Adrian Tan is the inaugural recipient of the Quantedge - Lee Kuan Yew Masters Scholarship. Not letting his financial circumstances and past academic results define him, Adrian worked hard towards his dream of pursuing a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Social Anthropology at Cambridge. Combining his interests in data analytics, UX design and anthropology, Adrian looks forward to studying how socio-cultural backgrounds affect communication and the usage of digital technology, to create impactful, user-friendly applications |
Tell us more about yourself and your unique combination of interests in Data Analytics, UX Design and Anthropology.I have always had very varied interests and am, by nature, curious about the world we live in. This has led me to explore different fields and undertake an inter-disciplinary approach to my academic and professional pursuits.
"I have always had very varied interests and am, by nature, curious about the world we live in. This has led me to explore different fields and undertake an inter-disciplinary approach to my academic and professional pursuits."
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Why did you choose to study Social Anthropology at Cambridge? Anthropology is a field that interacts with many pertinent aspects of our lives today - from the way we spend our money to the way we make decisions on politics and global affairs. I have been interested in Anthropology since my undergraduate days at National University of Singapore (NUS), where I had taken several Anthropology electives at the postgraduate level. This interest propelled me to pursue a Master of Science in Urban Science, Policy and Planning at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to further explore how planning can concretely affect people’s lives and their relationships with the planners.
I believe that a stronger grounding in Social Anthropology is beneficial to my professional growth as a UX Designer. My work has taught me that designs that are aesthetically pleasing and functional at the same time are a challenge to achieve. One needs to understand how people respond to different possible designs to meet a certain desired function. I believe that I will acquire the necessary perspectives and user ethnography research skills from my Anthropology courses to produce more sophisticated and functional digital products that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but responsive to user needs and value-adding to the society. |
What are your plans post-graduation?
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How has your experience at Cambridge been so far and what do you look forward to doing outside of the classroom?
It is amazing to be in Cambridge! I enjoy the abundance of green spaces available for recreation and take delight in spending my afternoons trekking through forests or cycling around town. Hopefully, with COVID-19 under control in the UK, face-to-face classes can resume. I am looking forward to more in-person classroom discussions, which are important for graduate studies. Outside of school, I plan to spend my time socializing by taking language classes, helping out at soup kitchens (if they are still open!), and travelling with friends. |
You have a keen interest in languages, especially in Arabic and French. How did you pick them up?I have always been interested to understand things from different perspectives and each new language offers a new lens through which we can view the world.
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What does being the inaugural Quantedge - Lee Kuan Yew Masters scholar mean to you and what advice would you give to others from similar backgrounds?To be the inaugural Quantedge – Lee Kuan Yew Masters Scholarship recipient is an honour for me, especially coming from a financially disadvantaged background. It has always been a dream of mine to study in the UK and experience living in a different country, but I never had the financial resources to do so. Furthermore, as a late bloomer and a student from the Normal Academic stream in secondary school, I did not think that it would be possible to qualify for admission into Cambridge, let alone admission with a scholarship!
To other aspiring students, I would say to them "It is important to keep an open mind and make the most of what you have. Who knows what the future holds?”
When I was considering postgraduate studies, I decided to apply to Cambridge because I heard that Cambridge offers rigorous research training (and having been here for a few weeks, I can certainly attest to it!). The professors here are extremely engaging and often challenge us to think broadly and deeply. I am thankful that I am given this opportunity to pursue my dream of further studies and work towards a better future ahead! I hope to inspire more students from financially disadvantaged background to be ambitious and believe in their dreams. To other aspiring students, I would say to them “It is important to keep an open mind and make the most of what you have. Who knows what the future holds?” |