ASE Ecology Graduate Zann Teo Wins Koh Boon Hwee Scholars Award & Honours Asst. Prof Eleanor Slade

The TEE Lab is overjoyed to congratulate Zann Teo, a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Earth Systems Science graduate specializing in ecology and an NTU President Research Scholar (NTU PRS), for being honored with the prestigious Koh Boon Hwee Scholars Award. This award recognizes her outstanding achievements, strong leadership skills, and immense potential to make a positive impact on society.

Zann Teo (right) with Asst. Prof Eleanor Slade (left)

While enrolled as an undergraduate at the TEE Lab, Zann devoted herself to expert research that advanced our knowledge of dung beetle species in Singapore. Her work underscored the significance of dung beetles in our ecosystems and raised awareness of their presence in our landscapes. Zann's outstanding URECA study, titled "The Species Checklist of Dung Beetles in Singapore," earned her recognition as the highest performing highly commended entrant for Asia and secured her the Regional Winner title for Asia in the Global Undergraduate Awards 2022 Programme held in Dublin, Ireland (link). Furthermore, her poster was honored with the Best Poster Award at the Royal Entomological Society Student Forum 2023 held in Cardiff, UK. In addition to these accomplishments, Zann was invited to present her research not only at the 2022 International Conference for Undergraduate Research (ICUR) (link) but also at the World Congress on Undergraduate Research (WorldCUR) 2023 in Warwick, UK.

You can read more about Zann's project here: The Journey of Creating the Singapore Dung Beetles Species Checklist Part 1

The Journey of Creating the Singapore Dung Beetles Species Checklist Part 2

Zann's Poster which won her the Best Poster Award at the Royal Ent Soc Student Forum 2023

Apart from celebrating Zann's accomplishments, the Koh Boon Hwee Scholars Award also acknowledges exceptional teaching. Zann took this opportunity to pay tribute to Asst. Prof Dr. Eleanor Slade, who supervised her Dung Beetle research project, and was presented with the Certificate of Honors for her inspirational mentorship during her time at the TEE Lab. Additionally, Mdm Darshini D/O Radha Krishnan, her chemistry teacher from National Junior College, was also honoured for this recognition. Zann's award and the certificates received by both educators were personally presented by the president of Singapore, Halimah Yacob, acknowledging their significant contributions to Zann's journey and recognizing their exceptional achievements.

Once again, congratulations Zann! The entire community is extremely proud of you and encourages you to keep up the outstanding work!

After graduating, Zann plans to return to the TEE Lab in January 2024 to pursue her Ph.D.