Awards for most improved

YOU have heard of parents who reward their children for good grades. And while Dr Milton Tan, associate professor of architecture at the National University of Singapore (NUS), may not be 'dad' to his students, he too has been handing out awards for good work.

Since 2001, he has been giving out the NUS Architecture Best Progress award to students. To date, 34 students have received it, including three this year.

He plans to revamp the award for its 10th anniversary at the end of this year. 'It may possibly include an open category for young architects who make the best progress in practice,' he says. 'It all depends on how I can raise more funds for it.'

Currently, each recipient gets about $300 in cash, which he funds himself from his consultancy work. This year's awards were handed out last Friday at the annual School of Design and Environment's School Awards Day at the university. Scholarships given by the university were also given out that day.

Dr Tan's award is based on academic performance over the first two years of the four-year architecture course, and awarded at the start of the students' third year.

'Those who make the biggest jump in progress during the two years are given the award. Recipients need not be the top student types,' says Dr Tan, 55.