SUHAILA Zainal Shah | Research Fellow

Biography

Suhaila Zainal Shah is a Research Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities. Trained as a sociologist with a strong interest in interdisciplinary and applied social research, her work examines social inequalities, inclusivity, and their intersections with emerging urban challenges. Her doctoral research examined mothers’ work-life experiences and their evolving relationship with technology during digital disruption and the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting its impact on work, caregiving, and social expectations.

She has since continued to work on diverse social research projects, leveraging her expertise to explore themes such as technology and society, social stratification, intersectional inequalities, and community engagement. Her work seeks to inform policies and initiatives that promote social resilience and inclusive urban development.

She is currently supporting Harvey, Samuel and team on the “Future-Ready Society” projects.

Education

• Ph.D., Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology and Design (2023)
• BA (Hons) Criminology and Security, University of Liverpool (2018)

Op-ed

• “Commentary: Is Singapore on track to becoming a future-ready society?” in Channel NewsAsia, 09 August 2024. 
• “What happens when women have to juggle ‘worry work’ with paid work”, in Channel NewsAsia, 8 March 2022.
•  “Overcoming the challenges women face in the wake of Covid-19 and digital disruption” in TODAYOnline, 8 March 2021.

Publications

• Lim, Sun Sun, & Suhaila, Zainal Shah. (2025). Bridging Singapore's Digital Divides: Making our Smart Nation Smarter, In World Scientific (Ed), Singapore Unveiled - Volume 2: Insights and Reflections on the Economy and Society in the Lion City, World Scientific.
• Suhaila, Zainal Shah., Wee, Ethel. & Chng, Samuel. (In press). Driving with Pride: The Professionalisation of Singapore’s Public Bus Driving Industry. Singapore Labour Journal.
• Du, Yuting., Chng, Samuel., Suhaila, Zainal Shah. & Neo, Harvey. (2025). Looking Back at 25 Years of Participatory Budgeting in Asia: A Systematic Review of Trends, Challenges, and Best Practices. International Journal of Public Administration. doi: 10.1080/01900692.2025.2485247
• Wang, Yang., Chng, Samuel., Trenerry, Brigid., Suhaila, Zainal Shah., & Lim, Sun Sun. (2024). Five-Stage Model of Technology Domestication in the Workplace: An Organisational Case Study of Implementing a Mobile Management Software. Singapore Labour Journal, 3, 65-88. Doi: 10.1142/S2811031524000056
• Suhaila, Zainal Shah. & Lim, Sun Sun. (2024). Negotiating Mental Loads, Gender Norms, and Societal Expectations: How Working Mothers in Singapore Solicit Support over Reddit. In: Chan, X.W., Shang, S., Lu, L. (Eds.) Work-Life Research in the Asia-Pacific. Palgrave Studies in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigenization in Business. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
• Lim, Sun Sun. & Suhaila, Zainal Shah. (2022). Bridging Singapore's Digital Divides: Making our Smart Nation Smarter, In Intan., Azura. Mokhtar. & Yaacob., Ibrahim. (Eds.), Social Context, Policies, And Changes in Singapore: Beyond the First 50 Years, World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd.
• Trenerry, Brigid., Chng, Samuel., Wang, Yang., Zainal Shah, Suhaila., Lim, Sun Sun., Lu, Han Yu., & Oh, Peng Ho. (2021). Preparing workplaces for digital transformation: An integrative review and framework of multi-level factors. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 822. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.620766
• Lim, Sun Sun. & Suhaila, Zainal Shah. (2021). Digital media and youth on the margins: growth, belonging and identity in a technologizing world. In: Brites, Maria. José. & Castro, Teresa. (Eds.), Digital citizenship, literacies and contexts of inequalities (pp.59-68), Edições Universitárias Lusófonas.

 Conference Presentations/Proceedings

• Wee, Ethel., Suhaila, Zainal Shah., Chng, Samuel. (2024, Nov). Exploring Gendered Realities and Work-family Dynamics Among Public Bus Drivers in Singapore. TASA 2024 Living Now: Social Worlds and Political Landscapes, organised by The Australian Sociological Association.
• Suhaila, Zainal Shah., Chng, Samuel., Chan, Sarah., & Neo, Harvey. (2024, May). Exploring Psychosocial Differences Underlying Divergent Public Priorities across Societal, Technological, Economical, Environmental, and Political Issues. Paper presented at the Association of Psychological Science 2024 Annual Convention.
• Chng, Samuel., Suhaila, Zainal Shah., Chan, Sarah., Low, Weijian. & Chua, Breanne. (2024, May). Randomised Trial of a Gamified Inoculation Intervention to Reduce Susceptibility to Scams. Paper presented at the Association of Psychological Science 2024 Annual Convention.
• Suhaila, Zainal Shah., Chng, Samuel. & Neo, Harvey. (2023, Nov). Taming the dragon of inaction - re-prioritising the importance of climate action. Paper presented at the BEHAVE 2023: 7th European Conference on Behaviour and Energy Efficiency, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
• Suhaila, Zainal Shah., Chng, Samuel. & Neo, Harvey. (2023, Nov). Perceptions of Future and Public’s Prioritisation of Diverse Social Goals: Unravelling the Temporal Dimensions of Climate Change Actions in Singapore. Paper presented at 2023 Joint ANZRSAI/RSA Conference - Global Crises and Regional Futures, Melbourne, Australia.
• Suhaila, Zainal Shah., Trenerry, Brigid. & Lim, Sun Sun., (2022, Aug) Exploring the Gendered Burden of Unpaid Care Work in Times of Digitalization and COVID-19 Pandemic. Paper presented at the American Sociological Association 117th Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, California.
• Suhaila, Zainal Shah.& Raghunath, Nilanjan. (2022, Jun). Working from Home and Working Mothers’ Experiences of Work-Life Balance and Boundary Management in Times of Uncertainty. Paper presented at the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN) 6^th Biennial Conference, New York, USA.
• Yang, Wang., Chng, Samuel., Trenerry, Brigid., Suhaila, Zainal. Shah. & Lim, Sun. Sun. (2021, May) Changing workplace communication with Mobile Technologies: A Case Study of Implementing a Mobile Management System in a Construction Company. Paper presented at 71st Annual International Communication Association Conference.
• Lim, Sun Sun., Trenerry, Brigid., Chng, Samuel., Wang, Yang., Zainal Shah, Suhaila., Lu, Han Yu., & Oh, Peng Ho. (2020, Oct). Mindset, motivation and mentoring: Supporting workers through digital disruptions. Panel Session at the NTUC Labour Research Conference Workers’ Matters: Finding ways to brave the roads ahead, Singapore.
• Trenerry, Brigid., Haridas, Gayathri., Chng, Samuel., Zainal Shah, Suhaila., Oh, Peng Ho., Wang, Yang., & Lim, Sun Sun. (2019, Aug). The Gender Implications of the Future of Work in Singapore. Gender Summit 16, Singapore.