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As a primary school student, Yue En Qi was always fascinated by robotics and technology, captivated by how hardware and software work together to bring machines to life. This spurred her to explore the topic further. A turning point came when she witnessed a search-and-rescue robot at a competition and realised how technology could be used positively. This cemented her decision to build technology for positive impact.

She later entered Woodlands Ring Secondary School via the Direct School Admissions to pursue robotics. The school offered Electronics as an ‘O’ Levels subject, which quickly became her favourite. As her understanding of robotics grew, she soon found herself at a crossroads, having to choose between hardware and software. To seek clarity, En Qi reached out to her seniors to learn about the nuances of each field. Their insights, coupled with her experiences, led her to choose the software route. This decision pointed her toward Singapore Polytechnic’s (SP) Diploma in Applied AI & Analytics (DAAA). She even attended three of SP’s Open Houses to ensure that she was making the right choice.

Inspired by engaging presentations by SP student ambassadors, En Qi signed up to become one herself. By her second year, she joined the School of Computing (SoC) Ambassadors’ Executive Committee, helping to run events for prospective and current students. She was also the president of the SP Sign Language Club, where the executive committee was dedicated to raising awareness about Deaf culture and sign language. Through strategic mentorship, En Qi and her team empowered the succeeding cohort of leaders, ensuring the longevity of their advocacy efforts.

Every pursuit was carefully calibrated to give back to the community. This is also why En Qi is strongly passionate about AI safety and wishes to build safer AI models for the public. The DSO Diploma Scholarship recipient completed a 10-month internship at DSO National Laboratories (DSO), where she focused on detecting and mitigating AI hallucinations by analysing internal model behaviours. Recognising her potential, her supervisor sponsored her attendance at a renowned AI conference to gain insights into industry developments.

Outside of SP’s curriculum, she challenged herself by participating in competitions such as the ideateCOMM Challenge 2023. Her team conceptualised a GPS-enabled eldercare watch for a nursing home to enable real-time monitoring of residents by staff. The watch also included an emergency button that residents could use to call for immediate assistance.

Equipped with the Smart Nation Scholarship, En Qi will further her studies in AI at a university before joining GovTech to fulfil her dreams of using technology for good. Her journey, marked by vivid experiences and impactful leadership, has shaped her vision to build useful tools and platforms that serve the public interest.

Click here to read more about her SP SoC journey.