When little Li Haizhou listened to stories about Singapore from his grandfather's friend many years ago in Teochew, China, he made a mental note that someday he would explore the world too. But he might never have guessed that three decades later, he has not only visited Singapore, but made it his home..

While other foreign researchers might take some time to settle down in Singapore, Haizhou established his sense of belonging quite quickly, over a bowl of fish ball noodles! This may sound strange to some people but for Haizhou, a Teochew, perhaps nothing could make him feel more homely than bantering with the noodle hawker in his native dialect. .

Eleven years and many bowls of fish ball noodles later, Haizhou seems to be quite well immersed in the unique cultures of Singapore, where he works as the Head and Lead Scientist of Speech and Dialogue Processing Lab at the Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R)

Since his childhood, Haizhou has been very interested in engineering and would dream about working on Artificial Intelligence. His passion for this field was so strong that even the Cultural Revolution in China did not stand in his way.  

Haizhou in France , 1995

His father is one of them.   Amidst the chaos of the Revolution, Haizhou's father had encouraged and supported him to pursue higher study in radio engineering.

The second person is a professor, Haizhou's PhD supervisor during his stint in Hong Kong.   During that time, Haizhou allowed his passion to take a backseat due to an environment that focused on rewards and promotions.

"I was affected by the competition," says Haizhou. "My professor observed this kind of mindset and stepped in to question me.   It was then that I realised that scientists should look beyond and choose to be motivated by science and passion instead of monetary returns."

Haizhou carried this belief to Nancy, France where he worked at the National Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS) for three years, an unforgettable and fruitful experience. Until now, Haizhou still firmly believes that science is a continuous process that should be driven by passion.

Haizhou in France , 1993

"Apart from my professor, I have a lot of respect for Deng Xiao Ping. He is an inspiration figure who made huge contributions through his work and made a difference in China's society," explains Haizhou.   "Because of Deng Xiao Ping, I became one of the first people in China to be given an opportunity to study in the university."

Besides science, Haizhou's other love in life is his family.   He met his wife when he was studying in Hong Kong.   They have been married for 13 years and currently have two children, aged nine and six.   Haizhou loves to spend quality time with his family such as taking them out to the science centre to learn more about science or to the library to read.  

Last year, he brought his family up to Guangzhou where they stayed at a fruit orchard. They all had a great time as his family love nature. The children played with the animals and learned about the fruits in the farm.

Haizhou and family in Desaru , 2004

"I like to just sit by my Koi pond at home. You will be surprised by the tranquility it brings. It relieves a lot of stress," says Haizhou.

Although Haizhou has come a long way since his childhood days in China, he has not forgotten what his father has taught him.   However, he does not want to put the type of expectations his father places on him on his children.

"The greatest challenge in my life is to manage my children and help them succeed without pressurising them," says Haizhou.