For Undergraduate Students

Cao Min came to Singapore in 2003 on the MOE Scholarship and graduated with First Class Honours.  He likes to play badminton, practice calligraphy and solve Mathematics problems.  During his studies in high school, he won the Outstanding Student Award (Shandong) in 2002 and the Outstanding Class Leader Award (Shandong) in 2003. While in NTU, he was on the Dean’s List for three consecutive years (2005-2007).  Additionally, he was involved in various research programmes including the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) and the final year project (FYP).  Cao Min went for an overseas internship in Tokyo, Japan in 2006.  He was the Logistics Officer with EarthLink NTU 2005-2006.  Upon graduation, he received a post-graduate scholarship offer from Melbourne University, and several job offers.  Now, he is working in Merrill Lynch focusing on global technology infrastructure.  In future, he would like to specialize in integrating computer technology with financial data processing.

wishes to honour: 

Mr Yang Anbao, No. 1 High School, Laiwu, Shandong

Mr Yang, my academic mentor and lecturer in my high school, was interesting and effective.  He knew the weaknesses of the students and taught us effective study methods.  His teaching methods impressed and moulded me.  When I faced any problem in my study, Mr Yang always encouraged me and assisted me in solving the problem.  As my mentor, Mr Yang also guided me in life skills development, such as leadership skills.  He encouraged me to participate in various activities and competitions, making my life enjoyable and colourful.  With his constant encouragement, I excelled academically and socially, making my student life more meaningful.  Without his help and encouragement, I could not have won the Outstanding Student Award (Shandong) in 2002 and the Outstanding Class Leader Award (Shandong) in 2003.

Assoc Prof Hui Siu Cheung, School of Computer Engineering

Assoc Prof Hui was my lecturer, tutor and Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) project supervisor.  His lively teaching style planted an interest in me for various programming languages. Whenever I approached him with questions, he always answered patiently with great detail.  I appreciated his excellent interpersonal skills with students.  As my project supervisor, he was the first person who inspired my research skills.  I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to him for his invaluable guidance and suggestions on the research project.  His sincere encouragement, precious experience and continuous support throughout the project helped me in building up confidence and discovering better ways to do research.  He too helped me a lot on a personal level.  When I had a problem, he would analyse my problem and would advise me accordingly based on his personal experience and knowledge.

Gui Qing, a highly motivated individual, aspires to be an outstanding research analyst.  Honoured to have received the Nanyang Scholarship, she worked hard to maintain her academic standing.  She was on the Dean’s List in the past two years and received the SIM Gold Medal for being the best student in the second year examinations.  Besides her academic achievements, she also received awards for her participation in competitions such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Singapore Equity Research Competition and The Next Fund Manager Competition.  Gui Qing is also actively involved in the NTU Contract Bridge Club and wishes to develop her skills further to be part of Singapore’s national team.  Her education in NTU has enhanced her knowledge and has shaped her to be what she is today.  If faced with a choice again, NTU will still be her choice and she is proud to be an alumnus of NTU.

wishes to honour:

Mrs Crystal Cheong-Ng Siok Ching, Hwa Chong Junior College (now known as Hwa Chong Institution)

Mrs Crystal Cheong was new to the school when she taught my class Chemistry in junior college.  We doubted her ability as we thought she was not as experienced as the teachers we had.  However, our concerns were unwarranted as she proved to be an amazing teacher.  Her clear explanations and endless patience earned our respect quickly.  What inspired me most was her dedication to teaching.  Prior to the GCE ‘A’ Level examinations, she arranged one-to-one revision sessions that were extremely helpful.  These sessions usually commenced shortly after our classes and would continue late into the evening.  Despite the long hours, Mrs Cheong remained enthusiastic and her sincerity in helping the students was greatly appreciated.  I feel that Mrs Cheong possesses the attributes that are important in every career and she is a good role model for all of us.

Assoc Prof Charlie Charoenwong, Nanyang Business School

Assoc Prof Charlie strikes me as an extremely knowledgeable and affable person. He also comes across as a very dedicated professor who is always ready to answer the queries of students.  Prior to taking BF325 (Financial Modelling), my ability to tap on the capabilities of Microsoft Excel amounted almost to nothing.  However, this changed and I became accustomed to the various functions in Excel under the guidance of Assoc Prof Charlie.  His enthusiasm in teaching the course inspired me to read up and to overcome my initial apprehension of Excel functions.  Through his enthusiasm, dedication and knowledge, Assoc Prof Charlie demonstrated to me that both knowledge and IT skills are necessary for one to be successful in the field of equity research. 

