Nourishing his mind with a PhD

An avid sportsman since his youth, Dr Jesudas Menon only became a full-time physical education (PE) teacher later on in life.

He started out as a physics and chemistry teacher with the Ministry of Education (MOE) after graduating from the University of Singapore in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in those subjects. He offered to teach PE at the school as well, and soon realised “the importance of maintaining a strong fitness base that was foundational to both my students’ academic endeavours and their sporting pursuits”.

He went on study leave from MOE to attend an overseas university, from which he graduated in 1985 with a Master of Science in Physical Education.

Dr Menon remained with MOE for the next 25 years. He was the head of Physical Education and Co-curricular Activities at National Junior College before joining the National Institute of Education (NIE) as a part-time lecturer and practicum supervisor in 2010.

“It was then that I found that my field of study had advanced in leaps and bounds since 1985, and I saw the need to upgrade and keep myself abreast of current research in order to serve my students and trainee PE teachers more effectively at the tertiary level,” said Dr Menon, who made the momentous decision to return to school at his own workplace, NIE, for his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Physical Education in 2013.

STUDIES THAT COULD SAVE LIVES

Dr Menon chose to focus on nutrition in his PhD research as he believes that nutrition is indispensable when it comes to being physically active and leading a healthy lifestyle.

His thesis was an investigation into the role of meal frequency in the reduction of postprandial triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations. Having high levels of TAG concentrations is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

“My research consisted of two studies to determine how meal frequency, with or without exercise and post-exercise energy and macronutrient replacement, affects postprandial TAG,” explained Dr Menon.

“These studies are a useful addition to the existing literature, by potentially informing clinical practice for individuals who want to use exercise as a method to maximise therapeutic actions on blood lipids.”

While Dr Menon’s research was lab-based, he found that his studies had an impact on his day-to-day work as well. “The readings and research strengthened my knowledge base in the fitness and conditioning modules that I teach to undergraduates in the Sports Science and Management programme, trainee PE teachers, and during PE teaching practicum supervision, in schools,” he said.

THE CHALLENGE AND REWARD

Dr Menon received his PhD this year at the age of 65, after six years of combining full-time PhD studies with lecturing and supervising practicums at NIE. In doing so, he showed that age is no barrier to improving one’s qualifications. “On a personal level, this programme has benefitted me both physiologically and psychologically, which far outweighs the financial disbursement and time commitment that I experienced,” he said. 

According to Dr Menon, the challenging exercise in time management was both fulfilling and rewarding, despite having to juggle research that consisted of sourcing for participants and conducting month-long trials on top of his work. Weekends were spent reading papers and working on his thesis.

Other challenges included academic writing, as well as recruiting, screening and testing participants for his research. “The skill of weaving together an argument, based on the perspectives of a variety of credible and current researchers, was truly an art to master, and I am still learning,” he said.

Searching for trial participants, on the other hand, was a more sociably enriching experience as it brought him into contact with university students from “interesting backgrounds, with just as interesting reasons for enrolling in the two research studies”.

Ever the educator, Dr Menon found it especially rewarding when participants learnt from their trial experiences to eat sensibly and exercise regularly. He also ventured into a more public academic setting, presenting papers at seminars and conferences with encouragement from his PhD supervisor, Associate Professor Stephen Burns.

Having received his doctorate, Dr Menon is planning to continue teaching as long as he can. He hopes to pass on his belief in the importance of a strong fitness base to his students, who can then share it with their workplaces and communities.

To those who wish to pursue a PhD as part of their professional development, Dr Menon recommends NIE’s programme. “It keeps the mind consistently active through cognitive word processing while concurrently being mentally upgraded in the field of study, so as to reboot our learning curves regularly.”

Visit NIE’s August 2020 intake website for more information. You can also learn more about NIE’s programmes and courses at the NIE Postgraduate & Continuing Education Fair 2020 on May 16, 2020. Early registrants will get to redeem an exclusive goodie bag at the event.