By her own admission, Shirley Lim is not an easy mentor to please. The Associate Professor from the Natural Sciences & Science Education Academic Group has a reputation for getting students to formulate their own hypotheses as well as defend their research concepts and methodologies, whether it is for a final year project or a PhD dissertation. 

“I’m a staunch believer in throwing my students into the deep end of the pool. It is important for them to be able to think independently and critically. And for those who are doing assignments for my Biostats course, I also give them three lifelines to run their research concepts and proposals by me.  That way, they learn to cherish the learning opportunities and are more likely to come to me with their thoughts gathered,” explained Associate Professor Lim, who is concurrently NIE’s Associate Dean for Research Grants Management.

“Here’s the premise, especially for my BSc(Ed) students who go out to the schools to teach,” the marine ecology and environmental biology expert continued. “They in turn will have to supervise their own students who compete in Science Fair competitions. How are they going to teach about the scientific method and the formulation of research questions if they have not acquired these skills themselves?”

According to Associate Professor Lim, the secret to nurturing good research students is to first inspire their interest. “As a researcher, I like to enliven classes by bringing research into my lectures. It’s proven to be quite effective, and I’m deeply gratified that many of my students who discover marine ecology as undergraduates have come back to pursue higher degrees in the field.”

Charlene Goh, who is enrolled in the MSc by research programme under the supervision of Associate Professor Lim, is but one example. “What made Charlene stand out among her classmates was her keen interest and passion for research. I was very impressed with the way she persevered and embraced various setbacks in her Final Year Project as part and parcel of the learning process. I consider that to be one of the biggest attributes for a successful research career. 

“Another key quality is to have an inquiring and analytical mind. With so much knowledge and content available both in print and online, a good research student needs to be discerning in using and distilling the information judiciously. 

“They must also gain enough confidence to present their research findings in front of a professional audience.  I try to nurture this quality in my students by having them join me at international conferences to present research papers, and by making sure their research projects are publishable,” the professor added.

It helps that Associate Professor Lim is also President of The Crustacean Society (TCS), a US-based international association spearheading crustacean biology and research. In fact, she is the second female President and first Asian woman to hold this prestigious position. “The society has been a great platform for academics and students alike to share research as well as network. In addition to providing travel grants for undergraduates and graduate students to enable them to attend TCS meetings, we have recently initiated two awards for new PhD graduates; so I always encourage my students and post-doctoral fellows to participate in these conferences.  In fact, one year there were five students from my lab delivering oral presentations at a TCS meeting in Hawaii – probably one of the largest cohort of students from a single research lab to present at a single meeting!” she joked.

When asked if she had a secret formula for grooming successful researchers, the professor replied, “It all depends – every student is an individual. Undergraduates tend to require more handholding, while graduate students like Charlene may require less supervision. You’ve got to cut the dress according to the cloth.” 

Above all, Associate Professor Lim felt that all students should endeavour to read more in order to expand their knowledge, as well as participate more actively during face-to-face sessions. She even has an unwritten contract with her students about responding and answering questions during lectures. “Simply put, if my students deny me the opportunity to figure out what they’ve learned, or to correct any misconceptions about topics, then ultimately they’re the ones to lose out. 

“However, when my students do succeed as teachers or researchers, and especially when they go on to win research awards such as the Conference Best Presentation or Dean’s Commendation, I’m always extremely happy and proud!” she beamed.

Associate Professor Shirley Lim

Associate Dean (Research Grants Management), Office of Graduate Studies and Professional Learning,

Natural Sciences and Science Education Academic Group