Faculty of Education undergrad Jennifer Looi recognized with prestigious international award
Congratulations to Faculty of Education undergraduate student Jennifer Looi for her outstanding achievement in the Teacher Education category at The Undergraduate Awards 2013 Global Summit. Jennifer, who is in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE), was invited to Dublin earlier this month to accept her award, and meet similarly accomplished students from around the world to exchange ideas.
“I had a phenomenal experience at the Summit, and was so impressed by the diversity and calibre of students at the event,” Jennifer recounted. She added, “We had the opportunity to listen to and conference with an inspiring group of speakers that encouraged us to broaden our minds at both an academic and personal level. I feel so honoured to have won this award, and be among the ranks of such talented individuals. It has helped to give greater meaning to my work, which I hope to continue in graduate school this fall.”
The Undergraduate Awards (UA) is the world’s only pan-discipline academic awards programme that identifies the leading creative thinkers and problem solvers through their undergraduate coursework.
Jennifer’s submission "The Nature of Science and Socioscientific Issues in Science Education" was the overall winner of the Teacher Education category. This means that she is top of the 10% of all entrants to the 2013 Undergraduate Awards programme, which received nearly 3,771 submissions from 184 institutions across 26 countries. To mark her excellence, she was presented with the Bram Stoker medal and will also be published in The Undergraduate Awards academic journal 2013. Describing her research, Jennifer said, “My paper examines the nature of science and how the common misconceptions that are perpetuated in school can negatively affect student interest and performance. I propose the integration of socioscientific issues like abortion and global warming into the curriculum as a way to get students interested in science, and more attuned to the way it relates to dominant social issues.”
UA seeks to recognize the brilliance of young scholars, foster a culture of co-operation across disciplines and borders, and aims to connect and empower the brightest students to inspire greatness.
Cited as the ultimate champion for high potential undergraduates, UA provides top performing students with the support, network and opportunities they require to raise their profiles and further their career paths.