Sparking Wonder: Science Centre Singapore's Volunteers

Whether they're helping a child extract DNA from strawberries or showing parents the rings of Saturn, Science Centre Singapore's volunteers reveal how making science accessible has renewed their passion while inspiring visitors.

Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at a science centre? Following a hiatus due to COVID-19, Science Centre Singapore relaunched its volunteer programme in January 2024 for individuals aged 14 and above to support the Centre's initiatives. Today, the Science Centre has 165 regular volunteers, with new faces joining every month.

In 2024, Science Centre Singapore volunteers contributed 3,202 hours sharing the joy of science with the public. But their impact extends far beyond numbers. In this feature, we spotlight the voices and stories of dedicated volunteers who use their diverse talents to spark a positive science culture in Singapore.

From Visitor to Volunteer

Many Singaporeans have fond memories of school excursions or family trips to the Centre’s iconic exhibits, from the crackling lightning demonstrations of the Tesla coil to the gravity-defying climbing Albert Einstein puppet. For some wide-eyed young visitors, these outings have a lasting impact.

19-year-old Nayantara Liz Njondimackal, a biomedical engineering student at the University of Sheffield, remembers marveling at a simple science demonstration as a child: a Science Centre educator balancing a paper butterfly to explain gravity. Little did she know this would be one of the events setting her future career path in motion.

Several years later, Njondimackal had the opportunity to engage kids at a balancing butterfly station for the It’s Physics Time event held from 31 August to 8 September 2024 in the Future Makers exhibition.

Nayantara demonstrating a wooden balancing dragonfly craft to visitors at It's Physics Time event booth. Photo courtesy of Nayantara Liz Njondimackal. Edited by Qin Ai Xin.

"I [went] to Science Centre a lot as a kid, so it's cool to be on the other side, helping out with the activities that I used to participate in," said Njondimackal.

Other visitors share a similar full-circle journey, going from childhood fans to grown-up facilitators at the Science Centre. Their strong bond with the Centre encouraged them to sign up as volunteers to inspire the next generation to access their innate curiosity about science.

23-year-old Soh Yu Wei, a physics undergraduate at Imperial College London, recalls one of his first experiences with Science Centre Singapore’s Observatory when his parents brought him there during the 2012 transit of Venus.

"I was in primary school then. At that time I clearly grasped that it was a rare event and was so excited to see the small dot on the sun. It was just so mind boggling to me that I can witness the whole solar system just by looking up at the sky," Soh shared.

Photo of observatory telescope courtesy of Soh Yu Wei, graphic insert of transit of Venus courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams. Collage edited by Qin Ai Xin.

As a volunteer at the Science Centre Observatory, Soh explains astronomy concepts and helps operate telescopes during stargazing sessions for the public. He is motivated by his formative experiences at the observatory to conduct night-sky tours to “give back to the younger generation.”

And it's not just the kids who get starry-eyed: adults can be astonished by science, too. To Soh, "everyone has this innate wonder of the universe in them.” Most of the visitors he interacts with at the Observatory are parents with their children. Although parents may just "peek at the telescope" at first, Soh shares, "when I explain how far in the past they are viewing, they are always surprised, and I can see them begin to appreciate what they’re looking at."

"They display this childlike sense of wonder when observing the object. It is so rewarding to see them enjoy the beauty of the cosmos," Soh said.

Beyond the Lab

While no prior science background is required to volunteer at Science Centre, many of the Centre’s volunteers who are STEM professionals find the volunteer experience deeply enriching as it helps bridge the gap between scientific research and the general public.

During the monthly Discovering DNA workshops in 2024, 29-year-old Suresh Pillai S/O Balasubramaniam Pillai, a Master’s student in chemistry at Nanyang Technology University, assisted participants with activities like extracting strawberry protein.

Pillai, who also interns at the Proteins4Singapore department of multidisciplinary research platform TUMCREATE, explained that the fundamental science behind these fun experiments could be extrapolated to more advanced applications such as current food chemistry research on alternative non-animal proteins.

