effective working in large metropolitan cities. business processes was as important to Nathan Pflaum and Inochi Fukui, them as the timing of the harvesting of however, are a new breed of innovators; ripe bananas. The farm, named Good they’ve established a permaculture farm Earth Farm Bali, also hosts volunteers in rural Bali. and runs education initiatives to empower others about permaculture Located in west Ubud, Nathan launched and sustainable ways of living. The this venture almost two years ago. After website maintains informative resources a stint in the corporate world, he soon and effective social media. The local realised he needed to be his own boss community is consciously involved and and create something more meaningful. incorporated whenever possible, which As a natural leader and manager (he was admittedly, is often disconnected from the captain of the UWCSEA rugby team) expats in Bali. he began to think seriously about how he could make material contributions The tropical Indonesian island of Bali, true to his values. He started by renting home to specific cultural practices a quarter acre plot of land in Bali, which found nowhere else, proves to be sat on an unused rice paddy. Inochi, who an interesting location to apply has always gravitated towards ecological permaculture practices. Nathan hopes ventures, responded to Nathan’s job the techniques they use are easily advertisement soliciting farming and transferred to a larger scale, as well agricultural experience. A year later, the as to their neighbours, without the small farm has goats, Balinese ducks, need for extensive training. He aims to local chickens, Balinese heritage black “bring back the diverse variety of crops pigs (a less common breed since being that used to be grown in the fields and replaced by a faster growing Australian backyards of the local Balinese.” In the pig), as well as an aquaculture system same way that Nathan learns from the with fish. They compost, save seeds locals, he hopes that his volunteers and cultivate a variety of fruits and share this same experience and are vegetables ranging from papayas to able to “take back some of what they ginger and chilies. The underlying have learned on the farm and apply it principle of the farm is permaculture; back home.”

Top to bottom: Inochi Fukui ’10; Nathan Pflaum ’07; Good Earth Farm, Bali. October 2016 OneºNorth

12 Nathan talks thoughtfully about the the neighbouring rice farmers and aspire corporatisation of the global food to see more biodiversity in Bali’s crops. industry and jokes about how he Nathan and Inochi also innovate. They should have paid more attention in experiment with environmentally his GCSE science classes at UWCSEA conscious designs and are constantly when learning about the relationship attempting to better their farming of planting in specific soil acidities. processes. Their latest undertakings No longer students, the two are often include a natural water filtration system, barefoot and shirtless, though they a seed bank and a farming cooperative dismiss any labels of being hippies. within Bali. This year they also started Hippies, they say, don’t sweat as much milking their goats and experimenting as they do. with teas. Inochi wanted geese, but The two men acknowledge the fact in their community, only priests are that UWCSEA provided them with a allowed to own geese. world-class education and their current Both Nathan and Inochi are learning paths in life are atypical. However, Indonesian. Nathan took Malay at IB, they maintain the critical thinking which is helpful, if he could remember it. learnt at UWCSEA and remind me that He is conscious of his surroundings and along with peace, working towards says the best part of his job, other than “a sustainable future” is a pillar of working in nature, is “immersing myself UWC’s mission. Their interpretation of in Balinese culture and tapping into the sustainability is very much literal. wealth of knowledge of the community Inochi says the farm differs from most and the endless experience of the permaculture initiatives because they older generation.” are intentional in making farming While many UWC alumni go into scalable and easily accessible. He successful careers in finance and believes “organic” food has become a Roku Fukui ’07 received a B.A. consulting, Nathan and Inochi are breaking modern fad and is mindful of avoiding in International Development ground (literally and metaphorically) with the trendy and fashionable side of from Vassar College and a M.A. their permaculture venture in Ubud. They current farming. Decisions are based in International Economics and are continuously improving their practices, on ethical and egalitarian forms of International Relations from Johns how they live, and how they relate to their consumption. He wants to incorporate Hopkins University School of community and world. more teaching into the farm and hopes Advanced International Studies to empower the local community to For more information about the Good (SAIS). He now works for the World take on more permaculture practices. Earth Farm Bali, visit the website at: Bank in Washington D.C. They distribute some of their harvest to http://www.goodearthfarmbali.com/ October 2016 OneºNorth 13 These Circuses that Sweep Through the Landscape

