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Ready for a digital revolution

A holder of three degrees, Mr Wesley Tan’s thirst for knowledge continues with a PhD at NTU

Mr Wesley Tan hopes to contribute to the digital revolution and substantial life improvements by applying AI.
PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

Mr Wesley Tan has three degrees, and counting.

The 30-year-old already has a degree in financial economics from Purdue University in Indiana, the United States; a Master of Science in Risk Management & Financial Engineering from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom; and a Master of Science in Computer Science from National University of Singapore.

Other than a steely focus on his goals, the strong support from his parents encouraged him to achieve his academic ambitions.

He says: "My family has been supportive of my choices that require commitments abroad. I am grateful for my parents' understanding, especially when I was going through some tough periods during the process."

Presently, he is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Computer Science and Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

Says Mr Tan: "I chose to study at NTU as the world-class research institution offers plenty of resources and industry collaborations that will promote extensive domain expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

"It is also a privilege to be supervised by the Chair of the School of Computer Science and Engineering (SCSE), Professor Ong Yew Soon.

"I strongly believe the combination of these benefits is a good match with my personal research interest, and it would substantially boost my future career prospects," he adds.

Preparing for the next phase of AI

In Mr Tan's view, the emergence of new technology throughout history has helped with job simplification and automation.

From the invention of tractors to automated hotel bookings and advanced robotic systems in manufacturing plants, this trend has remained constant.

The only difference is where AI is applied as it can help to automate routine tasks while machines can aid in physical labour. However, like machines, AI is extremely capable and equally tireless.

He believes that the resurgence of AI technologies has resulted in numerous meaningful applications in recent years. The key factors driving the AI movement, which are computing power and data, have had multi-fold increases.

AI is pushing the boundaries of autonomous organisations beyond traditional expectations, and it will continue to do so. Also, since AI is dynamic, it learns and adapts to improve itself.

Primed for success

Mr Tan hopes to play his part in the digital revolution and the substantial life improvements resulting from the application of AI in the coming decades.

He attends international conferences in various countries to keep up with the breakthrough research projects from other top-notch research institutions and the latest developments in this fast-paced field.

He recommends the PhD programme at NTU SCSE to aspiring AI researchers who intend to blaze a trail in the field of computer science. Ideal candidates would be those with intellect, curiosity, passion, determination and focus, he adds.

At SCSE, there are more than 80 world-renowned academics with diverse expertise and experience who hail from top universities worldwide.

Committed to excellence in education and research, these faculty members teach and mentor students, as well as contribute to SCSE's vibrant research and learning culture.

They spearhead research topics in the exciting spectrum of computer science and engineering, and constantly challenge what defines "state of the art" in their respective fields of endeavour.

To Mr Tan, the most important takeaway from the programme is the realisation that "one should always maintain a critically thinking open mind".

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