William is visiting Singapore, an epicenter for cutting-edge innovation in Southeast Asia. While in Singapore he will showcase the work of local organisations working for a greener world. William will experience dragon boating before visiting a plantation with carbon capture capabilities. Lastly he will meet Singaporeans to gain more insight into their work across a range of fields including environmental protection and urban water management.
The President’s Science and Technology Awards, or PSTAs, have been presented since 2009. They represent one of the highest honours bestowed upon outstanding scientists and engineers by Singaporean government. Three researchers were this year recognised for “outstanding contributions in using wastewater to monitor COVID-19 trends and predict virus spread using wastewater”. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will present them their prizes – including gold medallion, cash prize and award certificate at an award ceremony during Singapore International Water Week 2024.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivered his opening address for the inaugural PSTA ceremony and noted that its honours recognize Singaporeans’ achievements of remaining resilient when facing challenges and making significant contributions towards global progress. He commended winners for contributing towards an innovative, sustainable and thriving economy; leaders within their fields who had established companies or organisations dedicated to making an impactful difference were among those honored, according to him.
Singapore Book Council’s Singapore Literature Prize 2024 shortlist features 71 works, such as debut novelist Myle Yan Tay’s catskull (2023) and Cultural Medallion recipient Suchen Christine Lim’s Dearest Intimate (2023). Also notable on this shortlist is Hidayah Amin’s Leluhur: Singapore’s Kampong Gelam by Hidayah Amin (2019, available here), which sheds light on an often neglected area of Singapore.
Professor John Miksic’s The Art of a Clean Break examines the aftermath of London’s Great Fire of 1666 on people and culture of London; additionally it features an account of Singapore’s efforts to address climate change effects. In October, four global winners and six regional winners will be named finalists of this contest and given S$15,000. Submissions close on August 27, and winners will be notified by end-October. The Xero Beautiful Business Fund is open to Xero customers throughout Asia Pacific, with particular attention paid to those with an innovative or compelling business model. Last year, four customers of Xero in Singapore — Art Outreach, Oriental Remedies Group, Oysterly and Style Theory Singapore — found success and won S$15,000. For more information and how to apply click here. Kishore Mahbubani, distinguished fellow from NUS Asia Research Institute. He comments, citing Benedict Anderson’s argument that nations are imagined communities and that shared memories – particularly historical ones – serve as one of the main glues tying societies together. A nominating committee comprising a range of experts including Mr Mahbubani; associate professors Ian Gordon and Seng Guo Quan from the NUS Department of History; arts and literary figures as well as educators and museum curators will help to nominate candidates to the jury.
