https://sg.news.yahoo.com/meet-theodore-kwan-singapore-youngest-093500364.html
Tue, 30 September 2025 at 5:35 pm SGT
5 min read
Chemistry prodigy Theodore Kwan, seven, holding an isopropyl benzene model he built.
Foundational chemistry on Thursday afternoons at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) became a lot more interesting for some 400 freshmen when a cherubic, bespectacled seven-year-old arrived one day in September with his mum and sidled up to a seat in the lecture hall.
At first, the undergraduates in the class thought Theodore Kwan was there only to accompany his mum, Madam Crystal Tang, 34, a PhD student at NTU’s medical school.
To their surprise, they soon found out about his exceptional knowledge and ability in chemistry. Earlier in 2025, he became the youngest person in Singapore to score an A for a chemistry paper in the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), an O-level equivalent exam. In October, he is registered to sit the IGCSE mathematics paper.
What is more, Theodore, who is homeschooled by his mum, also holds four other Singapore records, including one for being the first and youngest to score full marks in a science Olympiad, according to the Singapore Book of Records that compiles and adjudicates all national records.
Soon, the Thursday afternoon lectures by NTU senior lecturer Sumod Pullarkat became lessons not just on foundational chemistry, but also on child prodigies. Theodore left the undergraduates wondering: Are geniuses born or made, and can such prodigious talent be cultivated?
They would listen intently every time “Young Sheldon”, as they called Theodore, based on a popular TV sitcom about a child prodigy, raised his hands to answer a question posed by Dr Sumod. And often, he would get it right.
Said Ms Constance Han, 21, who has become one of Theodore’s friends: “Like the others in the lecture theatre, I thought he was just someone’s kid, until I saw him queueing up to ask the professor some questions after the lecture.
“He was listening to a classmate asking me a question. He then jumped in to ask me a really cheem (Hokkien for deep) question – why do lone pairs take up so much space?
“I did applied chemistry in polytechnic and I explained it to him, but I was surprised that a boy his age could even ask me that question. I mean, he knew what lone pairs of electrons were and that they take up more space.”
Ms Zhou Tianya, 20, who was just as impressed by Theodore’s understanding of chemistry, said she was also surprised at how playful he was.
“In many ways, he is still a seven-year-old. When we have a 10-minute break during the lectures, he sometimes wants to run around in the lecture theatre,” she said.
Dr Sumod said the boy’s mother had contacted him to discuss course administrative matters. But when he found out about her son’s interests, he invited the boy to attend his lectures.
He had some doubts over whether a child so young would be able to follow his lectures on topics such as molecular orbital theory, which uses quantum mechanics to explain electron behaviour.
But he decided to invite the boy to his lectures anyway, to encourage his interest and curiosity.
Dr Sumod clarified that Theodore is not a registered student and does not join chemistry lab sessions or take tests.
His mother, Madam Tang, said that from an early age, the boy – who was tested to have an IQ of 154 – would ask probing questions on science.
“He would ask me what his toys are made of, and I would say plastic, and then he would ask what plastic is made of, and we would soon be discussing molecules and atoms,” she said.
Theodore’s father, Mr Kwan Jung Hong, 44, who runs a small business, said Theodore also showed exceptional ability in mathematics, grouping his toy animals into four groups of three, two groups of six and three groups of four.
Earlier in 2025, Theodore Kwan became the youngest person in Singapore to score an A for a chemistry paper in the IGCSE, an O-level equivalent exam.
NTU deputy president and provost Christian Wolfrum said: “As a university, NTU is open to all talent. Although Theodore isn’t enrolled as a student, we are thrilled to ignite his passion in chemistry. Also, having him in class with the other undergrads creates a new chemistry that can benefit everyone.”
Theodore’s parents say that for now, they are very grateful for the opportunity for their son to attend chemistry lectures, but wish that in the future, there will be more avenues for prodigious talents such as Theodore’s to be nurtured. They also have a daughter, Tabitha, who is three years old.
Madam Tang said: “Theodore is very hungry to learn, so we are incredibly grateful for the rare opportunity to join these lectures. So, we are okay for now, but not sure how we are going to continue doing this in the future.”
She added: “At the moment, most local students like Theodore head to overseas universities, but that is expensive.”
Theodore with his parents, Madam Crystal Tang and Mr Kwan Jung Hong, and his three-year-old sister Tabitha.
In 2024, in reply to a question in Parliament on allowing exceptionally gifted students to attend university at an earlier age, the Education Ministry said such students who apply for early admission to local autonomous universities will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
It also said that in the last five years, since 2019, only one exceptionally gifted student gained early admission to an autonomous university.
Meanwhile, all Theodore wants is for the midterm break at NTU this week to be over.
“I can’t wait to go back to lectures so that I can learn more chemistry and meet my jie jie and kor kor,” he said, referring to the undergraduates he sees as sisters and brothers at NTU.
