[Speech] The Unsung Heroes of Our Society

*Shortened version

Good evening fellow Toastmasters and guests,

Hundreds of years ago, in the 16th century, human realised that the more we understand subjects like mathematics, physics and astronomy, the more we will understand the world. This period was called Scientific Revolution. It was the researchers of that time who played the most vital role in uncovering new information and advancing our understanding of these fields.

Until today, the role of a researcher continues to be vital, yet this career is not being appreciated enough by our society in general. These people work in silence! They are not famous. None of our Asian parents have ever wanted us to become one of them. Despite their work being widely publicized, it is often the case that the author’s name goes unrecognized as the focus is primarily on the content. As researchers work tirelessly to publish their findings and make advancements in their field, their contributions to society often gets overshadowed as the attentions are given solely to their findings.

Five years ago, during my internship, I was fortunate enough to work alongside a group of professional researchers in the field of IT. Our conversations at the lunch table were always filled with passion, and we often disagreed just for the sake of sparking a healthy debate. Even outside of work, their insatiable curiosity was evident in the way they approached daily life, questioning every single thing that they could. It was clear that their dedication to their work was not just a job, but a way of life. To succeed in this industry, they knew they had to be passionate and even obsessed with their research, prioritizing their contributions to the betterment of humanity over any personal gain or recognition.

Researchers, to me, are the unsung heroes of our society. Like salesmen, they need to sell their research idea in a competitive environment to secure funding. Like project managers, they plan their budget and research execution to ensure they can make the most out of it. Like scientists, they think outside of the box. And like writers, they write compelling research papers to document their findings for the benefit of everyone.

Research, as Albert Szent-Gyorgyi once said, “is to see what everyone else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.” Indeed, it takes a special kind of person to pursue such a path, to create new knowledge and push the boundaries of human understanding. Let us not forget to recognize and honor these individuals for their invaluable contributions to our world.

Thank you.