Tejaswini tells us about her creative By Tejaswini Apte-Rahm ’91 writing journey and her first book My favourite question in the world is “What If …?” It’s the big, magical question of fiction. fiction writers must ask themselves, and it leads to a thousand different stories. These When her collection of short Circuses That Sweep Through the Landscape is my first collection of short stories, to stories, These Circuses that Sweep be published in December 2016 by Aleph Book Company, India. Many of the stories Through the Landscape is launched are a bit dark and twisty, about different forms of violence, passion, and love. My at the end of 2016 this description characters are tussling with some kind of dilemma or facing a moment of truth, and will appear on the book’s cover: often they make choices with the dark part of their minds. A murderer stands behind his victim I am inspired by observing people and by reading widely and whimsically. Everything with a hammer, ready to strike— from literary fiction to a film magazine exposes you to wildly varying ways of seeing, the culmination of a mind-game living and writing. I think it’s important to read beyond your own genre of writing—for played out over decades. A woman example, if you’re writing short stories or a novel, you should also read screenplays is trapped in a mall for a year, and poetry. unable to find the exit. A servant I’ve found that inspiration is not enough for writing fiction. It needs to be harnessed girl experiences a cruel loss of to writing techniques and experience which can only be gained over time—and lots innocence when she eats something of writing. This often involves throwing away what you’ve laboured over, and starting never meant for her. Two couples again. This is essential for experimenting with creative decisions like, for example, are about to play a candlelight whether to write in the first person or third person, or finding the most convincing game to find a missing silver bottle- narrative voice or story arc. opener, but what are they really after? A schoolgirl in Mumbai feels It also helped that throughout my career I’ve been writing in one form or another, the ground slipping beneath her whether as a journalist or environmental researcher and writer, and that I had already feet, except when she watches Star written two non-fiction books. Trek. This remarkable collection of One of the best decisions I made was to join the Bangkok Women Writers Group stories is about lives that are never which met every fortnight. Each writer brought along three pages of writing to share. ordinary—because the people living Discussions were always respectful of each others’ writing, but the comments were them are never quite what they seem. honest, and my stories benefited hugely from being read by fresh eyes. It was also Funny, dark, richly layered and empowering to hear my writing being analysed by other serious writers, and showed emotionally complex, Tejaswini me that my stories could soon be sent out to publishers. Apte-Rahm’s debut collection of There is no doubt in my mind that a large part of my creative writing journey started fiction excavates human frailties in UWCSEA. In the classes of Mrs Farmer, Miss Moorhouse, then Mr Farmer and with a selection of sharp and Mr Millichamp—all memorable teachers of English language and literature—I learned blunt instruments. to think from different perspectives and write in diverse styles. There are classes For more information about that I still remember, even after more than two decades: creating and writing my Tejaswini and her writing, visit own fashion magazine; recreating the style of a famous short story to write my own www.tejaswiniapterahm.com nail-biting ending; doing a Freudian reading of Wuthering Heights and a post-colonial reading of Robinson Crusoe; writing our own original sonnets. I could go on with my list of the endlessly creative ways in which we approached the English language. Much October 2016 of my confidence in getting on with the job of writing fiction surely has its roots in the mental acrobatics performed so long ago in the English classes at UWCSEA. So deep down, I knew when I started writing my stories, that I was already in good hands! I’m OneºNorth

14 now writing a novel, and loving the process of working in a new genre. JAXA Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide ’87 returns to UWCSEA

JAXA astronaut, Akihiko Hoshide ’87, separately with a group of Higher Physics hung in the Japanese Kibo Lab at the ISS came back to UWCSEA in May 2016. students who had somewhat different and which now hangs in the Alumni Office Over a very full day, he spoke to almost questions. Aki also spoke the following day at UWCSEA. During a video-link through 3,000 students from K1 to Grade 12 on at East Campus to a packed auditorium of NASA between the ISS and Dover Campus Dover Campus answering questions about students and parents. in 2012, Aki gave the students and staff a tour of the ISS and discussed how his time his career and experiences in space. The Aki has made two trips to the at UWCSEA had influenced him and his youngest students enjoyed an informal International Space Station (ISS), career, noting that from space, “I see the session with Aki, as he answered their completing three space walks during his world; I don’t see borders.” questions “Can you eat in your space second mission. On his second mission suit?” and “Where do you land?” He met he took a UWCSEA bandanna which he

Cover photo: Aki’s ‘selfie’ taken outside the ISS in 2012. Above and below, Aki speaking to students at UWCSEA in May 2016. October 2016 OneºNorth 15 Year in review A sample of life on our campuses during the 2015/2016 academic year.

By Nicole Yaw ’14 Asian Arts and Culture Week Focus 2016: Cambodia An afternoon with the Orchestra In February, East Campus’ Asian Arts and Culture Week celebrated Cambodia’s This interactive performance introduced the instrument families rich history of traditional art forms. in the orchestra and guided the It aimed to deepen understanding audience to listen for the intended of the culture by providing multiple representations and meaning in perspectives on the arts of Cambodia. the music. The performance was Respect, empathy and connections followed by an animated question Senior sports round up were fostered through participation in and answer session. The 2015/2016 academic year marked activities such as workshops for students the 20th Anniversary of the South East with visiting artists. Asia Student Activities Conference (SEASAC) and a year of significant athletic achievement for both the Dover Phoenix and East Dragons teams. UWCSEA is a founding member of SEASAC, and each year senior teams from both campuses compete in regional SEASAC sport championship tournaments, SEASAC Model United Nations and Arts Festivals. Overall, it CultuRama was the most successful year in SEASAC The most valuable aspect of CultuRama to date for the East Dragons and in Davis scholarships open doors is the learning that students gain recent times for the Dover Phoenix. to better opportunities through their efforts to build a unifying In October 2015, American community event. Almost a third of reThinking Literacy Conference philanthropists Shelby and Gale Davis the High School at East Campus was The inaugural ‘reThinking Literacy paid a visit to UWCSEA, on their involved in one way or another, with Conference,’ held in April at Dover way to the official opening of UWC teachers, administrative and facilities Campus in partnership with 21st Changshu China. Shelby Davis took staff supporting, and parents providing Century Learning International, was an the opportunity to meet our Grade food to be shared. It has become opportunity to engage with what that 12 scholars on both campuses, to talk a tradition that brings us together evolution might or should look like. It about his Davis UWC Scholars Program while learning to appreciate each was a stimulating, enriching experience and why he believes so strongly in the other’s differences. for all who attended. mission and vision of UWC. RSIC 2015: A significant step towards a sustainable future During a week in October 2015, the College hosted nearly 1,000 student and adult delegates from 128 schools worldwide, for the Round Square International Conference, with a theme of ‘Act Today, Change Tomorrow’. Over five days, delegates discussed the complexity and challenge of sustainability in small group sessions

