{"id":56974,"date":"2026-08-11T10:41:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T02:41:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tum-asia.edu.sg\/?p=56974"},"modified":"2026-08-11T14:49:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T06:49:06","slug":"class-of-2026-spotlight-asking-why-at-every-step-how-lu-hongyu-earned-the-best-thesis-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tum-asia.edu.sg\/cn\/stories\/class-of-2026-spotlight-asking-why-at-every-step-how-lu-hongyu-earned-the-best-thesis-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Class of 2026 Spotlight: Asking \u201cWhy\u201d at Every Step\u2014How Lu Hongyu Earned the Best Thesis Award"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Lu Hongyu, Best Thesis in MSc. in Industrial Chemistry. (Photo: Zulriah)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Curiosity, perseverance and the habit of asking the right questions have taken Lu Hongyu from the laboratory classroom to an award-winning research project.

\nThis year, Hongyu graduates with a Master of Science in Industrial Chemistry from TUM Asia and receives the Best Thesis Award, recognition not only of an outstanding piece of research, but also of the mindset behind it.

\nFor Hongyu, pursuing a master\u2019s degree was never simply about earning another qualification. She wanted to bridge academic knowledge with practical application and prepare for a career solving real engineering problems.

\n\u201cThe programme stood out because of its flexibility,\u201d she explains. \u201cStudents can choose to complete their internship and thesis either in academia or in industry, depending on their career goals. That opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges was exactly what I was looking for.\u201d

\nThe joint degree offered by TUM and NUS also gave her access to the academic strengths, teaching approaches and international perspectives of two globally recognised universities. \n<\/i><\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Learning to Ask \u201cWhy\u201d<\/strong><\/p>

Although Hongyu entered the programme with a strong academic foundation, she soon realised that succeeding at TUM Asia required a different way of thinking.<\/p>

A laboratory class with Dr. Alson became a turning point. Instead of simply checking whether students had followed the correct procedures, the class challenged them to explain the scientific reasoning behind every decision.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u201cIn my previous studies, I focused on following the instructions,\u201d she recalls. \u201cAt TUM Asia, I realised I needed to understand why each step mattered.\u201d<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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From then on, each experiment became an opportunity to investigate: Why is this reagent added? Why is the reaction carried out at this temperature? What happens when the conditions change?<\/p>

This habit transformed the way Hongyu approached learning. Rather than memorising procedures, she sought to understand the underlying scientific principles. She prepared thoroughly before laboratory sessions and discussed ideas with lecturers and classmates.<\/p>

The same approach extended beyond the laboratory. In Professor F\u00e4ssler\u2019s Inorganic Materials class, students regularly solved problems on the board and explained their reasoning to the class.<\/p>

\u201cIt taught me that understanding isn\u2019t just about getting the correct answer,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s about being able to explain it clearly to others.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Turning Research into a Real-World Solution<\/strong><\/p>

Hongyu put this mindset into practice during her research and development internship at Saint-Gobain.<\/p>

While helping to develop a new filter product, she experienced the full innovation cycle, from reviewing scientific literature and patents to designing experiments, analysing results and optimising product performance.<\/p>

Progress demanded patience. Experiments rarely unfolded exactly as planned, requiring repeated analysis, adjustment and refinement.<\/p>

\u201cProduct development isn\u2019t about finding the right answer immediately,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s a continuous process of testing, learning and improving.\u201d<\/p>

Successfully validating the product\u2019s feasibility became one of the defining moments of her master\u2019s journey. Seeing her research contribute to a practical engineering solution reinforced her ambition to become an Application Engineer, using scientific knowledge to address customers\u2019 technical challenges.<\/p>

Industry visits to Evonik Singapore, Wacker and Sika Singapore further showed her how classroom concepts are applied in manufacturing and research environments\u2014and what is expected of professional engineers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Perseverance Behind an Award-Winning Thesis<\/strong><\/p>

Receiving the Best Thesis Award remains one of Hongyu\u2019s proudest achievements. Yet behind the recognition were months of uncertainty and persistence.<\/p>

\u201cThere were times when I worried that I wouldn\u2019t obtain meaningful data or develop results that could lead to a practical product,\u201d she admits.<\/p>

When experiments failed to produce the expected results, Hongyu did not give up. She examined each setback, refined her approach and continued improving the work step by step.<\/p>

Looking back, she believes the award represents far more than the final research outcome.<\/p>

\u201cIt recognises the persistence, continuous improvement and scientific thinking throughout the entire research process.\u201d<\/p>

Hongyu also credits her supervisor at Saint-Gobain and Professor Hinrichsen for the guidance, encouragement and support that helped her navigate the project\u2019s challenges.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Hongyu now works as an Application Engineer at Galaxycore. (Photo: Zulriah)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Carrying the Question Forward<\/strong><\/p>

Hongyu will soon begin her career as an Application Engineer at Galaxycore, bringing with her the technical expertise, research experience and problem-solving mindset developed at TUM Asia.<\/p>

In the years ahead, she hopes to become a trusted technical advisor who can connect customer needs with innovative engineering solutions while continuing to learn and grow.<\/p>

For future TUM Asia students, her advice is simple:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u201cStay curious, be proactive, and don\u2019t just focus on getting the right answer. Focus on understanding why. Every assignment, laboratory session and project is an opportunity to learn.\u201d<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It is a philosophy that carried Hongyu from her first laboratory class to an award-winning thesis. As she begins her professional journey, one question will continue to guide her: Why?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Passionate about solving real-world challenges through chemistry?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Explore how TUM Asia’s\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Master of Science in Industrial Chemistry<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0equips students with critical thinking, research<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>expertise, and industry exposure to develop innovative solutions and excel in careers across the chemical and advanced materials industries.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Curiosity, perseverance and the habit of asking the right questions have taken Lu Hongyu from the laboratory classroom to an award-winning research project. <\/p>\n

This year, Hongyu graduates with a Master of Science in Industrial Chemistry from TUM Asia and receives the Best Thesis Award, recognition not only of an outstanding piece of research, but also of the mindset behind it. <\/p>","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":56857,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTUM Asia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Curiosity, perseverance and the habit of asking the right questions have taken Lu Hongyu from the laboratory classroom to an award-winning research project.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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