This document describes the Special Programme in Science (SPS) student mentorship programme at the National University of Singapore. The key points are: 1. SPS was established in 1996 to expose talented science students to multidisciplinary science and develop their research skills through an integrated science curriculum and peer mentorship between third, fourth, and postgraduate students. 2. The mentorship programme provides training to mentors, and mentors provide guidance to junior students through curriculum design, project supervision, counseling, and assessment as part of creating a dynamic learning environment. 3. Mentors remark that the experience has benefited both their mentees and themselves by developing teaching, communication, and interpersonal skills through a mutually

1. STUDENT
MENTORSHIP
IN
SPECIAL
PROGRAMME
IN
SCIENCE
Andreas
Dewanto
Faculty
of
Science,
Na1onal
University
of
Singapore
Block
S16
Level
3,
6
Science
Drive
2,
Singapore
117546

2. SPS
in
a
Nutshell
• Established
in
1996
to
expose
talented
science
students
in
mul:disciplinary
science
and
develop
their
research
skill
• Prac:ce
Integrated
Science
Curriculum
which
involve
ac:ve-­‐learning
and
peer-­‐mentorship
• Dynamic
learning
environment
between
staff,
students,
and
mentors
(3rd,
4th,
and
postgrads)

3. Integrated
Science
Curriculum
Year of Study Semester 1 Semester 2
1 (Freshmen) Atoms to Molecules The Cell
Discovering Science
2 (Sophomore) The Earth The Universe
Integrated Science Project
3 Junior mentorship
4 (Honors) Senior mentorship
• It
runs
in
addi:on
to
student’
respec:ve
degree
programme
• 2-­‐year
core
programme
(compulsory)
to
give
students
ample
:me
to
go
for
exchange/overseas
programme
• Opportunity
for
senior
students
to
contribute
back
to
the
programme
as
mentors
(op:onal)

4. Progression
of
SPS
Students
(admiCed
in
2008
to
2011)
67
134
90
48
43
47
46
37
20
31
25
28
13
18
16
22
13
18
15
2008
2009
2010
2011
Applied
AdmiSed
Con:nue
aTer
1
Year
Progress
to
Junior
Mentorship
Progress
to
Senior
Mentorship
This
shows
the
number
of
applica:ons
received
(blue)
and
admiSed
into
the
programme
(red)
between
2008
to
2011.
Many
of
these
students
con:nue
to
stay
in
the
programme
aTer
1
year
(green),
con:nue
to
be
a
junior
mentor
(purple),
and
eventually
a
senior
mentor.
The
batch
admiSed
in
2011
are
expected
to
be
senior
mentors
in
2014.

5. Mentors’
Training
&
Development
• Sharing
by
very
senior
SPS
mentor-­‐alumnus
to
provide
an
aspirant
model
for
junior
mentors
to
look
up
to
• Study
cases
of
various
mentoring
scenarios
• Discussion
on
mentoring
ethics
and
professionalism
• On-­‐the-­‐job
training

6. AdministraIon
&
Management
• 3
headmentors
are
chosen
among
the
batch
of
senior
mentor
• Interview
the
candidates
for
junior
mentors
• Manage
mentors’
assignment
• Organize
SPS
Congresses
• Liaise
with
staff
• Collate
confiden:al
informa:on

7. Curriculum
Design
and
Syllabus
Planning
• Mentors
have
been
through
the
curriculum
itself
• Mentors
may
have
a
beSer
on-­‐the-­‐ground
perspec:ve
on
the
efficacy
of
certain
pedagogical
ini:a:ve
• Staff
and
mentors
fine-­‐
tune
the
curriculum
and
syllabus
all
the
:me

8. Project
Supervision
• Lead
junior
students
in
literature
review,
formulate
hypothesis,
experimenta:on
and
data
analysis
• Advise
junior
students
in
preparing
the
report,
poster
and
oral
presenta:on
• Assess
the
project

9. Assessment
• Requires
enormous
responsibility
and
high
level
of
maturity
• Only
senior
and
more
experienced
mentors
are
grading
• Elaborate
grading
scheme
to
ensure
fairness

10. Counseling
Mentors,
due
to
their
closer
age-­‐gap
with
their
juniors,
become
students’
first
confidantes
when
they
are
faced
with
the
harsh
reality
of
university
life
(anxiety
over
exam,
:me
management
issue,
rela:onship
problem,
etc).
Personal
Advising
Mentor
is
a
scheme
whereby
each
SPS
mentor
personally
be-­‐
friends
2
to
3
ju-­‐
nior
students,
and
advises
them
if
needed
as
friend.

11. Remarks
from
The
Mentors
Being
a
graduate
student
the
teaching
experience
is
really
valuable
for
me.
SPS
provides
a
very
special
environment
where
I
can
interact
with
top
undergraduate
students
who
have
great
passion
in
science.
I
enjoyed
my
mentoring
experiences
with
my
students.
I
can
apply
the
methods
that
I
learnt,
not
only
research
planning,
paper
wri1ng
and
experimental
techniques,
but
also
soN
skills
during
the
process
of
mentoring.
I
have
learnt
a
lot
and
I
really
appreciate
the
mentoring
opportuni1es
provided
by
SPS.
Luo
Weiwei
(Postgraduate
Mentor)
To
me,
being
an
SPS
mentor
is
a
very
meaningful
experience
in
my
undergraduate
journey.
To
be
a
mentor
means
to
set
a
good
example
for
my
juniors
to
follow,
and
to
contribute
to
their
personal
growth
and
learning
process.
I
feel
that
my
main
responsibility
as
a
mentor
is
not
to
impart
them
knowledge,
but
to
help
them
develop
cri1cal
thinking
and
interest
in
research.
As
I
assist
and
mentor
my
groups,
I
also
learnt
a
lot
of
new
factual
knowledge,
interpersonal
and
communica1on
skills
from
my
peers
and
mentees.
I
enjoy
this
mutually
learning
process
and
I
have
gained
much
joy
and
sa1sfac1on
in
being
an
SPS
mentor.
I
am
thankful
for
this
opportunity
given
and
I
feel
that
such
a
student-­‐driven
program
should
be
promoted.
Emelyne
Teo
Jia
Wei
(Undergraduate
Mentor)