Leveraging technology for good

Ma Siew Hong

Siew Hong is a recipient of the Quantedge – Lee Kuan Yew Masters Scholarship. With a background in engineering, technology management and experience in the e-commerce industry, Siew Hong hopes to pursue an MPhil in Technology Policy to address the complex challenges faced by firms today. He aspires to work at the intersection of policy and product management, to help firms create and operate useful products more responsibly.
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As a first-generation student of immigrant parents, Siew Hong hopes to encourage others to aspire for what is “out of reach”, and not be afraid to seek advice or help from good mentors.​

Tell us more about yourself.

As an engineering student, I have always wanted to improve society through leveraging technology – not only through technological advancement, but also the diffusion of technology through useful products and services. In the last few years, I'm glad to have worked at Shopee in a product management role, where I addressed technical and business challenges, with the aim of benefitting consumers and retailers.

During my time at Shopee as a Product Manager, I had many opportunities working across functions and geographies to solve challenging problems, and that has brought much fulfilment.

Why did you choose to pursue an MPhil in Technology Policy at Cambridge?​

It is through working at Shopee that I started to think about the implications of technology firms and their products. Inevitably, there will be negative effects and unintended consequences. In an e-commerce context, these issues could include the sale of dangerous goods, fraud, packaging waste, and the disparities between small and large retailers. There could also be other issues that have not been identified or fully understood.

Addressing these issues requires both industry partners and government agencies to come together. Having studied engineering, management, and having worked in the e-commerce industry, I saw technology policy as a fitting way to further my aspiration to improve society. I’m keen to understand how governments formulate policies to regulate the development and use of technology, how businesses navigate and influence the legislative process, and what the implications for society are.

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"Having studied engineering, management, and having worked in the e-commerce industry, I saw technology policy as a fitting way to further my aspiration to improve society. "

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What experiences do you hope to gain at Cambridge?

Hiking on El Chaltén, Argentina. It is an 8-hour day hike and I enjoyed challenging my physical and mental limits on the trail.

I plan to bring an open mind to Cambridge. I certainly hope to interact with people from different academic, professional, and cultural backgrounds – including people from the Judge Business School, Fitzwilliam College, and the wider university community.
 
Outside of school, I'd like to explore some hiking areas around the UK, such as Snowdonia National Park in Wales, to connect with nature. I developed this interest during my overseas exchange and I managed to hike during my recent work assignment in South America too.

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"I plan to bring an open mind to Cambridge. I certainly hope to interact with people from different academic, professional, and cultural backgrounds"

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What are your career aspirations/plans post-graduation?

I'm keeping my options open, as I may find new interests and aspirations during my time at Cambridge. One possible direction would be to pursue a role that combines the policy and product management spheres, such as in a product policy team to help firms create and operate useful products more responsibly. My undergraduate course, the Renaissance Engineering Programme at Nanyang Technological University, has always emphasised the need to combine multiple disciplines to address complex challenges. Perhaps it is in this spirit that I'm thinking of working at such an intersection.

How did you find out about the Quantedge - Lee Kuan Yew Masters Scholarship (Q-LKYMS) and what does it mean to you to be a scholar?​

I found this scholarship on the Cambridge website and applied because it would fully cover my tuition fees. Without the scholarship, I would have to consider other ways of financing or deferring my plans for a year or two.
 
Being a Q-LKYMS scholar is a tremendous privilege and I am most grateful. Having benefitted from growing up in Singapore, and accordingly, from Mr Lee Kuan Yew's contributions to the nation, I am extra grateful for this award which offers such an invaluable opportunity to enhance my knowledge, skills, and perspectives. It furthers my aspiration to contribute to society through my subsequent work and reminds me to always keep Singapore in my heart.

At the matriculation event during my first week at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

Did you face any challenges growing up? What advice would you give to others from similar backgrounds?

With my tutor and classmates during a homecoming event at Jurong JC.

As a first-generation student of immigrant parents, I felt that it was comparatively harder for my parents, despite their best intentions, to guide me on my educational and professional pathways.  As my parents were not financially well off, their priorities understandably leaned towards near-term needs, such as sustaining our daily expenses and keeping up with the rising cost of living. However, these circumstances motivated me to work harder towards achieving my goals and better life outcomes.

I was fortunate to have tutors in JC who encouraged me to consider studying abroad to broaden my horizons. It definitely sparked a thought even though it felt rather "out of reach" back then. But I’ve kept my motivation and looked out for opportunities, and now that I have received this scholarship, I’m privileged to be able to fulfill this aspiration.
 
To others who come from challenging backgrounds, I’d suggest recognising the things we can change, and those that we cannot. We can strive to make the best of our circumstances, and circumstances do change over time. It can also be helpful to have good mentors to help us navigate difficult decisions. For instance, when I was deciding between job offers after graduating, I sought the advice of a mentor through LinkedIn. Certainly, there are many people whose abundance of experience and wisdom can support and guide us, or provide inspiration in our lives.

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"To others who come from challenging backgrounds, I’d suggest recognising the things we can change, and those that we cannot. We can strive to make the best of our circumstances, and circumstances do change over time. "

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