"NUS taught me never to be afraid of not knowing or being wrong. We do not need all the answers, only the courage to keep looking."

Dr Teo Hoong Chen graduates with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the Department of Biological Sciences and the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions. His thesis won the Wang Gungwu Medal and Prize that recognises exceptional research achievements by graduate students in the Natural Sciences and the Chua Toh Hua Memorial Gold Medal for the most outstanding PhD research in the Life Sciences.

A climate and ecosystem scientist, Dr Teo combines earth science, ecology and causal inference to test whether our environmental commitments truly deliver for nature and people. His first-author work has been published in top journals and cited by international organisations. His work has travelled beyond academia, with indigenous leaders in Peru and Panama citing his research to defend their lands.

Dr Teo is now a postdoctoral research fellow at the Technical University of Munich, working on a European Space Agency project researching ecosystem resilience and climate tipping points.

"Growth is shaped by our ability to adapt amidst uncertainty, the discipline to give our best in every attempt and the humility to continually learn from others."

Ms Wong Zi Hua graduates with Honours (Distinction) in Food Science and Technology and is a recipient of the Enterprise Singapore Global Executive Scholarship.

Throughout her undergraduate journey, Ms Wong pursued opportunities at the intersection of food science, innovation and enterprise development. At Enterprise Singapore, she contributed to sustainability and capability-building initiatives for Singapore’s food manufacturing sector. Under the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) Thailand programme, she secured an overseas internship with a beverage startup, which broadened her global perspective and strengthened her entrepreneurial mindset.

Ms Wong is also committed to leadership and community service. As Project Director of NUS FoodTech Challenge (2023), she led her team in increasing international participation and expanding the competition’s global reach. She also received the Leader in Volunteer Engagement Award for her contributions to kidsREAD, a nationwide programme to promote the love of reading among children from low-income families.

After graduation, Ms Wong will be joining Enterprise Singapore’s Management Associate Programme.

"Worry less about making the perfect choice. Make the brave choice, the kind choice, the meaningful choice - and make it count."

Ms Freesia Shee graduates with Honours (Highest Distinction) in Life Sciences, with a Specialisation in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity. She was on the Dean’s List for three semesters. She is also a recipient of several awards for academic excellence, including the Raffles Prize (2024), the Navjot Sodhi Prize (2025) and the Straits Times Bronze Medal (2025).

During her internship with the National Parks Board, Ms Shee contributed to mangrove conservation and habitat restoration efforts. She led ecological surveys to support the evaluation of nature-based coastal protection measures while also engaging volunteers in conservation activities.

Through her honours research, Ms Shee explored the evolution and taxonomy of Southeast Asian birds. By contributing to ongoing scientific research on White-eyes, she gained a deeper appreciation of how research can support biodiversity conservation.

After graduation, Ms Shee will join the Avian Evolution Laboratory as a Research Assistant. She intends to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences at NUS, with the goal of advancing conservation in Singapore and the region.

"True growth begins when we learn to embrace uncertainty with clarity, courage and purpose."

Dr Xu Haowen graduates with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Statistics and Data Science. He is a recipient of the NUS Research Scholarship, which is awarded to outstanding graduate students for research leading to a higher degree at NUS.

During his doctoral studies, he focused on functional data analysis, contributing to the theoretical development of basis expansion methods and deepening his understanding of complex data through rigorous statistical frameworks.

He also served as a Teaching Assistant throughout his four years at NUS, supporting undergraduates in their study of statistics and helping them appreciate the value of statistical thinking in real-world problems.

After graduation, Dr Xu will be joining Deutsche Bank as a Quantitative Strategist, where he will apply his analytical skills in financial markets.

"In a world that changes quietly and quickly, let us meet uncertainty not with fear, but with curiosity, resilience and the courage to keep learning."

Mr Ryan Lim graduates with Honours (Highest Distinction) in Statistics, with a second major in Mathematics and a minor in Computer Science. He was a Dean’s List awardee for five semesters and is also the recipient of the You Poh Seng Prize.

His undergraduate journey of academic excellence was marked by a deep interest in probability, stochastic algorithms and statistical modelling. He participated in several research projects offered by the Department of Statistics and Data Science, with his Honours project focusing on accelerating Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods.

Mr Lim is also passionate about using statistical research for social good. During his research internship at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), he worked on public health projects, including one on breast cancer risk screening that was published in the journal Cancers.

Mr Lim will be continuing his doctoral studies at NUS under the President’s Graduate Fellowship.

"Some of the most meaningful journeys begin when we are willing to step beyond certainty."

Dr Luca Makowiec graduates with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mathematics, specialising in probability theory. He is a recipient of the Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA), which is awarded to international students to conduct cutting-edge scientific research in Singapore.

