Flying start to young professor's career
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AT A time when most fresh graduates are pounding the streets looking for jobs, one 23-year-old man has a six-figure paycheck waiting for him.
Dr Chua Choong Tze, who finished his studies in May, will start teaching at the Singapore Management University (SMU) next month.
He will be an assistant professor of finance and the youngest assistant professor in Singapore.
While his boss, SMU provost Tan Chin Tiong, would not say exactly how much the university is paying him, he let on that, on average, a person with Dr Chua's credentials can earn at least US$100,000 (S$177,200) at any good American university for a nine-month contract.
And he added: 'We are out there recruiting top people, we are paying top United States university salaries.'
Dr Chua, who has a doctorate in statistics from the prestigious Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, is something of a whiz kid.
He was the first person in his department to complete his bachelors, masters and PhD degrees in five years. Most students take five years just to complete their doctorate.
He comes with glowing credentials from his professors, including his Wharton adviser, Dr Dean Foster who said a member of the US National Academy of Sciences had said Dr Chua's five year schedule was only reasonable for 'the greatest statisticians'.
For his doctoral thesis, Dr Chua created a new interest rate model that attempts to give more accurate forecasts of interest rate movements.
Prof Tan said: 'Dr Chua's age doesn't come into the picture. A top PhD in finance is a rare commodity.
'His credentials are impeccable. And big-name professors have written very strong recommendations for him.'
Dr Chua, a Malaysian, has long had his heart set on Singapore. His wife, elder brother, who is an accountant, and friends all live here.
He studied at Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College on an Asean scholarship - an Education Ministry scholarship that brings the best brains in the region here.
The younger son of tax officers, Dr Chua graduated with first class honours in economics in two years.
He doubled his workload and completed his basic degree in half the usual time to save money. It was the height of the Asian financial crisis then, and his parents could 'hardly afford a US education'.
He started working on his PhD in his third year.
He said of his doctoral classes: 'It was scary at times. Sometimes, I had no idea what was going on in class. I basically had to catch up myself.'
And unlike most PhD students, he started on his dissertation while attending doctoral classes.
He wanted to finish his PhD fast, to come home to his Singaporean fiancee - now his wife - a 23-year-old civil servant he met at Wharton.
As a PhD candidate, Dr Chua also had to spend time teaching other students.
Still, he found time for romance, hanging out with friends and at least seven hours of sleep a day. Holidays were spent travelling to Europe and around the US.
'There's enough time to do all these things. You just don't waste time doing stupid things like chatting on ICQ or surfing the Web for no reason,' said Dr Chua. 'I'm very focused.'
This articulate young man will stand in front of hundreds of students around his age, teaching them all about corporate finance.
'I think my age is an advantage as we are from the same generation, and it's easier to build a stronger rapport.
'Teaching is about engaging students and making things relevant,' he said.
Dr Chua will also concentrate on his research work, which includes improving his interest rate model.
And he wants to do more.
He said: 'I'm interested in youth development... I want to make a difference, cliched as it sounds.'
- ST
Comments? It sure may be an interesting footnote in the Home section but puttin this on PRIME NEWS? Are the reporters of ST hitting dry wells? And why the focus on his salary? I'm a cynical person, is he doing self advertising? Or propoganda to make you forget about the poor economy? -
some ppl juz have the brains............
as long as he is happy with wat he is doing can liao........ -
Originally posted by FireIce:some ppl juz have the brains............
as long as he is happy with wat he is doing can liao........
ok lah, as long as i'm really interested in my job..i don't mind doing for 6-figure paycheck. -
No la nobody here can do what he did la
u know y?
cos according to him we do stupid things like icq and surf aimlessly -
for a 6-figure paycheck, i don't mind doing things i don't like
as long as it does not give me sleepless nights fighting with my conscienceOriginally posted by boy in blues: ok lah, as long as i'm really interested in my job..i don't mind doing for 6-figure paycheck. -
i see he'll go far... coz he's part of the "Ivory Tower" people... who are divorced from reality and intolerant of anyone who is different or has different interests...
alas....Originally posted by fries81:No la nobody here can do what he did la
u know y?
cos according to him we do stupid things like icq and surf aimlessly -
Each to its own. As long as you enjoy what you're doing, it's fine.
Take for example, one of my platoon mates, he signed on SAF for the sake of the high and attractive remuneration.
Now, he's regretting because he finds the job sucks but it's too late... He's spent quite alot of the back payment and he can't repay if he wants to withdrawn.
Now he's depressed and not performing well. An NSF is performing even better than him...
Moral of the story: It is very important that you enjoy what you are doing. Don't just look at salaries...
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hes a malaysian btw
kick that foreigner back to his hometown!!
hes not welcomed here -
he sure can study... but it remains to be seen if he'll teach well too...