A passion for research A*Star scholar Tan Si Hui progresseswith good education and a vibrant working environment By Mary Lim IT WAS at Hwa Chong Junior College that Ms Tan Si Hui first discovered her passion for biology. To further her interest in this field, she signed on for an internship with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) after her A levels. “The internship gave me a hands-on and micro perspective on the subject. That was why I chose to build a career with the organisation,” says Ms Tan, 23, on her decision to accept the National Science Scholarship awarded by A*Star. Armed with the scholarship, she pursued a degree in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in US. She says she chose the university because of the good feedback she received from seniors who studied there. Most importantly, the university is reputed for “its outstanding biological sciences curriculum and a thriving atmosphere for undergraduate research,” says Ms Tan. She’s happy with her decision. “I was immensely inspired by my professors, who relentlessly pursued their research and were always enthusiastic about educating the next generation of scientists. It was incredible how their eyes sparkled whenever they were imparting knowledge about their pet subjects. And I look forward to the moment when I personally experience such excitement,” she says. Ms Tan did so well that she was on the Dean’s list for all her six semesters. In her final year, she started volunteering as a tutor at a school. She shared one memorable episode: “I sat beside this boy who was having difficulty catching up with mathematics. Initially he was non-chalant and refused to hand in his homework. After a while, however, he took the initiative to ask me to teach and explain to him. He also started submitting his homework.” Ms Tan, now a research officer at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, embarked on her one-year research attachment last June. Besides working on a research project, she is also responsible for lab maintenance. She says: “I like the intellectual curiosity that research demands. There are so many possible questions, and you have to sieve through what you think are the most pertinent, and strategise how to go about answering these questions. While failures are more common than successes in research, I relish the little successes to keep me going to pursue the big picture. The whole process is essentially about learning and training one’s intellect, tenacity and skills.” Ms Tan says that the A*Star scholarship has given her a headstart at work, thanks to the quality education that came with it, as well as the promise of working in a vibrant research environment. Nonetheless, she also points out that individual progress is determined by one’s capabilities and character. This is why she wants to further her knowledge. She is starting her PhD studies in the later part of this year, and plans to specialise in cancer biology in the US. She also hopes that her post-PhD designation as a post-doctoral fellow will lead to more independence in designing and working on her own research project.