Chinese Cymbidium Orchid: A Gentleman Of Noble Virtue

Author Biography

Hew Choy Sin (丘才新), a former Professor of Botany from the National University of Singapore (NUS), is a leading authority on the physiology of tropical orchids, an area that he had been involved in for more than 35 years. Prof Hew has published 3 books and more than 150 scientific papers. In 1997, Prof Hew was awarded the Singapore National Science Award (the highest honour for a research scientist in Singapore) for his outstanding contribution to placing Singapore at the forefront of global orchid research. In addition, he was formerly the Director of the Institute of Natural Sciences, Head of the Biology Department of Nanyang University in the 1970s, and Deputy Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies at Nanyang Technological University Singapore for 5 years. Prof Hew had previously served as an advisor to Guangzhou Scientific Technology Exchange Centre (China) on horticultural production. He was a Visiting Professor at multiple academic institutions including Nanjing Agricultural University, Xiamen University, South China Normal University, Taiwan National Cheng Kung University, and a Visiting Scholar at the University of South Australia and the Department of Scientific and Research (DSIR) in New Zealand.Madam Wong Yik Suan (王玉霜) was a former Senior Librarian at the National University of Singapore before her retirement in 2010. She obtained her BSc in Biological Sciences at Nanyang University in 1971. She started as a librarian at Nanyang University, and later at the National University of Singapore. She obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Librarianship (UK) in 1982 under an NUS Staff Development Scholarship.