SCI Hosts Welcome Session for 243 First-Year Undergraduate Students Declaring their Intention to Study in the BIO and BIF Programmes

In a warm and engaging welcome session held on April 3, the School of Science (SCI) officially greeted 243 first-year undergraduate (UG) students, who have newly declared Biological Sciences (BIO) and Bioinformatics (BIF) as their preferred academic programmes of study. The session was organized by Dr Weiwe Dai from the Department of Biosciences and Bioinformatics and designed to initiate early conversations and strong links and connections between students and faculty.  It was a vibrant and informative introduction to the dynamic, growing and interdisciplinary nature of the School’s programmes.

Professor John Moraros, Dean of SCI was accompanied by 9 faculty members, including Professor Zhiliang Lu (Deputy Head, Department of Biosciences and Bioinformatics), Dr Shuihua Wang (School Director, Graduate Studies and PGRS), Dr Yongtao Zhu (Director, iGEM wet team), Dr Chun Chan (Director, iGEM dry team), Dr Francesco Zonta (School Coordinator, Final Year Project), Dr Xinzhao Tong (Program Director, Masters Bioinformatics), Dr Yong Shen (Program Director, UG Biological Sciences), Dr Justin Fendos, and Dr Lee Wei Lim.

Dean Moraros led the session with a welcoming message of encouragement to the incoming students, emphasizing the need for them to be present and work hard work to take full advantage of the great opportunity that lies ahead as part of their academic journey in the School. Then, each BIO faculty member introduced themselves, their research, and warmly welcomed and encouraged our new UG students to get fully engaged with their academic interests, connect with relevant PIs and join highly productive research groups in time.  Dean Moraros said “This is more than just the beginning of your academic journey. It is the beginning of your engagement with a community of highly accomplished scholars in our School, who are going to spark your intellectuals curiosity, mentor you throughout your journey and engage you in academic work that will lead to scientific discovery, innovation, and collaboration.”

A highlight of the session was the introduction of the incoming students to the two prestigious and world renowned  academic programmes, the BSc in Biological Sciences and the BSc in Bioinformatics. Dr. Yong Shen, Program Director of BIO, provided an overview of the curriculum, academic pathways, and research opportunities available to students in both tracks. He emphasized the flexibility of the programs and how they are designed to prepare students for rewarding and cutting-edge careers in science, technology, healthcare, and beyond. Each attending faculty member also shared insights into their ongoing research, offering students a glimpse into the wide spectrum of scientific inquiry taking place within the School. Research areas spanned from molecular biology and genetics to computational biology, bioinformatics, and applications of artificial intelligence in life sciences and biomedicine.

In addition, Prof. Moraros introduced several other faculty members who were unable to attend in person, highlighting their significant scientific work and encouraging students to explore the breadth of research opportunities available across the School. Most importantly, students were invited to connect with faculty members beyond the classroom, whether through lab work, independent study or informal discussions about shared interests. “We want our students to know that our faculty are not only world renown in their scientific fields but also friendly, approachable and eager to mentor all of you,” said Prof. Moraros. “This introductory session serves as the catalyst to help you build those connections and take ownership of your academic journey. You are all bright and hold great promise otherwise, you would not have been selected for entry into our highly competitive programmes. Now is the time for all of you to put in all the hard work with the mentorship and support of our globally recognized faculty to make your dreams come true!”

The welcome session reflects SCI’s strong commitment to student engagement and academic excellence. With a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and personalized mentorship, the School continues to cultivate an environment, where students are empowered to explore, innovate, and lead in the field of life sciences. This is evident in the fact that nearly half of our SCI graduates gain entry for their Masters and PhD studies into top 10 universities in the world and nearly every graduate gets admitted into a top 100 university.