SINGAPORE – Stories of ordinary Singaporeans take centre stage in this year’s shortlist for the National University of Singapore (NUS) History Prize. This year, the award organizers have broadened the definition of history to include non-fiction work with a personal slant. The prize is awarded every three years for a book-length publication on any topic relating to Singapore’s history. The 2021 winner will receive $50,000. The book-length works can be fiction or non-fiction, but must have a clear historical theme.
Prof Miksic, who is a professor with NUS’ Department of History, was invited to conduct a test excavation at Fort Canning in 1984. This was the start of a 30-year journey, which saw him lead teams of researchers on archaeological digs in sites such as the Old Parliament House and Empress Place. In his book, which was published this year, he tells the story of the 1,000 volunteers who helped him with his excavations.
The judging panel for the 2018 Singapore Prize was made up of representatives from the media, academia and business. The prize ceremony, hosted by actor William Waddingham and actress Mbatha Moya, was held in Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands on Sunday (November 5). In keeping with the sustainability theme, the event featured an eco-friendly red carpet, with guests wearing vintage clothes and green accessories. William wore a 10-year-old dark green blazer by Alexander McQueen.
At the event, there were presentations on how to be a good citizen and a global leader, as well as performances by Singaporean singer-songwriters Darren Chan and Joanna Dong. Darren also presented the prize money to the winners.
LIV Golf Singapore’s Scott Vincent claimed the first prize for the men’s tournament, earning a total of $1,000,000 from the $2.3 million in cash and prizes. The women’s champion was Australia’s Katherine Leo, who won a total of $870,000.
NUS President Cheong Hee Kiat gave away the 20th Singapore Prestige Brand Award at the awards ceremony. Twenty-nine local businesses, from heritage brands to regional players, received the accolade at the event that took place in Singapore this week.
The President’s Science and Technology Awards are the highest honours bestowed by the Singapore Government on scientific talent. They are awarded to scientists and engineers who make significant contributions in their fields and have potential to become world-class researchers. They are also a means of publicly recognising their contribution towards building a strong foundation for scientific research in Singapore. Nominations for the awards are open to all Singapore citizens and permanent residents, including A*STAR and National Research Fund (NRF) supported early-career scientists who have made outstanding contributions to their disciplines. The nomination and evaluation process is managed by the Office of Research Innovation and Commercialisation at NUS. Detailed criteria and submission instructions can be found here. Nominations close on 30 November 2019. For more information, please visit here.