Convocation 2020 – Medals & Awards

Name of Award	Name of Recipient	Programme
Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal	Zhang Kaishuo	Computer Engineering
Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal IMDA Gold Medal	Tu Anqi	Business & Computing (Computer Science)
Tata Consultancy Services Gold Medal	Ang Shu Liang	Computer Science
Information Technology Management Association Gold Medal cum Book Prize	Eow Doo Nee	Computer Science
Accenture Gold Medal – Book Prize (for students from Non-Graduating Year)	Yang Yubei	Computer Engineering

 

Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal

The gold medals were awarded to top NTU students who were first in general proficiency throughout their respective programmes of study and who have obtained First Class Honours.

Winner: ZHANG KAISHUO, Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering)

My journey with SCSE started 4 years ago when I first arrived in Singapore. It was my very first time traveling to a foreign country on my own. Everything was new and what stood ahead of me; is a world of unknowns. What I did not realised then was that in years to come, I would constantly be facing uncertainties. However, my experiences in NTU have taught me to survive such uncertainties and to embrace the unknown situations.

Situations like having my first ever job interview with PayPal or having a phone interview with Google at 5am or dragging my suitcases on a rainy night in Stockholm on my first day of exchange, were moments which made me anxious, scared and vulnerable. Nevertheless, it was up to me to decide to run away or face the situations. I was glad that I chose the latter - even though I might fail, but at least I know I have tried.

As it turned out, those were just gateways for more exciting things in life. I experienced a fulfilling winter traveling around Europe during my exchange, expanding my cultural horizons by meeting people from around the world. I had an amazing summer interning at Google’s Headquarters in Mountain View, and together with a team of extremely talented colleagues, we created a better Hotel search experience for millions of users.

Along the way, not only did I learnt to apply the knowledge I have acquired from SCSE and hone my technical skills, I have also improved my communication skills by conversing with different team members. During the Multi-Disciplinary Project (MDP), I felt much more adept at navigating within a team. We all worked really hard and our final deliverables were the best amongst our peers. In my FYP, I had a lot of fun discussing with professors and research fellows, solving the puzzles which emerged now and then.

Of course, all of these would not have been possible were it not for the amazing opportunities that SCSE provides, and all the kind and beautiful souls that I have met during this journey. I am grateful for all my project mates with whom we burnt countless midnight oil to perfect our works.

To my friends, thank you for the wonderful experiences we have created together. It was with all of you that we painted the mural of our university lives in beautiful technicolour. I am also thankful for my URECA supervisor Professor Luo and my PI supervisor Ms Yan for inspiring me to do more academic research.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to Professor Guan and Dr Robinson for guiding me throughout my FYP, and eventually getting my work submitted to the journal of Neural Networks. Last but not least, I would like to thank my family for always supporting me, even in my most difficult times.

Overall, my four years at NTU have been an invaluable experience, and it prepared me well for the next chapter of my life. Today, we are faced with perhaps one of the biggest uncertainties in life: our world is struck by a pandemic and we are seeing changes unfolding in front of our eyes. But we are all in this together and we can make it through; with a strong heart, kindness and compassion.

To all my fellow mates from Class of 2020, congratulations on graduating despite all the hardships and challenges.

To my juniors, I would like you to keep on trying and try everything. Do not be afraid to make mistakes. Do not be afraid to challenge the idea of another’s and it is okay to feel vulnerable. There is strength in vulnerability and it is not until you face it that you realised you are actually stronger than you think you are ! 

 

Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal & IMDA Gold Medal

Winner: TU ANQI, Double Degree in Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Science)

A beautiful campus which is so large that you get lost within easily - this was my first impression about NTU when I reached the campus alone with my three big luggages after a midnight flight four years ago. Just like most other freshmen, my feelings were mixed - excitement about starting a new journey, as well as anxiety and worries about surviving in an entirely new environment, especially when I saw the long slopes and countless stairs on the way to my hall room.

There were many interesting moments during my four years journey with SCSE. Most people will probably meet their best university friends during the orientation. The fun games organised by our seniors gave us the opportunities to meet people and make friends. The numerous outings with my orientation group also added vibrancy to my busy study schedules.

Joining the SCSE hackathon was also an unforgettable memory for me. Together with my teammates, we have decided to design a site which will aid both domestic helper agency and its helpers. After interviewing both agent and helpers to understand more about their needs, we managed to build the website within two days. Though we did not win, being a software engineer; it still inspired me to continue to build programs which can create an impact in the lives of others.

The first person I would like to thank is my husband, my batch mate and my mental support since Year One. To my friends who have been with me throughout the past four years, I would never forget the special birthday celebration in Canteen 2. I would also like to thank my project mates, especially my MDP group mates for their efforts and support. Though we do not know each other before the project, we definitely bonded over our shared tears and laughters during the weeks of building our robot.

To freshmen and juniors, congratulations on embarking your journey with NTU. In the next few years, you will meet many new people, make many new friends, learn many new skills and do many new things that you have never done before. You will also be meeting people of diverse background, giving you the opportunity to explore and learn from each other.

Do also take the chance to make new friends as it will be the most important and unforgettable part of your university journey.

Last but not least, do not only focus single-mindedly on your academic performance. Find opportunities to embark on projects apart from the ones from school and participate in club activities to develop your interpersonal skills. You will realise the importance of such skills when you have to join the workplace upon graduation. 

