Donning the Food Tech robe

“Wow, why are you dressed up so nicely today? Your hair is so neat,” a student quips as Mr Quek Xing Yu walks past. Along the way, a couple of other students call out to him and he stops to chat with them.

That is how comfortable students are with Mr Quek, or “Cher” (Singlish for teacher), as how he is occasionally being addressed. The 29-year-old academic tutor is the youngest among the teaching staff in the SIT-Massey University Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours joint degree programme. He has been teaching for the past three years, having graduated from the course with top honours in 2021.

"I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to seize the opportunity," says Mr Quek.

He is the first fresh graduate to be offered a teaching position at Massey University. At the time, the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for academic staff from New Zealand to travel to Singapore, prompting the university to hire locally. Fortuitously, Mr Quek had just graduated and was considering a research assistant role at SIT when Associate Professor Kelvin Goh, a programme director of the SIT-Massey Food Technology degree programme, shared the teaching opportunity with him.

But his journey to this point was far from smooth.
 

Coping with a family's cancer struggle

In 2015, while serving National Service, Mr Quek was hit with the devastating news that both his parents had been diagnosed with cancer. First, he learned that his mother had an advanced stage of ovarian cancer. Months later, tests confirmed that his father had multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer affecting the bone marrow. The next few years took a mental and financial toll on him as he juggled frequent hospital visits, caregiving responsibilities and his studies. With both parents unable to work - his father, a night-shift taxi driver, and his mother, a childcare teacher - the family struggled financially. To make matters more difficult, high medical expenses for foreigners meant that his Taiwanese mother had to return home for treatment.

Mr Quek reflected, “There were times when my brother, who was also a student at SIT, and I had to drop everything to rush our father to the hospital, even for minor ailments like fever or flu as these can be detrimental to cancer patients.”

The Select Group Scholarship, Lim Chew Swee Bursary, Lee Foundation Bursary and the Hong Leong Bursary enabled Mr. Quek to complete his studies despite the challenges.

"These awards and financial aid helped me greatly, allowing me to focus on caring for my parents and my studies. I am truly grateful to those who contributed and changed my life with their act of giving," says Mr Quek, counting his blessings every day.

Although his mother unfortunately passed away during his second year of studies; his father, who is undergoing an experimental chemotherapy treatment, has shown improvement and is now able to drive once or twice a week.

Finding joy in teaching

These days, Mr Quek has found a reason to smile again.

“It's been very fulfilling to see students grow and become industry-ready. This human connection is what makes me look forward to work each day,” he shares. “Seeing my students excel in their careers is truly rewarding.”

Come May, his love for teaching will take him to Wellington, New Zealand, where he will embark on a three-year PhD programme in food technology at Massey University. Each year, the university sponsors one Singaporean on this prestigious bond-free scholarship and he is immensely grateful to Assoc Prof Goh for helping him secure it.

Mr Quek is fascinated by food technology’s problem-solving potential, especially in a world increasingly concerned with food safety and sustainability. The course equips those aspiring to a career in the food industry with a thorough understanding of food science, engineering and business for real-world applications and industrial simulations.

Upon completing his course, he hopes to return to teach in SIT’s new food technology degree programme and develop Singapore’s next generation of food scientists.  

"It may not be a glamourous industry, but the work has great meaning because it is about feeding people. In Singapore, where we rely heavily on external food supplies, food security is a pressing concern," says Mr Quek.

During his PhD, he will be working with his supervisor to research the bioactive compounds of Korean ginseng, which seems to grow better in New Zealand. They will explore whether these compounds could be harnessed for use in facial and hair care products, potentially opening new doors for the food technology industry.

Paying it forward

Acknowledging that he would not be where he is today without the generosity of donors, Mr Quek is committed to giving back.

"After I complete my postgraduate studies, I hope to contribute to scholarships and initiatives that support future students, or lend my time to inspire others to give.”

Best wishes on your PhD journey, soon-to-be Dr Quek!