SP alumna, Rachel Tan, DSTA Scholarship Recipient

Rachel Tan Min Zhi
Diploma in Applied AI and Analytics
Class of 2023

Recipient of
- DSTA Scholarship, 2023
- Dell’s Technologies Prize, 2023
- CSIT Diploma Scholarship, 2021

Enrolling in Singapore Polytechnic’s Diploma in Applied AI and Analytics (DAAA) provided the essential first step to equip myself with the skills and experiences to succeed in the AI field. Its emphasis on practical experiences and learning beyond the curriculum helped me apply and understand technical concepts, driving me to improve my project quality and hone essential communication skills. During my studies, I engaged in diverse projects, hackathons, and boot camps that built a strong foundation in AI. These experiences allowed me to work with like-minded peers from various fields and lead teams, developing both my technical and communication skills. Furthermore, my team had the chance to present our final year project - which enhances training for bowlers using AI - to industry leaders at Supercomputing Asia (SCA) 2023, expanding our network. As I evaluated my scholarship and degree options towards my final year at SP, I had the invaluable guidance of my lecturers, significantly contributing to my professional development.

As DAAA’s pioneer batch, my friends and I launched SPAI (Singapore Polytechnic AI) SIG, bringing AI enthusiasts together for activities and mutual learning. In my role as SPAI’s Secretary, I liaised with external vendors, committee members, and lecturers to ensure smooth event execution, including the project showcase for SP’s Open House. Other than coordinating the showcase, I contributed to one of the projects, Fake News Detection to increase model accuracy and presented it to promote both DAAA and SPAI. My two-year involvement in SPAI’s activities developed my skills in event organization, contingency planning, and communication strategies for effective AI outreach.

During my software engineering internship at CSIT, I was exposed to industry-standard tools like React.js, Spring Boot, and Apache Kafka. Although I was initially unfamiliar with these tools, SP’s software engineering modules provided a solid foundation that allowed me to adapt quickly. With my mentor’s encouragement, I learned local deployment techniques and best practices in software engineering, which enabled me to complete two projects: modernising a legacy lookup system and building a publisher-subscriber architecture for operations. This experience gave me a clearer sense of what it’s like to work within the defence sector, enriching my software engineering skills while offering valuable insights into how defence agencies operate.

While interning, I joined a startup initiative with my friends, participated in hackathons, and applied for scholarships. Having to manage multiple tasks took a toll on me. Essentially, managing these responsibilities required efficient time management and clear communication with my respective teams to balance deliverables effectively. Despite the challenges, my team won second runner-up at the Google for Startups Cloud Hackathon with Empathly, a hate speech detection model to promote a safer space online. On a personal note, this project fulfilled my long-standing interest in addressing online abuse.

I was honoured to receive the CSIT Diploma Scholarship, which provided opportunities to work on meaningful projects for Singapore and expand my network within the industry. As I pursued my undergraduate studies, I was awarded the DSTA Scholarship, which allowed me to connect with other talented scholars and industry leaders.

With my scholarship, I aspire to contribute to Singapore’s national defence by applying my skills to AI projects. In line with this. goal, I strive to participate in various developer events to broaden my skillsets and perspectives. Moving forward, one of my main targets is to publish a research paper on the project I am currently working on under NTU’s URECA program, focusing on Sustainable Development for Large Language Models (LLM).

I am grateful to have met friends who share my passion for all things AI and development work. Recently, I competed in the Alibaba Global E-Commerce Challenge 2024 with my DAAA peers. Together, we advanced to the finals in Hangzhou, where we pitched to industry leaders. These experiences were fulfilling, allowing us to learn, grow, and network with peers and judges alike.

Thanks to SP, I had the opportunity to explore numerous paths, seek advice from my lecturers, and collaborate with my peers on projects and in hackathons. Ultimately, I found my purpose in contributing to Singapore’s National Defence with my AI knowledge.

Wisdom Drops/Advice for Junior

Focus less on the outcome and more on the experience. Try to engage in various events that you are interested in, it’ll help broaden your perspective and expand your network.