He recently received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. He is also a published essayist and playwright. His other plays include The Assassin, the Medium and the Masseuse (co-written) and Ample Blues (co-written). Sy Ren is also a regular contributor on theatre for Lianhe Zaobao and has a regular column which focuses on cultural and social phenomena. He was awarded the Singapore Youth Award for his contribution to the arts and culture.