The Future Is Female

The world of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) has always been seen as a man’s domain, but increasingly, more women are joining the industry, bringing a fresh perspective with them. These young women are championing STEM in their own way.

- Azlinda Said

SHAKTHEESHWARI SILVARAJU, 33, PHD STUDENT IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

A dive trip to Bali six years ago propelled PhD student Shaktheeshwari to further her studies in biological sciences, embarking on a journey that she hopes would allow her to push the boundaries of science, and potentially make discoveries that may help animals and the environment.

“I was diving with manta rays when one swam towards my face. Something in me clicked, (and I knew) that I needed to dedicate my life to animals and nature, living things that can’t speak for themselves. I wanted my science to do something for them,” says Shakthee, who is currently studying the gut microbiome of black soldier flies for her thesis at the National University of Singapore, as part of her research focus on microbial ecology with the university’s Reproduction Evolution Lab.

“I’m using black soldier flies to valorise organic waste from the edible oil industry. How can we use that waste to produce something valuable? I’m actually studying the flies’ gut bacteria to see how they adapt to different diets and how they function, so that we can optimise their performance. How are they able to degrade all these different kinds of matter?” she explains.

Shakthee’s interest in black soldier flies arose when she was a research assistant at agribusiness group Wilmar International, studying the gut bacteria of wild boars to see how she could come up with probiotics for piglets to help them wean off their parents better, and reduce their mortality rate. At the same time, her pet dog Luffy needed an alternative source of proteins.