Spotlighting our Xponents’ achievements this International Women’s Day

On this celebratory day, we speak to three women in HTX at different stages of their careers to learn more about their achievements and thoughts about being a woman in STEM.

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(Photo: HTX)

Yang Chiew Yung
Deputy Director, Forensic Physics & Engineering
Forensics Centre of Expertise (CoE)

Chiew Yung
Chiew Yung posing with one of the lion balloon sculptures during our recent eXpresso!, HTX’s unique townhall event. (Photo: Chiew Yung)

Veteran Forensics Scientist and Deputy Director of HTX’s Forensics CoE Chiew Yung leads the Forensic Physics & Engineering Pillar in Forensics CoE. “Our CoE helms the development of new forensic capabilities through scientific research to support our Home Team Departments (HTDs),” Chiew Yung elaborated.

In her current role, she also oversees a wide variety of research projects, with topics related to traditional forensic pattern evidence such as Fingerprints, Firearms & Toolmarks, Questioned Documents, Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA), and in areas such as Fire Science and Material Characterisation to support fire investigations.

“A lot of the work we do combines traditional forensic sciences with biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, digital and AI solutions, going beyond what people generally perceive forensic science to be,” added Chiew Yung.

Chiew Yung has racked up a long list of achievements in her 20-year career, having worked on more than 500 cases from all over the world, including the US and Canada. She’s also co-authored three books on forensics science and obtained her Master’s in Forensics Science while working full-time.

According to Chiew Yung, there are three key factors that have contributed to her growth. “In HTX and the agencies that I have worked in, the organisations have been very supportive in terms of providing resources, training, opportunities and more,” she said. “My passion for forensic science keeps me going when work gets challenging or tiring.

“Last but not least, teamwork is also crucial. Nothing is more important than having a visionary and supportive supervisor as well as a team of colleagues whom I can trust and depend on, as forensic work is never something that you can do alone.”

For Chiew Yung, being a woman in her industry has never been a barrier for progression. “From my experience, I’ve not really observed a significant gap between women and men in the STEM workforce. My immediate supervisors have all been women so far, and the men to women ratio in my pillar is currently about 50:50. And HTX’s open culture encourages us to dare to dream, and provides resources for everyone to pursue a variety of research projects and training opportunities.”

Ong Si Ci
Lead AI Engineer
Sense-making & Surveillance (S&S) CoE

Si Ci
Si Ci’s work at the S&S CoE requires her to be up to date with all the new developments in AI. (Photo: HTX)

Public Service Commission (PSC) Scholarship recipient Si Ci has been working at HTX since she graduated. In the S&S CoE, she works to build artificial intelligence (AI) into HTX’s products, and is currently working on InXeption, an in-house image enhancement solution, and AlchemiX, an audio and video deepfake detection tool.

“Our mission, which is to help keep Singapore safe and secure, is one of the most important things I enjoy about my job here at HTX. For example, for InXeption, it was rewarding to learn that operational users have leveraged our product in solving cases. AlchemiX adds to our deepfake detection capabilities, which is crucial in solving crimes that utilise this technology to spread information and proliferate scams,” Si Ci said.

With the AI space moving so rapidly, Si Ci thrives when faced with the challenge of having to continuously learn new things—something that’s not really unexpected coming from someone who is a valedictorian, was vice-president of the Student Council and has been on the Engineering Dean’s List. “I didn’t have any computing/AI background when I first joined HTX. Because of the guidance from my bosses and the trust that they placed in me to pick up skills and knowledge along the way, I was afforded the space to grow,” she said.

“These opportunities are important, but I think it’s also crucial to pique or develop the interest of females in STEM at an early stage. Significant progress has been made to close the gap between women and men in the STEM workforce, but there are still some domains that are predominantly male. That is why I value the opportunities and challenges I’ve been given at HTX, such as double hatting in S&S and the Plans division that exposed me to both technical considerations and strategic planning for a more well-rounded perspective,” explained Si Ci.

Read more about Si Ci’s work here.


Ker Chin Tian
Engineer, 3i, Tech Stack
Robotics, Automation & Unmanned Systems (RAUS) CoE

Chin Tian
Chin Tian in her natural habitat, the RAUS lab. (Photo: HTX)

Chin Tian, who joined HTX as an Associate, is currently working on the autonomous exploration of multiple drones—a relatively new field of research. “I enjoy working on the latest technologies, especially when our projects serve a meaningful purpose of keeping Singapore safe and secure,” she said.

The NUS merit scholarship holder has been on multiple Dean’s lists and was an undergraduate teaching assistant at her alma mater. She credits her ability to pursue her interests to the safe and supportive environment in which she’s grown up. “I had to work hard, but I’m also lucky to have many opportunities to learn, explore and develop myself,” she said.

While she feels that there might still be a gap between women and men in the STEM workforce, she emphasises that it has narrowed over the years. “It’s now more common to see female engineers or leaders in STEM, and in my everyday interactions, I’ve never felt discriminated. HTX has a mentoring programme, and my mentor is also a female. She’s very approachable, so I feel very supported at HTX. Add to that the conducive environment, culture and people I work with here, and the meaningful work that I do, and it’s more than what I can ask for in a job.”

 
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