October 2016 led by UWCSEA students. Keynote speakers included UWCSEA alumni Tim Jarvis ’84, Patrick Rouxel ’84 and OneºNorth

16 Nidhi Kapur ’01. Artists-in-residence teach the art of sustainability Middle School students on East Campus had the opportunity to explore issues of sustainability through creative expression. Thanks to support from the UWCSEA Annual Fund, two artists- in-residence spent a week in the Art Department sharing their passion and flair for sustainable art forms.

SOS (students of singapore) campaign against haze Gauri Shukla, Grade 9 from Dover, says “I was inspired to look at the deeper causes of the haze, and my research made me realise that essentially, we as consumers are responsible for the haze, as our demand for products containing palm oil continues to grow. I have launched the SOS campaign to educate people about the causes of UN Night Dover Campus the haze, and help them find ways to Yes, all of the work is choreographed High School Art Exhibition reduce their usage of products from by the students; yes, the food is The theme for the 44th Annual Art unsustainable sources.” magnificent; yes, the rehearsals are Exhibition was ‘Transformation,’ A great day out at the Dover often carried out in the funniest of representing not only the transition of Campus Community Fair places; and yes, the final performances the annual show from the Main Hall to are an extraordinary explosion of the Art Gallery in the new Dover High The Community Fair, held on 30 student talent and enthusiasm. This School Block, but also the prescribed January at Dover Campus, involved annual event at Dover Campus is as theme for the Grade 10 art and parents, staff, students and alumni and fantastic as ever. photography mock exam. Many Grade raised just over $69,000 which will be 11 students worked with the theme and split between the Initiative for Peace Service lunch menu: hospitality, wore their artwork on their heads as and Global Concerns groups. respect and sustainability they served canapés to the hundreds of The East Campus service groups attendees at the opening night. hosted their annual Chinese New To read more UWCSEA news, see eDunia Year luncheon in February. Students

at www.uwcsea.edu.sg/edunia October 2016 welcomed 150 guests from local service partners representing some of the community relationships that

form the backbone of our Local Service OneºNorth 17 programme, involving student groups from all grade levels in authentic service interaction. THE PATH TO HAPPINESS IN A FOREST MONASTERY

By Brenda Whately seek excellence in life, one must strive to Pramoad Phornprapha ’85 do well at everything—do well at school, go to the best university, attend the best While chatting with Pramoad at an graduate school, get the best job, marry alumni get-together in Bangkok recently, well and, with wealth and fame, live I learned that there were two major happily ever after. I soon found out that experiences in his life that had a great life doesn’t work that way. impact on him. One was the seven years he lived at UWCSEA as a boarder from After leaving UWCSEA, I attended the age of 11 to 18 and the other was the Northwestern University where I three months during which he had lived completed a degree in Electrical as a monk in a forest monastery at the Engineering and worked for Proctor and age of 37. I was intrigued and I asked if I Gamble in their sales and marketing could call him the following week, to hear division for two years. I returned to why he had entered the monastery and Northwestern to complete a MBA at in what way the experience had impacted the Kellogg School of Management and his life since then. He kindly agreed. worked at Goldman Sachs during my summer breaks. I followed this up with a Here is his story: MPA (Master’s in Public Administration) “With the threat of communism in the from the Kennedy School of region during the ’70s, and a desire Government at Harvard University, got for me to have a good international a great job at BCG (Boston Consulting education, my Singaporean mother Group) and married. and Thai father made the decision to Nine years later, at the end of 2003 send me to school in Singapore. They during my partnership tenure at BCG, chose UWCSEA and I moved into the I entered an early mid-life crisis. I began boarding house in 1978 at the age of 11, to question what it is that really drives graduating seven years later. happiness. In the ’70s and ’80s, UWCSEA was I spoke to my wife and with her not a typical school. I was exposed to support, I left BCG and entered a forest students of many nationalities and their monastery in Northeastern Thailand. cultural differences made a profound For three months I lived alone in a impact on me. In those vital years forest hut with no electricity and no between 11 and 18, UWCSEA taught communication with anyone outside. me to be independent and to have My days began at 2.30am for morning empathy for others. It provided me with meditation and chanting before a opportunities and flexibility and yet, a 5.30am alms round in the nearest regimen and discipline that didn’t allow village, 2.5 kilometres away to which me to go too far astray. we walked barefoot to ask for food. At the same time, having grown up in a Breakfast was the one and only meal of Chinese family I had been taught that to the day. October 2016 OneºNorth

