10/06/2026
What does it take for AI to understand internet culture?
On TikTok LIVE, communities form in real time around shared humour, inside jokes and trends that shift fast. Behind these experiences are AI systems working to better understand how people connect online.
For Data Science and Analytics alumnus Lee Pak Shuang, this is part of his work as a data scientist at TikTok.
One project he worked on involved Community Gifts, where AI was used to identify meaningful signals within livestream communities and explore how these insights could shape more relevant and personalised virtual gift concepts.
“Often, the challenge is figuring out if a new AI approach is even viable in a real product setting,” he shares.
His work sits at the intersection of AI, data and product thinking, where understanding people matters just as much as building models. It is also a reflection of how interdisciplinary learning can prepare graduates to navigate ambiguity, solve practical problems and apply AI thoughtfully in real-world products.
Read more: https://chs.nus.edu.sg/2026/06/09/ai-at-the-heart-of-tiktok/
07/05/2026
For Life Sciences alumnus Aristia Ho, a childhood spent in her grandmother’s garden sparked a love for plants which eventually led to her career at Gardens by the Bay.
At work, Aristia supports the planning, ex*****on and upkeep of floral display shows. Her educational training continues to shape how she works – by applying plant biology and scientific thinking to select plants for displays, spotting early signs of stress and understanding the nuanced needs of different species.
At the same time, her interdisciplinary education from the College of Humanities and Sciences enables her to go beyond the science.
“I marry horticultural excellence with quality visitor experiences,” she says.
Check out Aristia’s journey from garden to career: https://chs.nus.edu.sg/2026/05/07/when-passion-takes-root/
NUS Biological Sciences
04/05/2026
100 internship applications, no offers. So Data Science and Analytics student Bernardino Lintang looked beyond Singapore, to Indonesia and India.
In Indonesia, he worked on fraud detection in a bank, where real-world data quickly showed that what worked in class didn’t always hold up in practice. In India, the shift was less about scale and more about ambiguity. With fewer instructions and more open-ended problems, the work became about deciding what to build, not just how to build it.
Across these experiences, the biggest takeaways went beyond technical skills. For Bernardino, it was about learning adaptability to keep moving, even when things weren’t clearly defined.
“These overseas experiences expanded my cultural awareness and helped me understand how economic development, public policy, religion and community life shape society,” he says.
See how he worked through the challenges: https://chs.nus.edu.sg/2026/05/04/from-jakarta-to-chennai/
Department of Statistics and Data Science, NUS
27/04/2026
A chemistry graduate in a global risk advisory firm might seem unexpected, but it is the precise definition of what it means to be employable today - less about what you study, and more about how you think, connect and grow.
For Marie Ang, it’s about how she adds value to her team, not just what she studied. “I discovered that I enjoy working at the intersection of science, business and technology,” she says. At work, she applies her critical thinking skills to real-world risk challenges, supporting client work across the region.
From the employer’s perspective, Helen Clark, Aon’s Chief Broking Officer, Credit Solutions, Asia, arrives at a similar conclusion. Technical skills can be taught, she says. “What matters more is curiosity, adaptability and the ability to engage with others and build trust.”
Different vantage points, same takeaway: in today’s job market, it’s not just what you know, but how quickly you can learn, connect and turn knowledge into impact.
Find out more at: https://chs.nus.edu.sg/2026/04/27/the-future-of-employability-why-thinking-trumps-training/
27/04/2026