Amelia Tan
Senior Product Manager, WhatIF FOODS
NUS FST Alumni
What are you working as now?
I am currently working in strategic business development for WhatIF Foods, a homegrown brand that looks at incorporating climate change resilient crops into familiar convenience foods and at the same time supports smallholder farming communities.
What did you enjoy most during your time in FST?
There are many fond memories from my time in FST. Funnily enough, the toughest semester was year 3, where we had 5 FST modules, and spent lots of time in the lab. It was also one of the semesters that brought many of us close together as classmates and friends, many of whom I still keep in touch with or even work with on a professional basis!
Are there any memorable experiences during your time in FST that have helped you get to where you are today?
What was life changing for me was the summer exchange that I did in the US between year 2 and 3 and the industrial attachment in year 3 which I did in Australia at a sauce manufacturing plant. Both experiences opened my eyes to how big the world could be and the possibilities to dream big. It was these university experiences that shaped the choices I made in my career, to try to impact industries, societies and communities today!
Were there any challenges that you faced, and how did you overcome them?
When we were in year 4, it so happened that it was a year where not many companies were hiring. It was quite worrying for many of us in the batch, as we actually did not know much about what was available in the industry, and where to look. I remember many of us just had to keep persisting, just putting in application after application, waiting for replies. When that call for a good position finally came, it was precious – and so I prepared hard for it!
Any words of advice for current and prospective students of FST?
Many times while growing up, we are taught and “trained” not to fail, not to make mistakes. The numerous times we have tests, mid-terms and quizzes drilled that into our heads. However, in innovation and R&D, we need to be comfortable with failing, with suspending our judgements, be more adventurous and try something different even if it scares you. So, my advice would probably be – don’t be afraid of getting it wrong the first time, and if you do, fail fast, pick youself up and try it again in a new way!