18 THE PATH TO HAPPINESS IN A FOREST MONASTERY

There was no teaching at the If you are depressed, you are living in monastery—we were left alone to the past. meditate in whatever way worked best If you are anxious, you are living in for us; walking, sitting, doing chores. The idea was to become more mindful of the future. physical and emotional movements—for If you are at peace, you are living in instance, while moving your hand, be the present. mindful that you are moving your hand. When you do it often enough, you are Another insightful moment came while mindful of your emotions as they arise. we, as forest monks, were performing a live cremation ritual for a recently The insights and learning I had obtained deceased woman from a nearby during the three-month experience were primarily from doing chores while village. Seeing a body being burned is being mindful. One great learning not a pretty sight. As such, I used the was from sweeping leaves from a opportunity to meditate on death by grass lawn. Being a perfectionist and a contemplating what it would mean goal-setter, my goal was to sweep the to me if the body being cremated was lawn completely clean of dry leaves. someone I loved. I had always taken I was 80% through when a breeze for granted that people around me came and blew the leaves back all (including myself) will die old, but it is over the lawn. I was instantly annoyed simply not true. Anyone could die at any and then the most amazing thing time. I realised that it is important to happened—I was also instantly mindful make every second count so that there that I was having an “ill-thought” and are no regrets and no emotional debts suddenly realised that I had led my life the “wrong way”. My happiness was left to be cleared. so dependent on achieving the goals I Those three months changed my life had set but in reality, there are multiple fundamentally and what I learned factors that influence the outcome has stuck with me ever since. The of the goal—factors that are beyond biggest impact has been mindfulness my control. As such, I will forever be and learning to “let-go”. When things unhappy if my happiness is dependent happen that would upset me, I find it on achieving the goals I had set, as I cannot possibly control everything. easier to let it go, free my mind and find The incident completely changed my inner peace. I am now driven by what mindset. I still set goals but worry less truly gives me happiness—the quality of about the outcome. I simply live in the my relationships with my loved ones.” present, do my best and simply “let I thank Pramoad for sharing his inspiring go” of the outcome. There is a quote life journey. by Lao-Tzu that I love, reflecting this learning experience: October 2016 OneºNorth 19 20 OneºNorth October 2016 From Engineering Physics to Visual Artist

By Brenda Whately the kind of multicultural environment community there in Santa Fe convinced Elaine Kuok ’95 she had had at UWCSEA, and me that this was my path.” increasingly interested in international Elaine has since settled into New York Elaine Kuok is a full-time visual artist affairs, she decided to pursue her and continues to pursue her career in with a degree in Engineering Physics Master’s degree in International art. She says, “New York City is electric. from Cornell University and a Master’s Economics at SOAS and then work for Stimulus comes in so many forms, you in International Economics from SOAS, the UN. With her Master’s degree in see so many different things and meet University of London. hand, she was recruited into UNESCO’s so many different people. My goal is Young Professionals Programme where While in Middle School at UWCSEA, to express that energy through my she worked on science ethics. She says, Elaine studied art, but didn’t pursue it as paintings and sculptures.” Primarily a “While I found the job not particularly a subject in Grade 9, 10 or the IB years figurative painter, more recently Elaine riveting, the diversity of cultures in the of Grade 11 and 12, because her parents has expanded into abstraction. She workplace was endlessly fascinating.” wanted her to direct herself towards has also developed a strong affinity for Working at the UNESCO Headquarters subjects that they felt would lead to clay sculpture and spends at least four also meant that Elaine was located in ‘more useful’ university degrees. She hours a day, five days a week, sculpting, Paris where she was able to spend a credits art teacher Mr Teo Eng Seng with devoting herself as much to sculpture as lot of time sketching at the museums, fostering her love of art in those early to painting. immersing herself in world-class years and beyond. She says, “He would art throughout Europe, and gaining Reflecting on her time at UWCSEA, let me paint in the classroom outside of proficiency in French. Elaine says, “I’m glad my parents chose art class hours. He critiqued my work UWCSEA, because it exposed me and encouraged me to continue doing Over the next several years, Elaine to so many different cultures and to and her husband lived on five different art even after he was no longer officially get-up-and-go people with a sense of continents, following their evolving my teacher. He still does even now, global civic-mindedness that I hadn’t careers. Like Elaine, her husband has also through social media!” encountered elsewhere.” And when changed his career path more than once; asked what advice she would offer to When she applied to Cornell, which in his case from academic physicist to students and alumni interested in art as she describes on arrival as, “a shock diplomat, to writer and documentary- a career, she says, “Art is certainly not to the system coming from tropical film maker. Elaine says she was very a smooth ride. I put in long hours every Singapore to the merciless winters of happy moving around because her love day and the pay is uneven. And when I’m upstate New York,” she had intended of languages almost equals her love of not painting or sculpting, I’ve always got to enter the architecture programme. art, and she enjoyed trying to learn the my present and future projects at the The application however required an local language of all the locations they back of my mind. That’s all right with art portfolio which she didn’t have. She lived in. says, “I cast around for something else me because I view art-making not as that, in my imaginings anyway, might In 2006 Elaine and her husband moved work, but as a necessary part of myself. to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was here have a visual element. It came down My advice is only pursue art if you can’t that she finally took the plunge and to materials science or engineering imagine not doing it, and if you do go went into art full-time. She says, “Santa physics and I ended up choosing the the art route, then put everything you Fe had a thriving art community and latter. While physics was interesting, the have into it because it is incredibly it was easy to get plugged in. The area October 2016 classes I most enjoyed were my art and rewarding in and of itself.” had such a distinctive landscape and language electives.” For more information about Elaine an energy that seeps into your bones, Kuok’s art, visit her website at While at Cornell, Elaine met her now making you feel like you have to respond OneºNorth 21 elainekuok.com husband. After graduation they moved to it somehow. My years there were a to Capetown, South Africa and then to really special time. The encouragement Oxford and London in the UK. Craving from my husband and the art RECENT ALUMNI EVENTS

Boston, 17 September Hong Kong, 7 November Autumn in North America was a great time for a group of alumni in Boston to This was a casual gathering of alumni, hosted by UWCSEA’s Head of get together and make some UWCSEA connections. Admissions, Jonathan Carter and Head of Boarding, Gabriel Abad.

