Gerard Wong Daquan
Class of 2014
Degree: BSocSc major in Political Science
Research Officer
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.
I'm currently working as a Research Officer at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, where my work consists of reviewing and editing academic journal articles, organizing seminars and conferences, and most excitingly, developing my own post-graduate research interests in the field of Southeast Asian politics.
What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?
I sought to do a degree in Social Sciences at SMU primarily because of the university's seminar-styled pedagogy, where a smaller-sized class fostered critical thinking on socio-political issues through engaging class debates. Undoubtedly it is through this dialectic where the bulk of my knowledge of the social sciences was formed.
How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?
As my work deals primarily with academic research in the field of social cultural issues in Southeast Asia, I've found the knowledge I've acquired at SMU, through the various sociology and political science courses to be invaluable in my reviewing and editing of academic journals. Furthermore, the numerous research papers and presentations done on various social sciences subjects have been crucial for me in developing both analytical thinking and research skills, which is essential for pursuing my own research interests.
Do you have any advice for your juniors that are currently in SOSS or for those who are planning to join the SOSS family?
One of my fondest learning experiences in SMU was of collaborating with the British High Commission in Singapore and TWC2, a local NGO, on drafting a guide advising prospective employers of foreign domestic workers in Singapore, on the legal employment procedures and ethical treatment of their domestic workers. The guide has since been published online by the British Chamber of Commerce in Singapore for public reference, and is currently awaiting further plans to translate it into several other languages to reach a wider audience.