35 foundation students from The Ambassador of Centre for Foundation Studies (ACeFoS) of UTP recently organised the fifth edition of the Young Scientist Camp (YSC 5). The event was officiated by UTP Deputy Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Professor Ir Ts Dr Nor Hisham Hamid.
The students’ committee were led by Insyirah Nuha Husna Mohd Syukri, Ammar Dzulkarnain Muhammad Najib, and Shivan Raj Ravechindern and assisted by three undergraduate students.
They received advice from CFS lecturers, namely Ms Noraini Jamaludin, Ms Nurul Izni Kairi, Ms Zuraini Hanim Zaini, Ms Almila Hassan, and Ms Juliana Abu Bakar. They also receive support from CFS Dean Ts. Dr. Aliza Sarlan, the entire CFS staff, Centre of Student Development and Registry.
A yearly event, YSC was officially sanctioned by Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri (JPN) Perak. It received immense responses from schools and teachers, with the participation of 14 schools from Perak Tengah, Kinta Selatan, Kinta Utara, and Manjung districts.
Themed “Hands on STEAM Expedition: Towards Sustainable Development Goal 11
(SDG 11)-Sustainable Cities and Communities,” the event aimed to emphasise the significance of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) for secondary school students.
SDG 11 is about making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Cities represent the future of global living and students play a vital role by promoting urban sustainability through education, innovation, and community engagement for a brighter future.
The panda, chosen as the mascot for YSC 5, is relevant to SDG 11 by symbolising the importance of biodiversity and green spaces in urban environments. It promotes sustainable cities by highlighting the need for harmony between urban development and nature conservation.
The participants delved into an engaging learning experience with modules on Physics (The Physics of Height and Sustainability), Robotics (Codey Rocky the Explorer), Entrepreneurship (Start-up Surge), and Chemistry (The Colours of Chemistry). They also participated in various activities, including UTP Tour, Fuel Your Body, Nourish Your Soul and the PhysiMath Survival Showdown.
Ms Zaharatul Nadzirah Azizul, a representative from the Registry , also shared valuable insights about UTP facilitation, student exchange programmes, internships, scholarships and other opportunities, which attracted the participants.
To recognise and reward the outstanding achievements in STEAM demonstrated by the participants in YSC 5, we established various award categories based on the assigned group and specified slots.
The recipients of these accolades include MRSM Pasir Salak, who secured the Gold Award, SMK Seri Teja earning the Silver Award and SMK Pantai Remis achieving the Bronze Award. Additionally, SMK Anderson and SMK Tarcisian Convent were honoured with the Best School Award while Batrisyia Raihanan Sharel from SMK Tarcisian Convent received the Best Participant award.
Meanwhile, consolation awards were presented to SMK Seri Manjung, SMK Kg. Dato’ Ahmad Said, SMK Kampar, SMK Muzafar Shah 1, and SMK Dato’ Abdul Rahman Yaakub.
Reflecting on the two-day event, participants found YSC 5 had exceeded their expectations, with the 'The Colours of Chemistry' module and the ‘UTP Tour’ being highlighted as the most engaging activities.
Furthermore, the YSC 5 significantly enhanced participants’ interests and skills in STEAM subjects. Looking ahead, a strong majority expressed interests in participating in future YSC events.
The success of YSC 5 not only reflects the excellence of UTP in promoting STEAM education but also highlights our collective commitment to inspiring the next generation of innovators, thinkers, and leaders.
