In the day, Benjamin is a full-time research engineer in the Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), a research institute under the wings of Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR). Come nighttime, he is simply a young man who enjoys tinkering with his keyboard.
Still, the title of being an A*STAR engineer seems to follow him everywhere he goes. Many are in awe of his designation, even more wishing to one day be in his shoes. For him, it all started with something as simple as a dream to the stars. “I have always enjoyed creating something,” he says, with his signature smile that always seems to brighten up the room. “Whether it is art or something tangible, I just like the process of creating something. That is how I delved deeper into physics, and eventually problem-solving for computer hardware. For me, it is similar to a fun, logic puzzle game.” A not-so-secret secret: like any other guys, Benjamin enjoys his fair share of casual gaming on his downtime.
The story of how he became interested in his field of research is quite amusing, to say the least. “I was walking outside one day when I realised that it was too hot,” he recounted, with a sheepish grin. Little did he know, most great tales come from humble origins, amplified with mighty ambitions.
“It was then that I decided my future work has to combat the increasing temperature, and it led me to research in Green Computing. I want to figure out how to make power-hungry computer systems more energy efficient and sustainable, and if they can eventually help to solve the issues that come with the accelerated global warming. Now that I am in IHPC, my field of research is in acceleration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. Essentially, how can my team and I design software and hardware to perform with higher efficacy. It is part research, part design, I would say.”
As sterling as his career record may seem, it does come with its own ups and downs. “I never realised how long research took until I became the researcher,” he jested, but in between his playful words of banter, lies a grit that spells out his determination. “Before starting in IHPC, I thought I could produce at least two to three good papers every year or so, but I soon learned that good research has no deadline. Good research means exploring new frontiers, asking questions that people have yet to even figure out yet. That means taking a lot of risks, which also means to continuously and inevitably fail until I get an answer.” Despite explaining this, there is not an air of disdain or heaviness wearing down on him. Quite the contrary, he spoke of it so casually, as if that is a gamble he is happy to take. “Then again, that is also the charm of research, don’t you think? To figure out the unknown, to find answers to questions that nobody has ever asked. I think that is quite fulfilling, in its own way.”
There is an air of ease and confidence surrounding the young man. Perhaps it comes with his experience of being an engineer. Or perhaps it is because at heart, he is just a young man. Like many young adults, he too sometimes grapples with persevering until the end. He is human, after all. “More than anything, it is important to have patience and peace with yourself,” he shares, a wisdom that stretches beyond his years. “In an environment where results are valued, one needs to not only know that it’s okay to fail, but also accept it. Accepting that I am allowed a room for error keeps me going, because I know it just means I am one step closer to my goal. I also keep reminding myself to take a step back, to ask why I am doing this research in the first place.” He turned pensive for a brief moment, before breaking out into his smile. “Sometimes, one is so obsessed with the current goal that they lose the main objective. So, I always remember to breathe.”
Benjamin is many things, but most might overlook that he is like many others: a young man with extraordinary dreams. Amongst which is a rather whimsical wish of his. “Maybe, one day, I will be a min jiang kueh uncle who travels on a motorbike,” he says, with utmost sincerity. With more seriousness than when he had shared about his academic journey, no less. “Min jiang kueh is great, and selling it as I travel around means I get to bring joy to more people. What more can I ask?”
