Gregory Lau Kang Ruey, a Year 6 student aged 18 from the NUS High School of Mathematics and Science, clinches the WSPCICAAS Most Outstanding Junior College Science Award 2008, breaking Raffles Junior College's attempt for a fourth straight win.

The award - presented annually by World Scientific Publishing Company (WSPC) and the Imperial College Alumni Association of Singapore (ICAAS) since its inception in 1999 - is a talent search for an outstanding junior college (JC) student who excels academically, demonstrates mastery in explaining scientific results, and possesses an aptitude to address difficult problems and issues. Through the WSPC-ICAAS Award, it is hoped to stimulate students' interest in and enhance their knowledge of scientific issues, and also to promote international understanding and friendship between students, thereby encouraging scientific and cultural exchange.

The award comprises an educational trip to Stockholm, Sweden fully sponsored by World Scientific. The winner will represent S ing aporeat the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS) held annually in December, in conjunction with the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony. The trip is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the student to interact with young scientific talents, visit science institutes in Sweden, attend the Nobel lectures and engage in dialogue with the Nobel Laureates, as well as participate in the Nobel festivities.

Gregory was in Stockholm attending the SIYSS from Dec 4 to 10, 2008. He had his up close and personal moments with the 2008 Nobel Laureates - Prof Makoto Kobayashi, Prof Toshihide Maskawa, Prof Osamu Shimomura, Prof Martin Chalfie - and past Nobel Laureate, Professor H. Robert Horvitz.