University Alumni Week, Singapore, 22 December 5–11 January Held at the American Club for Again this year, the bi-annual event alumni of all class years, more than took place with young alumni 260 alumni and guests gathered of both campuses returning to to enjoy this festive time of UWCSEA to share their university year together. experiences and advice with current students.

Alumni Careers Week at Dover (1–5 February) London, 11 March and East Campus (15–19 February) More than 150 alumni, former staff and guests gathered in Thanks to 17 alumni taking part, central London for the annual offering more than 20 talks to alumni get together. The group students either in person or via included members from the class Skype and from as far and wide of ’75 through to the class of 2015, as the UK, Turkey, the USA and with some travelling from as far Myanmar, this year’s Career Week as Bermuda and Switzerland to was a great success. The event was catch up. organised by the Student Alumni Council of Grade 10 and 11 students.

Shanghai, 9 April Amsterdam, 12 March An intimate dinner was the perfect This year we resumed our “almost setting for reconnecting in Shanghai. annual” event in the Dutch capital, The event was generously hosted by for a fun night of canapés and drinks alumna Deborah Widjaja ’02, in the for just over 30 alumni. Westin Bund Center Hotel.

Hong Kong, 14 April Singapore 7s, 16–17 April Although the Hong Kong event was Six UWCSEA alumni representing open to alumni of all class years, six year groups hooked up to watch it was the young alumni from the the rugby 7s together and reminisce classes of ’06 through to 2013 who about their time at UWCSEA. They came out and enjoyed some drinks, were kind enough to send us this snacks and great conversations. great photo!

Jakarta, 12 May Kindly sponsored once again by Time Bangkok, 9 June International, with drinks, snacks and A cozy and casual gathering was held a live band, more than 30 alumni in Bangkok in early June, with plenty enjoyed an evening together at Artoz of great conversation. in Jakarta.

St. John’s, 3 June For the second time, we held a lunch for more than 50 alumni of St. John’s University Alumni week, June 2016 October 2016 School from the 1960s and early ’70s on Dover Campus (which had housed The second University Alumni Week of the year, organised by the University St John’s School until 1971). Two years ago the group donated funds to plant Advisors attracted more than 60 young alumni to host a table at Dover and a tree in their name and this year they generously supported a solar panel over 20 at East, to offer advice and information about their university. OneºNorth on campus. 22 REUNION 2016

By Natasha Hornell-Scott ’15 Reunion 2016 saw over 350 alumni, guests and staff crowd the Conrad Hotel ballroom on Friday 26th August for a night that was filled with laughter, nostalgia and shouts of excitement. Saturday saw most return to Dover Campus for tours, barbecue lunch, and for a few intrepid alumni, a game of football in the intense heat with and against a group of staff. From all reports, for the returning classes, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996 and 2006, it was a memorable weekend. From lion dance to Korean drummers, football to Asian buffet and Western barbecue, we hope everyone had a great time reconnecting with the College and with each other. October 2016 OneºNorth 23 FROM UWCSEA TO ENTREPRENEUR IN TWO YEARS!

By Brenda Whately because McGill has a recognised Life IB I was constantly in an environment John Nnamchi ’14 Sciences programme that would prepare where I could apply myself. Working him for his goal of studying Medicine as closely with Barry Daniels, my Extended John Nnamchi was born in Singapore a post-graduate. Essay Supervisor, I was encouraged to and attended the French school until John credits the environment at produce ever higher quality writing. In transferring to UWCSEA’s Dover UWCSEA in which students are Grades 9 and 10, I was barely getting a Campus in 2010 as a Grade 9 student, to encouraged to strive to ‘do great things 5 in my science classes, but by the end prepare to pursue the IB diploma. and be impactful’, as being the driver for of the IB, I was constantly hitting the

October 2016 When John graduated, he headed to his desire to create an impact when he high ’90s in Biology and Chemistry. McGill University, a choice he says was got to university. He credits it also for Thanks to Barry I put in extra work a simple one to make as he is Canadian, developing in him strong values toward for my Extended essay in Biology and OneºNorth