Yao Ling has been a vegetarian for about 20 years and hopes to promote vegetarianism together with the Vegetarian Society of Singapore. During his Polytechnic days, he received four book prizes for outstanding academic achievements and a bronze award in Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), earning him a place on the Director’s List in Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He was on the Dean’s List in NTU every year and he won a Gold award for Nanyang Business School (NBS), Division of Accountancy during the NTU Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) Poster Competition. After considering various offers from major companies, he decided to join UBS under its exclusive Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Graduate Program in Global Wealth Management and Business Banking, which hires only one candidate. He is now looking forward to completing his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) courses and has plans to pursue an MBA in NTU.

wishes to honour:

Mrs Tiew-Teo Hui Leng, Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Mrs Tiew was my tutor for the Financial Management module in Ngee Ann Polytechnic.  She inspired me with her creativity in teaching with various interesting methods. What I appreciated most was that she could relate every concept to real-life examples.  That enabled us to appreciate what we were studying.  She was able to use different teaching methods to tailor to each student.  Knowing that I was beginning to explore career opportunities then, Mrs Tiew shared with me her working experiences and the various careers opportunities related to the Financial Management module.  She helped me discover my interest in the banking and finance industry.  With her guidance, I worked towards gaining various relevant working experiences, including an internship with the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) and a temporary position at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) before I was enrolled in NTU.

Asst Prof Jian Ming, Nanyang Business School

Asst Prof Jian was my tutor for the course Accounting 1.  She contributed significantly to my education by instilling the concept of project discovery in my education.  Her education style departed from the usual way of “spoon-feeding” where students are usually being told what to read and study.  I asked her many questions about the concepts relating to the course and instead of “spoon-feeding” me with the answers, she provided guidance to where I could get the answers and at the same time closely monitored my progress.  This made learning more meaningful and I managed to learn even more.  Since then, I have taken the initiative to explore ways to find the answers to my questions before I approach the professors for affirmation.  I feel that I am a better person and I will carry with me this independent attitude of learning throughout my career. 

Eric is an ASEAN Scholarship holder since 2003 and is his cohort’s Valedictorian for Convocation 2008 (Business).  He was awarded the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Book Prize Award in 2006/2007 for being the top second year student and was on the Dean’s List for Academic Years 2005/2006 and 2006/2007.  Back at Temasek Junior College (TJC), he was the Chairperson of the TJC Climbing Club and was awarded the School Colours Award for Excellence in Rock Climbing. Academically, he secured 6 Distinctions in his ‘A’ Levels (including Distinctions in 2 ‘S’ Papers), topped the cohort in Mathematics and Further Mathematics in 2003 and Mathematics and Physics in 2004. He represented TJC and NTU in various national rock-climbing competitions, winning numerous medals. He has accepted a job offer by Deutsche Bank with the Corporate Finance Division.  He aspires to be a banker shaping the financial landscape of the region.

wishes to honour:

Mrs Lim Kia Huan, Temasek Junior College

Mrs Lim was my Mathematics and Further Mathematics tutor throughout my junior college years.  Back in secondary school, I was not passionate about Mathematics. However, Mrs Lim changed my perception.  She made me understand that Mathematics is not just about numbers, but it is about understanding the underlying concepts behind the equations.  Since then, I found my passion, excelled and topped the cohort for both years in Mathematics.  What makes her a great tutor is that she is very approachable and patient.  Although she was extremely busy as the Head of Department of Mathematics, she still found time to guide me and answer my questions.  She treated everyone equally and understood the difficulty I faced.  I consulted her on various issues including the choice of my undergraduate degree.  The thought of pursuing Mathematics also crossed my mind because of how she seems to enjoy her job so much.

Assoc Prof Uditha Balasooriya, Nanyang Business School

Assoc Prof Bala is one of my Actuarial Science Professors in the last academic year.  Teaching a cohort of 30, he always encouraged us in the very challenging coursework.  Assoc Prof Bala did not only strive to ensure that we understood the abstract concepts; he also attempted to provide insights and advice for our career paths.  I am sure he wants us to succeed not only academically, but also in our career and life.  I consulted him numerous times regarding a career in actuarial science as I was unsure whether to pursue a career in actuarial science or banking.  Despite his busy schedule and heavy research workload, he took time to ensure that I fully understood the choices I was making.  Recently when he knew about the actuarial graduate scholarships awarded by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), he was also very eager to share the news and provide testimonials for those interested. 

