Dr. Jorry Dharmawan
Associate Professor, Food Technology Programme (A Joint Degree between SIT & Massey University)
Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)
NUS FST Alumni
What did you enjoy most during your time in FST?
Hmm, this is a difficult question because I really enjoyed 8 years of my time with FST. I may be one of the longest students of FST, but it didn’t feel that long after all as everyone in FST was friendly, helpful, and supportive. During my undergraduate, I enjoyed the time with my classmates in lectures, tutorials and lab sessions. I also liked spending time with all the lecturers because they were very approachable and open to share their knowledge and experiences. On top of that, the time that I really enjoyed is when my classmates and I went for our graduation trip together to Australia.
Are there any memorable experiences during your time in FST that have helped you get to where you are today?
Looking back, I’m grateful how FST has played an important role to shape me into where I am today. There are many memorable experiences, but if you asked me for one, it is when I did my honours project. My project was to study the adhesion properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from ‘dadih’, a traditional fermented buffalo milk from Indonesia. As part of my project, I needed to extract mucus layer from faecal samples which would be used as a model for the human intestinal surface for in vitro adhesion study. Prior to embarking on this project, I didn’t know that I had to deal with human faecel samples and it was really unthinkable that I had to ‘process’ the samples. Despite the challenge, I decided to persevere and overcome my fear. Thankfully, the project was completed successfully. It is really a memorable experience and it has helped me to persevere despite various challenges that I’ve been facing along the way until now. It may not be easy but as long as we keep positive mindset and do not give up, we can overcome those challenges eventually.
Were there any challenges that you faced, and how did you overcome them?
Yes, there were definitely many challenges, especially because I was an international student and needed to adapt to a new culture and environment. I was struggling in the beginning but I decided to step out of my comfort zone, seek for help and not to give up. Prayer did help too!
Any words of advice for current and prospective students of FST?
I just want to say “treasure your life and live it to the fullest”. Choose to make a difference today because yesterday has passed and tomorrow may be too late.