PENANG, September 2014 – In his public lecture, Reflections of a Researcher, Professor Emeritus Harold Ramkissoon revealed the forces that drove him to excel in his studies, develop his passion in mathematics and to become a researcher.

The international public lecture was organised recently by the Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Mathematical Sciences and chaired by Deputy Dean (Graduate Studies and Research), Associate Professor Dr. Ong Hong Choon.

Born in a multicultural village on the islands of Trinidad and Tabago, he was the eldest of 11 children in an extended family comprising of uncles and aunts as well.

“We learn for young the values of hard work, honesty and thrift,” he said, adding that the close-knitted villagers look after each other’s children as if they were theirs regardless their race or creed.

Ramkissoon is a BSc Honours Mathematics Graduate of the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies and received his MSc at the University of Toronto and PhD at the University of Calgary in the area of Applied Mathematics.

He was the first West Indian to receive a Personal Chair in Mathematics at the University of the West Indies. Besides receiving numerous awards and three prestigious Fellowships, Ramkissoon is a member of several learned societies including the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

“I knew that education was my passport to get out of poverty and I have to wake up at 4 a.m. to prepare to attend school,” he said.

Upon completion of his primary school studies, Ramkissoon attended Presentation College where he developed a passion for calculus which he attributed to his teachers who inspired him and the realisation of the importance of this branch of mathematics in different fields of knowledge.

He also knew the absolute need to strive for excellence to make a difference.

Ramkissoon was one of the two who passed the tough College Exhibition (a qualifying exam for a place in a university) to get a place in the University of West Indies.

“Two things that you need to excel besides working hard are having a knowledgeable and enthusiastic supervisor and one who has a good network of international contacts,” Ramkissoon said, adding that he then proceeded to study at the Universities of Toronto and Calgary in Canada.

One of the toughest challenges he had was when he sat for a five-hour open-book exam for his PhD at the University of Calgary.

“I knew that although it is possible to refer to the books you bring into the hall, you would be spending much time going through them,” he said, adding that his subject chosen was Applied and Complex Mathematics.

He decided to bring in just a few books for reference and at the end of the five hours, one of the examiners jokingly commented that his dinner was getting cold at home.

Among the advices he gave was to get papers published in reputable international journals before completing one’s PhD and knowing when to take a break.

“I once had a mathematical problem that I couldn’t solve no matter how hard I tried,” he said. “After exasperating attempts, I decided to return to home for a break. The solution of the problem suddenly popped up while I was on the plane but anyway I went home for a good rest before returning to the university with the solution worked out.”

He added that there are times when a solution to a problem is suppressed in our subconscious mind when we are under stress.

Despite his wanting to help his country, he realised that without internet access (at that point in time), his research work will be impeded and thus he sought attachments such as visiting international appointments or Fellowships at various centres of excellence. - Text: Yong Check Yoon/Photos: Mohamad Danial Shahri