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Techie with a difference

IF YOUR impression of an engineering scholar is a geeky-looking chap with thick glasses, Ms Evelyn Cheo would like to prove you wrong.

A dancer, the soft-spoken Anderson Junior College alumnus is as comfortable in a lab coat as she is in cheerleading garb.

Indeed, Ms Cheo – who admits to being teased all the time for her surname, which means "pretty" in Hokkien – is a science techie with a difference.

She says: "People form their opinion of certain professions from stereotypes they see in movies.

"Yes, it is true guys tend to be better in the sciences and they gravitate towards the engineering-based sectors, but there is no barrier for girls."

The 20-year-old is currently in her second year of studying for a bachelor's degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

On her scholarship, she says: "I applied for the CN Yang Scholars programme because it offers a very well-rounded education of coursework and research possibilities."

The programme was named in honour of Professor CN Yang, a Nobel Laureate in Physics in 1957 and a renowned scientist.

Ms Cheo's scholarship comes with full tuition coverage, various book and computer allowances and the chance to rub shoulders with international bigwigs in the scientific community.

Already, she is looking forward to specialisation and a stint at the workplace.

"I decided to take up this course of study for practical reasons – it affords me great flexibility in my choice of career later on.

"With this degree, I can branch off in any number of ways, although I'm thinking of specialising in clean energy, which will be increasingly important in the future," she explains.

Inspired by field trips to refineries on Jurong Island, she says: "Clean energy is an area that not only benefits the country but also has a wider, global importance."

With her direction quite clearly marked out, she is hoping to land a work stint with one of the petroleum companies in her third year.

But it isn't just serious work for Ms Cheo, who believes strongly in having a balanced life.

"What is life if it's just mugging for exam after exam? I have done my share of mugging. Now, I intend to enjoy university life to the full, before starting to work," she says.

She participates in events such as dance contests and inter-hall cheerleading competitions at NTU.

She is quick to point out that cheerleading is a tough and demanding sport – and very respectable too.

"It is an activity I had always admired since young but never had the chance to try, so I'm resolved to cheerlead to my heart's content while at NTU," she says.

For this, she has to put in many hours of hard work, especially during term breaks. "I could practise up to six hours a day, three times a week, during holidays!"

says Ms Cheo, who feels that cheerleading builds physical dexterity and mental fortitude.

"It's a good time to develop skills like how to work in a team, how to conquer my fears and how to interact with people.

"These are skills that mere academics won't teach, and I feel it's just as important to acquire these attributes as scoring a high grade point average."

She says her parents had no objections with her choice of activities or studies.

"My family has always left the decisions to me, for better or worse. They are a bit concerned I would hurt myself in what I do, but they understand that the chances to try some things come by only once in a lifetime."