Participants pipetting during a Discovering DNA workshop. Photo credit: Science Centre Singapore.

The graduate student further shared how a perfume activity from the Sci-sational Christmas event held from 14-25 December 2024 reminded him of food technologists who are recreating the scents of roasted chicken and other smells.

"It’s nice to see something you learn in secondary school - something very small - now [expanded] in food science… being translated from school to industry," Pillai said.

These hands-on science activities in informal learning spaces like Science Centre can capture the public’s imagination and make the latest STEM innovations more tangible.

37-year-old research chemist Zhang Xing, who has been volunteering at Science Centre for one year, explained his motivation over email to “help to increase the public's interest in the sciences (and more importantly the scientific way of thinking).”

At events like the public moon-gazing facilitated by Science Centre Observatory at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre's Mid-Autumn Festival from 6-8 September 2024, Zhang explains he "had to stretch both my astronomy knowledge and people-engagement skills" for his station, modeling the moon phases using Lego bricks.

He was challenged to interweave "the traditional lores and the scientific explanations" to makethe celestial objects more relatable, a task that was "very taxing but extremely rewarding."

By communicating science to the public, Zhang “see[s] volunteering as a way to remind myself of my original passion when I chose to pursue a career in scientific research.”

A young girl peers through a telescope to moon gaze during Mid-Autumn Family FUN 2024. Photo credit: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre.

Positive Science Community

Whether they're students, working professionals, or science enthusiasts, these volunteers share a common goal: making science exciting for all. Through these interactions, volunteers from all backgrounds find themselves part of a diverse and vibrant science community.

14-year-old triple science student B. K. Sreeya, a science aficionado who also participates in her school’s science and environmental club, decided to volunteer as “Science Centre provided an opportunity to interact with people from different age groups,” from toddlers to senior citizens.

“Most might think STEM is something that they cannot relate to because they usually think of deep research projects or advanced clinical trials…it can be quite ‘chim’ or ‘atas’,” Sreeya noted over email. However, her experience facilitating science activities with young children at the KidsSTOP™ Mess-ive Science Party proved to her that science can be made "relatable to everyone."

Celebrating KidsSTOP™'s tenth anniversary with a giant cake at KidsSTOP™ Mess-ive Science Party. Photo credits: Science Centre Singapore.

A 32-year-old volunteer who preferred to remain anonymous further emphasised the importance of making science accessible and engaging.

“Science can also be fun... it can be catered to a young age and also be playful,” he said, reflecting on activities like the bubble-making station at KidsSTOP™ Mess-ive Science Party from 31 May-9 June 2024, where kids experimented with bubbles as tall as themselves.

His other volunteer experiences, such as teaching visitors how to use assistive technologies like a braille typewriter at Science Centre’s World Autism Day event from 28-31 March 2024, helped support a holistic and inclusive science community.

Volunteering at the Centre has provided volunteers with a platform to meet other like-minded science geeks and foster a positive science culture in Singapore.

"Volunteering at Science Centre has made me more confident to present and talk to people I have not met before, and also make new friends along the way," Sreeya said.

A volunteer in action at Dot In Space 2025. Photo credits: Science Centre Singapore.

Your Energy Matters! Volunteer to Spark Discovery at Science Centre Singapore

This year, as Science Centre Singapore celebrates its 48th birthday and the nation launches SG60, be part of Science Centre’s iconic history and help inspire Singapore’s future STEM changemakers. We are looking for energetic, enthusiastic individuals to join our phenomenal team of volunteers supporting STEM events for the public, from stargazing sessions at the Observatory to hands-on workshops at KidsSTOP™.

Get started with us on this cosmic journey and ignite scientific curiosity! Our volunteer programme is open to anyone aged 14 and above, from all backgrounds - no science background required. Sign up at https://www.science.edu.sg/visit-us/join-us/volunteering or contact volunteers@science.edu.sg to learn more.

Written by Jamie Uy
Illustrated by Qin Ai Xin

Published 17 April 2025