24 has extended family in Montreal and a good work ethic. He says, “During actually earned full marks. As a result, I finally understood the importance of subsequently invited to attend McGill’s as well. The recruitment potential is applying oneself, and how the ability to Campus Connect events. There, our powerful—I saw this first hand when I assess your hard work and know that exposure increased exponentially as came to the UWCSEA alumni university you have produced good work, is a very we interacted with several hundred session where I was able to convince valuable tool.” interested and eager prospective a Grade 11 UWCSEA student to apply students and parents. From Campus to McGill after I used the programme The combination of his desire to make Connect, we generated an interest list to go through his degree requirements an impact, combined with his pledge to of over 100 prospective students asking with him. Overall, including prospective put in maximum effort is what led him to use S!MVO once we have launched students, we would estimate a user base to the project that he took on at McGill officially. In addition, McGill recruitment of around 20,000 McGill undergraduates in his first year there. He describes the representatives will now be showcasing and another 1,000 to 10,000 prospective project thus: “The process of choosing S!MVO for prospective students to use student users by the time we are fully university classes based on your major during recruitment conferences all over integrated—for McGill alone.” is a confusing, time consuming one. the globe. For many students, by the end of their John and his programmer partner now degree they may not have satisfied their We used all of the above as leverage and have six other students and a paid intern credit requirements. Although I am not evidence for the potential success of working for them. He hopes to continue a software designer, I decided to create, S!MVO when we were asked to present to develop this tool as a business and with the help of a student programmer, to the Enrolment and Student Affairs expand it to other universities while an interactive and intuitive degree Committee—these were the deans, pursuing his interest in Medicine as well. planning tool we call S!MVO, that helps principals and leaders of each faculty at John continues to play soccer, ran students design and plan their academic McGill. This was well received and we for and was elected VP Events in curriculum (i.e., the courses required for subsequently earned initial funding (over McGill’s First Year Council, and remains their major) from their first freshman $10,000) from the Office of the Deputy connected to UWCSEA. Back in year through to graduation. Provost, to complete our operations Singapore to see his parents in June, he during this past summer. We now have an We began first by collecting promising volunteered at the alumni university agreement established that as long as we and valuable market research, and sessions, as he mentioned above, successfully satisfy all our programming an overwhelmingly positive student providing information and advice to requirements and demands, a licensing response and advisor support for current students about his university agreement will follow. S!MVO. This was followed by our team and programme of study. He has also successfully collaborating with the Once each faculty is satisfied with remained in contact with a Singaporean Department of Electrical Engineering to the software, we will be introducing boy that he tutored and befriended in run a beta test involving real users and S!MVO for all undergraduate students the Beyond Social Services programme advisors. The success of this beta test to use to not only plan their degree, at UWCSEA. He appears to have taken (students could plan their entire degree but to contact and facilitate academic more than just the entrepreneurial spirit in 5% of the time it would normally sessions with their academic advisors with him from his time at UWCSEA. take, and advising sessions took half the time) led to more meetings with numerous faculties to fully discuss the aspects of the software and, we were subsequently awarded a prize for Entrepreneurship in Engineering partly because of these efforts. “We were subsequently

awarded a prize for October 2016 Entrepreneurship in Engineering” OneºNorth 25 During our meetings with Enrolment services, potential applications to recruitment surfaced and we were Installing Phase 2 of the Solar for Dover project, Raghav Shukla ’15 ALUMNI GIVING

Gifts from our alumni community are making a significant received a Shelby Davis Scholarship to Wellesley College. difference to life at the College. Alumni inspired Gap year Class of ’86 Last year alumni donated over S$480,718 to UWCSEA. Those gifts have been hard at work. From supporting the creation of In honour of a fellow classmate, Michael McErlain, who was the innovative IDEAS Hub, to funding additional scholarship passionate about service the Class of 1986 came together opportunities, enriching the scholar experience and supporting to set up the Michael McErlain Service Scholarship Fund. environmental and teaching and learning programmes. Specifically supporting scholars to take part in service projects during the summer holidays or a gap year, the classmates have Endowment giving is transforming the lives of promising been able to provide an immediate opportunity for students to students give back to society. The Lizanne ’83 and Robert A. Milton ’78 Endowed Scholarship Fund was the first endowed scholarship opportunity for Alumnus sees his vision of a more sustainable future in action UWCSEA. Now into its sixth year, three promising young Inspired by his Grade 5 project, Raghav Shukla ’15 had a dream individuals have benefitted from the transformational gift of a to make UWCSEA more sustainable by installing 900 solar UWCSEA scholarship. panels across the Dover Campus. In 2014 he joined with Lizanne and Robert’s current scholar, Sivhuo ’17, from the UWCSEA Foundation to raise support from the College Cambodia has just entered Grade 12: “Being a part of the community, and over 500 solar panels have now been adopted. diverse UWCSEA community, I know my time here will be a great Raghav ’15 is currently a student at New York University (NYU) journey that will lead me to a brilliant future. At UWCSEA, we are Stern School of Business, USA. taught to put our values into action through service and that’s something very meaningful to me.” Understanding the long term impacts of a UWC education

October 2016 Previous recipients of the Lizanne and Robert A. Milton UWCSEA The UWC Impact Study is a specially commissioned research Endowed Scholarship Fund, Chi ’13 and Ahn ’15 are currently project with the Harvard Graduate School of Education to gain a clearer understanding of the impact of the UWC mission on OneºNorth studying in universities in the US. Chi was awarded the Lizanne

26 and Robert Milton Scholarship at Georgia Tech, while Ahn students and on society. S$480,718 Total gifts from alumni 2015/2016 13% of 2015/2016 donors INNOVATIVE IDEAS HUB are alumni OPENS AT UWCSEA DOVER

Tinkering, making, creating and innovating are just some of the things you will be able to do in the pioneering new IDEAS Hub at Dover. 33% Funded through gifts to the UWCSEA Foundation, this world class facility will run an international speaker series, of Reunion 2016 attendees inspiring workshops and courses on key 21st century skills participated in Reunion Class Giving such as robotics, app building, digital communication and upcycling.

The community area Complete with custom built benches to provide a viewing area, this non-intrusive performance and speaker space features presentation screens and speakers fitted in the ceiling.