Edward is an outgoing, self-motivated individual who embraces life wholeheartedly, loves travelling, and enjoys discovering new horizons.  Besides studying hard, he enjoyed his academic life through various Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) and overseas stints.  He completed summer school at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver and participated in a student exchange programme with the University of Washington, Seattle.  He was also involved in community projects such as the Citibank-YMCA fund-raising project, where he led his team to raise S$15,000.  Other highlights included organizing the Harvard Project for the Asian and International Affairs Conference.  He completed an internship at DBS Bank last year and is currently working at Morgan Stanley as a research intern.  A balanced individual committed to excellence, he aspires to pursue a career in banking.

wishes to honour:

Madam Ong Bee Teng, National Junior College

I had the privilege of coming under the tutelage of Madam Ong for both my Mathematics subjects.  While I excelled in my basic Mathematics, Further Mathematics was quite a problem.  Nonetheless, Madam Ong’s patience and dedication helped me obtain a good grade in that subject.  She never complained when I asked for additional sessions after class or over the weekends to clarify challenging Mathematical concepts.  Moreover, she went the extra mile to mark every past year paper that I completed.  Through this process, I learnt that with determination, there is nothing my mind can conceive that I cannot achieve.  To many, Madam Ong is more than a teacher; she is someone whom students like me could approach for help in both academic and personal matters.  On the whole, she made a great impact in my educational experience and perspective towards life and I am truly thankful for that.

Assoc Prof Tan Kok Hui, Nanyang Business School

I first met Assoc Prof Tan while reading a course in International Financial Management.  His wealth of industrial experience and knowledge inspired and motivated me to pursue a career within finance.  Besides imparting concepts of academic theory, Assoc Prof Tan gave me significant insights to the mechanism of the finance industry.  Such knowledge proved instrumental in preparing me for the job stints that followed.  As a tutor, his dedication towards ensuring that I understood the concepts taught was worthy of respect.  Furthermore, his research interests in the Chinese economy and the dynamics of stock markets led me to come under his supervision for the applied research project that studied the risks and rewards behind reverse takeovers.  I am thankful for having a tutor like Assoc Prof Tan and I am certain that many other students who had the opportunity to come under his tutelage benefited in more ways than one. 

Shaopeng was awarded First Class Honours with a minor in Communication Studies in January 2008. He was awarded the MOE Scholarship and the President Research Scholarship, won the Gold award for the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) Presentation in 2006, and was placed on the Dean’s List four times for his excellent academic performance.  He completed a five-month internship with Credit Suisse Singapore and a six-month internship with Google USA in Silicon Valley.  Google Inc. sponsored his final year project (FYP) after his internship and the project was eventually submitted to the open source Google Web Toolkit (GWT) project to benefit millions of GWT users.  Shaopeng also participated actively in Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), winning a half colour award and a merit award for his contribution to the recreational activities in Hall 6.  Before enrolling in NTU, he was the top student of the cohort (700 students) in all nine major examinations in his senior high school.  

wishes to honour:

Mrs Luo Yanfen, The High School Affiliated to Hebei Normal University (now known as The Middle School Attached to Hebei Teachers’ University)

Mrs Luo, my English teacher in senior high school, is full of energy and new ideas.  Unlike most of the English teachers in China who focused most of their teaching on grammar, Mrs Luo placed much emphasis on students’ understanding.  She introduced the “Family Album USA” as a supplementary teaching material that greatly increased my interest and appreciation of English.  Mrs Luo also customised her teaching to the students’ abilities.  In short, her teaching and mentoring made my transition to the English-based education in Singapore much smoother when I arrived in 2001. 

Asst Prof Vivekanand Gopalkrishnan, School of Computer Engineering

Asst Prof Vivek is very knowledgeable, energetic and his class was full of humour. I discovered that he is not only a knowledgeable teacher, but also a friend who is willing to sacrifice his own time to guide his students. In spring 2006, I was faced with the dilemma of whether to delay my graduation by half a year to go for an additional internship with Google and risk my First Class Honours chance.  Asst Prof Vivek advised me to explain my situation to President Su, who promptly encouraged me to go for the internship and granted my case as an exception.  In 2007, I took up the final year project (FYP) sponsored by Google, and won another chance to work in the USA that summer as part of the FYP. Asst Prof Vivek is a knowledgeable supervisor, a resourceful mentor, and a caring friend.  Without him, I would not be the person I am today. 

