I am currently the Director of the Aquaculture Department under the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and my role is to lead the development of key strategies, technologies, and innovations for the aquaculture sector. I was also recently appointed the Executive Director of AquaPolis, an initiative under the Singapore Food Story 2.0 R&D Programme, hosted by NUS with partners SFA and TLL.
My research expertise is in aquaculture genetics. I obtained my Ph.D. from the National University of Singapore while I was at Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) working on understanding the genetics of sex change in the Asian seabass, as part of a long-term selective breeding programme.
Through my work at SFA’s Marine Aquaculture Centre (MAC), I developed expertise in captive breeding and intensive hatchery production of species such as Asian seabass, pompano and red snappers and had been involved in the development of know-hows such as spawning protocols and broodstock nutrition and health management. I have also developed a deep understanding of the industry challenges and trends, having spent 15 years with the public sector in roles linked to the aquaculture industry.
At SFA, I also oversee projects that aim to address some of the sustainability challenges faced by the aquaculture industry. These includes projects such as environmental impact assessments (EIAs), environment management and monitoring programmes (EMMPs), hydro-connectivity study for biosecurity management and predictive modelling of harmful algae blooms.
I also represent Singapore as the Alternate Council Director and National Coordinator of Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC), an autonomous inter-governmental body comprising 10 ASEAN Member Countries and Japan, setup to promote and facilitate concerted actions among the Member Countries to ensure the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture in Southeast Asia.
