Speeches
Speech by Mr S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education, at the Opening of X-periment! on Friday, 14 August 2009, at 11.40am at the Marina Square Central Atrium, Level 2, Marina Square Shopping Centre
Dr Chew Tuan Chiong
Chief Executive, Science Centre Singapore
Prof Miranda Yap
Executive Director, A*STAR Graduate Academy
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Boys and girls
Introduction
It gives me great pleasure to be here today as part of science.09, to celebrate the positive impact science has on our lives and its contributions to our society and world.
Science is a lifelong journey of learning and discovery. One of the best ways of learning is not by rote but by being inquisitive; asking questions about even the simplest of things and discovering the answers to those questions. A healthy curiosity about how and why things work is the catalyst for the spirit of learning and creative thought.
This year, science.09 aims to spark a passion for learning among Singaporeans by encouraging our young to be inquisitive and “Ask Why”. Questions like: “Why does the apple fall to the ground?” and “Why do we explore space”? posed by physicists Sir Issac Newton and Stephen Hawking respectively, have led to some of the greatest discoveries in the universe, not to mention new inventions and improved ways of doing things. So, keep asking “Why?” and enjoy and celebrate the learning journey it will take you on.
The Future of our Nation: Science, Technology & Biomedicine
This brings me to the question “Why is science important?”. Science pervades every aspect of our lives and impacts the way we live today and the way we will in the future. Science is crucial for the well-being and advancement of our society and the world. Without science we would still be without telephones, television, the computers and internet—I wonder if you can imagine that! Without a doubt, science has and will continue to have a profound impact on humanity. It is, therefore, important that we endeavour to cultivate an interest and career in science among promising young talent through events such as science.09.
Science, technology and biomedicine continue to be key engines of growth for our country as we strive towards a knowledge-based economy built on intellectual capabilities and high value research and development. The way forward is multi-disciplinary research; integrating research from diverse scientific disciplines to create scientific, biomedical and technological breakthroughs and applications that will enhance our lives and build future industries.
X-periment and science.09 Events
Science.09 kicks off with the opening of X-periment! This year, a total of 17 research and tertiary institutions will be showcasing their latest works and developments in the fields of science, technology and biomedicine. Working adults, students as well as young children and their families can look forward to science demonstrations as well as hands-on experiments. I understand that Dr Bunhead, an internationally acclaimed science communicator, will be staging a spectacular and explosive performance called Crash Test Science. I strongly encourage everyone to take their time to explore the exhibition and I am certainly looking forward to trying some experiments myself.
In the following weeks, over 140 other educational, interactive and fun-filled events such as workshops, talks and competitions will be held islandwide. For example, at the Biopolis Flu Forum on 4 September, you can learn more about the Influenza A H1N1 virus from the A*STAR researchers who have been developing technologies to tackle the virus.
A*STAR and Science Centre Collaboration
Science.09 marks the eighth year of collaboration between A*STAR and the Science Centre on this science festival. Both organisations are committed to bringing science out of the labs and into the public arena to cultivate an interest in science among young children, students and the community at large. The Ministry of Education also continues to lend support to A*STAR and the Science Centre in their efforts to nurture a passion for science in our young, with the objective of developing Singapore’s talent pool in science, technology and biomedicine. I understand that more than 30 organisations have come together to organise this massive science festival.
Conclusion
In conclusion, remember that our learning journey never ends. Science is in everything we do and the scientists of the past, present and future are inspirations for all of us. One day, you might just be the one to propose a new scientific theory, invent a new device or discover a cure for a disease—the possibilities are endless so keep asking why and find out the answers to all your questions.
I would like to commend A*STAR, Science Centre and all participating organisations for making science.09 possible. To everyone, I wish you a fantastic time in discovering the wonders of science. Thank you.