Woon Teng is proud to be a Nanyang Business School (NBS) undergraduate, specializing in Banking and Finance and Accountancy. She achieved seven distinctions at the ‘A’ Levels, was awarded the Nanyang Scholarship, and was placed on the Dean’s List twice.  She also participated actively in Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), organizing an Inter-school Photographic Competition in junior college, directing drama productions in Hall 3, promoting NBS as an ambassador, and representing NTU in international exchange and various Inter-varsity competitions.  She was privileged to be one of the two NTU undergraduates selected for the internship with the Merger & Acquisitions Department in JP Morgan.  Woon Teng received job offers from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Shell Finance, and has accepted the former offer.  Moving forward, she aspires to be a Managing Director at a multi-national investment bank and desires to contribute back to NTU through active donations or through nurturing future generations as an alumni mentor.

wishes to honour:

Mr Rudy Lee Chong Tai, Hwa Chong Junior College (now known as Hwa Chong Institution)

As a Chemistry teacher, Mr Rudy Lee was truly passionate about what he taught and had inspired many of my classmates to follow his footsteps in pursuing their tertiary education in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering.  As one of the rare few teachers who could teach without any notes, he made the concepts very clear for us through his painstaking efforts to explain all aspects of the questions.  He even used his free time to give us long Chemistry revision lessons, never resting till we got our concepts right.  He also made himself readily available via the mobile phone’s short message service to clarify our doubts, and gave us advice on any problem we had.  One thing that struck me most was that even though he was not the Chemistry tutor of my best friend, he did not hesitate to clarify her doubts whenever we needed consultation for our Chemistry Special Paper.

Assoc Prof Soh Wai Lin Christina, Nanyang Business School

At the Business Welcome Tea three years ago, Assoc Prof Soh inspired me to join Nanyang Business School (NBS).  With her enthusiasm and passionate leadership, she truly had a vision for NBS, and I saw her put it into practice during my short stint here.  She was one of the Deans who initiated the Winning Formula, in collaboration with Imageworks Asia, to provide Image Consulting for NBS students.  It was a transforming experience, and I really appreciated her effort in attending every session and encouraging us on how we had grown through the experience.  She also designed and personally taught AB005 (Special Projects) – another transformational course modelled after the Harvard Business School’s case-study style of learning.  Assoc Prof Soh was very patient in her teaching, always giving us insightful feedback to improve our presentations.  I truly believe her ability and passion to inspire students to excel makes her my ideal nominee for this award.

Gabriel’s academic achievements in NTU to date include winning the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) Internship Project Competition (Gold) and being on the Dean’s List for Academic Year 2006/2007.  In 2005, he was awarded the “Hall 11 Best Instrumentalist Award” for his contributions to the cultural scene.  His achievements in Victoria Junior College (VJC) included receiving the VJC Scholarship and the VJC Service Award.  During his National Service, he was awarded the Sword of Merit for his Officer Cadet Course.  Having a keen interest in the aviation industry and in the military, Gabriel took up a local study award with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) as an Air Engineering Officer.  He is looking forward to returning to the RSAF to serve, and is hoping for opportunities to be sent on the United Nation Missions and Overseas Detachments.

wishes to honour:

Mr Teo Teck Kian Thomas, Victoria Junior College

I admire Mr Teo for his commitment towards his students.  As the teacher-in-charge of my Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), he would stay back with us during our activities to provide support and guidance.  He was dedicated to grooming us as leaders, bringing us out for meals where he took the opportunity to know us better and equip us with skills on leadership.  Mr Teo also showed interest in the progress of my studies, going the extra mile by tutoring me in Further Mathematics at the expense of his personal time.  He also took an interest in how I was growing in my relationships with friends and family, giving me advice on boy-girl relationship issues and sharing his own life experiences.  His passion and dedication towards my learning encouraged me greatly and moulded me in more than just the academics, and for that I am truly grateful to him.

Assoc Prof Tan Soon Huat, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

I am grateful to Assoc Prof Tan for going the extra mile in ensuring that my Global Immersion Programme (GIP) experience was smooth sailing.  Apart from spending much time and effort in gathering information on course matching matters, he also gave me useful advice on living overseas and offered an open line of communication whenever I needed help.  As my tutor in MP2001 (Mechanics of Materials), Assoc Prof Tan was dedicated in his teaching and was conscientious in ensuring that I was grounded in my concepts.  His ability to make difficult concepts easy to understand spurred my interest in the course and prepared me well for future courses.  He was open about sharing his own personal experiences, and his passion in teaching is clearly evident in how his lectures are always very well organized and lively.  Assoc Prof Tan is indeed a professor that has a heart for his students, and I truly respect him for that. 

wishes to honour:

Mr Goh Yue Seng, Tampines Junior College

I could be deemed as the “worst” student Mr Goh had ever taught.  I skipped lessons and slept in class, called him by his nickname and even spoke against him in lectures.  But Mr Goh never gave up on me.  He counselled me and did not show a tinge of disregard for me because of my poor results throughout my junior college days.  He convinced me that I would make it one day.  He even advised me on the options I could take after receiving my GCE ‘A’ Level results.  With his faith, encouragement and guidance, I became a teacher and not just another college-dropout.  When I went back for Homecoming last year, he still carried the same faith he had of me. “I knew you can make it” was the most heart-warming phrase this great man of inspiration told me when I saw him.  I want to say, “It is all because of you, Mr Goh. Thank you.”

