Interdisciplinary learning for green economy skills

Year 3 Life Sciences student Aristia HO ventured into the integrator pathway under the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) with a definite plan in mind. She intends to pursue a career focusing on plants from around Southeast Asia, which combines her interests in conservation, plants and regional studies. 

On curating her course combination, Aristia says, “My minor in Botany allows me to delve in-depth into my specific interest in plants, while I learn more about the inherent diversity of our region under my minor in Southeast Asian Studies.”  She therefore gets to specialise in her chosen subject as well as broaden her intellectual foundations through her minors.  

Given her passion in environmental stewardship, it was only natural for Aristia to choose to stay at Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), a living-and-learning community focused on sustainability. When she realised that RVRC’s dining hall continued to use single-use plastics and paper bags in spite of its green living mandate, Aristia and her friends embarked on a publicity campaign to encourage her peers to bring their own reusable containers instead.   

She also took part in various interest groups, including helming the Green Rangers where students connect with nature by tending to garden plots in RVRC.   

Her RVRC experience, together with biodiversity fieldwork at various nature reserves and parks under her Life Sciences course, she says, “reinforced my interest in a career in conservation and botany.” At the same time, the skills acquired from the balance of hands-on application as well as theoretical learning are transferable to her other courses and projects.  

Aristia is a recipient of a Gardens by the Bay scholarship, and she will work in its horticulture department when she graduates.