Fabrication zone Initial findings from the study, which is funded by a generous There are two areas for making and tinkering. One is alumni donor, have demonstrated that the majority of alumni designated for large scale work using drills and electronic believe that their UWC ethical values are evident in their daily cutters, the other is for light work such as textiles, soldering lives and that they are making meaningful contributions either and 3D Printing. through their career or everyday interactions. Coding and robotics area Work to complete this study is ongoing. We look forward to Here students will be able to use computers with built in keeping you posted on the findings moving forward. coding technology and other specialist programmes, as well as recondition and recycle old computers. Class of ’91 scholarship initiative in memory of former classmate Green room The Class of ’91 is embarking on the raising of funds to support Two high specification green rooms provide ideal space for a scholarship for a student of refugee or stateless status to creating videos and animations. They will also be equipped attend a UWC. This initiative is in memory of former classmate with Padcaster technology which will enable users to easily Kay Everett who passed away in August 2016. See Kay’s create, edit and share high quality recordings. memorial tribute on page 30. Get involved Four lives changed by the Class of ’78 There are lots of ways for our alumni community to be The Class of 1978 Scholarship has raised over S$180,000 and involved; from using the facilities and the space, delivering supported four UWCSEA scholars since it was established workshops, mentoring students, creating corporate October 2016 in 2010. partnerships and funding. To find out more contact Colin The current Class of ’78 scholar Carmen, from Honduras, is Peter, IDEAS Hub Manager at [email protected] now entering her final year at the College. Gifts from alumni IDEAS Hub has been kindly supported by many OneºNorth 27 have made it possible for students of promise and potential to members of the UWCSEA community including the receive a world-class education. following alumni: Reza Safavi and Imelda Sasmito Safavi ’90, and Mayank Singhal ’92. The human cost of fossil fuels

By Anne-Marie Parnell about our respective countries’ most sits on top of fire. The fire comes Savannah Carr-Wilson ’08 pressing environmental issues and we from coal seams, which have been realised we were both passionate about burning for the last 100 years due to Alumna, Savannah Carr-Wilson, says energy issues in our home countries unscientific coal mining and government her two years as a Scholar at UWCSEA and the impacts fossil fuel extraction mismanagement. While there are fires gave her the chance to make friends is having. in the town itself, the people worst across the world and have mind-opening affected live on or near the coalfields We developed a book proposal by discussions about the political, social, surrounding the city in small villages writing out detailed chapter ideas, used and environmental issues faced in their called basti. While the coal fires used home countries. She says “It gave me it to find a Canadian publisher who to be outside of their homes, recently the intercultural fluency, curiosity and is now very interested in publishing fires have sprouted inside the walls of confidence to embark upon a book our book, found partial grant funding their houses. People in the basti live in telling the stories of people in two very and ran a successful kickstarter crowd incredible heat and amidst toxic smoke different parts of the world whose lives funding campaign.” from the fires. There is little clean are dependent on fossil fuel extraction.” drinking water and people have to walk What case studies are you very far to take a shower from the river Still a work in progress and, fresh from a concentrating on? research visit to Jharia in India with her or wash clothes. Recently, something “We chose the coal-mining belt in co-author, Savannah took time out to very troubling has begun to happen. Jharia, India and the oil sands in Alberta, talk to us and explain what it’s like to While there was always land subsidence live under the fossil fuel curse. Canada as case studies because, within in the area, it has now begun to affect our respective countries, these areas peoples’ homes. We spoke to one man “The idea to write a book started are the most impacted by fossil fuel who told us that fifteen days earlier, several months ago, at the start of extraction and both face an uncertain the floor of part of his house collapsed my Erasmus Mundus Masters course future because of increasing global and he was trapped in the rubble until in Environmental Sciences, Policy and to limit it. In the book we other villagers heard him and came to Management in Budapest, Hungary. want to explore what will happen his rescue.” The world was on the cusp of the Paris to people and communities living in COP21 climate talks, and fossil fuel these areas if a transition to renewable How willing were local people to tell extraction and its destructive impacts energy comes.” you their story and the impact that were a global topic of conversation. fossil fuel extraction is having on October 2016 I had just co-authored a report on water You have already visited Jharia in their lives? policy and was showing it to my Indian India, what did you find there? “They were very vocal about the impact OneºNorth classmate Sandeep. We got talking “The town of Jharia in eastern India that coal extraction and coal fires are 28 From Left to Right: Coal fires in a local basti; Coal cycle wallahs carry their load of scavenged coal; Savannah feeling the heat of the ground in Jharia having on their lives. Many people took we were developing our research plan, Savannah graduated from UWCSEA in us to their homes and showed us the we were surprised and shocked when 2008, received a B.A in International fire inside. massive wildfires broke out in the Fort Politics and History from Jacobs McMurray area. We hope to explore University Bremen, Germany, and a law They face a terrible dilemma—die degree from the University of Victoria, slowly in Jharia from the health issues how this tragic event will impact the oil Canada specialising in Environmental associated with the toxic environment, sands industry in the future.” Law and Sustainability. She is currently or die quickly of hunger away from What do you hope to achieve by completing an Erasmus Mundus Jharia where they could no longer make writing your book? Master’s degree in Environmental a living by helping load and unload coal “We want to bring global attention Sciences, Policy and Management, or scavenge coal to sell in the cities.” to both situations, and also bring having so far studied at Central You are now looking ahead to visiting policy makers’ and the general public’s European University in Budapest, the oil sands in Alberta in Canada, attention to this new issue that few have Hungary, the University of the Aegean what do you expect to find there? considered: What will happen to current in Lesvos, Greece and Lund University “Extraction has devastated the communities dependant on fossil fuel in Sweden. landscape and wildfires are impacting oil extraction if these countries make a You can follow the progress of sands extraction. In particular, we will transition to renewable energy? Before Savannah’s book and her new-found be visiting Fort McMurray, a city that is a transition comes, policymakers must stories of hope on her Facebook page: the main hub of oil sands extraction. We think about the old as well as the new. www.facebook.com/Upcoming- want to explore the following questions: Our book is the wake-up call and will be Book-The-Fossil-Fuel-Curse- what will happen to people and one of the first to highlight this issue. 1602533246729692/?ref=bookmarks communities in this area if a transition Writing this book will also involve a to renewable energy comes? What will great deal of personal learning for happen to their livelihoods? How will myself and my co-author and allow us they acquire new skills and jobs? Can to learn more about our main interest governments help, and how exactly? area—energy and its environmental October 2016 What will the human cost be and what impacts—in our home countries, do people living on the front lines of a through on-the-ground experiences. We looming global energy transition think see it as the most enriching, interesting, about it? OneºNorth 29 and meaningful way we could spend our In May, a large natural disaster added summer and any free time during our a new dimension to our research. As Master’s programme.” Kay with her partner Anand and her niece Freya.

