26 November 2007

Odyssey of exploration, discovery and growth

ILLUSTRIOUS LEADER: NUS President Prof Shih Choon Fong being conferred Honorary Membership of the Medical Alumni Association by Health Minister, Mr Khaw Boon Wan.

It was an odyssey with an "ironic twist" -- but one which led to NUS President Prof Shih Choon Fong being conferred Honorary Membership of the Medical Alumni Association at its 84th Reunion Dinner (23 Nov). The Membership is conferred on a person who in his lifetime has advanced the status and raised the reputation of the country both nationally and internationally. Prof Shih is the third non-medical honorary member -- the first being Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and second, businessman and philanthropist Dr Lee Seng Gee.

In the citation for his conferment, Prof Shih was described as a "local boy makes good"-- and that it was an "ironic twist of fate that someone who could not get into the university should eventually become the person running it".

In the 60's, armed with a Singapore Polytechnic diploma, Prof Shih decided to go to the States for further studies, having accepted that he would not stand a chance of getting a place in the local university. He obtained his PhD from Harvard University in 1973 and was a researcher there before heading the Fracture Research Group, Corporate R&D of General Electric Company. From 1981 to 1997, he was with Brown University, first as Visiting Associate Professor and later as Professor.

He returned to Singapore to head the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering in 1996. He went on to become the President of NUS -- and succeeded in raising the global standing of the University to be among the top 50. Chairman Emeritus of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, Prof Shih is well known in international circles and has been listed by the Institute for Scientific Information as one of the world's most Highly-Cited Researchers in Engineering. He was consultant to NASA, Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Honorary Member of the National Academy of Arts and Science and many other prestigious organisations.

On being conferred the Honorary Membership by the Minister for Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Prof Shih talked about his adventurous spirit which had led him to what he is today. He recalled how how he had tried to install a home-made antenna at the highest point of his family shophouse. "When the family was sleeping, I climbed onto the roof and hammered a hole in it. The antenna worked well, but you can imagine what happened the next time it rained," he said.

"This adventurous spirit is something I did not make much of at the time. It was only in later years, as I met other researchers, that I came to realise how fortunate I have been to have the fire in me. With curiosity, passion and a dose of courage, my work and play are so intertwined that when I work, I often lose track of time and rest," he added.

His own experiences, he said, have sparked his passion to keep the fire burning strong among the young, to encourage adventure and discovery thereby finding their passions. "Our young need space to explore and make mistakes, need challenges to stretch themselves, need opportunities to develop their strengths and talents. As NUS President, I feel a particular responsibility to make sure that we foster a culture of adventure and discovery rather than a culture of exam-based learning. NUS must offer students space, challenges and opportunities to help them explore, discover and grow," he said in his acceptance speech.