A doctorate in determination: An NUS graduate’s inspiring journey from failing his O-Levels to attaining a PhD

The milestones to Commencement come in many forms. For Mervin Tee, who once failed his O-Levels, success came through persevering at polytechnic and university, culminating in a PhD completed in record time to graduate alongside his wife — all while welcoming their first child. Together, they turned what once felt inconceivable into a reality.

At 16, Mervin Tee was clocking hours on a factory floor to give himself a second chance at retaking his GCE O-Levels. Two decades later, at 37, he holds a PhD from the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH), where he studied cognitive decline using neuroimaging.

Growing up in a low-income household with parents who did not have formal education, Mervin had little to no familial support when it came to carving out his academic path. The period of his O-Level exams was particularly challenging. The birth of his baby brother meant tighter finances and new responsibilities, as Mervin spent his free time helping his parents with his newborn sibling – a combination of pressures that unfortunately saw him failing his O-Levels.

As his family could not afford to send him back for another year of secondary school, Mervin decided to take on a full-time role at an elevator manufacturing factory to support himself while preparing to retake the exams. For 10 months, he worked 12 gruelling hours assembling elevator buttons, five days a week, earning only S$3.50 per hour. “I was hired by an agent, so 10 per cent of my salary goes to the agent too,” Mervin explained.

Working at the factory meant waking up at 5.30am and making a 1-hour journey. “By the time I was home, it was after 8pm. That was when I would continue to catch up with my revision for O-Levels,” he recounted.

Seeing his friends begin their studies at the junior colleges, he felt left behind. “I wondered if my life was going to remain that way for the rest of my life, given that I did not feel like I was academically capable.”

His determination landed him a spot at Republic Polytechnic (RP), where he enrolled in the Biomedical Sciences course, a field that aligned with his interests and strengths. Throughout his polytechnic life, Mervin continued working part-time to pay his school fees and sustain his own living allowance; he worked at two fast food chains concurrently and took on ad-hoc event jobs whenever he could. Through RP’s problem-based learning format, where groups of students independently learn about a topic and then teach the class, Mervin started to excel academically. Eventually, his efforts paid off as he was awarded a scholarship to pursue a degree in Food and Human Nutrition offered by Newcastle University in collaboration with the Singapore Institute of Technology.

“It dawned on me that perhaps the traditional teaching methods didn't suit me; it’s not that I wasn't capable. That's when things started to change.”

After graduation, Mervin worked as a researcher in a lab investigating gut microbiota, but found his work increasingly disconnected from the patients it was ultimately meant to help. That pursuit of meaningful purpose led him to social work, where he spent five years working to uplift low-income families, before an unexpected return to research led him to take on a PhD in Public Health at NUS.

Two PhDs, one household

The step back to research came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Mervin started learning data science through online courses.

Seeing his interest, his wife, Cindy Chan, 34, a researcher at SSHSPH, nudged him back towards research. “Why don’t you try it again?” she asked. He took the leap of faith in 2022 and began his doctorate in cognitive decline research at SSHSPH.

“I get an adrenaline rush from solving problems and finding something new,” Mervin shared. While he had found his years as a social worker meaningful in helping vulnerable communities, public health research offered a way to do that on a broader scale through policymaking.

At SSHSPH, Cindy channelled her decade-long expertise in children and adolescent nutrition into a PhD on promoting healthy lifestyles among primary school children through healthy eating and active living.

Much of that journey was shaped by her research supervisor, Associate Professor Mary Chong. “Even though she’s at the professor level, she’s always learning new things,” said Cindy. “The mindset of being open to learning, even when you have reached that level, inspired me to be like her.”

With Mervin diving into his PhD on cognitive decline using neuroimaging, the couple often found support in each other. “Whenever we face a roadblock, we start discussing and bounce ideas off each other,” he said.

His commitment to finish alongside Cindy — she had started a year before him — saw him complete his PhD in 2026, taking just three and a half years instead of the usual four or more years. “He wanted to catch up, so that we could graduate together,” she said.

Baby bonus

If juggling two PhDs was not challenging enough, Mervin and Cindy did it while expecting their first child. The timing was intentional — they had planned for their baby to arrive during the thesis-writing stage, after the bulk of data collection and analysis had been completed.

One unexpected benefit from their PhD journey was how it prepared them for parenthood. “If you are a typical employee, you work from eight to six and your mind switches off after six. For us, that has not been the case for the last four years,” said Mervin.

“We have always been working past midnight to keep our research going. When we converted that into caregiving, we realised our work duration was very similar. Our PhDs kind of prepped us for the fatigue that comes with being parents.”

Beyond the PhD

Outside of the lab, both Mervin and Cindy have cultivated interests that keep them grounded.

Mervin roasts his own coffee beans at home, approaching the craft with the same curiosity and dedication he brings to research. Cindy tends to her garden, sews her own clothes, and plays the violin, although the last has taken a backseat since their daughter arrived. Together, they share a love of hiking, including a memorable 11-day Nepal trek with SSHSPH colleagues in 2024.

For Mervin, the outdoors serves a deeper need. “Outdoor activities help me a lot,” he said. “When I go for a run or a hike, that’s when I start to realign my thoughts.”

Both plan to expand their research horizons. Mervin hopes to explore mental health research, drawing on his background in social work and public health. Cindy is keen to delve into adolescent behavioural science, an area she feels is under-researched.

They also share the same hopes for their daughter. While grateful for the opportunity to pursue their PhDs, they believe that self-worth is not defined by academic achievement alone. “As long as she is happy with what she does, we will gladly support whichever path she embarks on,” said Mervin.

It is a conviction shaped by their own journeys, from which they have derived much purpose, fulfilment, and personal growth.

This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2026, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2026. For more on Commencement, read our stories and graduate profiles, check out the official Commencement website, or look up and tag #NUS2026 on our social media channels!