Mr Lim Hng Kiang at the A*STAR Scholarship Awards Ceremony 2009, 24 July 09

SPEECH BY MR LIM HNG KIANG, MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AT THE A*STAR SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS CEREMONY 2009 ON FRIDAY, 24 JULY 2009, 4 PM, AT MATRIX AUDITORIUM, BIOPOLIS

Your Excellency Pär Ahlberger

Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman of A*STAR,

Scholars and Parents,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction

It gives me great pleasure to be here today to share in the joy and excitement of the 145 scholarship and fellowship recipients. This is indeed a proud moment for the scholars and their families, and I congratulate all of them.

Importance of scientific research talent to Singapore’s continued success.

Through our perseverance, we have built up a base of scientific talent and created an international research environment. Having gained global recognition as a biomedical research hub, Biopolis is home to corporate labs of multinational companies like Abbott, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis. Fusionopolis, our new science and engineering hub, has also attracted private companies such as Nitto Denko, Vestas, Ubisoft and Seiko Instruments to set up research labs.

However, our success can only be sustained by building a pipeline of R&D talent to energise and drive Singapore’s knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy. In this regard, A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific research talent.

A*STAR’s role in nurturing R&D talent

A*STAR starts reaching out to potential scholars while they are very young. It has been partnering the Ministry of Education and the Singapore Science Centre to encourage and sustain an interest in science among young children. Our students, from as early as in primary school, can start to develop their scientific abilities and creativity by taking part in competitions such as the Sony Creative Science Awards, A*STAR Talent Search and The National Science Challenge. There are also opportunities for pre-university students to pursue their interest in scientific research through the A*STAR Science Awards.These awards support the students’ studies and provide them with opportunities to gain exposure through symposiums by world-class scientists and research attachments at A*STAR labs.

Through A*STAR’s scholarships and fellowships, scholars will not only receive the best education and training at top universities and labs around the world, but also build linkages with the international community. To date, including the new scholars, 882 talented young people have been trained or are training to be scientists.Of that number, 150 have already attained their PhDs and are working in A*STAR Research Institutes.

Apart from scholarships, the A*STAR Graduate Associate Programme, or GAP, was introduced in 2005 to provide opportunities for fresh graduates to participate in research at A*STAR’s research institutes. GAP aims to groom graduates in science and engineering who are passionate about research. Through this programme, recent graduates can gain experience working in a research environment, hone their skills and be better prepared to venture into industry.I was told that the response for GAP has been very positive, with more than 1,400 applicants for positions in A*STAR research labs.

Research Career at A*STAR

Once our aspiring young scientists have completed their studies, they have the opportunity to be part of a diverse community of scientific talent at A*STAR. They can benefit from the tutelage of top local and international researchers, who will provide mentorship and guidance to help them establish their research careers.

Take for example Dr Sebastian Ku who pursued his PhD studies at NUS as an A*STAR scholar. After graduating, Dr Ku deepened his scientific knowledge and capabilities under the mentorship of Professor Miranda Yap at A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute. Through Prof Yap’s connections with the scientific community, Dr Ku had the opportunity to venture overseas for further training and to present papers at several international conferences. This exposure has been invaluable to him and had broadened his horizons immensely.He is now furthering his career at Genentech, a leading biotech company.

Many other opportunities are available to A*STAR scholars – opportunities that will enable them to reach their potential be it in research, industry, administration or academia.Just two days ago, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between A*STAR, NUS and NTU, to provide a research and academia dual-career track for scholars. This will allow scholars to focus on research conducted at A*STAR research institutes while honing their teaching and supervision skills at the universities.

Through A*STAR’s many linkages with companies in the various industries, scholars will also have ample opportunities to work on solving real and immediate challenges faced by companies in our economy.As young researchers, this is where you can gain industry experience and see your work translating into direct benefits for Singapore.

Examples of A*STAR scholars

Scientific research has and will continue to play a major role in improving health care delivery, enhancing our quality of life and tackling global challenges.I am delighted to hear about the achievements of our scholars who have completed their PhD education and are now making a difference through their research.

An example is Dr Andrew Wan who pursued tissue engineering at JohnsHopkinsUniversity before returning to the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in 2005.Within a year, he led his team to develop artificial fibers that act as “scaffolds” to grow new tissue.Dr Wan’s research has many potential applications for tissue implants, drug development, and therapies for diabetics and liver failure.

Another example is Dr Foo Yong Lim who joined the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering in 2003 after his graduate studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research team is the first in the world to observe the real time growth of single wall carbon nanotube. Dr Foo’s discovery opens up new possibilities for the automotive and electronics industries.

Like Dr Wan and Dr Foo, new scholars here today have the opportunity to make a difference to the world. Today, we are facing complex global challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, a growing and aging population and flu pandemics. Solutions to these challenges need to be drawn from a range of disciplines in science and technology and the humanities. It is up to aspiring scientists like our young scholars to take up these challenges and find creative ways of solving them.

Words of encouragement

Let me once again congratulate all the new scholars here today.With so many options, this is clearly an exciting time to be a young person embarking on your higher education.Your opportunities begin now as a new scholar. Make full use of the exposure that your education will bring you. Build networks in the world, wherever you may be pursuing your academic aspirations.Take the chance to learn and gain experience in the research culture and industries of the countries you will be in.

As an A*STAR scholar, you can look forward to returning to a conducive research environment where you can build on your experience and make your mark in the years to come. Looking at all of you here today, I see the next generation of scientific leaders who can make a difference to society and impact the world. You may be the one to find the solution to reverse climate change, improve the quality of life for our ageing population, or the cure to diseases that threaten the world today. I trust you will live up to the challenge to innovate and create new solutions and I wish all of you every success.