Shawn Seah is the author of the children’s series, Our Amazing Pioneers (Singapore: WS Education, 2023). He wrote several other books on Singapore’s history, including Seah Eu Chin: His Life & Times (2nd ed. 2019); Leader and Legislator: Seah Liang Seah (2019); and My Father’s Kampung: A History of Aukang and Punggol (2020), which was a finalist for Best Non-Fiction Title and Top 10 Readers’ Choice of the Singapore Book Awards 2021.

An engaging storyteller, Shawn has shared stories at places such as the Peranakan Museum; Blackbox at Fort Canning Centre during the Singapore Bicentennial; the National University of Singapore; and even the Nanyang Sacred Union, a Chinese temple. He has been part of “live” and “digital” editions of the Singapore Heritage Festival. At the Peranakan Association Singapore’s inaugural Baba Nyonya Literary Festival, Shawn was one of the panel speakers. Subsequently, he served as a moderator at the second edition of the festival. He has also spoken about the historical Punggol Zoo in a TV documentary by CNA, called Lost Waterfronts: The Mysteries in 2023, as well as narrated stories about Chinese pioneers over the airwaves, during English and Chinese radio interviews.

Shawn holds a Master’s degree in Economic History (Distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science. At the LSE, Shawn’s area of research was private order institutions in early colonial Singapore (1819-1867), where he studied Peranakan middleman traders and Chinese secret societies. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (First Class Honours), with a minor in History, from the National University of Singapore; a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Distinction), from the National Institute of Education; and a Professional Certificate in PR and Mass Communication from the Institute of Public Relations of Singapore.

In support of his efforts in writing local history, the National Heritage Board awarded Shawn grants in 2016, 2018, and 2020. In terms of academic awards, he was awarded a Ministry of Education Teaching Scholarship in 2004; entered the then-University Scholars Programme in 2006; and won a master’s degree scholarship in 2010.

Beyond his passion for Singapore’s history and heritage, Shawn has extensive experience in policy formulation; education and engagement; and planning and strategy. He lives and works in Singapore.

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Copyright © 2019 by Shawn Seah Li Song

Updated 20 May 2023