Her advice to fellow alumni exploring a mid-career switch to research or working at a think-tank is simple. “Just be teachable and open,” she says. “I’m always learning on the job when I listen in to speakers and when we collaborate with partners.
[ALUMNI-INFO TEXT="Think-tank researcher Jessica Wau shares how she successfully switched careers thanks to her LKYSPP network
Working behind the scenes in cable news, Jessica Wau (MIA, 2019) grew increasingly fascinated with global political developments. What further piqued her interest was the divisive 2016 US elections that saw Donald Trump becoming president.
Ever curious and hungry to learn, the former associate producer at CNBC and communications studies graduate decided she wanted to delve deeper into how the world works.
“We covered political developments across the world, and I found I was interested in international affairs and geopolitics,” Jessica recalls of her six-year career with the global news broadcaster. “That’s why I looked into studying my Master’s.”
A chance discovery of LKYSPP offering its first Master’s in International Affairs (MIA) sealed the deal. Knowing the school’s strong reputation and excited about the programme’s focus on Asian perspectives, she signed up for the two-year course and became part of the first batch of MIA students.
“It was really fun being the first batch and I enjoyed it,” the 32-year-old says. The class was very diverse, from China, India, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Norway and other places, and we got along pretty well. I also enjoyed class discussions and getting to hear everyone’s perspectives.”"][/ALUMNI-INFO]
Jessica (left) with her fellow classmates at the launch of the Master in International Affairs programme in Oct 2017
Opening doors
Since graduating, Jessica has successfully transitioned from broadcast journalist to policy researcher. In June 2019, she joined the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), a local think-tank that focuses on regional and global issues. As an assistant director, she helps drive the organisation’s ASEAN-related programmes, including events such as regional roundtable meetings and conferences.
Hanoi Dec 2019, Jessica (second from right on second row) at the end of a roundtable dialogue on ASEAN's Outlook on the Indo Pacific with Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister as GOH
She and two researchers work closely with the ASEAN Secretariat, for instance, reviewing the progress of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 goals. They also carry out advisory work for corporations, producing monthly reports on hot-button issues ranging from territorial disputes in the South China Sea to the intensifying US-China rivalry.
In Oct 2019, Jessica at the new ASEAN Secretariat building in Jakarta, after meeting with the Deputy Secretary General of Political Security
[ALUMNI-QUOTES TEXT="Jessica credits her time at LKYSPP not just for giving her a solid foundation in international affairs, but also for providing a swathe of personal and professional opportunities that have come her way since.
She got the job at SIIA after it had approached the School’s Career Services for a candidate. Later, after she was hired, she learnt that SIIA was looking for an expert on the Mekong region; she knew the perfect candidate — her thesis advisor.
“It turned out that my professor had been looking at the same issue for a while,” says Jessica. “She is now a non-resident senior fellow at the think-tank. That’s how SIIA works — we try to draw insights from various people to help with our research. It also shows the strength of the school’s networks.”
As for personal bonds, although many of her friends made in the MIA and the MPP (Master in Public Policy) programmes have since returned to their home countries, they keep in contact via email. “Some of those of us here including the juniors and profs still keep in touch,” she says. We even had a party in July for the Singapore General Election at someone’s home.”
For many of those friendships, a common love for good music — from old-school rock to indie pop — brought them together. She has fond memories of making friends at LKYSPP via their shared interest discovered at one cultural night. “We used to jam together at our apartments or rooms in College Green,” says Jessica, who even performed with a Nepalese friend from LKYSPP at the valedictory dinner in 2019."][/ALUMNI-QUOTES]
Jessica’s multinational singing group won the second prize at LKYSPP's Cultural Night 2017.
Teachable moments
Among her proudest achievements is connecting the SIIA with a former vice-presidential candidate in Indonesia whom it had been trying to reach. With the help of the LKYSPP Alumni Relations Team, Jessica managed to set up a meeting in Jakarta with the political candidate and the SIIA chairman.
In Nov 2019, Jessica giving closing remarks at the Myanmar-Singapore business summit in Yangon,
“I still get very excited when it comes to international affairs,” says Jessica, on how her MIA has informed her work. “Especially being able to talk about these issues during my two years (at LKYSPP), analyse and discuss them with people who have a shared knowledge — so we can get excited over it together!
“It’s kind of geeky but it’s also my job now. You have to be really interested to listen in on all these webinars and hear people talk about what’s going on in South-east Asia.”
Her advice to fellow alumni exploring a mid-career switch to research or working at a think-tank is simple. “Just be teachable and open,” she says. “I’m always learning on the job when I listen in to speakers and when we collaborate with partners.
“You should also be open to doing a broad range of things that could expand your skillset. It doesn’t necessarily have to be research. Administrative work and logistical arrangements involve interaction and speaking to people too. You also need to be personable and able to form good relationships.”
Having a good dose of self-assurance has helped too. Looking back at her career in broadcast news and now in policy research, Jessica says: “When I first started working, I was not really sure what I was supposed to do. Even now in my current job, there are some things that I am unsure of. Yet I have more confidence in making decisions because I understand and know more.”
Perhaps we might even see her forge another path in the future, melding both her knack for storytelling learnt as a news producer with the deeper analytical skillsets picked up at LKYSPP and SIIA. She says: “Writing is part of my job, but one day I think I’d like to write something that is more my own, particularly non-fiction and essays.”