Rejected by every university at home, Singaporean earns Harvard PhD (opens original article in a new tab)

A Singaporean, rejected by local universities, earned a Harvard PhD and sparked debate on Singapore's education system.

• Singaporean Joel Tan rejected by local universities due to poor grades but earned Harvard PhD
• Tan's graduation speech sparked debate on Singapore's high-pressure education system and early dismissal of students
• Harvard PhD research discovered new bacterial defense system named 'Hai Long'