“I graduated from Temasek Polytechnic (TP) in 2008 with a Diploma in Food Science and Nutrition. My interest in food products and innovation sparked my journey in TP. It was a fruitful and valuable three years with ample opportunities to grow in class and in the industry. I was a part of several clubs and events during my time in TP. I was involved in orientation activities and volunteering events. From my various interactions with different kinds of people, my interpersonal skills developed and I began to have an interest in communication.

After I graduated from TP, I moved on to do a double major in Marketing and Public Relations at Curtin University. Consumer behaviour and psychology in marketing was intriguing and it fuelled me to continue to do an Honours thesis on consumers’ perception of shopping bags. The study looked into comparing consumers’ perception of self and others with regard to shopping bags (e.g. Tiffany’s versus a generic jewellery brand). The implication of the study extends to the retail industry and the importance of creating a memorable and resonating core and actual product.

After my Honours degree, I did my Doctor of Philosophy (Marketing) to study the effects of ingredient authenticity of luxury branded products on consumer behaviour. My study was based on the 2011 Prada “Made in” Campaign where the brand touted labels of ‘Made in India’, ‘Made in Japan’, ‘Made in Scotland’ and ‘Made in Peru’ on their respective products. The country-of-origin chosen were based on the superiority and authenticity of the materials and artisan skills used to create the product (eg, Indian chikan embroidery, Japanese denim making, Scotland kilt tartans and Peruvian alpaca wool). I discovered that sustainability and ethical considerations are important in consumers’ purchase intentions. I graduated from the PhD programme in 2016.

Currently, I am a marketing lecturer in Curtin Singapore for both undergraduate and postgraduate units such as Discovering Marketing, Digital Communication Management, Integrated Marketing Communications and Global Marketing Management. I have also taught in Hong Kong and Perth during my time as a tutor in Curtin University. I have published a few papers in the Journal of Business Research and Journal of Promotion Management. I have also attended several marketing conferences in Vienna, Florence, Seoul and Australia. My research interests still lie within ingredient authenticity and consumer behaviour and I am working on generalising my research to different age groups/nationalities and product categories.”