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Singapore Summer Internship
  • Miguel Young

Singapore Summer Internship

A 79-day adventure by Miguel Read more
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  • Miguel YoungSingapore Summer InternshipMiguel Young

    Shopping Centres on Orchard Road

    June 7, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Today marked what most likely the end of my daily explorations as one of my supervisor's graduate students has contacted me and I'm going to start fabricating quantum LEDs tomorrow morning. As it was raining on and off I decided to visit Orchard Road, famous for its massive shopping centres. Until now I hadn't truly understood what people meant when describing Singapore as a giant mall. Although I didn't purchase anything, I had some of the best food yet in one of their food courts. I ate Xiang Ban Mian (soup) as well as a cold spicy noddle side dish and dumplings which were hand-rolled in front of me. A bit more pricey than the food in the hawker centres where I usually eat, this set meal was absolutely delicious and well worth the few extra dollars!

    After lunch the weather cleared up so I went a bit north to the Goodwood Hill area, where many diplomats and other government officials live. Although I was allowed to stroll in the neighbourhood, the guard said taking pictures of the houses (beautiful as they were) was strictly prohibited. I still took one, but only of a leaf (I know, living on the edge, right?). The rest of my afternoon was spent going through some more malls until I couldn't take it anymore and went home. So tomorrow will hopefully be the beginning of a great research internship, I'll make sure to keep you all posted!    Read more

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    Internship Day 1: the real work begins

    June 8, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    This will likely be a short post since I didn't take any pictures of my labs or office. To be honest I was a bit apprehensive of how much work I was actually going to get done while I'm here, but boy when these guys finally got a hold of me they do not mess around. This research team I'm a part of has many projects lined up and with recent changes in their priorities I've been assigned to a new task for the time being. I have been told to keep the details confidential, but basically I'll be working on this new material with promising light and display applications. One thing I know for sure is that I'll be making a lot of devices so my solar cell research experience will surely come in handy, in fact it already has. I discussed the project with Daniele, one of my supervising professor's PhD students and the one who is spearheading this research initiative. We discussed the project's outlines and goals and I officially have my work cut out for me. Over lunch I also met Kiara, a girl from Italy doing her master's in industrial chemistry and also taking part in the NTU SRI, and Paula, her project leader and another of Prof. Soci's PhD students. They all seem very friendly and although I'm the only one who doesn't speak Italian, I'm sure I'll fit in just fine. As they say, ciao!Read more

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    Games and Gardens at Marina Bay Sands

    June 13, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    My first week at work has been very busy and exciting! Our team is in the midst of publishing a few papers and it really is a race against time, so everyone is frantically wrapping up measurements and putting abstracts together. On Friday I got in the lab around 9am and didn't leave until 7pm. This week has reminded me how tedious and time-consuming research can be, without even knowing whether you will have anything to show for it in the end. Luckily I was able to find something bizarre in my experiment, not exactly what we were looking for but interesting all the same. Who knows, maybe I actually stumbled onto something...time (and more measurements) will only tell though.

    Today I visited the Marina Bay Sands casino/hotel/mega shopping mall/exhibition centre. I was able to go to the top (56th) floor and take a few pictures. The skies were clear and the view was absolutely stunning. I could see all the places I had been earlier and also some I have yet to explore. What really impressed me though were the dozens of cargo ships, tugboats and cruise ships anchored just outside the bay. Now I see why Singapore is known as a port city. I think I may have to dedicate an entire post just for those pictures.

    After having hotplate pepper steak for lunch (which unfortunately looked better than it tasted, I don't know but something about the miso soup left a lot to be desired) I relaxed in the shade while observing the various rowing, canoeing and dragon-boat races take place on the channel. I also managed to catch the end of a cycling race which was neat; all of the events are part of the 28th South-East Asian (SEA) Games going on here in Singapore. It's a pretty big deal here and there are a lot of fans who come out the games (at least those with free admission).

    The rest of my afternoon was spent wallowing in the beautiful Gardens by the Bay. So many different types of plants and themed gardens...I think they also may need their own picture post. There was even a skyway where (for a modest fee of 5$) you could walk amongst the tallest trees, where the views were, although not as breath-taking as those from the casino, still pretty amazing. I'm sure my pictures will never quite due them justice, but they're still worth a look. I'm exhausted now so I'll leave it at that, hope you are all enjoying the summer weather over there!    Read more

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    More pics of the gardens

    June 13, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    These were taken by my iPod when by camera died:

  • Miguel YoungSingapore Summer InternshipMiguel Young
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    Short Getaway at the Botanic Gardens

