The President’s Science and Technology Awards are the highest honours given to Singapore scientists, for their contributions towards upholding research excellence in the country. They are also seen as a sign of the increasing strength and diversity in our scientific community, and a testament to the growing international recognition of Singapore’s world-class research.
The Prize is a two-tier evaluation system involving the Prize Council and the Nominating Committee. The Prize Council comprises eminent experts from around the globe, while the Nominating Committee consists of distinguished academics and professionals who have significant knowledge of urban issues and are able to make a difference. The two evaluation processes ensure that the Prize is a rigorous and thorough exercise, ensuring that the winning city efforts are evaluated on a global scale.
Dr Cheong Koon Hean, Chair of the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Nominating Committee and Professor of Practice at the Singapore University of Technology and Design shares her insights on the Prize’s significance and value in inspiring cities in their transformation journeys.
In its 2024 edition, the NUS Singapore History Prize has shortlisted six compelling works. The winners will be announced in Oct 202
NUS Professor Kishore Mahbubani, who chairs the Prize Jury, said that the prize aims to recognise books “that have made a lasting impact on our understanding of Singapore’s history and heritage. It is a recognition that the shared imagination in our history is the critical glue holding societies together today.”
The winning book in this year’s competition, Khir Johari’s The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels through the Archipelago (Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2021) takes us back to the 1950s when the future of the nation seemed up for grabs. It is a time that was not only a turning point for Singapore but for the whole region.
Other titles on the shortlist include Wesley Leon Aroozoo’s The Punkhawala and the Prostitute, which sheds light on the life of a woman whose legacy remains in the city, and Timothy P Barnard and Kevin Blackburn’s Singaporean Creatures: Histories of Humans and Animals in a Garden City, which looks at how animals were part of Singapore’s urban landscape.
Leluhur: Kampong Gelam, a personal slant on the history of Gedung Kuning (Yellow Mansion), a heritage royal building in the heart of Kampong Glam by Hidayah Amin, is another book that shines a spotlight on an area many now know only as a tourist attraction. “It is a great privilege to have the opportunity to share the story of the area where I grew up,” says the author. “I hope that my book will inspire others to visit this vibrant part of our city and understand its rich past.”