His research focuses on probability on graphs, using mathematics to understand how randomness spreads through networks. His work has been published in reputable journals and he has presented his research at conferences around the world.

At NUS, Dr Makowiec distinguished himself through his dedication to teaching. He received the Graduate Tutor Merit Award six times, a reflection of his commitment to supporting students in their learning.

Dr Makowiec is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Leipzig University, Germany, where he continues to research and teach mathematics.

"Progress seldom comes from a single giant leap. More often, it is achieved through failed attempts, small insights and the patience to begin again."

Mr Pranav Gupta graduates with Honours (Highest Distinction) in Mathematics, with a Specialisation in Pure Mathematics and a second major in Economics. He has received multiple awards for academic excellence including the Leong Teng Kiang Memorial Prize in Mathematics (2025/2026), the Ven Dr. D. D. Chelliah Gold Medal (2025/2026) and the Singapore Airlines Medal (2023/2024). He was also placed on the Dean’s List for six semesters.

He has a keen interest in analysis, partial differential equations (PDEs) and probability, as well as their applications to problems arising in statistics and machine learning.

During his undergraduate journey, he was involved in four research projects, including work on determinantal point processes, elliptic PDEs and inverse problems. A particular highlight was his summer research internship at École Polytechnique, which led to a paper published in the Journal of Geometric Analysis.

Mr Gupta will be pursuing his Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Mathematics at Brown University, United States.

"The most meaningful opportunities in my life began with uncertainty. NUS taught me to embrace the unfamiliar, take chances and grow alongside others."

Ms Soraya Moghtader Mojdehi graduates with a Master of Science (MSc) in Pharmaceutical Science and Technology. She has lived and studied across Dubai, London and Singapore, and she enjoys embracing new challenges, bringing an international perspective to her work and connecting people, ideas and disciplines to advance healthcare.

As Co-President of the NUS Medical Grand Challenge, she leads one of the university’s largest student-led healthcare innovation competitions, bringing together students, clinicians, researchers and industry partners to develop solutions for real-world healthcare challenges.

She contributed to student life as an NUS Science Postgraduate Student Ambassador and an active member of the E-Magna community, supporting engagement and fostering connections across disciplines. Beyond academics, she represented NUS in the Singapore University Games (2024, 2025) as part of the aquathlon team.

She also gained industry experience through internships with GSK and Vantive, while conducting cancer research featured at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Asia Congress (2025).

After graduation, she looks forward to pursuing opportunities that bridge science, healthcare and communication.

"We came here to learn about the world, but somewhere along the way, we learned how to navigate it."

Mr Axel Yeoh graduates with Honours (Highest Distinction) in Pharmacy. He received Singapore General Hospital (SGH) educational sponsorship and was placed on the Dean’s List thrice, reflecting consistent academic excellence throughout his undergraduate journey. He was awarded the Singapore National Academy of Science Award (2026) for his research on the role of functional foods in the management of hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and Type 2 diabetes.

He was actively involved in student leadership and community health initiatives. He played a key role in Health T.A.G. (Test, Advice, Go!), a student-led preventive health initiative that provides health assessments and medication-related education to the public.

Mr Yeoh will be commencing his Pharmacist Pre-Registration Training at SGH, where he looks forward to further developing his clinical skills and contributing to patient care.

"If you hide your true self to blend into the crowd, you are merely a ghost walking among the living."

Dr Leroy Lin graduates with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Chemistry. He was awarded the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award (2024/2025) and the Department of Chemistry’s Outstanding Part-Time Teaching Assistant Award.

As an undergraduate, Dr Lin served as Vice-President (2017 to 2018) and President of the NUS Chemical Sciences Society (2018 to 2019).

Wanting his work to meaningfully impact people's lives, Dr Lin now works at the Environmental Health Institute, a public health laboratory run by the National Environmental Agency, where he researches chemical pollutants and their relationship to public health, as well as chemical regulations - work he believes will contribute to making the air we breathe and the daily products we use safer for all.

"Amid life’s uncertainties, may we cherish the changes that have brought us here and embrace the changes yet to come. After all, the one constant in life is change."

Mr Labayna Nicky Nel Narido graduates with Honours (Highest Distinction) in Physics, with a Specialisation in Quantum Technologies. He was placed on the Dean’s List for four semesters. He also received the Arthur Rajaratnam Prize in his second year for excellence in experimental physics and the Sembcorp Marine Prize for his first three years of study, an accolade for top physics students.

Mr Labayna participated in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in Science (UROPS) to explore theoretical research in quantum technologies. This culminated in his Final Year Project (FYP) on the classical-quantum boundaries for continuous variable systems.

At NUS Resonance, an a cappella group, he performed at various events and concerts and served as the club’s Publicity Director in his third year.

Mr Labayna will be pursuing his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at NUS’ Centre for Quantum Technologies.