IN MEMORY OF KAY LOUISE EVERETT ’91 25 November 1972 – 7 August 2016

by Maliha Hassan ’91 and Mai Luen Wong ’91 2015 she spoke at the European Law Academy Conference on human rights and asylum in Strasbourg, on detention and Kay was ever ready to expand her travel horizons and Article 5. She also gave powerful evidence on detention to the jumped at the opportunity to attend UWCSEA to do the IB UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Migration. while her parents lived in Indonesia. The UWC ethos appealed to Kay and she was a forever fan. Of course, there is also Kay keenly felt the injustice of any immigration detention and the possibility that she just loved the heat and Asian food was tenacious in the cause of liberty. She was a ray of light for too much! her clients; she was on their side, listening to and eloquently speaking for them. The case was never her case—it was She was a gifted lawyer and in 2003 decided to use her always the client’s case. considerable talents to fight for human rights. Kay left the city and studied for a Masters in International Human Rights Law. This will come as no surprise to her beloved Class of ’91. In 2008 Kay joined Wilson Solicitors LLP and specialised in She had a prodigious ability to first find the positive in any immigration and asylum cases becoming a formidable human situation, person or relationship and then nurture it. rights campaigner. She was appointed a partner in 2012 and There is a Kay-shaped hole in our hearts … and in the world. was pivotal in establishing Wilson’s public law department. Of course, we would much rather have this hole than to have Kay was also co-convenor for the Immigration Law never been blessed with knowing this special person. Kay, Practitioners’ Association’s (ILPA) Detention Sub-committee may you rest in peace knowing that the world is a better place

October 2016 and a member of the Law Society’s International Human because you were a part of it—till we meet again. Rights Committee for a number of years. In 2012 Kay was The Class of ’91 is working on an initiative to support a UWC

OneºNorth recommended by Chambers & Partners as being “a champion refugee scholarship in Kay’s memory. For more information,

30 in dealing with extremely vulnerable individuals”. In June write to [email protected] UWC Congress Trieste Oct 2016

Singapore December 2016

London 2017

Upcoming reunions Amsterdam 2017

Reunion 2017! Tenth annual milestone anniversary reunion. Celebrating the 40, 35, 30, 25, 20 and 10 year anniversary classes. Kuala Lumpur 2017 August 2017 The Classes of 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997 and 2007 are invited to celebrate in Singapore in August 2017. All six classes will be hosted at a Friday evening cocktail reception and buffet dinner party to kick off the weekend. On Saturday afternoon, a barbecue Perth 2017 lunch is organised at the Dover Campus of UWCSEA. Revisit your memories and take a tour guided by current Grade 10, 11 and 12 students, all members of our Student Alumni Council. Saturday night and Sunday are left open for you to plan your own class year group activities. Join us for a weekend of fun, fond memories and reconnection with old friends and new. Sydney 2017

Registration for all events is via the UWCSEA alumni website: http://alumni.uwcsea.edu.sg/events Check the website for more details, to view the regularly updated attendee lists and/or to register for an event. You may also contact the alumni office at Melbourne 2017 [email protected] for information and registration. We hope to see you at an upcoming event soon! October 2016 Singapore 2017 If you are not registered on the UWCSEA alumni website with an up-to-date email address and location, please send us that OneºNorth 31 information by email to [email protected] so that we can keep you informed about alumni get-togethers in your location. Don’t miss out! Stay connected Websites and email www.uwcsea.edu.sg http://alumni.uwcsea.edu.sg [email protected] Social media and app ‘official’ UWCSEA alumni page: UWCSEA Alumni various location- specific groups: UWCSEA [location] Regional Alumni Group

LinkedIn group: UWCSEA Alumni Community

Twitter: @UWCSEA_Alumni

Alumni mobile app: Download EverTrue app and select UWCSEA

UWCSEA Dover 1207 Dover Road Singapore 139654

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