LEARNING FROM GRACE TEO

Grace Teo is one confident and resourceful young lady. Grace knows what she wants, goes for it, and is not afraid to get help, when necessary.

Grace is proof that desire, plans, will, together with self belief, can get you anything you want.

Everything is possible; nothing is impossible

While doing her Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) degree at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Grace wanted to experience working in as many top overseas research institutes as possible. With creativity and thorough planning, Grace managed to shoe horned three overseas stints - in Switzerland, the UK and US – into her programme.

When planning her industrial attachments, Grace did not just accept whatever was on offer by her university. Grace took charge of her own programme. She researched the leading scientists and their work, and picked those she liked. She then contacted the scientists directly.

That was how Grace snagged a much coveted attachment at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. She e-mailed the Division’s Director and got herself a Skype interview, which she passed with flying colours.

Grace then negotiated with NTU which agreed to let her replace NTU’s prescribed one-semester industrial attachment with her Harvard-MIT stint.

The spunky Grace is not afraid to ask for help to blow away obstacles that block her way to her goals.

While in London, Grace had problems with her passport renewal and visa application. If these were not resolved in time, she will be late for her Harvard-MIT attachment.

Grace decided to get the help of Singapore’s Foreign Minister George Yeo directly.

Grace sent Minister George Yeo a late night e-mail explaining her predicament and got a call from the Singapore High Commission in London at 9am the next day. The embassy said everything had been sorted out.

Grace made it to the Boston in time.

Grace left such a deep impression during her attachment that she was offered a fellowship to do her PhD in medical engineering at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology.

Grace credited her parents for her plucky, can-do attitude. She said her mum is extremely capable and good at getting things done. Her dad is an adventurous chap, imbued with the pioneering spirit.

We wish Grace all the best and learn from her indomitable spirit.