Research as a Career?

So here i am, one academic year later. After a long and tedious 3rd year, i am finally going to my 4th and last year after the summer break. It's so weird; looking back, time really seem to fly even though last academic year was the most eventful and busy of my undergraduate years.

During my 3rd year, I complete my UROPS project which left me only with doubt to whether i should be pursuing Research as a career. Though i did learn many stuff in the process, it was also a very traumatic experience for me. I faced various difficulty in trying to synthesis my target molecule and still had no significant result when the dateline to my project was closing in! I had to skip lecture to try to complete the project, not to mention the long hours in labs and the Saturdays burnt in the lab. And all these while, there were also the endless assignments i had to complete and submit towards the end of the semester. As a result of the UROPS project, i neglected the rest of my modules and was left to catch up on these modules towards the very end of the semester. This left me feeling uncertain and out of control for the first time in my undergraduate life. But praise be to God; He really did pull me through this difficult period.

Now that exams are over, it's time prepare for my final year project (FYP). I have already asked prof Tan Choon Hong to be my Supervisor and will have to try out in his lab starting next week. I seriously hope that my experience with FYP will not be a reflection of my experience with my UROPS project. Since i had such a bad experience with my UROPS project, only a pretty good experience with my FYP will persuade me to pursue my Ph.D. So right now i'm crossing my fingers, waiting to see how next year will unfold.

So, research as a career? It remains to be seen...

MJ

A Day In the Lab....

I just spent the whole day in the Lab. Started work at around 10 am and finished at 8 pm. Was working on the UROPS project, trying to synthesize my starting material 2-bromobenzaldehyde. It was a hell lot of work but it was very satisfying to be doing what i was doing. Maybe this is really what I'm meant to do.... We'll see.... When the going gets tough, lets see if i will still be as passionate about this...

pysched,
MJ

My Target Molecule

Met up with Prof lai on tuesday and friday morning to talk about my UROPS project. I was given a target molecule which i have to attempt to synthesis through the duration of my 3rd acadamic year. We also discussed the reaction route and mechanism for the synthesis. There you go! My target molecule (right on top the hexagon looking thingy). So far my meetings with Prof Lai has been rather fruitful and i deeply enjoy these discussion sessions. Looking forward to more; looking forward to start the experiments in the lab! But first, have to do some research and reading up before i start in the lab. Oh well.....

Excited,
Chemist Shawn (mwahahaha!)

UROPS Here I Come!!!

Just talked to Prof Lai over the phone!!!!

He was ok with taking another urops student but needs to meet me to talk about it a little. So i'm meeting him tomorrow morning at 8 30 am. Hopefully all goes well: ) Ha ha...

Excited,
Shawn aka MJ

Just Finished Exams!!!!

Oh what a relieve! Just finished my physical chemistry paper today! haha... Glad that it's over... now that the smaller things are over, time to focus on the bigger things. School starts next week as i am reading a module during special semester. Time to get back in my lab coat and googles and experiment with chemicals! (sounds fun ya??) Then there's still the deciding on whether to do an undergraduate research programme during year 3. Wanna get a chance to work with my favourite lecturer, Prof Lai (awesome organic chem lecturer). Hope to learn from him... Just concerned about the workload though... dun know if i will be able to handle it... Hmmm... so to do or not to do?? I have to decide soon...

MJ

To Futher My Studies Or Not To?

Recently, I have been thinking alot about furthering my studies after i complete my bachelor's degree. I been discovering a growing passion in learning Chemistry and i wonder if i would be interested in doing research; since that's pretty much what i'll be doing if i do my Master's or even a PhD. Then there's the question of whether to go for a Master's first or to go straight for a PhD. And then there's the question of whether i should do my Master's or PhD right here in NUS or to do it overseas, since i can always take up a scholarship for my graduate studies. But first and foremost, i need to be thinking about whether i should even embark on this journey at all. Hmmm... big big major decision... I need to find out more... Hence, i think i will be doing a Undergraduate Research module next semester just to see if it's something that I want to do; something that i will be excited about.

I wonder what God thinks about this... Need to be praying about this while finishing up my bachelor's in next 2 year.

Oh well, i think about all this after my exams!!! Right now still need to slaughter my physical chemistry paper and a arts/science general elective module. God help me!

Prof Chow in the making???
Shawn aka MJ

A Fresh Start... *What is that rotten smell?*

Wow,

seem like it's ages since i updated my blog... Just so lazy to update it.. Especially since last semester school was so busy... Also church was going through difficult situation... But i'm glad that i'm moving on, together with the rest of the church (whoever that's left).

Hope to start with a fresh start; the kind of freshness that only the Holy Spirit can bring, both for my new school semester and church ministry: ) Just have to get rid of rotten smells that keep reminding me of the past...

This semester taking up some new and exciting challenges! Took on the responsibility of leading the Vision Tea committee to plan for the vision tea which will take place on the first week of school. Also will take on the role of SM, spiritual multiplier ( discipler la...) in campus crusade. Plus will be visiting Poly CF (christian fellowship) with Uncle Fuji during wednesday evenings. All in all, it looks like it's going to be a very exciting sem for me in terms of spiritual stuff!: )

For school, will be studying my Second Love, Chemistry, again!!! This sem, i will be doing spectroscopy, something totally new, and organic chem!!! my absolute favourite! (Chemistry totally rox!!!) Also doing a module called "Understanding The Universe". Astronomy.... hmmm.... my first love.... (besides God that is). Oh, and lastly will be doing "Singapore Society" with evan... so cool right!!! Hope i still can write essays... *start up! you rusty linguistic section of shawn's brain!* School looks good too: ) Although i really wanted to continue with Jap language but decided against it due the amount of stuff i committed myself to this sem... Jap is just to heavy a module...

Above all, God is going to be a very big part of this semester, and hopefully the rest of my life... Gonna see where my journey with Him will take me... How exciting... But i must remember to travel light and off load all extra baggage: ) Let's get going!!

p.s. but first, i must get rid of this rotten smell first... *sniff sniff* yucks....


Reflections + Expectations,
Shawn