Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/June/01/01/01.html

Alibaba GET Global Challenge top 40 teams for semi-final



From left: Goh, Kum and Ng selling Kleenso products at their booth

A team, namely Muze Kyo Trading from Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) was shortlisted as one of the top 40 teams to compete in the semi-final round of Alibaba GET Global Challenge (Malaysia) 2020. The team members consisted of Bachelor of Science (Hons) Actuarial Science students Ng Jing Hong, Kum Mei Yu and Goh Kai Ni.

The Alibaba GET Global Challenge is an international youth digital solution competition that is organised by Alibaba GET Channel Partner – ITS Management Sdn Bhd and hosted by Global eCommerce Talent (GET) Network of Alibaba Group.

With more than 10 countries participating, the competition aimed to encourage young entrepreneurs to exhibit their creativeness and talents in developing unique digital solutions for businesses, individuals, and institutions affected by the pandemic. It is also hoped that the competition will inspire more young entrepreneurs to get involved and create an influential impact for the entire communities of Malaysia and even globally.

For Muze Kyo Trading, the team’s impactful project for the competition advocated for the usage of biodegradable and eco-friendly products in consumers’ daily lives to preserve nature. The team collaborated with Kleenso Resources Sdn Bhd to help them sell their products and expand their brand exposure and customer base.

“We decided to collaborate with Kleenso because there is a high demand for household cleaning products, and we are optimistic about the functionality of their products. Not to mention, it is also a local brand that manufactures, markets and distributes biodegradable household detergents, D.I.Y Pest Repellent Products, and Biodegradable Disposable Ware. The company also promotes no harmful chemical, use safe ingredients, preservation and non-poison to produce and preserve our product quality. Most Kleenso products are highly biodegradable and environmentally friendly,” explained team leader Ng.

The team also met Kleenso founder Lee Teck Meng, at a pitching session. It provided them with the opportunity to interact with the founder and to better understand the business idea of the company. Having able to set up a booth at UTAR Sungai Long Campus to sell Kleenso products to the public also enabled them to identify further on their business concepts, targeted customer base, products, and financing details.

“I believe the significant root is our business idea that has greater prospects since we are promoting multifunctional and environmentally friendly products. All people prefer doing more in lesser time, especially for household chores. Thus, multipurpose products are on the trend now. As environmental awareness among people gets higher, conscientious and environmentally friendly products and brands thrive into the sight of people. We believe that our idea has the potential to succeed in the future. Thus, this is why I think our group can be shortlisted,” enthused Ng. The team also thanked UTAR and their mentors, namely Head of Master of Information Systems programme Dr Wong Whee Yen, Ts Dr Yong Yoke Leng, and Beh Hooi Ching.

Apart from Muze Kyo Trading, other teams, namely CATRY and Jeunesse from Faculty of Creative Industries, and i-Farm and MEDIC from Faculty of Accountancy and Management were also shortlisted as the top 40 teams competing in the semi-final round.

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/June/04/01/01.html

LKC FES alumna won Best Engineering Student Award 2019


The award won by Tay

UTAR Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Material and Manufacturing Engineering alumna Tay Yu Jun beamed with joy when she won an award at the IEEE Electronics Packaging Society (EPS) Malaysia Chapter. Tay walked away with the Best Engineering Student Award (BESA) for 2019 Undergraduate Winners. Her award-winning final year project was titled “Thermomigration in Sn-Ag-Cu-Pt Solder Joints”.

Tay received RM3,000; a part of it was used to sign up for IEEE main and IEEE EPS membership and to purchase a book valued at approximately RM300 by IEEE EPS Malaysia Chapter. The book will be donated to the UTAR library under her name and IEEE EPS Malaysia Chapter.

Tay expressed her gratitude to the IEEE Electronics Packaging Society (EPS) Malaysia Chapter for the BESA 2019 award. She also expressed her appreciation to her FYP supervisor Ts Dr Wong Mee Chu for providing guidance in participating in the competition. Tay also shared her winning tips to her juniors, “A good presentation of work, be it a poster or video, is very important. At the beginning of your presentation, you have to find a way to make the topic simpler and interesting. This is to avoid boring your audience while at the same time attracting their attention. Gradually add more details and in-depth explanation along the way and lastly, come up with a strong conclusion, leaving the audience feeling enlightened.”

