I really enjoy being in and outside of the classroom with my students. Thoroughly delightful to see them develop intellectually and achieving the sense of readiness to “take on the world” upon graduation.
SMU is the only university in Singapore to offer communication as a business major and that is because communication resides in the business school in SMU and not in social sciences. It is for this reason that I chose to join SMU. It tells me so much about the management and philosophy of the university - one that is highly enlightened, dynamic and relevant.
I teach a wide range of full credit communication courses from undergraduate to postgraduate and executive seminar programmes. For undergraduates, I teach the Foundations in Strategic Communication and Strategic Communication in Asia. For postgraduate and executive workshops, I teach Strategic Communication Management, Corporate Reputation and Crisis Communication. My research interests are dedicated to two overarching themes anchored on strategic communication. The first seeks to investigate the impact of crisis on corporate reputation and related influence such as corporate social responsibility and competency of communication practitioners. The second examines the effects of media in driving decision-making and attitudes in the area of health such as palliative care and end-of-life communication.
I enjoy teaching and interacting with students. Many of my students are highly motivated, polite, respectful and fun-loving. It does not matter what assessments I give them but it is very heartening to see them put in their best, particularly when it comes to group project assignments which often require them to present communication recommendations and solutions to clients.
I love the many cafes in and around SMU. It is so convenient to grab a nice cup of tea or coffee and there are plenty of options. As for food, I like to visit Arcade @ The Capitol Kempinski. Since it underwent a face-lift, the place has many exciting dining options, plus it is a nice and quiet mall. I am particularly fond of Hoshino which offers wholesome savoury dishes and really nice desserts.