The Singaporean Sojourner

Brought my students focusing on nuclear science for a dialogue session with the Director of UzAtom, Azim Israilov Akhmedkhadjaev, at the Moscow Engineering-Physicist Institute’s Tashkent campus. Mardonbek and Diyor were the youngest in the hall and fielded pertinent questions to the Director. I am so proud of them. Uzbekistan’s nuclear future is yours. ⚛️

Returning to Tashkent and being greeted by all the things that remind you that this place, too, can be home.

Farewell, my home to friends and family I so do love where everything is familiar and known. Farewell, to green streets love so overbearing that warmth turns to suffocating heat Farewell, oh how indeed unfair it all feels to have pieces of your heart scattered around this earth Farewell, to dreams too big for this small island, tis a big world out there, my friends and it beckons me once more Fare thee well

📚 A reading marathon these past two weeks. Hopefully I can cover more ground these next few days before I return to Tashkent, lest there be extra kilograms of books…. What are you all reading?

📍Сингапур Как жить без чай с лимоном 🥲 Сильно скучаю по Узбекистану

Everything my heart ever wanted was found in Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 ♥️ ~ Heading back to Singapore for about three weeks to spend time with family and settle administrative matters. This was a spectacular first chapter of a long story here in this beautiful country.

Today the Freshman Research Institute leadership team visited UzAtom to explore areas of potential partnership including internships, summer schools, conferences, and site visits for Freshman students. This furthers our mission to raise Uzbekistan’s and Central Asia’s Nuclear IQ amidst of our global nuclear renaissance. The future is nuclear and the Freshman Research Institute is paving way. - Nigel Li

"A few of my favorite things"

Bukhara - the past is the host, and you are a mere visitor.

A happy 35th independence day, Uzbekistan. From the moment I arrived in April, I have been amazed everyday by the dynamism of this country. I have fallen deeply in love with this land, its history, and its people. Above all I am grateful to call this place my new home. Yuragimda O'ZBEKISTON! 🇺🇿♥️

"Cognitive research confirms that writing is a powerful aid in helping us to retain information we read. The work of writing forces us to stress-test our ideas, allowing the writer to respond to counterarguments and cite sources. Revision is a practice of self-critique and self-improvement, and can be social, as well, if feedback is elicited. Writing can also be empowering, allowing us to share our experiences and express our views. It can even be healing, which is why therapists sometimes suggest keeping a journal. "There is no part of the writing process that can be handed over to A.I. without some cost. Intellectual growth occurs at every stage, from brainstorming to fine-tuning a final draft. If writing is thinking, then any part of the struggle that is outsourced to technology amounts to relinquishing some freedom to perceive. How will students ever know what they really think of anything — whether it’s “The Crucible” or A.I. itself — if they ask a machine to spit out an answer for them?

A happy and restful Sunday to all… Also - I misgendered the kitten. It’s a boy. So his name is Nurik now.😅

Hope to see you guys there!

🎓Freshman Research Institute Fireside Chat Join us for a Fireside Chat with veteran journalist and author Hanshih Toh on US-China competition in Central Asia. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about current events, international relations, and Central Asian geopolitics. Toh is an author of two books on China, Is China an Empire (2016) and Is China a Menacing Empire (2024). He is currently working on his third book and will be conducting field research in Central Asia. The event will be hosted by Nigel Li, the Director of the Freshman Research Institute and a specialist in international relations. 📍 Freshman Academy, Nest One 📅 August 18 🕡 6:00 PM—7:30 PM Register for free through our bot: @FreshmanAcademy_Bot

My desk - March 2024, Washington DC Need to recreate this somehow in Tashkent. Definitely with a more appropriate map. "It's pointless to have a nice clean desk, because it means you're not doing anything." - Michio Kaku

Super excited to welcome Nodira to our team. The Freshman Research Institute is continuing to expand its team of stellar mentors specializing in STEM and humanities fields. Do check out our programs!

🔥Meet Nodira Tillayeva! A new STEM research mentor at the Freshman Research Institute 📌 Register for our Research Program! @freshmanresearch

Happy birthday to my beloved Singapore, 61 years and counting. Not the first time I have spent National Day away from the island. Such distance always invokes a deep sense of reflection and realizing that home is what you bring with you, and as long as Singapore is in my heart, I will always be home. Majulah Singapura 🇸🇬