INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE AT THE CLEAR LAB

search assistant at the Collaborative Learning and Adaptive Robots (CLeAR) Lab, the National University of Singapore (NUS). My role was to study the intersection of AI and robotics—human-robot interaction (HRI)—and focus on developing a method for moderating users’ trust in robots.

NUS is a wonderfully welcoming campus in which the strong interconnectivity among students, faculty, and staff drives collaborative idea generation and innovation. I collaborated both directly with Professor Harold Soh, Director of CLeAR Lab and a graduate student studying explainable AI in assistive human-robot task settings. We identified the specific aspects of the project that I could contribute based on my interests, capabilities, and timeframe. Having a strong interest in the role of trust in scientific innovation and computing ethics, we decided to pursue trust moderation via prediction confidence. I learned the importance of refining and establishing specific research questions, and the specific tasks involved in each group’s work that contribute to the overall goals of the project. and in such a setting it can be easy to lose sight of the global community. Being at NUS, I have gained a broader perspective by partaking in a leading research institution’s pursuit of innovative technology and research through a global “looking-glass”. I have become part of a welcoming research community that seeks to pursue greater innovation beyond linguistic and cultural barriers. I have gained exposure to leading research techniques in explainable AI and robotics and acquired an invaluable set of practical, analytical, and interpretive skills. These have reaffirmed my belief in the power of international outreach and collaboration to unite people in realising the power of scientific innovation to make the world a better place. As I continue to improve my ability to relay field- specific ideas and communicate science in both English and Chinese, the internship has inspired me exploring further the possibility of spending part of my future career abroad, perhaps even in Singapore.

Working at the CLeAR Lab is a rewarding experience in Singapore. The Singapore research community has established a strong commitment to appreciating and realising multiculturalism within the laboratory environment—whether it was the students who regularly spoke in a mixture of English and Mandarin, research assistants who were native bilingual speakers of English and other languages such as Tamil, Malay, and Arabic, or lab members who communicated science in English while speaking colloquially in Chinese.

While my time at NUS has ended, I am continuing to work on my internship project remotely. Speaking with Professor Soh and other faculty has allowed me to gain a revised view on my future career, and I am glad to have learned about more possible paths available to forge forward. The persistence and dedication of the scientific community continues to inspire me to remain motivated and optimistic as we work together to surpass adversity.