Mentors you can count on
Professors do more than teach and grade papers – they empower, guide and support students through their challenges. Meet five who go above and beyond
by Kenny Chee
The confidence booster
Asst Prof Dang Thuy Tram
School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology
When Divya Nanthakumaran approached Asst Prof Dang Thuy Tram with a final-year project (FYP) idea, the then fourth-year bioengineering student wasn’t sure if she’d make the cut – her GPA was just above a pass.
But Asst Prof Dang was impressed by her desire to turn a medical innovation from her research team into a commercial success.
Asst Prof Dang’s faith in Divya’s strengths despite her grades gave the NTU alumna the confidence to step up in other areas of her studies.“I had never seen an FYP student so self-motivated and self-directed,” recounts Asst Prof Dang. “I looked beyond Divya’s grades because she has other strengths, and I believed in her. Having faith is really important, because it motivates my students to become the best version of themselves.”
That was true for Divya, who had earlier struggled with her studies and doubted her own capabilities.
“I felt like I didn’t really have any strengths, but when I worked with Asst Prof Dang, she affirmed that I did have skills, could develop them, and use them in many areas,” explains Divya. “She gave me the confidence to step up in other aspects of my studies too.”
Divya graduated in 2023 and now works full time as the founder and CEO of a non-profit organisation that collaborates with community partners to run character-building and wellbeing programmes for children.
The filmmaker with a big heart
Ms Nicole Midori Woodford
School of Art, Design & Media
When film lecturer Ms Nicole Midori Woodford was invited by NTU student Daryl Cheong (below) to give a masterclass on her movie Last Shadow At First Light, she was heartened to learn that he also organised screenings for young film enthusiasts and filmmakers at the same venue.
The location was a co-working space that Daryl, the president of the NTU Film Society, had rented to help young creatives with their filmmaking dreams.
Ms Woodford’s former students from the School of Art, Design & Media came to support her at the screening of her film, Last Shadow At First Light.
But the film projector he used for screenings was noticeably dim. Learning that Daryl didn’t have the budget for a better projector, Ms Woodford gave him hers.
“I had a projector in good condition that I wasn’t actively using. Daryl’s co-working space is a great initiative, and I wanted to help the film community,” says the film director.
Daryl, a final-year English major, says that Ms Woodford’s $1,500 projector was a big upgrade from his $200 one as he can now play films with higher clarity for filmmakers to properly test their works and improve the film screening experience for cinephiles.
Daryl felt affirmed when Ms Woodford encouraged him to continue his endeavours for the community.
The affable lab mentor
Assoc Prof Surajit Bhattacharyya
School of Biological Sciences
Before she started her Master’s research project with Assoc Prof Surajit Bhattacharyya, Swaleeha Jaan Abdullah (below) was unsure if he would be okay with a big ask she had.
She can work in the lab only until 2pm on weekdays as she needs to care for her grandmother. For instance, Swaleeha takes her for dialysis treatments in the late afternoon thrice a week.
He was “very understanding” and had no issue with this, only requesting that Swaleeha try to analyse her lab results at home.
And when students like her face problems with lab work, the genial professor finds time to help them turn things around.
“When experiments go awry, he never gets upset. He’ll sit down with us to understand what went wrong and help us troubleshoot,” Swaleeha explains.
For Assoc Prof Bhattacharyya, creating a welcoming and supportive environment is key to sparking his students' interest in research. He also encourages them to move forward with their ideas. He says: “It’s my responsibility to help students. When I was a PhD student, I was mentored by a very good professor.”
The racing team’s cheerleader
Assoc Prof Holden Li
School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
For months, NTU’s Nanyang Venture Formula team raced against deadlines to build an electric car for the Formula Student United Kingdom competition.
But when Assoc Prof Holden Li, one of two professors guiding the team, realised that the initial plans for the students to enter the event were not working out, he had to break the bad news to them.
Assoc Prof Li (second from left with his colleagues) was a beacon of hope for the Nanyang Venture Formula team when they had to change competition plans for their race car. He is pictured here with team leader Shivam in the driver’s seat.
This was heart-wrenching for the team and he tried to be a beacon of hope. “Sometimes, we wonder why things don’t turn out the way we want them to. But there’s always a bright side to every setback as new opportunities open up,” he explains.
He encouraged the team to work on an alternative plan and explored with them other competitions they could try for.
They landed on the Formula Student Electric China 2024 contest and the switch proved fortuitous. The students clinched an award for the best new team and exchanged best practices with their Chinese counterparts on improving their car’s battery for future races.
Shivam Selvam Panicker, a third-year mechanical engineering student and Nanyang Venture Formula’s team leader, says that the way Assoc Prof Li manages matters is inspiring.
“He knows how to bond the team and move us forward. Whenever we are in a dark spot, we remember how Assoc Prof Li handled similar situations and take cues from him,” says Shivam.
A ‘hall mother’ to all
Assoc Prof Valerie Du Toit-Low
Deputy Assoc Provost (Residential Education)
Senior Faculty-in-Residence, Hall 10
Nanyang Business School
Assoc Prof Valerie Du Toit-Low’s titles may read like an alphabet soup, but to students, the business law professor, who lives in Hall 10, is most fondly known as “Ma'am Val”, the hall mother.
Over the years, many hall residents have sought her advice on various matters, from career advice to even legal issues.
“They will ask for my take on a situation they’re facing and how I would resolve it,” she says. “I’m deeply heartened that they respect me enough to seek my views.”
She also guides students on running hall activities, such as astrophotography and cooking. When any of their activities don’t go as well as expected, Assoc Prof Du Toit-Low advises them not to worry about the setbacks. Instead, she encourages them to figure out why things didn’t work out and brainstorm how to improve future events.
Students can learn from the calm and methodical way Assoc Prof Du Toit-Low approaches issues, says Matthew.
Matthew Lee, a second-year sport science & management student, says Assoc Prof Du Toit-Low provided timely help with issues the Hall 10 Council faced, such as in organising events.
"When we got flustered, Ma'am Val was always able to cool things down and help guide us to find a solution. She handles things calmly in a very methodical and thoughtful way. It’s something we can all learn from," says Matthew, who is the President of the student-run council.
This story was published in the Jan-Feb 2025 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
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