Cultivating the spirit of imagining, inquiring and discovering

Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, Chief Executive of Science Centre Singapore,
Mr Jiro Aikawa, Head of Regional Governance & Accounting Group, Sony Electronics Asia Pacific
Dr Thomas Liew, Executive Director, National Metrology Centre (NMC, A*STAR)
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, 
Teachers, parents and students,

Innovative toys win the Sony Creative Science Awards 2014

1. A very good morning to all of you! I am very glad to be here again. Two months ago, I was here to attend the Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors' Award. And today, I am here for the Sony Creative Science Award. Although they are two different activities, but their nature is the same – to provide opportunity for our young people to exercise their creative minds and to become inventors. So it is indeed my privilege and honour to be here. They call me guest of honour, but I happen to be a guest who is very honoured to be here.

2. The video played just now was very exciting. It really had a wow factor, and I am very inspired. While you had fun making the toys, I am glad that you have also displayed perseverance in transforming your ideas into finished products. Through your final product, you show how curious, creative and resourceful you are. This is what makes the Sony Creative Science Awards so meaningful, as it provides a platform that encourages innovation among young people like you. Actually adults can be very innovative too. I recall when I was a little child, I used to make my own toys. Back in those days, we were poor. We had no money to buy toys, and there were not so many toys in the market. So I made kites, aeroplanes, cars, guns – all by myself. And now that I am much older, I lose all the creative juices to make toys. So maybe after attending today's function, I will think about re-making those toys that I had created some thirty years ago.

3. Anyway, at such events, the organiser tends to prepare memento for the guest of honour. Just now Professor Lim told me that he would give me a replica of a winning toy. I will put it in my office, and when I have some free time, I will play with the toy. As with any adult, there is a child in us. So at times, I will let this little boy come out and have some fun!

4. All of you are not just toy makers, but you are also a winner as your creations have set you on a path of lifelong discovery and innovation. Congratulations to all of you on your personal achievement. You should always stay curious, don't be afraid to ask questions, and this will set you in the path for greater success.

5. When you go home, look around your bedroom, your living room, or even kitchen. There are many things in our daily lives that we take for granted, such as the cupboard, magnets, clips and empty containers. But often, they can likely do more than meets the eye! In this competition today, we saw how many of you turned these everyday objects into innovative yet functional new products. For example, I was told that Zena and Zackary, 12 and 9 years old students from Pei Chun Public School used marbles, strings and recycle plastic container to make their toy – where players have to avoid marbles from falling into holes before getting to the target to earn points. There are even different levels of difficulty to make the toy more challenging and fun. Another young friend here today, Sayed Haris, 9 years old of Frontier Primary School. I like the name because Frontier means that the school will always explore something new - push the frontier and discover new horizons. Anyway, Sayed Haris created a F1 game with just rough felt and paper cars. The toy uses science concepts like friction and stored energy to propel vehicles across a racetrack. In another toy, Swen Goh of Rosyth School made “Cosmic Attack” – a toy that applied reflection and refraction of laser light using mirrors and a prism to destroy alien spaceships. Through such creativity, you demonstrated that you understand the science concepts and are able to apply them. This is what the Chinese meant when they say “学以致用” – putting what you learn to good use.

6. If you grasp good scientific knowledge from young, and have a creative mind, you will find them useful in many aspects in life too. Science is closely linked to many other fields – arts, sports or even using science technologies to help the community like the physically-challenged people. I've also read about an artist

    who made artwork based on bacteria growth! So, the scientific knowledge you have acquired, may someday be an inspiration for you to create innovative things.

7. Indeed, in Singapore, we want to create an environment where you can pursue your aspirations, whether as a scientist, a sportsman, artist or a businessman. You will become the pillars of our society in time to come. We see the potential in you, our youths, to bring Singapore to even greater heights.

8. There is also another Chinese proverb 饮水思源, which means that we shall always remember the source of the water we drink from. Even as we celebrate your achievements today, let's also remember to give thanks to our schools, your teachers and parents who have given you their utmost support for this event. Teachers and parents, you have and will continue to play a key role in encouraging the creativity of our next generation and instilling a life-long love for science. This year, the organisers have also taken a step further by awarding the 21 schools which have organised Sony Creative Science Award (Schools) Competition for consecutive 3 years since 2012.

9. I would also like to commend the organisers, the Science Centre, Sony Group of Companies in Singapore, the Ministry of Education and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), for their years of dedication and commitment towards cultivating this spirit of “imagining, inquiring and discovering”.

10. Once again, my heartiest congratulations to the winners of this year's Sony Creative Award winners! Thank you.