Asst Prof Tan Wee Keat Clara, National Institute of Education

Being a returning teacher was not easy, especially being one who switched major from Diploma (General) to Degree (Sports Science).  Things were confusing not just for me but also for my lecturers and everyone in the administrative office.  Asst Prof Tan provided me with assistance from day one and guided me through.  She replied promptly to my questions on any topic, and had never failed to send her regards and advice on how I should be taking care of myself through short messages via her mobile phone.  She had no qualms sharing her own experience as a student and was always willing to give me advice even if it took much time from her work.  Asst Prof Tan could be described as my shining light in the “darkened” areas of my stay in National Institute of Education (NIE).  With her constant regards and encouragement, I was better able to cope with the challenges I faced. 

Xue Ni was awarded the Nanyang Scholarship in 2004 and was invited by the University to participate in the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) in 2005/2006 as the President Research Scholar.  Her research finding during URECA was published in the NTU Proceeding.  Her internship was completed with the Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R), during which she submitted one patent and three research papers to international journals such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and International Conference on Information, Communications and Signal Processing (ICICS).  On behalf of I²R, she presented her paper during the ICICS 2007 conference.  Xue Ni has accepted the offer from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to be their Graduate Officer upon her graduation.  She aspires to climb up the corporate ladder to a management position where she can achieve the company’s goal with her team of colleagues.

wishes to honour: 

Ms Goh Hui Hua, Victoria Junior College

English had always been my weakest subject since primary school and I lacked the confidence to express myself.  Despite all the English lessons in school, I could not improve because I did not know what my problem was.  As such, I began to detest this subject and the thought of giving up crossed my mind constantly.  It was until I met Ms Goh, my teacher for General Paper (GP) in Victoria Junior College (VJC) that I had a change in mindset.  She was the first to help me identify my area of weakness.  She took the effort to guide me, gave me extra exercises and marked them in detail.  I remembered she even gave me her mobile number so that I could contact her and ask her for advice whenever I needed.  With her help, I improved from a C6 in GP to a B3 during my GCE ‘A’ Level examinations and regained confidence in the subject.

Assoc Prof See Kye Yak, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Assoc Prof See was my supervisor when I undertook the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) project during my second year of study.  That was my first encounter of research work and being only in the second year, the level of my knowledge and skills were quite limited.  Assoc Prof See was very patient in guiding me along as I acquired the necessary skills and knowledge.  There are times when I was stuck with the project and felt disheartened but Assoc Prof See never failed to encourage me by sharing his personal life experiences.  Even though I was new to the topic of research, Assoc Prof See gives a great deal of freedom to explore the different ideas that I had and that increased the sense of satisfaction I yielded and sparked my interest in research work. 

wishes to honour:

Mr Yin Shangnin, Nanjing Foreign Language School

Mr Yin was my Mathematics teacher for my last two years in high school.  He is a teacher with a strong sense of responsibility. When the College Entrance Examination was approaching, he often stayed overnight to help us with our Mathematics problems.  He is also a very talented and knowledgeable teacher.  He made his courses so easy to understand that we were no longer afraid of Mathematics.  Although calculus was not included in our curriculum, he taught us anyway, since he thought it would be useful when we enter universities.  Thanks to his foresight, I breezed through the calculus questions in the NTU admission examinations.  I want to take this opportunity to thank him for providing me with a bright future!

Assoc Prof Rusli, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Assoc Prof Rusli is one of the most popular professors in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), who always treats his students as sons and daughters, and as friends as well.  In my third year, I selected him as my Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) supervisor.   Assoc Prof Rusli is such a knowledgeable and discreet professor that I learned a lot from him.  When the final year project (FYP) came, I chose Assoc Prof Rusli again with no hesitation.   Moreover, during my application for PhD studies, Assoc Prof Rusli helped me a lot. He not only provided me with precious suggestions but also wrote more than 20 recommendation letters for me!  I want to express my sincere gratitude to him.  I am lucky to have him as my mentor and friend. This University Scholars Award is the best way to repay him for his dedication and kindness.  

