the Outstanding Technical Paper Award on 5th August 2005 at the Symposium of Microelectronics. Held in Singapore on 5th August 2005 and organised by A*STAR, Choon Wai’s paper stood out from the many others that were also presented.

When asked what attributed to his successful win, Choon Wai modestly replied that there is no X-factor in R&D- just hard work, sincerity and passion. On ‘hard work’, Choon Wai remarked, ‘SMA trained me to face all challenges positively. One will not know one’s limits until one takes on the challenges; a failure does not mark the end but instead, the start of sweet success in the future. For 'sincerity', it is about possessing an open disposition to others'. He welcomes others’ opinions of his work stating, ‘Always react positively to different ideas, even if they seem illogical at first. Confrontation will only stifle the imagination of the researcher. When you respect others, they will naturally respect you in return.’ And for ‘passion’, to him, it is the drive to pursue one’s dreams. Choon Wai said that enrolling at SMA for four years allowed him to graduate with a doctoral degree in a field that he dreamt of, and become an excellent researcher and entrepreneur. Choon Wai also expressed his gratitude towards the meticulous mentorship of his thesis advisors: Associate Professor Choi Wee Kiong, Associate Professor Pey Kin Leong and Professor Carl. V. Thompson. 'I would not have gone this far without their patience and enlightening guidance,' he said.

SMA is never just about the imparting and production of knowledge. SMA also inculcates its Ph.D. students with the desired aptitudes of a successful engineer in the competitive realm of research in today’s world of knowledge-based economies. The Ph.D. programmes offered at SMA are as much about personal development to enhance one’s research capabilities as the empirical research outcomes itself. As Choon Wai succinctly summarises his SMA experience, ‘Intelligence starts your journey in SMA; diligence and perseverance lead you to graduation; passion and innovation will pave your way towards excellence. Never stop thinking.’ Indeed, the best researchers should ‘never stop thinking’ in the quest to expand the horizons of knowledge.