Recapping a busy week- Monday

The week has flown by, and I cannot believe it is already Friday.  I've had classes taught by NUS faculty (National University of Singapore) from about 9am-2pm everyday, followed by corporate visits in the afternoon.


Monday we visited an HP plant that manufactures 3,000 computers 6-7 days a week.  The floor manager ran us through the major processes that take place at this particular facility, from sourcing parts and receiving orders to QA (which they break down into "pre-test" and "run") and shipping.  It was very interesting to see that their process still depends on paper scanning and is very reliant on human labor. Unfortunately, no pictures were permitted inside.

HP Plant, Singapore

After HP, we visited the Marina Barrage, which was more and educational experience than a corporate visit.  It was fascinating nonetheless.  Marina Barrage is a prime example of how Singapore's government actively innovates.  Singapore is a tiny island-  only about 700 square kilometers- smaller than most American cities, with very little natural water.  Singapore receives a lot of rainfall, however, and flooding can be a serious problem.  Marina Barrage serves three functional purposes.  The first is that it captures fresh water that can be treated and used by Singaporean citizens.  Secondly, it prevents flooding by opening gates during low tide and by pumping out water during high tide.  Finally,  it serves as a tourist attraction-  a place for local Singaporeans to relax on the grass above the building and learn about sustainability in the gallery inside.  Kite flying is also a popular past time at the Marina Barrage.  Below are some images of the Marina Barrage and the educational gallery inside.