Jun Zhong is known to his friends as someone who is highly motivated to achieve his goals and someone whom they can rely on to deliver the goods.  He always strives to achieve the highest standards in all the tasks he undertakes.  He was among the top graduates in his junior college.  In NTU, he was placed on the Dean’s List and awarded the NTU scholarship for two consecutive years. Above and beyond academic excellence, he was also actively involved in Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), the most notable was being the Chairperson of the Nanyang Business School (NBS) Welcome Day Committee where he led a team to successfully carry out the event.  Having a great passion for the financial industry, he has accepted a job offer from Deutsche Bank.  His aspiration is to become a successful investment banker and to have a meaningful and wonderful career.

wishes to honour:

Madam Tan Geok Choo, National Junior College

Madam Tan was my Economics tutor when I was in the junior college.  Prior to taking this subject, my previous education had been dominated by Mathematics and Science subjects.  It was certain that I would be studying Engineering until I took this subject. Madam Tan and her world of economics inspired me.  She introduced me to the global economies where the growth engines moved the world.  I began to explore how various industries contribute to the societies, particularly the financial industry.  Having cultivated this interest, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the financial sector.  It was this strong interest that prompted me to pursue a degree in accountancy with a second specialisation in banking and finance.  With her teaching, she blossomed this passion in me and it has definitely influenced several significant decisions in my education.

Assoc Prof Ng Eng Juan, Nanyang Business School

Assoc Prof Ng was my accounting tutor when I was in my second year.  He had this special way of teaching where he brought across accounting concepts in interesting and meaningful ways.  This was especially crucial since we were dealing with different Financial Reporting Standards (FRS). It was after this course that my interest and passion for accounting grew to a much greater level.  I was inspired by his immense knowledge in this field and how passionate he was when he was teaching.  I decided that I would definitely pursue a career that is related to accounting in the future, and this is why I accepted my current job offer.  Through his guidance, I have built up a strong foundation in accounting.  I am confident that this knowledge will benefit me immensely in my future endeavours.  

wishes to honour:

Mr Koh Siong Fei Isaac, Hwa Chong Junior College (now known as Hwa Chong Institution)

In Hwa Chong, Mr Koh is popular due to his patience and kindness towards students.  He is a teacher whom many can turn to for advice. Mr Koh was my Economics tutor in my second year.  He was always very encouraging towards our class and was always willing to put in extra time to help us revise our work despite his busy schedule as the Head of the Arts Department.  When I did not perform well in the second year Preliminary Examinations, I was very disappointed, especially with the GCE ‘A’ Level examinations just round the corner.  Mr Koh sensed my disappointment and told me that he believed I would do well at the GCE ‘A’ Level examinations.  They might have been simple words of encouragement but they meant a great deal to me, providing me with the much-needed motivation.

Asst Prof Choy Keen Meng, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Asst Prof Choy’s enthusiasm and commitment towards his students and the study of Economics inspired me, especially during the course of my final year project (FYP).  My FYP group met up with him almost every week, with each meeting at least two hours long.  He was always very enthusiastic in discussing with us our next step in the project or explaining to us econometric concepts that we did not quite understand.  He thought about our FYP even during his swims and emailed us after that to discuss with us the areas where we could improve.  His encouragement and belief in our group motivated us to present the best paper we were capable of.  Also, having attended his lectures, he is a professor who is well loved by students and whose lectures are always marked by clarity. 

Thanh Quy decided to come to study in Singapore three years ago because she wanted to experience a more dynamic and challenging environment.   During high school, her average grade in her final year was 9.7 out of 10.0.  She won the Third Prize in the National Competition for English-major students.  In NTU, she was on the Dean’s List and awarded the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) Global Foundation Scholarship for two consecutive years from 2005 to 2007.  Also, she won a Gold award in the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) Exhibition & Competition 2007.  She recently received job offers from Deutsche Bank – Finance Analyst Program and JP Morgan Chase – Finance Management Trainee Program (FMTP).  She has decided on FMTP for its better career prospects.  About to embark on her career, she aspires to be a highly competent finance professional and contribute significantly to the banking industry both in Singapore and Vietnam.

wishes to honour:

Mr Hoang Ngoc Hung, Senior High School for the Gifted

Mr Hung was first and foremost my form teacher during high school.  As such, he took care of us both professionally and personally.  He understood I had financial issues, and often recommended me for several scholarships and cash grants back then.  He taught English and coached the school team taking part in the National Competition.  My knowledge in the English language advanced tremendously during that time thanks to his painstaking teaching and guidance.  When I received offers from Macquarie (Australia) and NTU, I was confused and did not know which one to choose. I sought his advice and he told me to come to Singapore for the comparatively lower living costs and prolific growth opportunities.  It was a decision I have never regretted.  I am sure Mr Hung, with his rich experience and dedicated attention to his students, will be able to make the wisest choice as to who deserves the cash grant the most.