Her research was mainly on the thermomigration ™ phenomenon in Sn-Ag-Cu-Pt (SAC-Pt) solder joints. The reliability of solder joints is often compromised due to thermomigration caused by large thermal gradient generated from high current density and joule heating across the interconnection. In the research, a patented (Malaysia & International patents) SAC-Pt alloy was used to compare against the commercial SAC solder to study the microstructural evolution behaviour under TM stressing for up to 600 hours. Signs of TM were pronounced in unreinforced SAC solder joints throughout 600 hours of TM stressing due to the high growth rate of the intermetallic compound (IMC) layer on the cold side and progressive decrease of IMC layer thickness on the hot side. This observation is noticeably subdued in SAC-Pt samples due to the formation of (Cu, Pt) 6Sn5 compound on the IMC layer which slows down the interfacial diffusion process.



Microstructure of Unreinforced SAC305 Solder Joints at the hot and cold side at 600h of TM Stressing



Microstructure of SAC305 – 0.20Pt Solder Joint at the Hot and Cold Side at 600h of TM Stressing

IEEE EPS Malaysia Chapter regularly presents the “Best Engineering Student Award (BESA)” to final year undergraduates and the year 2019 was the third year of its rollout to reward and encourage technical excellence among the next generation of engineers in Malaysia. The competition also aimed to support the growth of the smart manufacturing industry, enhance the level of technical skills at vocational college and improve the quality of education and teaching of intelligent building-related professionals.

The competition was open to full-time and part-time undergraduates who were studying in areas broadly related to electrical and electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science and engineering, applied physics and chemistry, and other related disciplines. Also, their final year project has to cover topics of electronic packaging. Three finalists selected for the said award submitted their final year projects to IEEE EPS Secretariat for the selection of BESA 2019 winner.

The IEEE Electronics Packaging Society (EPS) (https://eps.ieee.org) is positioned as the leading international forum for scientists and engineers engaged in the research, design and development of revolutionary advances in microsystems packaging and manufacturing. Its objectives are scientific, literary, and educational in character. The Society strives for the advancement of the theory and practice of electrical and electronics engineering and of the allied arts and sciences. The EPS Society promotes close cooperation and exchange of technical information among its members and others through technical conferences and workshops, peer-reviewed publications, and collaboration with other organisations.

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/June/03/01/01.html

UTAR duo emerged as Malaysia champion of Schneider Go Green 2020

UTAR Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) and Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM) students emerged as Malaysia’s Champion in the Schneider Electric Go Green: A Global Student Competition held at Petaling Jaya on 4 March 2020.

Organised by Schneider Electric to lead the digital transformation of energy management and automation, the competition aimed to look out for bold ideas that can shape the future of Schneider Electric’s industry and its company.

Mentored by Chemical Engineering lecturer Ts Dr Shuit Siew Hoong, the UTAR team was comprised of LKC FES final year Chemical Engineering student Chai Yi Jun and FAM final year Global Economics student Chin Yee Xin. Throughout the competition, the duo proved their spirit in an oral presentation which saw them demonstrating their maturity and understanding of their proposal, further impressing the judges with their precision in answering the judges’ questions in the subsequent session.

Chai and Chin grinned ear to ear when they were announced as the champion. “This is actually our first time participating in this competition. I’m very grateful to my teammate for a great job done,” said Chai who hails from Pahang. On the other note, Chin extended her appreciation to advisor Dr Shuit for the guidance and opportunity for such enriching exposure.

The competition was divided into four categories, namely Sustainability and Access to Energy, Buildings of the Future, Plants of the Future, and Grids of the Future. The students were required to prepare a proposal related to the category they took part in. The UTAR’s duo joined the category of Sustainability and Access to Energy with the team’s name as “Amazingly, it works”.

The proposal title for the competition was “Fonergy, Solution to Your Food Waste Energy”. The idea of team “Amazingly, it works” was about the utilisation of food waste to generate energy in the form of electricity and fertiliser that could eventually have great contribution to the society and the environment.

In the proposal, they raised the issue of serious global food waste which was about 1.3 billion tonnes annually. These food wastes can be served as the food source for the microorganism to undergo anaerobic digestion in microbial fuel cell to generate electricity. The leftover sludge can be further processed into organic fertilisers. The idea proposed by team “Amazingly, it works” realised the concept of “waste to wealth”.

