PhD Student Inspired by Nobel Prize Winner and Other Innovative Researchers
Ms Regina Huang (Left) attending GYSS 2023 held at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.
Ms Regina Huang, a third-year PhD student (Periodontology and Implant) under the primary supervision of Professor Lijian Jin, Modern Dental Laboratory Professorship in Clinical Dental Science and Clinical Professor in Periodontology, had been selected as an on-site participant at the 11th edition of the Global Young Scientists Summit (GYSS) that took place from January 17-20, 2023 in Singapore.
The Global Young Scientists Summit (GYSS) provides a multi-disciplinary platform to tackle a broad spectrum of issues and seeks to spark discussions on science and research to address today’s global challenges. The summit unites some of the brightest minds in science and technology, including recipients of prestigious awards such as the Nobel Prize, Millennium Technology Prize, Fields Medal, and Turing Award. These distinguished individuals share their inspiring personal journeys and offer invaluable insights into their successful academic careers. By bringing together such accomplished professionals, the GYSS aims to foster collaboration and innovation, and encourages the next generation of young scientists to pursue their research ambitions.
During session breaks, Ms Huang’s recent publication in Materials Today Bio, titled “Rapid synthesis of bismuth-organic frameworks as selective antimicrobial materials against microbial biofilms”, generated much interest from other young scientists. She also received valuable insights into various career pathways available to scientists from Dr John Mather (2006 Nobel Prize in Physics), Dr Lihan Zhou (CEO of MiRXES), Dr Xu Shi (Founder of Nanofilms) and Dr Lim Jui (CEO of SGInnovate) in the panel discussion session.
Overall, Ms Huang’s participation in GYSS was a transformative experience that helped her gain a better understanding of what it takes to be an innovative researcher and remarkable scientist. Herein, she made a concluding remark about this exciting event by quoting Professor Sir David Klenerman (the winner of the 2020 Millennium Technology Prize): “If you are at the frontier, you need to expect a lot of failures... you just have to get used to [that] experiments often do not work, and you just have to pick yourself up to try again.”
Ms Huang’s supervisor, Professor Jin encouraged his colleagues and students to pursue their research and scholarship with passion and dedication, “Always try to maximize your potential to achieve extraordinary success!” Sharing the same goal, the Faculty of Dentistry is dedicated to fostering lifelong learning of academic staff and students and promoting collaboration across regions and nations.