Gan Jo Ann
Bachelor of Science (Hons) Chemistry
March 2009

I was a typical playful child and was not aware of the importance of education until I was 15. I realized that all of my friends were competing to be the 'Number One' in class and in order to keep up with them, I had to catch up.

Three years went by since then, and I passed my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) with flying colors. I was offered a full scholarship for my foundation course at KTAR as well as my bachelor degree in Chemistry in UTAR. I am very grateful to be awarded these scholarships as they enable me to concentrate on my studies without worrying about the exams.

Another three years have passed and here comes my Graduation Day. Now, I have to decide on my next step. Should I start work or should I keep on with what I am doing best, i.e. studies? Eventually, I decided to study oversea since it has always been my dream. I aimed to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy, so I started sending out my applications.

I received a reply from Swinburne University of Technology (SUT) in Melbourne, Australia and was offered a place for a Master's degree instead of the PhD candidature that I applied for. Then my supervisor from UTAR, Dr Teh Geok Bee together with my soon-to-be supervisors from SUT, Dr Chris Berndt and Dr Wong Yat Choy sent in recommendation letters and defended my case. After much deliberation, the Research Higher Degrees Committee decided to make an exception for me due to my outstanding academic performance. I was offered a PhD candidature together with a Swinburne University Postgraduate Research Award (SUPRA), which is a full scholarship that will be funding for my three years study in SUT.

I will be leaving for Australia for my postgraduate study in June and will return to Malaysia upon the completion of my study at the age of 24. I feel thankful to everyone that has been so supportive of my decision; particularly my family, my supervisor, lecturers and friends. I have finally found the answer to my childhood questions: "Why does everyone want to be Number One? What's so good about it?" For me, the most important thing in studying is to enjoy the process. Remember, you don't have to be good in EVERYTHING. You just have to be good in SOMETHING. You must choose your field of interest and something that you are good at. Find your niche just like how I find my niche in Chemistry. Then, by all means, pursue it, and you shall succeed for it is your passion that drives you on.