Faces of CCEB: Yuki

🎓  Find out more about CCEB's undergraduate programmes here. 

Lee Sum Yong Yuki
Silver Medalist for Chemical Laboratory Technology
Year 1, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

When my lecturer at Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) first mentioned WorldSkills to me, it sounded like an interesting challenge. I never expected that a simple recommendation would spark a journey taking me all the way to representing Singapore on the world stage. Reaching that level didn't happen overnight. The selection process alone was relentless. First came the internal trials at NYP, followed by WorldSkills Singapore. The national competition involved a high-stakes, three-to-four-day marathon where every day brought a gruelling new module. Only winning Gold at the national competition guaranteed a spot on the international team – which I did!

Following the national competition, my life revolved around training for two years as I prepared for the international Worldskills. While others took breaks, I spent my holidays preparing for the competition in the NYP labs. Even after transitioning to Nanyang Technological University (NTU), I kept up the grind on my own, using university lab sessions to sharpen my practical skills while adjusting to degree life. At NTU CCEB, I had the opportunity to learn from and interact with seniors and teaching assistants during laboratory sessions while lectures strengthened my theoretical understanding of chemistry, allowing me to better understand reaction mechanisms and plan and optimise reactions more effectively. Behind every long hour were my lecturers and coaches, steadily pushing me through increasingly complex tasks and technical hurdles.

 

By the time I stepped into the international arena, I was a bundle of nerves and nervous energy. Knowing that years of sacrifice hinged on just a few critical days was daunting, but I was equally eager to see how I’d measured 
The competition completely blew my expectations out of the water. I had entered thinking I knew most of what chemical laboratory work could throw at me, but the tasks showed me just how limitless and creative chemistry can be. It wasn't about repeating familiar routines; I was forced to adapt on the fly, applying fundamental principles to completely foreign problems. It was eye-opening in the best way possible. I vividly remember one of the test modules, which involved analysing glucose using Fehling’s reagent through an unconventional approach. While glucose analysis using Fehling’s reagent typically involves UV-Vis spectroscopy or a simple titration with fehling’s reagent and the sample, this task required a back complexometric titration, integrating three concepts: back titration, complexometric titration and Fehling’s test. We were also required to prepare our own reagents and plan our procedures logically.

I particularly remember preparing Fehling’s reagent in a 1 L volumetric flask by combining copper sulfate, potassium tartrate and sodium hydroxide. The order of addition was crucial, as adding copper sulfate and sodium hydroxide together first would form a copper hydroxide precipitate, rendering the solution unusable and resulting in mark deductions due to chemical wastage. Fortunately, my theoretical knowledge from polytechnic and NTU helped me understand the underlying chemistry and prepare the reagent correctly. However, this was only the beginning of the experiment. The subsequent procedures were equally demanding, requiring me to think several steps ahead and plan each stage carefully. I had to remain meticulous throughout the analysis to ensure that no procedural steps or requirements were overlooked, as even minor mistakes could affect the accuracy of my results and the overall outcome.

Hearing my name called for the Silver Medal was a shock. Up against elite international competitors with far more experience, working with unfamiliar instruments and complex procedures, I hadn't dared to assume anything. Winning Silver was validation—proof that the endless hours meant something and that my skills were grounded in real-world application. More than that, it highlighted where I can still grow. I don't see those gaps as weaknesses, but as my roadmap for university. 

Juggling all of this alongside my first semester at NTU’s School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB) was undoubtedly stressful. Coming from polytechnic, dusting off my math and physics was a steep climb. But supportive lecturers and classmates who stepped in whenever I struggled made all the difference. Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep pushing my boundaries. I plan to join the URECA program next year to get a real feel for academic research, and I’m looking forward to internships to exploring different industries. I’m still figuring out my ultimate career path, but I know these next few years will help me find where I truly belong.

💬  Stay connected! Follow CCEB on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to keep up with our latest research highlights, student stories, and campus happenings. 

Story by Sumita Thiagarajan, NTU CCEB