https://nusgs.nus.edu.sg/kris-hartley/
In retrospect, would you still have chosen to do a PhD? Why?
Given the level of commitment needed to complete a PhD, it is essential to have a clear vision for how the degree will help you achieve your goals. From the time I was a high school teacher two decades ago, I have had a passion and talent for teaching. I also love reading, writing, thinking about, and debating politics and global policy issues. Becoming a professor was the best opportunity to bring my passions together into one career, and obtaining a PhD was the only pathway. I am certainly happy with my choice.
On hindsight, would you still have chosen NUS to do your PhD?
I have absolutely no regrets about doing my PhD at NUS/LKYSPP. There are several reasons for this. First, in my program there was a tight connection between faculty and students, enabling me to be involved with research right from the start. It seemed more like an academic apprenticeship than just another degree. Second, the resources were fantastic – my department placed a high value on research and scholarly activity, and provided students with funding and opportunities to do both. Finally, the network I obtained is indispensable. Graduates of the program remain in close touch and I would say half or more of my collaborative work, even four years after completing the program, continues to be with my junior or senior peers, and professors, in the PhD program. We all share an understanding about the value of the network and help each other when needed. Even people from other schools know of and admire the network and the close connections graduates have with this program.
On hindsight, would you have chosen the same research topic for your PhD?
My research topic made sense to me at the time, but for almost everyone, tastes and interests change. In my subsequent work, I have used my PhD research as a basis to branch out and explore other issues capturing my interest, including the politics of policymaking, the role of technology in policymaking, and global institutional efforts to address existential problems. My PhD topic did what it was supposed to do: it gave me the theoretical grounding to know how to pursue my interests as desired, and the methodological grounding to be flexible in how I answer research questions. For public policy in particular, this is uniquely important as policy problems and conditions are constantly changing and invite new angles on research.
On hindsight, would you have chosen the same research supervisor for your PhD?
My supervisor, Professor Michael Howlett, is an eminent scholar in the field and it was an honor and pleasure to work with him, and we continue to work together now. He has such a sharp mind, a keen ability to make connections among topics and ideas, and probably the deepest knowledge of the literature in my field of anybody around. But, most of all, when I selected my PhD supervisor and committee, my first priority was trust and reliability. Professor Michael Howlett, Professor Vu Minh Khuong, and Professor Yumin Joo were all exceedingly helpful, honest, and straightforward. They pushed me when needed and gave me the freedom to explore. I can honestly say that my PhD experience was challenging for all the right reasons (intellectual engagement) and for none of the wrong reasons (dramas and personal disagreements). All three committee members were only interested in my success, and I continue to work with all three even now – years after completing my degree. I think this alone is a testament to the quality of support I received at NUS.
How did NUS prepare you for your career?
NUS has deep resources, a strong network, and an excellent reputation. My association with the university has been a significant boost in my early career, as it opens doors throughout Asia and beyond. As my field is highly specialized, it was the professors in my program who held the best wisdom in terms of offering advice on career preparation – and all of them, from my committee to my coursework professors, were always forthcoming and willing to share their advice and experiences.
How did your experiences as a graduate student shape and guide you in your current career?
In my field, the purpose of a masters degree and purpose of a PhD are distinct. I have two ‘practitioner’-based masters degrees, and they helped orient me towards the real world in terms of the problems I would have to solve and the realities of working in organizations. The PhD, by contrast, prepares graduates for a very specialized set of tasks – it is not “more masters.” Thus, my PhD experience was quite different in that the focus was on how to produce knowledge. However, in my field of public policy, the concept of solving problems (that is, making policy) is never far out of mind. So, in a way, it is a research degree about practical experiences – a balance I have enjoyed.
Suggest 2 or 3 things that graduate students should do to prepare for their professional careers?
- 1. Balance having a clear vision or pathway with remaining flexible and open to new opportunities.
- 2. Focus on the “how” more than the “what.” Knowledge is always changing. What I learned in my MBA 15 years ago isn’t necessarily always relevant today. But learning the “how” prepares you for all kinds of things – the “how” is related to methods for understanding how anything works fundamentally and knowing how to analyze an issue or problem. With that, you are ready for anything.
- 3. Everyone will be smart. Do not try to distinguish yourself that way. Distinguish yourself by being the nice person, the helpful person, the sensitive or empathetic person. Focus on relationships as much, or more, than on simply filling your head with what’s and how’s. No matter what field you go into, it will at its heart be a “people” profession. So, be a person!
Name 2 – 3 things you wished you had been told when you started graduate school?
Find the syllabi for courses you will take your first semester and get reading! Connect early, before arriving on campus, with your new classmates. Share information and look at your experience as a teamwork engagement rather than a competition. And finally, where possible, simplify your personal life!
What advice would you give someone considering doing his/her PhD at NUS?
NUS has tremendous disciplinary breadth – and a strong reputation in everything. Connect with people from other departments. You may be surprised who is working on what you are working on. This can be done by going to graduate student conferences, social events, or just inviting people to coffee. And take time to absorb the college experience again. Do not lock yourself in your room. Go and study at the U-Town Starbucks, or on the lawn somewhere, or in one of the hawker centers. Go to the gym and strike up a conversation with somebody who looks bored. Eat in public places rather than at your desk. Get out and be social – get a feel for the soul of the university!
Briefly share something fun in your graduate journey at NUS that you remember
Before the pool was renovated, I highly enjoyed swimming laps after the end of a difficult day studying. I loved going to concerts at the YST Conservatory – the best student musicians I have heard anywhere, ever. And of course there is Singapore, city in a garden! I never got enough of Singapore – the food, the concerts, the unexplored coffee shops and bars, the walks around MacRitchie Reservoir, the bike rides at East Coast Park, and did I already mention the food? (Yes). I have lived in New York City, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, and other places. I had as much fun in Singapore as I did anywhere else.
Any other words of wisdom to share?
People will scare you with stories about how tough graduate school can be. If you are prepared, committed, well organized, and mature enough to balance your work and your life, you’ll have a great time. Your best memories will be experiences with other people, so take every opportunity to have them. Graduate school does not have to be miserable. You will look back on it as the best time of your life!