In collaboration with MAC3 Impact Philanthropies, this scholarship aims to cultivate postgraduate students in Singapore and guide them toward meaningful careers in nature conservation. Aligned with the mission of Conservation International-Singapore to expand scientific research and build capacity in conservation science, this scholarship provides an opportunity for aspiring youth to recognize their role and Singapore's environmental impact both domestically and across the Asia-Pacific region.
Through this initiative, students have the unique opportunity to engage with Conservation International’s work through academic projects that contribute meaningful research and diverse areas of environmental conservation work — from protecting coastal “blue carbon” to monitoring riparian ecosystems.
Since 2020, we have had the privilege of supporting the following scholars:
Current
Christian Ching Jun Wei
Ph.D. Candidate, Integrated Tropical Riparian Monitoring, Southampton University, UK
September 2022 – Present
Area of Work
My doctoral research focuses on leveraging natural history collections and fieldwork to protect riparian ecosystems, which are highly threatened habitats on our planet. Thanks to the support of Conservation International and MAC3 Impact Philanthropies, I've had various experiences, including conducting educational and outreach programs in Singapore, fieldwork in Timor-Leste, as well as curation and research at the Natural History Museum, London, and the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. These opportunities have exposed me to a wide range of work in conservation and science, ultimately leading me to pursue my Ph.D.
Academic Background
B.Sc. in Biological Sciences (Wild Animal Health), Royal Veterinary College, University of London, UK
Publication
Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum: Vertebrate Type Specimens Collected from Singapore: A Digitisation Workflow (31 March 2022)
Rushan bin Abdul Rahman
Ph.D. Candidate, Spatial Conservation Ecology of Marine Turtles in Southeast Asia, James Cook University Townsville, Australia
August 2021 – Present
Area of Work
My thesis is focused on understanding and identifying regional conservation areas for marine turtles in Southeast Asia and quantifying the conservation priorities of these areas. High conservation priority areas will
then be focused on identifying Important Marine Turtle Areas, which will be further modified by incorporating the opinions of local communities to develop boundaries that work for marine turtles and people. The scholarship has allowed me to carry out
nearly every aspect of my Ph.D., from presenting my work at conferences that are important for my discipline and the region to meeting with key regional collaborators to collate data.
Academic Background
B.Sc. (Hons) in Environmental Science, Murdoch University, Australia
B.Sc. in Conservation and Wildlife Biology, Murdoch University, Australia
Features
NLB Green Market Webinar: Conserving S.E.A.Turtles (3 June 2023)
Berita Harian: Calon PhD ingin lindungi penyu laut dari ancaman pupus (10 October 2022)
Past
Shakura Nuha Bashir
M.Sc. in Biodiversity Conservation & Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore
August 2021 – May 2022
Area of Work
My work with Conservation International was focused on Asia-Pacific Climate Policy where I helped to develop policy recommendations to include international nature-based offsets in the revised Singapore Carbon Tax. I also worked on a proposal for blue carbon capacity building which led to the establishment of the International Blue Carbon Institute at Conservation International. The scholarship and my time at Conservation International were invaluable as they inspired me to pursue a Ph.D. through which I hope to conduct multi-disciplinary research at the intersection of science, policy, and finance.
Academic Background
B.Eng. in Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore
Lynn-Wei Wong
Ph.D. Candidate, Sustainable Seaweed Aquaculture, National University of Singapore
January 2021 – June 2022
Area of Work
During my time at Conservation International, I worked on seagrass blue carbon, supporting various initiatives being conducted by Conservation International’s International Blue Carbon Scientific Working Group. My main role was to assist in conducting a systematic review of global seagrass carbon stocks and analyzing accumulation rates, with the ultimate aim of informing and guiding policy objectives. Whilst peripheral to my main research topic, I had the privilege of working with and learning from some of the world’s leading experts in the field of seagrass blue carbon. This experience afforded me valuable insights into the research and considerations necessary to advance carbon conservation, management, and assessment.
Academic Background
B.Sc. (Hons) in Accounting and Finance, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, UK
B.Sc. in Biology with a concentration in Marine Science, University of Victoria, Canada
SUPPORTED BY
“MAC3 has high ambitions for our conservation scholars. We aspire that their work and passion not only decipher complex issues but also generate new discoveries to act as small sparks igniting transformative changes. By doing so, they will enrich conservation knowledge and confront the climate and nature emergency which is the defining challenge of our generation (and quite possibly of generations to follow).”
Dr. Antoine A. Firmenich, Co-Founder - MAC3 Impact Philanthropies