This earned them a ticket to the Asian Pacific Final on 16 April 2020.

The duo walked away with a trophy and a certificate of participation each. The students also had the chance to have lunch with the top management of the company and also a job interview at Schneider Electric.


Proud winners, Chai (sixth from right) and Chin (fifth from left) posing with their trophy

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/June/11/01/01.html

LKC FES receives NFIS grant from the British Council



UTAR Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) Centre for Power Systems and Electricity Chairperson Ir Prof Dr Lim Yun Seng was granted The Newton Fund Impact Scheme (NFIS) for his research project titled “Development of IoT controlled virtual energy storage for maximum demand reductions under intermittency of photovoltaic systems”. The NFIS was granted by the British Council.

A total of £137,000 was awarded for the entire research project with the grant duration of a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of 18 months. The co-researchers of the research project were UTAR LKC FES lecturer Ir Dr Wong Jianhui and Faculty of Business and Finance lecturer Prof Dr Eng Yoke Kee. They were led by Prof Lim.




The research is titled “Development of IoT controlled virtual energy storage for maximum demand reductions under intermittency of photovoltaic systems”

Delivered by the British Council in partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) on behalf of all Newton Fund delivery partners, the NFIS provides funding for current and previously funded Newton Fund grantees to maximise the impact of Newton Fund activities. It is designed to be flexible and responsive to in-country needs and intended to empower applicants to bring in relevant private and third sector partners, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), technology transfer offices, and other not-for-profit organisations.

The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with 17 partner countries to support their economic development and social welfare, and to develop their research and innovation capacity for long term sustainable growth. It has a total UK Government investment of £735million up until 2021, with matching resources from partner countries. The Newton Fund is managed by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and delivered through seven UK delivery partners, which includes UK Research and Innovation, the UK Academies, the British Council and the Met Office. For further information visit the Newton Fund website (www.newtonfund.ac.uk) and follow via Twitter: @NewtonFund. Tackling global challenges, accessing affordable health care, food and energy security, and meeting the social and economic needs of a growing population require an integrated research and innovative approach, bringing together communities from different disciplines, sectors and countries in high-quality collaborations.

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/June/24/01/01.html

LKC FES Tan Jun-Yan won special prize at 3rd Tan Sri Ir Yusoff Best Engineering Final Year Project 2019


Second row, most right: Tan Jun-Yan with judges and other award-winning recipients

The former student of UTAR Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) Tan Jun-Yan won the Special Prize at the 3rd Tan Sri Ir Yusoff Best Engineering Final Year Project 2019 competition.

The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Mechanical Engineering student walked away with a cheque worth RM400 and a certificate of achievement. His award-winning project was titled “Study of the Combined Effect of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Phase Change Material (PCM) in Solar Desalination”. Tan is currently pursuing Masters of (Mechanical) Engineering at UTAR.

His research was mainly on solar still, a device that performs solar desalination of water. This device needs an upgrade to improve water security in water-scarce areas. CSP in the form of a Fresnel lens, as well as paraffin wax (a type of PCM), is one of the most popular ways to improve solar still performance. The project aimed to identify the changes in desalination performance when CSP and PCM are incorporated into the setup.

Four sets of experiments were done to evaluate the individual and combined effects of CSP and PCM. In the experiments, solar flux readings and temperatures of water and glass were taken periodically. The distilled water produced at the end of the experiment was then compared with the amount of solar energy received to evaluate the performance of a particular setup.

The results clearly showed that desalination performance is at the maximum when both CSP and PCM are used together with the solar still, provided that the PCM was fully immersed and in contact with the saline water. When PCM was not fully immersed, the presence of PCM had a negative influence on desalination performance.

However, fully immersing the PCM requires a large volume of water, which is detrimental to performance. Therefore, it is advisable to optimise the encapsulation of PCM materials to allow better performance in the future. In conclusion, the combination of CSP and PCM has a positive impact on desalination performance in a solar still.


Tan’s award-wining FYP was titled “Study of the combined effect of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Phase Change Material (PCM) in solar desalination”

The Tan Sri Ir Yusoff Best Engineering Final Year Project Award was initiated by the IEM Education Fund and was jointly organised by the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). The “Tan Sri Ir Yusoff Best Engineering Final Year Project” award is presented to final year undergraduates by IEM and IET regularly and the year 2019 was the third year of its rollout to encourage engineering undergraduates to produce better quality Final Year Project.

