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Ng Ngan Kee, a lecturer at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and an avid researcher on crabs, passed away on Jul. 5.

Ng is well known among the faculty, students and alumni of the NUS Department of Biological Sciences for teaching various biology modules.

She had been serving in the department since 1988, after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree and PhD from NUS.

Ng was also a prominent figure in the local marine community for her studies of mangrove crabs.

Battle with cancer

According to an official email sent out by the Department of Biological Sciences, as shared by fellow faculty member Matthew Lim in a Facebook post, Ng passed away after a battle with cancer.

In a tribute posted by NUS lecturer and biologist N Sivasothi, he shared that she had transferred her teaching duties to others in order to focus more on her cancer treatment.

Prior to that, she was a "selfless mentor and dedicated educator" who wanted the best for her students.

Sivasothi cited Ng's sister as saying:

"She always spoke about her work with great passion and she fought her cancer the same way."

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by N Sivasothi aka Otterman (@sivasothi)

Ng's characteristic selflessness was a trait echoed by NUS Professor and former Head of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) Peter Ng.

Ng was a former student of Peter's as well.

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A post shared by LKC Natural History Museum (@lkcnhm)

Peter revealed to Mothership that Ng was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in late-2021.

Despite the tragic discovery, she was initially insistent on continuing her teaching duties in between her treatment sessions, something which made Peter "livid".

He described her fondly as a "mother hen", someone filled with an "annoying optimism" and with "extremely maternal instincts", who would go out of her way to help her students with their problems, whether it was academic or personal.

"I think her colleagues always joke that her biggest problem, and over so many decades I've told her, she has this inability of saying no to people. And there's a kindness in her heart and [an] optimism in the spirit, which endears her to the people that she works with."

Contributions to science

Public tributes have also been posted by the LKCNHM, St. John's Island Marine Laboratory, a research facility managed by NUS, as well as the Singapore Institute of Biology (SIBiol).

Ng was a member of the latter, and was a mentor to current and past SIBiol Council members as undergraduates. She also trained students for the annual International Biology Olympiad.

Ng has "contributed tirelessly to both our Society and to the wider scientific community throughout the years," SIBiol stated in its post.

Here's a video of Ng in the field (wearing black) posted by Lim, wading into the sea at Changi Beach to teach students how to catch fish for a biology module.

"She was always very happy whenever she was doing this practical (based on my observations), going through the crustaceans and fishes and sea cucumbers that came up with the net," Lim said.

Her work on crabs and contributions to the scientific community led to her connecting with numerous other researchers around the world.

Said Peter:

"In that sense, she found a very big, I suppose, family of research friends around the world. And that's why I think in a way her passing has been globally tragic because it affected so many people from so many countries. She was generous to the hilt."

Speaking to Mothership, Sivasothi shared in detail about Ng's accomplishments as well.

"Ngan Kee was a partner in crime at the Department of Biological Sciences. Her concern for students and biodiversity translated to action — whether it was to improve our modules, provide student support, take students to the field, help out at mangrove cleanups, conduct nature guiding and offer school talks.

She was a beacon of joy and support, always laughing even as we struggled during the pandemic. We have missed her these few months but I am glad she is at rest now, in the straits off Changi Beach, where she had introduced hundreds of students to the marine life in Singapore."

Lim added that prior to her death, Ng had apparently requested for a sea burial, which involves releasing a person's remains from a sea vessel into the ocean.

Ng was cremated at Mandai Crematorium on Jul. 7.

Top photo from NUS website and Dr M's guide to Climate & Environmental Change: Causes, Effects, Action / FB