 

Tata Consultancy Services Gold Medal

Winner: ANG SHU LIANG, Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Science)

Despite having no prior training, I was accepted into the School of Computer Science at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to pursue the field of Information Technology. An opportunity which I have Lady Luck to thank for.

However, I had the nagging fear of not being able to keep up. Beside the fear of inadequacy, there was also the fear of not fitting in with the crowd. The fear of not fitting in was quickly eliminated as I would made friends attending the same tutorial classes, eventually working on projects together. supporting each other along the way and getting through university life together.

My life in SCSE has been one adventurous journey, from the times of running from Northspine to Southspine, to rushing back for classes, to staying overnight to complete projects in the lounge. Knowing that I was not alone in this adventure made the whole journey more bearable.

In the summer of Year 2, I went on an one-month exchange to INSA Lyon in France with a course mate. For the first time in my life, I get to experience what a true summer felt like (skin-burning hot !). The exchange was so much fun and when it ended, we extended our trip a little to explore Europe, resulting in an unforgettable summer.

Of course, I have to share my Multidisciplinary Design Project (MDP) experience. Before I took MDP, I had heard so much about it from seniors who have taken it. They were mainly stories about staying awake through multiple nights to calibrate the robots or to work on the programming. There were no falsities in their words. It was not uncommon for us to bring sleeping bags to stay overnight at the lounge while working on our MDP. We all wanted our robots to do well, it was like watching over a high-maintenance baby. The day where our robot finally cleared the maze, my group cheered. We had accomplished the task !

Not to forget, Inter-School Games (ISG) would take place every December. An event which I had participated for three years. ISG provides me with a good opportunity to get active and train with my fellow course mates. I was mainly into Swimming and Volleyball but did joined a few other sports to have fun. In 2018, SCSE clinched 3rd place for swimming mixed medley relay ! It was a close match but we had managed to swim our way to be one of the Top 3.

There are two professors whom I would like to express my gratitude. Firstly, Professor Dusit Niyato from SCSE. I have taken a few modules under Professor Dusit and was very impressed with his passion, friendliness and helpfulness. He never fails to answer any questions which I have with much promptness and in great details. And he would only close the subject after making sure I truly understand the concept.

The other professor would be Dr Glenn Toh from HSS. He was my Engineering Communication II tutor and seeing as to how he had first-hand experience with the Japanese culture, I started an Undergraduate Research Experience on Campus (URECA) project on the Insider-Outsider culture of Japan with him. Knowledge, experience, thoughtfulness and kindness radiated from him throughout and after the project. I would like to extend my greatest gratitude towards both Professor Dusit and Dr Toh.

To all freshmen, I am sure you will have the best university experience studying in SCSE. So, embrace the university life! 

 

Information Technology Management Association Gold Medal cum Book Prize

Winner: EOW DOO NEE, Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Science)

Four years ago, after climbing a small hill and five flights of stairs while hauling luggage bags and too many storage boxes, I moved into my first hall room with my best friend. There are few things scarier than starting a new journey alone, so I consider myself lucky that I wasn't. Back then, I was excited about my new-found freedom (personalised class schedules!), worried about the difficulty of some modules I had to take, and eager to learn and improve myself. Some of the best moments in my university life were shared with my friends and I encourage all incoming freshmen to find a group of friends that you can grow with. 

To my family: thank you for supporting me as I carve out my own place in this world.
To my friends: thank you for all the fun times and unrelenting support.
To the SCSE staff and faculty: thank you for supporting the learning of all SCSE students and enriching our student experience.

To the freshmen and juniors: meet new people and forge friendships; study smart, pursue your own interests outside of the classroom, and most importantly, make the most of the years to come because four years isn't very long and before you know it; you'll be walking up to the stage on convocation day.

 

Accenture Gold Medal – Book Prize

Winner: YANG YUBEI (CE, Year 4)

I do not have any programming experience prior to entering university. Being the fairer sex, people were naturally skeptical with my choice of major in Computer Engineering. However, that made me more determined to excel.

For the past two and a half years, I have always tried my best to complete every course and project. I still remember what Dr Chan told us during the first class of Digital Logic, “Computer Engineer is very hard. I hope all of you won’t switch a major and I can see you guys next year.” Nevertheless, I persisted through.

And now, I can proudly tell everyone that yes, a girl can also excel in Computer Engineering.

There were a lot of memorable moments and interesting stories from my time with SCSE. From staying awake for eighteen hours straight with my friends to prepare for a final project to our Autocar successfully passing through the map to the numerous friendly, funny and engaging Professors were just a few examples of an eventful time.

But the one event that really stood out was during our free access session, we encountered a problem with the car rotating at a crazy speed. I promptly took a video of the spinning vehicle and edited it with sound effect and sent it to our tutor with a note, “A crazy car for you !” Our tutor replied almost immediately with, “Thanks! It made me laugh!”

I would like to thank all my lab supervisors. Never once did they chided me, even though I had accidentally burnt a switch because of a wrongly connected wire or when I had carelessly left my circuit box in the lab. On top of keeping the box for me, they even made a name tag for it.

Begin your life in SCSE with a goal in mind and work towards it diligently. Challenge yourself with each semester and cherish every opportunity through projects, CCAs and workshops. Some projects may be difficult at the beginning but there are much to be learnt through hardship. Never give up! 

School of Computer Science and Engineering is extremely proud of all our students’ achievements. We congratulate them on their graduation and wish them every success and excellence in pursuing their dreams and careers.

Congratulations to the Class of 2020.