Over 1,000 participants from 47 countries, including graduate students and working professionals, had the opportunity to consult professors and alumni at ‘How to Get a PhD’, a hybrid seminar co-organised by the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) and NUS Graduate School. 

During the session, professors and alumni shared their insights generously, often peppered with delightful humour. Topics ranged from “What is a PhD, and why pursue it?” to “How do I increase my chances of a successful PhD application?”. 

Professor Silvija Gradecak-Garaj, CDE Vice Dean (Research and Technology), presented on ‘Pursuing PhDs from a Research Perspective’, while ‘The Thrills and Challenges of Advanced Research’ was tackled by Professor Aaron Thean, Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost of NUS, Director (Singapore Hybrid-Integrated Next-Generation µ-Electronics (SHINE) Centre).  

Professor Jessica Pan, Vice Provost (Graduate Education), pointed out in her introduction the extensive range of research areas available to prospective PhD students.  

PhD alumni, Dr Uzair Javaid, CEO and Co-Founder of Betterdata AI, and Dr Doreen Yong, Chemist at Applied Materials Southeast Asia, shared valuable tips on what future PhD students can expect during their academic journey with CDE. 

“Being independent and handling uncertainty is crucial,” said Dr Javaid, adding that resilience and curiosity are key traits for PhD success. 

“Transferable skills like critical thinking, data analysis…and effective communication will be very helpful…”, emphasised Dr Yong when sharing her observations about working in industry. 

The seminar concluded with a panel where the four speakers answered additional questions from the audience. Feedback was very positive, with many expressing an interest in the PhD opportunities at CDE. 

To view the session recording and learn more about the PhD programmes at CDE, visit: https://cde.nus.edu.sg/graduate/graduate-programmes-by-research-seminar/