Faculty Interview by Graduate Student: Interview with Prof Sabrina Luk

1. Can you describe your role at NTU?
I am Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Global Affairs (PPGA) in the School of Social Sciences. I teach ‘The Making of E-government’, ‘Crisis Leadership and Management, ‘Selected Topics in Health Care and Ageing’, and ‘Health, Disease Outbreaks and Politics’. These are the undergraduate courses I developed for the PPGA programme. Besides, I co-teach some graduate courses in the School of Social Sciences. Recently, I have been appointed as the School Academic Integrity Officer (SAIO). As the SAIO, I provide advice to students (both undergraduate and graduate) and faculty members on the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures.

2. Can you describe your academic journey leading to NTU?
My undergraduate training was in government and public administration. For my MPhil study, I examined digital government performance in Hong Kong. For my doctoral study, I examined health financing reforms in Shanghai and Hong Kong. After obtaining the PhD degree, I published a monograph on health financing reforms in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. Since I think that Singapore would be a good place for me to do research on smart nations, health financing reforms and healthy ageing, I decided to apply for an academic position in Singapore.  

3. What is your motivation for joining NTU?
NTU provides a supportive environment for young scholars to do research and offer new modules. It welcomes new ideas. I think that NTU is a good place for me to have continuous professional growth.

4. Can you describe your current research?
The main focus of my current research is healthy ageing in Singapore. It examines the causes and effects of rapidly ageing population in Singapore and different ways to achieve healthy ageing, including gerontechnologies, dementia-friendly communities, participation in music and art activities, Advance Care Planning, and long-term care financing. 

5. What is currently the hot topic in your research field?
My other research areas are smart nations and public health crises. One of the hot topics in my research field is about the use of digital technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, sensors, drones) to contain the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

6. What do you enjoy doing beyond your research? 
I love baking, cooking and making desserts. I also love to have abs workouts and do dumbbell exercises.   

Selected publications

[1] Sabrina Ching Yuen Luk, Hui Zhang, and Peter Pok-man Yuen (2022) Ageing and Effecting Long-term Care in China. Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge.

[2] Sabrina Ching Yuen Luk and Peter Preston (2021) Singapore after Lee Kuan Yew. Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge.

[3] Sabrina Ching Yuen Luk (2020) Ageing, Long-term Care Insurance and Healthcare Finance in Asia. Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge.

[4] Sabrina Luk (2017) Financing Health Care in China: Towards Universal Health Insurance. Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routledge.