Meet Theodore Kwan, Singapore’s youngest chemistry whizz who attends lectures in NTU
Sandra DavieTue, 30 September 2025 at 5:35 pm SGT
5 min read
Chemistry prodigy Theodore Kwan, seven, holding an isopropyl benzene model he built.
Foundational chemistry on Thursday afternoons at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) became a lot more interesting for some 400 freshmen when a cherubic, bespectacled seven-year-old arrived one day in September with his mum and sidled up to a seat in the lecture hall.
At first, the undergraduates in the class thought Theodore Kwan was there only to accompany his mum, Madam Crystal Tang, 34, a PhD student at NTU’s medical school.
To their surprise, they soon found out about his exceptional knowledge and ability in chemistry. Earlier in 2025, he became the youngest person in Singapore to score an A for a chemistry paper in the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), an O-level equivalent exam. In October, he is registered to sit the IGCSE mathematics paper.
What is more, Theodore, who is homeschooled by his mum, also holds four other Singapore records, including one for being the first and youngest to score full marks in a science Olympiad, according to the Singapore Book of Records that compiles and adjudicates all national records.
Soon, the Thursday afternoon lectures by NTU senior lecturer Sumod Pullarkat became lessons not just on foundational chemistry, but also on child prodigies. Theodore left the undergraduates wondering: Are geniuses born or made, and can such prodigious talent be cultivated?
They would listen intently every time “Young Sheldon”, as they called Theodore, based on a popular TV sitcom about a child prodigy, raised his hands to answer a question posed by Dr Sumod. And often, he would get it right.
Said Ms Constance Han, 21, who has become one of Theodore’s friends: “Like the others in the lecture theatre, I thought he was just someone’s kid, until I saw him queueing up to ask the professor some questions after the lecture.
“He was listening to a classmate asking me a question. He then jumped in to ask me a really cheem (Hokkien for deep) question – why do lone pairs take up so much space?
“I did applied chemistry in polytechnic and I explained it to him, but I was surprised that a boy his age could even ask me that question. I mean, he knew what lone pairs of electrons were and that they take up more space.”
Ms Zhou Tianya, 20, who was just as impressed by Theodore’s understanding of chemistry, said she was also surprised at how playful he was.
“In many ways, he is still a seven-year-old. When we have a 10-minute break during the lectures, he sometimes wants to run around in the lecture theatre,” she said.
Dr Sumod said the boy’s mother had contacted him to discuss course administrative matters. But when he found out about her son’s interests, he invited the boy to attend his lectures.
He had some doubts over whether a child so young would be able to follow his lectures on topics such as molecular orbital theory, which uses quantum mechanics to explain electron behaviour.
But he decided to invite the boy to his lectures anyway, to encourage his interest and curiosity.
Dr Sumod clarified that Theodore is not a registered student and does not join chemistry lab sessions or take tests.
His mother, Madam Tang, said that from an early age, the boy – who was tested to have an IQ of 154 – would ask probing questions on science.
“He would ask me what his toys are made of, and I would say plastic, and then he would ask what plastic is made of, and we would soon be discussing molecules and atoms,” she said.
Theodore’s father, Mr Kwan Jung Hong, 44, who runs a small business, said Theodore also showed exceptional ability in mathematics, grouping his toy animals into four groups of three, two groups of six and three groups of four.
Earlier in 2025, Theodore Kwan became the youngest person in Singapore to score an A for a chemistry paper in the IGCSE, an O-level equivalent exam.
NTU deputy president and provost Christian Wolfrum said: “As a university, NTU is open to all talent. Although Theodore isn’t enrolled as a student, we are thrilled to ignite his passion in chemistry. Also, having him in class with the other undergrads creates a new chemistry that can benefit everyone.”
Theodore’s parents say that for now, they are very grateful for the opportunity for their son to attend chemistry lectures, but wish that in the future, there will be more avenues for prodigious talents such as Theodore’s to be nurtured. They also have a daughter, Tabitha, who is three years old.
Madam Tang said: “Theodore is very hungry to learn, so we are incredibly grateful for the rare opportunity to join these lectures. So, we are okay for now, but not sure how we are going to continue doing this in the future.”
She added: “At the moment, most local students like Theodore head to overseas universities, but that is expensive.”
Theodore with his parents, Madam Crystal Tang and Mr Kwan Jung Hong, and his three-year-old sister Tabitha.
In 2024, in reply to a question in Parliament on allowing exceptionally gifted students to attend university at an earlier age, the Education Ministry said such students who apply for early admission to local autonomous universities will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
It also said that in the last five years, since 2019, only one exceptionally gifted student gained early admission to an autonomous university.
Meanwhile, all Theodore wants is for the midterm break at NTU this week to be over.
“I can’t wait to go back to lectures so that I can learn more chemistry and meet my jie jie and kor kor,” he said, referring to the undergraduates he sees as sisters and brothers at NTU.
