Faces of Duke-NUS: Mariel Ho

When things get busy, Mariel Ho reaches for music. Lots of it. According to her Spotify Wrapped, she clocked more than 26,000 minutes of listening last year, a small but telling detail about someone who finds calm in rhythm, reflection, and the simple joy of switching off.

Away from spreadsheets and strategy decks, Mariel unwinds with movies, crafting, and the occasional theme park adventure. It’s a balance she values: knowing when to lean in at work, and when to lie flat and recharge.

At Duke-NUS, Mariel supports strategy and sustainability. Her days are varied—from planning Governing Board engagements to shaping sustainability initiatives—but what anchors her is curiosity, a willingness to try new things, and the belief that small, consistent actions can lead to meaningful change.

In this edition of Faces of Duke-NUS, Mariel shares her journey at the School, her hopes for a more sustainable campus, and the habits, at work and beyond, that help her stay grounded.

Tell us a little about your role at Duke-NUS and what a typical day looks like for you.

I am part of the Corporate Administration and Risk Management Department within the Office of Corporate Services, and I focus mainly on supporting strategy and sustainability.

No two days look the same. I might be writing meeting minutes one moment, planning a Board engagement the next, or brainstorming new sustainability initiatives. I enjoy the variety and the chance to work with colleagues across the School.

Mariel (left, fourth row up) celebrating a Christmas dinner with key administrators from various Duke-NUS departments

What first brought you to Duke-NUS, and what has kept you inspired here?

I previously worked as a Care Coordinator in a hospital, so Duke-NUS felt like a meaningful next step in my career path.

I started with the SDGHI team in 2018, which gave me a very hands-on experience in a small, start-up-like environment. After a few years, I moved to Corporate Administration to broaden my scope. What keeps me inspired is the diversity of work, the constant learning, and the people. Duke-NUS is a warm place, and some colleagues have become close friends.

From shared workdays to unforgettable friendships filled with fun and adventure!

Many colleagues may have interacted with your office but may not know the full scope of what you do. How does your role support the School’s mission?

On the strategy side, I help collate performance reports for the ministries and work with departments to develop meaningful KPIs, so their work is properly tracked and recognised. I’m also involved in stakeholder management, including organising Board engagement events that keep leadership connected to the School.

On sustainability, we recently launched Duke-NUS Sustainability to bring together existing efforts in a more coherent way. Strengthening sustainability allows Duke-NUS to extend its positive impact to staff, students, and the wider community, and better prepare for future challenges.
 

You are leading Duke-NUS’ sustainability initiative. What inspired this effort?

What stood out to me was how strongly sustainability resonates with our students and staff. For example, I’ve had groups of students approach me about managing waste in spaces like the Procedural Skills Learning Lab, and it was clear they wanted practical solutions for positive change.
 

What are some of the first focus areas, and how will this impact our campus community?

We are starting with low-hanging fruits, areas where we can make immediate, visible improvements, identified through a school-wide survey and focus groups. Recycling and waste management came up strongly, and there have been many other creative ideas from the community.

To support this, we launched the Swap & Share shelf in January this year, which aims to reduce waste by keeping items in circulation and out of landfills, fostering responsible consumption and a culture of sharing within the Duke-NUS community. All are encouraged to take what they need and leave what they can!

Additionally, we are excited to share that Duke-NUS has been awarded the SG Eco Fund grant by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment to launch a comprehensive three-year plastic recycling and engagement campaign on campus. This initiative will introduce a closed-loop recycling system for laboratory plastics, turning collected waste into public benches and educational displays. Some of the key activities planned include educational talks, hands-on engagement booths, learning journeys to recycling facilities and more! We look forward to engaging staff and students in these meaningful activities, which will not only reduce our environmental footprint but also foster a culture of sustainability across Duke-NUS for years to come.

Launching the Swap & Share initiative!
 

Additionally, we have initiated a Campus Sustainability Grant—an initiative that began in February—which awards up to S$2,000 for each project. I hope that when people see their feedback turn into action, it’ll create an impact by building ownership and pride in our campus.

What’s one small thing colleagues can do to support sustainability at work?

Simple habits make a difference. Turning off lights and devices when not in use, being mindful about consumption, and reducing single-use items all add up. Beyond the environmental aspect, being considerate in shared spaces and supporting one another also contributes to a more sustainable workplace culture.
 

Do you practice sustainability in your own life?

Yup! Growing up, my mum made recycling a norm in our household, so that habit stuck with me. I also had a school teacher who was very particular about keeping classroom doors closed properly to avoid overworking the air-conditioning. That must have rubbed off on me, because now I am always reminding my family to keep their room doors closed when the aircon is on.

There is always room to improve though— I could definitely do better at remembering to bring my own dabao container.

All photos in this story are copyrighted by Mariel Ho and Duke-NUS.

We’re always on the lookout for stories to tell. Know a colleague we should feature in a future Faces of Duke-NUS spotlight? Drop us a note at communications@duke-nus.edu.sg!