Six years ago, between the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, I was sending my application for the PhD programme at SMU, with Prof. Hady Lauw as my supervisor. At the time, I did not expect much. I had heard many stories of UET alumni going on to do their PhDs in countries like Japan, Europe, or the US, and eventually returning as lecturers. To me, that was always a distant reality—something I could only dream of. Then, on my birthday in 2020, I received the official offer letter from SMU. I was ecstatic. All of this was unexpected and came to me thanks to the introduction and encouragement of my undergrad co-supervisor, Dr. Le Duc-Trong. I’ve always been grateful for his unwavering support. To you, Trong, I am grateful for how you changed my life, and I can't thank you enough.
Honestly, I arrived in Singapore as a naive young boy. I had never been abroad, and my research experience was practically zero. I didn’t truly understand what it meant to do a PhD; I just thought it would be a cool thing to do. I didn't know what I would learn from this journey, but I was excited to find out.
I soon dove into countless sports activities, ranging from hiking and swimming to running and cycling. It all started out of boredom, as I had no idea what to do with my time in Singapore during the Covid era. I just thought it would be fun to see new places and explore the city. However, the most important thing wasn't the activities themselves, but the people who joined me. Hoang, Quang, and I spent countless hours together discussing everything—left, right, up, and down—though rarely about research. We had many debates, and while we didn't always agree, I learned a lot and developed my critical thinking through those discussions. I remember talking about the original Buddhism, about suffering, and how we view suffering differently. We suffered together (well, Quang and I mostly, because Hoang was already an Ironman) through two coast-to-coast trails, a 36km hiking route from Coney Island to Jurong Lake Gardens. In total, I conquered the coast-to-coast trail twice, cycled around the island twice, and finished Half Marathon twice. I matured not only physically but also mentally. To you, Hoang and Quang, I am grateful that you’ve helped me grow as a person, and I always wish you all the best.
My research and PhD journey wasn't the smoothest; there were many downs and only a few tiny ups. My first work on Continual Learning for Recommendation Systems was rejected 5 times. The first time, I received the rejection notification at 6 a.m. on the day scheduled for Round The Island cycling with Hoang. But life goes on, and we went ahead with the cycling. It wasn't smooth sailing, but I learned a lot from every failure, always trying to be better than I was yesterday (because 1.01^365 = 37.78, while 0.99^365 = 0.0255). Surrounded by some of the brightest minds at PreferredAI, I’ve been grateful to learn from you little by little; I thank you all for the time you've spent with me, and I wish all of you success on the paths you've chosen.
Upon successfully defending my thesis, I told my advisor, Prof. Hady, that I felt indifferent, as I was still the same person after the defense as I was before. I don't think I'm a "better" person, nor do my opinions hold more truth just because I now have a PhD. To me, finishing the PhD is simply a milestone that signifies I can be an independent researcher in my field. However, it remains an achievement worth celebrating for me and the incredible people who made this journey possible. To you, Prof. Hady, I’ve always been grateful that you gave me this opportunity in the first place, and for the guidance and freedom you’ve afforded me.
My family has always been the unwavering rock behind me, supporting whatever choices I've made and paths I've taken, even when it meant being apart. The hardest and most rewarding chapter, however, was getting married to my lovely wife during my PhD years. She took a leap of faith, migrating to a country that was not her choice, simply to be by my side. She left behind her familiar world to embrace the uncertainties of mine, becoming my emotional anchor through everything in life. To my family, and especially to my wife, I’ve been profoundly grateful for your sacrifices, your companionship, and your unconditional love; I wish you all nothing but goodness and health.
A special shoutout to my "friends", the Hoa-Moc-Harry family, who took me in and treated me so well throughout the years. I am grateful for your kindness; I wish you all well, and to you, Harry, I know you will grow up to be a good person surrounded by the love of your family.
To myself, I am grateful for the journey, and I wish you all the best in the future.
