Lectures

	Title	Type	Levels
	From Embryology to Stem Cell Biology Scientific Problem Solving Science: Means & Meaning Design, Thinking and Innovating Together Innovations & Inventions	Lect Lect Lect Lect Lect

Please fax your request using the booking form. (Right click to "save as...")
For enquiries, please email schools@science.edu.sg.

From Embryology to Stem Cell Biology

Description The theme of this lecture concerns embryonic development and the impacts of scientific advancement in the domain of developmental and stem cell biology. The speaker will use simple explanations to illustrate basic concepts in this rapidly moving field in life sciences.

Speaker's Profile Professor Lim Tit Meng, Chief Executive of the Science Centre Singapore obtained his PhD from Cambridge University after getting a First Class Honours degree in Zoology at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He has 20 years of teaching experience as an academic in NUS, and is an award winning lecturer.

Mode of Delivery Lecture

Target Audience Upper secondary, polytechnic, and junior college students

Topic Stem cell biology, hope or hype?

Group size 80 minimum, 200 maximum

Duration 2 hours

Time 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Course Fee Free (Admission fee to Science Centre applies to Non-Institutional School Members)

Scientific Problem Solving

Description Science covers many different disciplines and topics, but all scientists use the same toolbox - the Scientific Method - to approach scientific problems in a systematic way. In this lecture, students will learn about the different steps in the Scientific Method, and more importantly, how to apply it to solve real-life, practical problems.

Mode of Delivery Lecture
(This lecture complements the self-conducted Scientist for a Day Gallery Pathway)

Target Audience Primary 4 to Sec 2

Topic Scientific Method, Scientific Inquiry, Problem Solving, Observation, Analysis, Hypothesis formulation

Duration 1 hour

Course Fee Free (Admission fee to Science Centre applies to Non-Institutional School Members)

Science: Means & Meaning (How to reliably learn about the natural world)

Description Science is a success that our society depends on. Many realise the importance of science. Unfortunately, not many understand its 'how' (thought many enjoy its fruits) and far less appreciates its 'why' (though many recognise its power). This talk covers both the means and meaning of science.

You will find what science is (and isn't), why it works (and doesn't) and also critically how to employ its method to reliably learn about the natural world.

Most treatments on scientific method use the usual recipe of steps which is a false construct or at best an over-simplification that usually misses the point of what scientists actually do. Instead of a theorist's view from the outside, we have given you a practitioner's view from the inside, the experience of the problem-solving process, and the patterns of scientific inquiry.

Mode of Delivery Lecture
(The lecture outlines the 5 diciplines necessary for scientific enquiries)

Target Audience Secondary and Junior College students.

Topic Scientific Method, Scientific Inquiry, Problem Solving, Observation, Analysis, Hypothesis formulation

Time 3 pm

Capacity 40 minimum, 80 maximum

Duration 3 hours (6 parts of 25 minutes each) or 1 hr abridged version

Course Fee Free (Admission fee to Science Centre applies to Non-Institutional School Members)

Design, Thinking and Innovating Together

Description The problems or challenges we face are often under-defined. There exist many potential solutions; some are good, bad or indifferent. But how do you arrive at a good solution? Herbert Simon, the Nobel Laureate in Economics "for his pioneering research into the decision-making process within economic organisations" noted that "Everyone designs who devises courses of action aimed at changing existing situations into preferred ones."

We arrive at our solutions by design. This is an art; it is a creative activity, involving imagination, intuition and deliberate choice. This workshop offers students the opportunity to learn "Design Thinking", which is a collective process where we figure out how to ask good questions, intuit possible solutions, test by making prototypes and learn about the problem and solutions together. Design is an iterative process which can be applied to solve human-centred challenges and problems.

We can make innovations happen by design and the process can be taught.

Mode of Delivery Lecture

Target Audience Secondary and Junior College students.

Time 3 pm

Capacity 40 minimum, 80 maximum

Duration 3 hours

Course Fee Free (Admission fee to Science Centre applies to Non-Institutional School Members)

Innovations & Inventions
Description	We have seen the Youth Olympic Games Cauldron. Have you ever wondered how they make that "Fire Tornado" or "Vortex Flame"? Hear from our local designer of the Youth Olympic Games vortex flame, Dr Tsai and find out about how it came about. He will speak of the journey of discovery, and what triggers you need to activate to make innovation happen for you. The superstar inventor Thomas Edison once stated; “I believe that any person, even of the most limited capacity, could become an inventor by sheer hard work. You can do almost anything if you keep at it long enough. Of course, the man with a natural aptitude would get there first, but the other plodder would eventually gain his point.”
Speaker's Profile	Dr Her-Mann Tsai has dedicated his life and career to accelerating the process of innovation and inventions. He is currently a fellow of the Science Centre Singapore and also teaches in the Singapore Management University. A prolific innovator himself, Dr Tsai has published over 120 articles, holds 4 patents and co-edited a book on flow control. His fire tornado cauldron invention housed the Olympic flame for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore in August 2010. He is the author of the book “Invent: It’s in You”. Dr Tsai received his BSc and PhD in aeronautical engineering from Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine, London. He has worked in Queen Mary College, London and DSO National Laboratories, Singapore, where he researched and developed codes for aerodynamics studies. In 2000 he co-founded a software startup company where he served as the CEO. Dr Tsai was also a principal research scientist with Temasek Laboratories, National University of Singapore (NUS), where he led university based defense related aeronautical research; from flow control to flow computations, and from aerodynamic design to optimization. He has taught in the Engineering Faculty in NUS for over 7 years and more recently also in the Industrial Design Group of the Department of Architecture in NUS.
Mode of Delivery	Lecture
Target Audience	Upper Primary, Secondary, polytechnic, and junior college students
Topic	Invent - It's in You
Group size	40 minimum, 80 maximum
Duration	2.5 hours
Time	3pm
Course Fee	$15 - inclusive of a copy of the speaker’s book "Invent: It’s in You!” which normally sells for $19.90. (Admission fee to Science Centre applies to Non-Institutional School Members)