Marcus Lee
Nationality:
Singapore
Faculty and Department:
Faculty of Dentistry, Discipline of Oral Sciences
Year of Study:
4
Undergraduate University:
National University of Singapore
Why did you choose to do a PhD?
I chose to pursue a PhD because I wanted to make a meaningful contribution to society in ways I never could without one. By utilising my skillset and knowledge accrued previously, I knew I could mould them into something original, to fulfil my intellectual curiosity in the PhD program.
Why did you choose to do graduate education at NUS? If you received offers from other universities, why did you pick NUS?
Apart from NUS, I received scholarship offers from elite universities in Sweden, Germany, Hong Kong, and another highly reputable autonomous University in Singapore. My decision to accept the offer at NUS was based on careful deliberation and after-thought. Among the many factors considered, her strong international reputation and bold spirit of the governance stood above the rest. With an NUS graduate degree, I am assured of quality education that will only grow stronger over time. NUS is afterall the ‘Harvard of Asia’.
How does graduate school compare to your undergraduate experience?
Graduate school offers a very different kind of experience from undergraduate education. Graduate studies requires a very different mindset shift. It is driven by those who believe in the value of continuous education. Graduate school teaches independence of thought, demands in-depth analytical thinking different from the ‘masses’, and produce innovation in entrepreneurship that undergraduate school level is not designed to provide.
Briefly share about your research or thesis (i.e. dissertation topic for Masters by Coursework students).
My research/ thesis is at post-masters level (PhD). I bioengineer a fully-functional 3D pigmented skin model from a single pluripotent stem cell source.
What impact do you hope to have with your research?
My research work is expected to (hopefully) contribute to original findings that will add to the knowledge in the scientific community. It is hoped my work will also contribute to the betterment of society-at-large.
Share something fun from your graduate journey at NUS.
During pre-covid times, I was elected as NUS student ambassador. It was a rather unusual experience for me since I was probably the only graduate student representative. Everyone else was an undergraduate. One of my roles was to provide support for prospective students. I was pleasantly surprised when some NUS student ambassadors who were undergraduates themselves were actually asking me about my experience as a postgraduate and how graduate studies felt like! In all, it was a fun journey as I made friendships that lasted to this day 3 years on!
Briefly share a highlight from your graduate school journey.
A highlight of my graduate school journey was an attendance at an entrepreneurship event I attended as a team member of a project. It’s amazing how much you can learn from these events and from the mentor-attendees. I quickly learnt that there are plenty of help available. If you have a potential product or patent, people are more than happy to hear about it.
Share a challenge you faced in graduate school and how you overcame it.
My biggest challenge came during the Covid ‘circuit breaker’ phase where we were all made to work from home for two months. As my studies were research-based and heavily dependent on ‘wet lab’, we had to abruptly terminate our work and close the lab. It was a difficult time. However, I quickly focused my efforts on other non-lab-based activities related to my research. I ended up writing and completing two journal paper write-ups! It’s about making the best use of the bleak situation and resisting the temptation of falling into self-despair.
Share something about campus life at NUS that new students would be interested to hear about.
Campus life is vibrant! You are never short of activities to do. From photography to public speaking, take advantage of these activities organized by the student body to enrich yourself. Student organizers really put in the hard work and dedication to organize these events and I am constantly impressed by the caliber of these events. You get high-level professionals conducting the talks which you typically have to pay a lot for outside of campus. Best of all, they are all free as part of student privilege.
Do you have any interesting personal stories to share? For example, about your journey to get into graduate school, personal hobbies/interests.
Of the many personal stories, I think my journey to graduate school comes as one of the most significant moments in my life. It’s an event that’s hard to forget. Getting accepted into graduate school is hard. It didn’t work out the first time for me. I was rejected by universities everywhere at first, but that only spurred me on. I worked hard to improve my credentials. When I re-applied, I received acceptance from all my choices. Offers came in non-stop, and the rest is history. Getting a place in a highly reputable university like NUS will make all your efforts worthwhile. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I gave up on the first try.
What message would you like to give to students interested in graduate studies in NUS?
Graduate studies in NUS is intellectually rigorous and only the most committed students will succeed. The biggest takeaway I can give is that relationship is key. Having good relations with teammates and colleagues is perhaps the single most important factor in my journey as a graduate student. Be nice and kind to everyone. Always be ready to help others, even if it means going the extra mile. You’ll never know when it will be their turn to help you.