From Lecture Notes to Life Lessons: Two Generations, One Professor

 Shared Classroom, A Shared Legacy

For the Au family, NTU isn’t just a place of study; it’s where values are passed on, mentors remembered, and life lessons take root across generations. When Roydon Au began his final-year project under Associate Professor Goh Wooi Boon, the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Teaching and Employability at CCDS, he already had a sense of who his supervisor was.

After all, his father, Sam Au, had also been mentored by A/P Goh some thirty years earlier. Roydon’s project focused on developing a communication tool for people with speech difficulties. It reflected a belief both his father and A/P Goh had long shared: that technology should be used to help others. For Roydon, it was a meaningful way to apply what he had learnt at NTU, and to honour the stories he’d grown up hearing.

A Familiar Name, A New Chapter

“I was curious and nervous at the same time,” Roydon recalled. “I’d heard so much from my dad about A/P Goh’s teaching style and his mentorship. I wanted to live up to those stories.”

His father had often spoken about A/P Goh, not only as a former lecturer but as someone he had remained in contact with through the years. Their ongoing conversations shaped the way Sam viewed education and technology, making this shared connection especially meaningful for Roydon.

For A/P Goh, the moment was equally unexpected. “I supervised Sam in the early 90s for his practical training project,” he said. “I was aware that Roydon was in NTU, but when he chose me for his final-year project, I didn’t immediately make the connection. But once I realised, it felt like a rare privilege.”

Then and Now

Back in 1993, Sam remembered queuing for Unix terminals and sitting in what he called a “torturous class”; made bearable by A/P Goh’s trademark comics and human touch. That memory, and the mentorship that followed, stayed with him far longer than any syllabus.

“Prof. Goh always reminded us that whatever we learn should be applied to help others,” Sam said. “That stayed with me. It influenced the way I approached global problems and how I thought about creating real-world impact.”

The NTU campus has evolved since then. The building where Sam once attended classes no longer exists, replaced by cutting-edge labs and collaborative spaces. But the spirit of mentorship has remained a constant.

A Project with Purpose

That mentorship became tangible for Roydon when he chose to work on a project close to his heart. The communication tool he developed for people with speech difficulties allowed him to put theory into practice during his time at NTU. While it remained part of his coursework, the project shaped his interest in work that could help others.

Roydon said, “Prof. Goh brought out the best in us. He guided us with patience and clarity, whether we were working through technical challenges or thinking about real-world applications. He cared not only about results but about making an impact.”

 

Not Just Following Footsteps

Roydon didn’t just follow in his father’s footsteps; he forged his own path. He joined case competitions, volunteered in community programmes, and played in a jam band. These experiences helped him grow beyond the classroom.

“I didn’t want him to feel he had to follow mine,” Sam said. “University should be about discovering who you are.”

Roydon embraced that freedom fully. “NTU taught me technical skills, but also soft skills and confidence. It reminded me that learning is lifelong.”

Lessons That Last

For A/P Goh, watching both father and son succeed under his guidance has been deeply meaningful. “What sticks with me are students who show passion and truly care,” he reflected. “Sam and Roydon both brought that. It’s not about how smart they are but how committed they are to learning.”

And for Roydon, the story doesn’t end at graduation. “I want to carry forward what my father and Associate Professor Goh have shown me, that what you learn should be used to help others.”

Sam sees his son’s journey as both a continuation and a proud evolution. “Watching Roydon thrive in his own way has been deeply meaningful,” Sam said. “He’s taken the lessons, the mentorship, and turned them into something uniquely his. Something that can make a difference.”

The relationship among the three hasn’t faded with time. They still meet to reflect, share updates, and trade stories. Their bond is a rare one, and a reminder that learning isn’t just about exams or grades. It’s about people, purpose, and passing something on.

From one classroom to another, from one generation to the next; this is a story of learning that lasts.