Green Fingers

Tell us about yourself!
My name is Ankita. I’m originally from India, but I’ve been living in Australia for the past four years. I just graduated university with a Bachelor of Science in Earth Science and Sustainability, as well as a Bachelor of Design. I basically like anything that combines plants, sustainability, and art!

What do you think about the intersection between art and sustainability?
I think it’s a growing field. It’s really interesting what creators, innovators, and designers are doing with scientists and the science community. I feel like the world’s going to change in the next 20-50 years.

How did you get into this niche field of study?
I started off just pursuing a Bachelor of Design because I wanted to get into product and industrial design, but I realised a lot of it was about understanding scientific literature. Since I also really enjoy research, I decided to pursue a second degree and that’s how my field of study came together.

Tell us more about what you do as a plant scientist.
I work with bees! Bees are very important in Australia because they’re natural pollinators and agriculture makes up for a lot of our exports, so I mainly look at pests that attack bees, research native bee species, and basically just collect as much data as I can to learn how to better protect them.

We understand that you’re also able to weave in your design skills in your job?
Yeah, luckily I found a job that’s pretty flexible, with a boss who really wants me to use my design skills as well. So I’ll mostly be working on annual reports and stuff, but since these reports are going to people who might not have the best grasp of science, a big part of this involves creating graphic elements to explain the contents of our research to the layman.

What are some fun facts about bees that you can share?
There are so many! A lot of people don’t know this, but in Australia at least, most of the bees don’t sting you—they’re really harmless! You can touch them and they won’t do anything.

There are also blue bees (known as blue-banded bees) that exist in Australia! They’re really pretty and amazing.

One more question: what’s been the highlight of your trip to Singapore?
I’ve been walking around looking at the buildings here. I think the architecture is really amazing. In Sydney and Canberra, we do have tall buildings, but nothing like the sustainable, mindful architecture that’s done here in Singapore. Plus I can really feel the heat in the city in Australia because of the glass buildings and stuff, which I feel is very well-planned here.

My favourite that I’ve seen so far is the durian-shaped Esplanade! I like how funny and creative that one is.