    June 20, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Hello everybody! This week has been quite gruelling work-wise so I figured what better place to change the scenery than at the Botanic Garden's. I was right, the various themed gardens were beautiful as well as educational. The Healing Garden exhibited over 400 species of plants which have been used for millennia in eastern medicine. The area was partitioned according to the different systems of the body (respiratory, nervous, digestive, etc.) for which the plants' effects were used. My favourite one though was the Fragrant Garden, who's flowers produced such sweet aromas that I sat there for a while just to enjoy the smell. Unfortunately I was feeling a bit queasy after my breakfast and had to cut my visit short, which was really disappointing as I missed the National Orchid Garden, the purported highlight of the trip. Turns out that I had a mild case of food poisoning, which I am 99% sure was caused by some bad muscles I had in my soup (I feel ill just thinking about it). My stomach has settled now so I am rehydrating with clear liquids. I'll have to stay away from caffeine and sweets for a while...needless to say I won't be having another bowl of laksa any time soon, which is too bad as it was one of my favourite spicy foods to eat. Anyway, here are some pictures of the gardens.Read more

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    Southern Ridges Walk

    June 21, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Most of my explorations have been during daytime, so this evening I decided to switch it up a bit by going for a sunset walk along the Southern Ridge. Since Singapore is only about 130km north of the Equator, the sun here sets pretty early (around 7pm) but not to worry as all the paths were well lit. I hiked the Marang Trail up to Mount Faber Peak, the highest point on the island and offering some of the nicest views I have seen so far. Most of the pictures included were taken there. Then I made my way through the series of walks through Mt Faber Park, making pit stops at the beautiful (but to dark to photograph) Terrace Garden and the red-lit Alexandria Arch. There air was cool and I could hear the peaceful noises of the various nocturnal creates in the surrounding forest. I was feeling quite adventurous so I continued along the Canopy Walk and went through all of Kent Ridge Park. The entire trip took about 2.5 to complete, but the sights and sounds were well worth the trek. I'm back home now about to go to sleep, can't believe a third of my stay here is already over.Read more

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    Biking along East Coast Park

    June 28, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Hello everyone, hope you are all having a great time wherever you are! Yesterday I went to the other side of the island and visited East Coast Park. It took a while to get there, but the shoreline view was well worth the wait. Everyone was out and about, playing soccer and Frisbee on the beach, barbecuing and picnicking, flying kites, and even pitching tents to stay overnight. There were also a number of people, young and old, fishing on the docks. Although the water isn't too clean for swimming, what with the cargo ships anchored nearby, the sand is smooth and pleasant to walk along.

    After eating some chicken, pork and beef satay at a nearby food centre, I rented a bike and headed up the coast. Although I lost myself in a construction zone on the way, I eventually made it to Changi Beach Park, passing the airport on the way. There I managed to catch the sun set behind Pulau Ubin, a small island where locals fish and tourists often visit. I hope to be able to back there again sometime as it's one of the nicer areas I have seen so far.    Read more

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    Visit to Joo Chiat

    July 5, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Hello everyone and happy belated Canada Day and Independence Day (to those living in the US)! Yesterday was quite the adventure as I visited Joo Chiat, also known as the Peranakan District. This area used to be a Malay fishing village, and Peranakan refers to the Straits Chinese, the descendants of the early intermarried Chinese and Malay community who settled here a while ago. I visited the old ruins of the Grand Hotel as well as a number of conserved shophouses, temples, churches and confectioneries. I tried out some of the local specialties such as 'nonya chang' (rice dumplings wrapped in fragrant pandan leaves with minced pork, winter melon cubes and spices) and 'soon keuh' (turnip and minced meat dumplings). But by far the most interesting place was the Joo Chiat Complex and Malay Village, where locals come out at night to shop for everything from fabrics to rare Malay and Indonesian spices, Persian carpets and household goods. It's also a great place to buy traditional Malay clothes, called 'baju kurang' for ladies (an elegant loose-fitting long-sleeved dress over a long skirt or sarong of the same fabric) and 'baju kebaya' for men (a full shirt and sarong of identical material). The shops went on for miles and miles, and I guess in all the excitement and confusion of following the masses I lost myself in one of the shadier neighborhoods, Geylang. It took me almost an hour to re-orient myself, needless to say I now know where not to go. Still, it was fascinating to see this darker, poorer side of Singapore, standing in stark contrast to the squeaky-clean ideas most people have about the 'Garden City'.Read more

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    A weekend to remember

    July 13, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Hey everyone, hope you are all enjoying yourselves and making the most of the hot summer weather! This weekend I had the chance to revisit some of the more memorable areas in Singapore. I woke up Saturday morning to (yet another) another beautiful sunrise...it seems like I cannot take enough pictures of them. I made my way to the National Orchid Garden, home to hundreds of native and hybrid species, some even named after celebrities. There was also a "Cool House" which, besides playing host to a number of exotic high-altitude plants, provided some relief from the hot sun. The rest of the morning was spent perusing the shops in Orchard Road, where free samples were scored at the Singapore Food Festival. I have taken a special liking to Pocky, a sort of chocolate-covered biscuit sticks, and made short work of the green-tea-flavored pack I was given.

    After picking up a few things in the Chinatown street market, I made my way along Boat Quay, where short breaks were punctuated by jet flybys and flag-carrying choppers. Looks like everyone is preparing for the country's 50th anniversary. This was confirmed later in the evening, while having a bite to eat and enjoying some live music at Clarke Quay I was surprised by a few bursts of fireworks, none of which unfortunately were long enough to take a quality video.

