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21-year old PhD Holder – From Malaysia

Posted by andrew on March 7th, 2006

While most of the 21-year olds are complaining about how tough life is in university, struggling with diploma or degree studies etc; this guy here has already completed his PhD, at the age of 21!

MELBOURNE, March 7 (Bernama) — A researcher who investigated the mathematics of DNA entanglement has become the youngest student on record to graduate with a PhD from the University of Melbourne.

Chan Yao-ban, 21, will graduate with a PhD in Mathematics and Statistics tomorrow night.

He is the youngest student to be conferred a PhD since the University of Melbourne began awarding that qualification in 1948.

Source: Bernama

Yet another home-schooled prodigy!



Reader Comments

Great from .my :)

“I love doing maths because it is fun. When you do maths you always know when you are correct,” he said.

When you find joy and fun in whatever you are doing, you are your natural self and using your natural abilities. When you use your abilities out of responsibility (being paid) you distort them.

You work (help) because you think you should, not because it is a joyful part of your being. And you begin to question, “Who needs my help most?

planet malaysia, wanna feature him in your blog? :)

mtw, I don’t quite understand your last paragraph. I agree that one might perform his best when he’s doing what he likes the most, but many if not most people are still searching for that ’something’ they like, including yours truly. ;)

Can you imagine the sun thinking: “Who needs my help most? Should I send forth my rays upon this flower, or that one? Which flower needs my help the most?” or the rain saying, “Which blade of grass or tree should I bless with myself?” In nature there is no discrimination – that is the joy in doing things.

As for the “something”, look back toward the impulsive behavior of your childhood, toward those activities that mostly pleased you.

Natural attributes show themselves quite clearly, for example, in early childhood, when you are allowed greater freedom to do what you want to do. Some people as children love to work with words, some with images, and some with objects. Some show great ability in dealing with their contemporaries, while others naturally lean toward solitude and private meditations.

In each life you choose and create your own settings or environments. It is a particular reality in which you have chosen to know your existence, in which you have chosen to develop yourself; and again, it is indeed a system like no other system–a unique and dear and beloved portion of reality in which you have chosen to flourish for a while and experience it.

Now, if you realize that you create your physical reality through your own thoughts and desires, then you have learned the MOST important aspects of reality. This is what you have been setting out to do in your other lives, in your past existences. The realization of these truths nullifies any so-called “debts” from other lives. When you realize this and act upon it, there is NO reason for you to come back here again unless you want to.

Wow, mtw, you really have very deep thoughts.

When I was a child, I was so obsessed with badminton and hoped to be a professional badminton player one day. I then realised it was not realistic, and it’s not a career which can last long. Then, I thought of being a scientist since I like science so much.

So now, I’m on my journey to be a scientist, but after all these years, I’m still not sure whether this is really what I want. Even though I chose something I like since young, it doesn’t mean I’ve found the “something” I really enjoy doing. I believe there are still many people out there who are still searching for the ’something’, even those who are already a few years into their careers.

Have you found yours, mwt?

Wow! That’s amazing. I am planning to start my PhD later this year and I am over a decade older than this guy.

All the best, Adam! :)