16 Mar 2024
On 16 March 2024, close to 160 students and their guests attended the DSTA Scholarship Tea Session, where they gained
a deeper understanding of the opportunities offered by the DSTA Scholarship and the fulfilling work behind a career in
defence tech.
Addressing the audience, Chief Executive of DSTA (CE DSTA) Mervyn Tan, Chief Executive Officer of DSO National
Laboratories (CEO DSO) Cheong Chee Hoo and Deputy Chief Executive (Information Technology) of the Centre for Strategic
Infocomm Technologies (DCE (IT) CSIT) Loh Chee Kin, outlined the diverse roles within the Defence Technology
Community, emphasising how science and technology are harnessed to bolster Singapore’s defence. They also
elaborated on the abundant career opportunities associated with the DSTA Scholarship, inspiring students to pursue a
path where they can make impactful contributions to national security.
CE DSTA Mervyn Tan shared
DSTA’s mission, values, and the diverse career paths within the organisation.
DSTA Scholars from DSTA, DSO, and CSIT also took this opportunity to share about their scholarship and work
journey, shedding light on why they chose the DSTA Scholarship and the work experiences in their respective
agencies.
Development Programme Manager (Information) Lim Min, a DSTA Scholar from DSTA, highlighted why she was drawn to
the Scholarship, citing its alignment with her engineering interests and the array of benefits it offers, making her
decision to eventually pursue it effortless.
“I chose the DSTA Scholarship for its unique and meaningful work opportunities that are rare to find
elsewhere but also centered around engineering and technology – areas that deeply resonate with my
passion,” she said.
Development Programme Manager
(Information) Lim Min (first from left) sharing alongside fellow DSTA Scholars.
The event progressed to a Q&A session with CE DSTA, CEO DSO, and DCE (IT) CSIT, where
the attendees engaged directly with these leaders and gained insights into their respective agencies.
Q&A Session with CE DSTA
Mervyn Tan (first from left), CEO DSO Cheong Chee Hoo (middle), and DCE (IT)
CSIT Loh Chee Kin (first from
right).
After the Q&A session, the students and their guests were invited to visit the exhibits
assembled by engineers and technologists from DSTA, DSO, and CSIT. As the attendees interacted with the staff, they
learnt about the exciting defence projects underway and explored the diverse career pathways available through the
Scholarship.
Defence Engineers and Technologists interacting with the attendees touring the various exhibits.
Apart from viewing the exhibits, the students and their guests also had the chance to tour
DSTA’s InnoLab, where they could catch a glimpse of DSTA’s cutting-edge facilities and gain insights into
practical applications for various defence technologies.
Attendees learning about defence
technologies at DSTA's InnoLab.
Speaking to some of the students at the DSTA Scholarship Tea Session, they expressed their enthusiasm and
appreciation for the event.
“As someone who is interested in the defence tech industry, I was able to learn more about this field and
DSTA’s role in the defence sector, through the sharing session and viewing of exhibits, which ignited my
interest in the DSTA Scholarship,” shared Shannen Wong from Hwa Chong Institution.
“Before the session I was already keen on applying for the DSTA Scholarship, and I was convinced after
attending. Through my interaction with the various engineers, I was able to broaden my perspective about science and
technology, thus solidifying my decision to pursue this scholarship,” said Adam Ng from Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
Shreyas Satish from Raffles Institution said: "The session was very enriching for me as I gleaned invaluable
insights from the leaders of DSTA, DSO, and CSIT. Discovering the exciting opportunities each agency provides, all
while serving a meaningful purpose — to strengthen Singapore's defence.”
Interested in a career in Science and Tech? Find out more about the DSTA Scholarship here.