    After a well-deserved rest my legs were telling me to take it easy, so Sunday was mostly spent strolling through museums and galleries. Worth mentioning was the Peranakan Museum, whose three floors of exhibits gave much historical and cultural context to my experience in Joo Chiat last week. The Gillian Barracks, refurbished to display fine and abstract art collections, were also very interesting and a nice break from the bustling crowds. After waiting out a short monsoon, my explorations were concluded with a delicious beef goulash in a bread bowl (which I sadly devoured before thinking of taking a picture). Even though I still have 30 days left in the country I can't help but look back at everything I've seen and done so far. The people, the places, not to mention the food, are absolutely fantastic and I wish you could all be part of it. Hope you're all enjoying the posts; I'll leave with some pictures.    Read more

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    Pics from National Orchid Gardens

    July 13, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Here are some more pics; for the musicians out there, can you guess who is the man sitting at the piano? Hint: he is famous for his waltzes, mazurkas, nocturnes and polonaises...

  • Miguel YoungSingapore Summer InternshipMiguel Young

    The Island of Pulau Ubin

    July 19, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Hello everyone, hope you are all well and happy! Yesterday I visited Pulau Ubin, a small island off the north-east coast of Singapore. Although it is well-visited by tourists year-round, it has maintained its rustic kampong (fishing village) look. This is what Singapore itself would have probably looked like in the 60s before its mass industrialization.

    I started by taking a 15-minute bum-boat ride to the isle, which was a bit nerve-racking at first. It rocked over large waves as we passed alongside huge cargo ships and at some points I thought we might capsize (and no one had life jackets). Thankfully we all made it to the island in one piece and relatively dry. After a quick lunch I rented a bicycle and started making my way through the trails. Most of them were paved, but some were only gravel and others just thin dirt lines through the fields and hills. It was really neat to do some actual mountain biking here, reminding me a lot of a wonderful family trip to the Rockies a few years back.

    When I got to the easternmost part of the island, I dismounted and started making my way to the coastal board walk and wetlands. Here I saw a lot of interesting wildlife, both plant and animal. Besides the flurry of birds and insects, I spotted big wild boars, large lanky lizards, slithering snakes, and of course the infamously mischievous macaques! The last ones can be especially nasty and will not hesitate to steal your belongings and eat your food (as the pictures will attest to), so after taking a few photos I thought it best to be on my way.

    Making my way through the trails, I visited a few interesting places, including a Buddhist temple and the 'German Girl's Shrine'. Legend has it that while being chased off her plantation by British soldiers, a young German girl fell off a cliff and died. Cremated, her ashes are venerated to this day by the locals. I also climbed to the highest point on the island, overlooking the Ubin Quarry (now a lake).

    After doing some more biking on the trails of the Mountain Bike Park, I decided to head back to the main village as I could feel a few a slight drizzle coming on. I turned my bike in and proceeded to indulge in a long-awaited feast of black pepper and chilli crab, tiger prawns in roasted garlic, green vegetables and (of course) rice. It was beyond what I had hoped for, and, sustainably sufunctified, I took the bum-boat back home. Enjoy the pictures!    Read more

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    Wildlife on Pulau Ubin

    July 19, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    I forgot to mention that besides the animals, I saw a number of cool plants such as banana, cocoa, rubber, coconut, durian, jackfruit and mangrove trees. Unfortunately I failed to spot the rare mud lobster and hornbill...I'll have to go again sometime!Read more

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    Happy SG50 from Sentosa!

    August 9, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Hey everyone, sorry for neglecting the blog these past couple weeks. I've been having a bit of trouble getting the paperwork done for my research position but it eventually sorted itself out. My last day of work was Thursday, it's a long weekend here as Singapore celebrates it's 50th anniversary as a country. Anyway, onto the good stuff!

    Yesterday some friends and I visited Sentosa, a small island located at the southern tip of Singapore. Home to a number of attractions including the SEA Aquarium and some of the nicer beaches around, we made our way to the main event: Universal Studios!

    Admittedly, it was better than I had expected. I thought it was going to be full of screaming kids tugging on their parents' arms, but some of the rides were really fun. There were many exhibitions, all themed after Universal Studios productions like Madagascar, Shrek, Despicable Me, Jurassic Park and Transformers. My favorite was Battletar Galactica roller coaster whose track was above you (as opposed to under you; think of being in a child swing with your legs dangling). The line was long but worth it; I definitely got my adrenaline fix for the next little while.

    After all was said and done we made our way back, crossing the beautifully lit boardwalk connecting Sentosa to the mainland. Hungry beyond belief, we had dinner at a German restaurant, feasting on bratwurst, spaetzle, pork knuckle and fine beer. I have only a few days left in Singapore; looking forward to seeing you all soon!    Read more

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    More pics from Universal Studios

    August 9, 2015 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Here they are, enjoy!

    Trip end
    August 9, 2015
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