events & activities

RECENT & UPCOMING

GMAC Student Challenge 2013

GMAC Students Challenge 2013
The GMAC Students Challenge is back! And with a bigger grand prize in 2013! Students from secondary schools are invited to submit an video clip on this year's theme of The Future: Possibilities and Limitations of GM Technology". Shortlisted entries will be showcased on the GMAC Students Challenge Facebook page where your family and friends can view them and cast their votes for you! The shortlistees will also be featured in a screening event in August 2013. Interested? Why wait? Details to the student challenge can be found here.



PAST EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

GMAC seeks to objectively impart scientifically-sound information on GM technology and GMOs to the public. Since its establishment in 1999, GMAC has been making ongoing efforts to create and enhance public awareness on GM issues. Some of the public events and activities taken on by GMAC are as follows:

GMAC Student Challenge 2012

GMAC Students Challenge 2012
The GMAC Students Challenge opens this year once again to students from local secondary schools. This event is part of GMAC's latest initiative in enhancing public awareness of matters relating to GM technology and GMOs. Students are invited to create a short documentary clip depicting the role of agricultural biotechnology in mitigating climate change. Shortlisted entries were displayed on Facebook where members of the public can vote for their favourite shortlistees. The competition ended with a screening session in Biopolis. Photos of the event can be found here.


GMAC Student Challenge 2011

GMAC Students Challenge 2011
The GMAC Students Challenge opens this year once again to students from local secondary schools. This event is part of GMAC's latest initiative in enhancing public awareness of matters relating to GM technology and GMOs. Students are invited to create a short documentary clip depicting the rold of agricultural biotechnology in mitigating climate change. Shortlisted entries were displayed on Facebook where members of the public can vote for their favourite shortlistee. The competition ended with a screening session in Biopolis. Photos of the event can be found here.


06 Apr 2011 Public Forum on Science Communication

Public Forum on Science Communication - Communicating Crop Biotechnology: Experiences from the Developing World At the invitation of The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), GMAC co-hosted with ISAAA the Public Forum on Science Communication alongside with the National Institute of Education (NIE). This is in conjunction with ISAAA’s annual meeting of Biotechnology Information Centre representatives in Singapore this year. The event also included a book release and a biotechnology-inspired fashion show. Audience attending the public forum hailed from a myriad of organisations from the scientific research community, industries, schools and tertiary institutions, statutory boards and ministries. The event was also covered by the local Mandarin newspapers, Lianhe ZaoBao.


5 Sep 2009
      Video Screening Session of the GMAC Student Reporters' Challenge 2009

Video Screening Session of the GMAC Student Reporters' Challenge 2009
130 students from 20 local secondary school interviewed Residents of the Singapore Heartlands for their perceptions towards genetically modified (GM) foods, and created video clips aimed at demystifying gene modification technology, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and GM foods, as they competed in the GMAC Student Reporters’ Challenge 2009. Shortlisted entries to the competition were screened on 5 Sep 2009 to an audience of about 200 people in Biopolis. Click here to find out more about the GMAC Student Reporters' Challenge 2009 and the Video Sceening Session! 24 July 2008

Discussion Forum on "Science, Politics and Activism in the Biotech Revolution"
Professor Lee Sing Kong (Co-Deputy Chairman, GMAC) chaired a discussion forum on "Science, Politics and Activism in the Biotech Revolution" at the NUS High School of Mathematics and Science. Associate Professor Peter Droge (Chairman, GMAC Subcommittee on the Release of Agriculture-Related GMOs) and Dr Henry Miller (Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University) were also present on the discussion panel to answer students' questions on GM-related issues.


The GMAC Student Reporters’ Challenge 2008

The GMAC Student Reporters’ Challenge 2008
The GMAC Student Reporters’ Challenge 2008 was a creative writing and design competition organized in conjunction with the launch of the revamped GMAC website. The competition attracted more than 250 participants from 26 primary schools and 29 secondary schools in Singapore. As "Student Reporters", the participants attended the GMAC Press Event - a mega "press conference" during which they were given opportunities to pose GM-related questions to an expert panel comprising scientists and regulators. The "Student Reporters" then created newsletters to present their findings. Click here to view selected articles from the Challenge. 15 February 2007 – 15 March 2007
Lectures at the Ministry of Health

On the invitation of the Ministry of Health, Associate Professor Raymond Lin and Dr Hong Yan of the GMAC Subcommittee on the Release of Agriculture-Related GMOs delivered a series of lectures on GM-related topics to healthcare professionals.


6 Feb 2007 On “Consumer Watch” of 938LIVE

On “Consumer Watch” of 938LIVE
Professor Lee Sing Kong (Co-Deputy Chairman, GMAC) and Mr Seah Seng Choon (CASE representative on GMAC) were interviewed in the 938LIVE radio programme, “Consumer Watch”. 26


Jan 2007
      Public Forum "Commercialization of biotech crops 1996-2006: future prospects"

Public Forum "Commercialization of biotech crops 1996-2006: future prospects"
Dr Clive James of the ISAAA delivered a keynote lecture on the future prospects of biotech crops, including their potential contribution to the Millennium Development goal of alleviating poverty and hunger by 50% by 2015 and their potential role in the production of biofuels. His lecture was followed by a Question-and-Answer session, where members of the public had their questions on biotech crops answered by GMAC representatives and guest speakers.


22 Jan 2007 Interview in “The Living Room” of 938LIVE

Interview in “The Living Room” of 938LIVE
Professor Lee Sing Kong and Dr Hong Yan went on air in the 938LIVE radio programme, “The Living Room”.