It was in May 2007 that Dr Xu Zhiguang took the momentous step in joining the MST programme as a Joint Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF). SMA Joint PDFs are co-supervised by MIT and NUS/NTU faculty members, and are resident at both MIT and NUS/NTU for significant periods each year. Barely six months after settling down in Singapore, Dr Xu packed his bags for Boston to conduct part of his research work in MIT from November 2007 onwards.  SMA Connect speaks with him to find out about his experiences during his one-year residency in MIT.

Please tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Shandong Province in China. I was trained in Optical Engineering and obtained my Bachelor degree and PhD from Tsing Hua University. The past few years have been full of changes for me: getting married in 2006, then moving to Singapore shortly after, when I joined SMA in 2007. I also obtained Singapore permanent residency last May.

What research projects were you working on in MIT?

I was working on two projects concurrently during my stint in MIT. The first was on the measurement of gaps between two planes. There are many industrial applications for this research area such as in water filtration devices.  I collaborated with MIT PhD candidate Vijay Shilpiekandula under the supervision of Prof Kamal Youcef-Toumi (MIT) and Prof Yoon Soon Fatt (NTU).

The second project was in collaboration with another MIT PhD candidate Hayden K Taylor under the supervision of Prof Duane S. Boning from MIT. This project was on distortion measurement, which essentially measures distortions in microfluidic devices. We provide feedback to manufacturers on any distortions, which in turn improve the quality of the devices.

How different is the research culture in MIT from Singapore?

Both Singapore and MIT researchers are passionate about their work, and are constantly striving for excellence.

Singapore’s research culture is traditional. It follows a systematic method of research that has been tried and tested. The researchers in MIT are very different. They are always thinking of how they may invent new things, and break away from traditional methodology. The passion of MIT professors and students shows in how hard they work. It is very common to find email replies coming in at 2am!

How would you describe your MIT experience?

I would say that it was life-changing.

I learned a lot while in MIT, not only in terms of research, but also about my approach to life.

The MIT environment is very international; made up of people from different cultures and backgrounds. People there are friendly. They have an inclusive culture, and are willing to make visitors fit in.

My stay in MIT put me in touch with people who are unconventional in their thinking and behaviour. For example, I had a housemate who eventually bought an old ambulance and started living out of it. He used the refurbished ambulance to tinker with a firewall system that he was working on. I learned that their quest for getting the best results makes them open to new experiences. That opened my mind to attempting new things and embracing new experiences. It also made me more willing to take risks. This attitude has even trickled down to problem-solving in daily life, such as trying out the new digital scans at immigration checkpoints when there are too many people queuing up for the traditional manual checks.

Dr Xu enjoying nature in MIT.

Do you have any advice for foreign SMA students?

I think SMA’s programmes are good. Students benefit greatly from the research rigours that our programmes demand from them.

Most of the foreign students’ struggles are in terms of language. My advice to them would be that there is no need to be overly worried. The local environment, which is primarily English-speaking, will help them pick up English quickly.

I also want to encourage our students to be willing to try new things because if they don’t, they will stagnate eventually.

One last question, what do you like to do in your free time?

I love travelling with my wife. While in MIT, I was glad for the opportunity to explore Massachusetts. We used to visit the beach, the surrounding islands and the famous Walden Pond.

When I am not travelling, I enjoy playing the Chinese chess game, Wei Qi. This is one way that I keep in touch with my friends back home in China.

Dr Xu with his wife Xinxin at a retreat with Dave and Janet Harkness
(Directors of Van Baay House, a community-living residence near Harvard Square)