News: Dean’s Awards and Appreciation Day 2023

By Sanjay Devaraja, Editor, The LKCMedicine

The Dean’s Awards and Appreciation Day 2023 held on 14 November 2023 brought together LKCMedicine staff and faculty for the fourth consecutive year to recognise individuals and teams behind the outstanding contributions and achievements that augmented the School’s reputation globally and locally.

Started in 2020 to boost the spirits of the LKCMedicine community after the first year of the global pandemic, the Dean’s Awards and Appreciation Day has become a highly anticipated annual event to recognise and celebrate the incredible contributions of staff and faculty in the past year.

In 2023, LKCMedicine embarked on new journeys and initiatives in the areas of research, education, and corporate services, pushing boundaries and striving for excellence. The extraordinary spirit and commitment to excellence is precisely what the Dean’s Awards celebrate – a testament to the hard work of LKCMedicine staff and faculty.

The event commenced with MedLee, LKCMedicine’s student acapella group, showcasing their vocals with their version of “Electric Love” by Børns. More than 120 attendees enjoyed the 12-person performance by Year 2 students which took place at the Ong Tiong Tat and Irene Tan Liang Kheng Auditorium. 

In his opening address, LKCMedicine Dean Professor Joseph Sung highlighted the many landmark achievements in 2023 – new announcements, centre launches, public events, new awards and accolades, as well as visibility in the media, kicking off important conversations among experts, healthcare professionals, prospective students and collaborators. He strongly commended the collective efforts of the LKCMedicine community.

“I really feel that we are a family and [the Dean’s Awards] is not just to pay tribute to a few people, but to bring all of us together. Your success is our success. Every grant we have won, every publication we publish, every accolade we receive, belongs to the whole LKCMedicine family,” remarked Prof Sung.

Injecting a new twist to the Dean’s Awards and Appreciation Day 2023, four cajon players and their trainer, Mr Irwan Raman, from ART:DIS, a non-profit organisation that champions learning and livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities in and through the arts, were invited to add to the day’s festivities. The performers filled the auditorium with upbeat and rhythmic beats that the audience could not help but groove to.

It was certainly an uplifting and fun way to end the main programme of the event.

Here are the award winners:

Research

·      Nanyang Assistant Professor Hiroshi Makino, Scientist Module Lead (Visual System)
·      Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology Tom Carney, Scientist Module Lead (Foundations of Medicine)

Education

·      Dr Han Siew Ping, Lecturer (Physiology/Medical Education)
·      Dr Vivek Perumal, Senior Lecturer (Anatomy)
·      Assistant Professor Richard Roshan Goveas, Senior Consultant (Geriatric Psychiatry), Institute of Mental Health

Service

·      Mr Emmanuel Tan, Assistant Dean (Student Wellbeing) and Lecturer (Medical Education)

Administration

·      Values in Action: Mr Sowpati Jayaker, Senior Assistant Manager (Health & Safety)
·      Values in Action: (Special Mention): Ms Nina Leong, Assistant Manager (Faculty Affairs)
·      Enabler: Dr Wayne Freeman Chong, Research Fellow, Dementia Research Centre

Innovation (Team): The Art and Science of Medicine Festival 2023

·      Ms Siti Rohanah Koid, Director (Communications and Outreach)
·      Mr Max Cheung, Manager (Research & External Affairs)
·      Ms Mariam Rahman, Assistant Director (Communications and Outreach)
·      Associate Professor of Nutrition, Digestion and Metabolism Sunny Wong
·      Associate Professor Wong Wei Chin, Assistant Dean (Year 4)
·      Mr Ken Wong Kang Ning, Assistant Director (Research Operations)
·      Mr Darren Lim, Assistant Director (Science and Anatomy Laboratories)
·      Ms Ramani Saravanan, Senior Assistant Director and Lead (Clinical Procedures)
·      Mr Kelvin Foo, Manager (Operations)
·      Ms Rebecca David, Senior Medical Librarian
·      Mr Alvin Chew, Dean’s Postdoctoral Fellow

Innovation (Team, Special Mention): #askLKCMedicine2023

·      Professor Kwek Tong Kiat, Assistant Dean (Admissions & Overseas Electives)
·      Associate Professor Reddy Mogali, Head (Anatomy)
·      Ms Mariam Rahman, Assistant Director (Communications and Outreach)
·      Ms Jowe Chu, Senior Assistant Director (Admissions and Assessment)
·      Mr Samuel Lim Weichen, Assistant Manager (Admissions, Projects and Electives)
·      Ms Ruth Choe, Director (Education Management)
·      Ms Yang Lishan, Lead (Team-Based Learning Facilitation)
·      Ms Siti Rohanah Koid, Director (Communications and Outreach)
·      Ms Siti Nur Iman, Senior Executive (Communications and Outreach)
·      Mr Kelvin Nick Yap, Assistant Manager (Digital Content & Social Media)
·      Ms Ai Ling Sim-Devadas, Deputy Director (Advocacy and Engagement)
·      Ms Retna Devi, Senior Assistant Manager (Media and Publications)
·      Mr Kesler Castillano, Executive (End User Services)
·      Mr Gaius Lim, Senior Executive (Facilities and Operations)

Long Service Awards recipients:

20 years of service

·      Ms Tan Chui Sun, Tricia, Senior Assistant Director (Curriculum)

15 years of service

·      Dr Andrew Ang Chyze Whee, Director (Research Administration and Support Services)

10 years of service

·      Ms Chung Kai Wen Karen, Research Associate
·      Professor David Becker, Tissue Repair & Regeneration
·      Professor George James Augustine, Neuroscience & Mental Health
·      Dr Ghosh Krishna Kanta, Senior Research Fellow
·      Ms Ivis Wee, Assistant Director (Student Life & Support)
·      Ms Ivy Atiqah Cheang, Senior Executive (Plans & Governance)
·      Dr Kim Jin Sook, Senior Research Fellow
·      Ms Lim Qiu Li, Senior Assistant Manager (Student Life & Support)
·      Associate Professor Luo Dahai, Infection & Immunity
·      Assistant Professor Navin Kumar Verma, Immunology & Cell Biology
·      Ms Tay Yu Ling, Winnie, Senior Assistant Manager (Research Administration & Support Services)
·      Ms Wong Yin Cheng, Assistant Manager, (Research Administration & Support Services)
·      Dr Zhang Jingbo, Principal Research Fellow

For five years of service, 22 staff received commendation. 

The Dean’s Awards and Appreciation Day 2023 e-booklet is available here.