Asst Prof Lee Hon Sing, Nanyang Business School

Asst Prof Lee was my professor for Financial Markets and Institutions.  The course was so inspiring that I decided to choose banking as my career. During my second year in Nanyang Business School (NBS), I was thinking about my career choices.  Asst Prof Lee held various talks to give us valuable insights about the banking industry and coached us in our job interview skills.  He even made a point to attend almost all career talks by different companies to find out more about what they were looking for from potential candidates and shared that with his students.  Also, he made himself available for consultation in school and personal matters.  Be it examination time or the holidays, he would send us long, loving emails encouraging us to work hard, have faith in ourselves and, at the same time, enjoy our lives as undergraduates.  Asst Prof Lee truly has done more than what is expected of an educator. 

Willy has great dreams for the future and NTU is his dream place to be. After a few years here, he realized that this was the platform where he was being groomed to achieve his dreams.  His past achievements and awards included a total of 13 trophies and awards from various competitions, ranging from Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and even Accountancy, from national to regional scales, Gold awards from the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) Poster Competition for two subsequent years (2006 and 2007), a Motorola Scholarship, and the Association of Singapore Marine Industries – Marine & Offshore Undergraduate (ASMI-MOU) Scholarship. The last scholarship also provided him with a job offer in the marine industry.  With a passion for helping people, Willy also enjoyed being an active volunteer.  He has set his heart to continue working hard to fulfil more of his dreams.

wishes to honour:

Mr Laurentius Wahyudiarjo, SMAK Frateran Surabaya

“In order to broaden and strengthen your wings in life, you should expand your exposure, initiated by global education that would prepare you for the future”.  Mr Wahyudiarjo was the one who encouraged me to pursue an overseas education for he believed that it would bring me into greater depths and heights to attain my fullest potential.  He believed that I could still ‘fly higher’ despite the various awards I had obtained.  The confidence he had in me really motivated me to strive for excellence and not be complacent. No words can truly express how much he is valued for every life that he has touched.  Thank you, Sir, for helping me to grow to where I am today.

Assoc Prof Ooi Kim Tiow, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Assoc Prof Ooi - my final year project (FYP) supervisor, my lecturer, my great teacher, and also, one of my best friends.  His encouragement, smile, support and compliments in every achievement I obtained always boosted my spirit.  Without him, I would not have won the Gold awards in the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) Poster Competition twice, and would not have been offered the Motorola Scholarship, and Association of Singapore Marine Industries – Marine & Offshore Undergraduate (ASMI-MOU) Scholarship.  A coin has two sides, but he always tries to choose the positive side.  He does everything with passion.  This characteristic inspired, motivated and challenged me to become what I can be in life.  I express my special gratitude to Assoc Prof Ooi, who made a significant impact in my personal growth and development. 

Yandi graduated with a major in Materials Engineering with minors in Business, Entrepreneurship and Computing.  He was awarded the Singapore Welding Society Gold Medal for his excellent performance during his second year of study.  Throughout his undergraduate years, he successfully managed his Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs), leadership positions and the various projects he was part of.  As a member of the 16^th Executive Committee of NTU Student’s Union, he effectively led a 280-member committee and worked towards creating a strong brand name through unique events and initiatives.  He was able to influence and transform the committee members into a focused team teeming with energy.  Yandi plans to gain exposure in the finance industry by being a part of a leading global organization.

wishes to honour:

Ms Susi Hermanta, SMAK 1 BPK Penabur Jakarta

I was away from my family when I went for my high school in Jakarta.  To me, Ms Susi was like an elder sister who not only shared her knowledge, but also her personal experience on how to be strong when we encountered adversity.  I appreciated her willingness to communicate openly with students and even learn from them.  I really admired her motivation to live her life happily and fully even though she was diagnosed with the incurable Lupus.  I strongly believe that she is the best role model for everybody in the school.

Asst Prof Lee Pooi See, School of Materials Science and Engineering

I still remember the first time I met Asst Prof Lee - she was very kind and friendly. She showed her concern when I had problems adapting to the new environment and culture in Singapore.  She encouraged me and gave me lots of advice on how to cope with and do well in my studies in NTU.  During my second year, when I took on the role of one of the main committees of my school club, Asst Prof Lee was appointed the club advisor.  Despite her busy schedule, she was most patient, selfless and supportive.  She was even willing to stay late in the school just to help us in some of the events that we organized.  She encouraged me to strive for the best, motivated me through difficulties and complimented me on every achievement that I made. 

Tianqi came from China on the PRC SM2 scholarship and this is her sixth year in Singapore.  She feels proud and privileged to be a student of NTU. These four years of undergraduate studies have been most fruitful and enriching.  She took up two research projects under the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus (URECA) programme and she was in the pioneer batch of URECA Techno Garage.  Tianqi also had the opportunity to study in INSA de Lyon, France for six months with the Global Immersion Programme (GlP) through which she gained an insight of engineering in the global context.  She would like to pursue further studies overseas if possible and is still waiting for application results from a few universities.  She wishes to become a qualified professional and excel in the field, as she always believes that “not every student can become a great person, but all great people were once students.”

wishes to honour:

Mr Song Yuxian, Middle School Attached to Harbin Normal University

Mr Song was my Physics teacher in high school.  He was the one who introduced me to the Art of Science.  In fact, even my decision of studying in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) was influenced by him.  He was a teacher who emphasized quality over quantity.  In the days when students were supposed to be overwhelmed by exercises, he often led us to solve one question with different possible approaches and hence stimulated thinking and reinforced understanding of concepts.  This habit of active thinking, together with the meticulous attitude that I learnt from him, is essential to university studies and research.  I wish to express my sincere appreciation to him for having taught me the correct way to walk when I was a merely toddler on the road to the Sciences.

Asst Prof Lee Yee Hui, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Back in high school, when we were to choose between the Arts and the Science streams, my family wanted me to study Humanities or the Arts.  “Those are girls’ stuff,” they said.  But I said ‘no’ and carried on with the Science stream.  Three years later, I decided to continue in the same direction for my university studies because I believe where the passion goes, action follows.  As long as we are passionate about what we do, there is no inferiority between genders.  It was Asst Prof Lee who further convinced me of this belief by her own example.  I admire her for her devotion to Science and research, her clear vision, her logical thoughts and her excellent technical skills.  She is a brilliant researcher and supervisor not outshone by other professors I have encountered.  I have a high regard for her and I would like to be like her one day.

Yukai is a well-rounded individual and an avid learner who has a constant thirst for knowledge not only academically, but in other aspects, striving to succeed in everything he sets out to do.  His academic achievements include being on the School of Bioengineering Dean’s List for two consecutive years: 2005-2007, and representing NTU in the 2006 ProEngineer & Toy Design Competition (PTDC), winning 2^nd place in Creative Product Design and 1^st Prize in Best Entry from Participating Institutions.  His non-academic achievements included being the co-founder of the NTU Global Immersion Programme (GIP) Students Club, obtaining both the Best Trainee and Best Physical Trainee Awards in the 76^th Basic Fitness Specialist Course in 2002 in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), and holding the position of Sports Captain of the Temasek Junior College Beta House Committee in 2001. 

wishes to honour:

Ms Kwan Kah Wai, Temasek Junior College

I will always remember that talk Ms Kwan gave me after I failed my year one examinations at Temasek Junior College (TJC).  I was sitting in her room, feeling miserable and expecting to receive a scolding.  My parents were waiting outside, but she wanted to speak with me first.  She walked into the room, sat down and there was a moment of deafening silence. She looked through my files and stated, “So you’re a Cross Country member?”  I could only nod.  “Well, it takes great perseverance to compete in a long distance race.  And, whatever people might say, it takes great perseverance to study hard as well,” she added softly.  “There’s a time and a place for everything.  Translate this to that spirit of yours, and we’ll see where you go from here.”  She showed me what I had in me and inspired me to be where I am today.   Thank you, Ms Kwan, for showing me the way.

Assoc Prof Li Changming, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

 I was in Seattle, Washington as part of the Global Immersion Programme (GIP) during my third year of studies in NTU when I had to choose which final year project (FYP) to do.  It was a rather daunting task, considering that I had to choose such an important project while not being physically there in NTU to talk to various professors about the different possibilities and research projects that I can choose from.  It was Assoc Prof Li, who through, constant communication, provided me with the guidance, support and mentorship that I needed in order to choose a suitable project for my final year of studies, which has continued all the way till the completion of my project.  Without his help, I would not have been able to accomplish the amount of research that I have done during my final year of studies.