The competition was open to all universities with accredited engineering programmes. It saw the submission of 45 projects from different universities and faculties such as faculties of Computing, Electronic Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Mechatronic, Materials & Manufacturing, Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering and Biomedical and Chemical Engineering.

The projects were evaluated based on the aim, research objective, research questions, knowledge gap and major findings of their research. All the submitted projects were evaluated by two independent reviewers in Round One and 10 shortlisted finalists were invited to the Round Two presentation. The judges involved in Round Two presentation were Assoc Prof Dr Amran Ayob and Ir Dr Wang Hong Kok representing IEM as well as Assoc Prof Dr Lai Weng Kin and Indiran Nadarajan representing IET.

Tan also expressed his gratitude to his final year project supervisor Dr Rubina Bahar from the Department of Mechanical and Material Engineering for providing guidance and support in participating in the competition and also UTAR for providing the resources required for the project.


Second row: Tan Jun-Yan (eighth) and his FYP supervisor Dr Rubina Bahar (thirteenth) with award-winning recipients, supervisors and judges
Front row, from left: Dr Amran Ayob, Dr Wang, Dr Lai and Indiran


Certificate of achievement by Tan

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/July/17/01/01.html

Chairman of UTAR International Advisory Council receives the Distinguished 2020 Tang Prize in Sinology




On 20 June 2020, it was announced by the Tang Foundation that Professor Emeritus Dato’ Wang Gungwu, a renowned historian, won the highly distinguished 2020 Tang Prize in Sinology. This was in recognition of his pioneering and trailblazing work on China World Order, Chinese overseas and the Chinese migratory experience.

The Tang Foundation noted that Prof Wang, who is a graduate from the School of Oriental and African Studies at University of London, is an expert in the interpretation of how China views the world. In a statement released by the Tang Foundation, Prof Wang was lauded for his unique approach in understanding China by scrutinising its long and complex relationship with its southern neighbours.

It also mentioned that his work had modern implications, in which it showed that it is an “integration of a variety of histories, including the history of Chinese overseas, of China’s relation with the outside world, of South-East Asia, and of commerce and maritime history.”

Born in Surabaya in 1930, Prof Wang grew up and received education in Malaya (now Malaysia), and later pursued advanced studies in London where he graduated with a PhD degree from the University of London in 1957. His subsequent academic appointments brought him to Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia and the United States. He was president of the University of Hong Kong from 1986 to 1995, a visiting fellow at Oxford's All Souls College, a Rockefeller visiting fellow at the University of London and a recipient of the Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1991. Currently, he is a university professor at the National University of Singapore. Prof Wang is also currently the Chairman of the UTAR International Advisory Council, a post he has held for many years. He has been giving insightful advice and suggestions for the further development of the University. In addition, he has also actively participated in various Universities activities.

In July 2010, at the International Conference on Malaysia-China Relations organized by UTAR and Xiamen University, Prof Wang was the first keynote speaker at the conference. Then in August 2013, Prof Wang chaired the first two keynote lectures at the 8th International Society for the Studies of Chinese Overseas (ISSCO) Conference hosted by the UTAR Institute of Chinese Studies.

At UTAR’s 18th Convocation ceremony held at UTAR Kampar Campus in March 2014, Prof Wang was the Guest of Honour for Session One of the convocation. He gave invaluable advice and shared his experiences in his speech to the graduates. These are some of his main academic contributions and involvement with the University, among many others.

UTAR is indeed proud of Prof Wang’s accomplishments and congratulates Prof Wang on winning the prestigious 2020 Tang Prize in Sinology.



About Tang Prize

Established by Taiwanese entrepreneur Dr Samuel Yin, the biannual Tang Prize consists of four categories, namely Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, Sinology and Rule of Law. It aims to promote the interaction and cooperation between cultural and technological research so as to find a 21st century path to the sustainable development of the world. For more information, please visit the prize's official website at https://www.tang-prize.org/en/first.php

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/July/20/01/01.html / https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2020/07...s-teach/1886266 / https://varnam.my/news/2020/26036/malaysian...aching-contest/ / https://www.therakyatpost.com/2020/07/21/th...aching-contest/

UTAR lecturer wins first prize in international teaching contest



UTAR lecturer Dr Sharon Jacqueline Albert Wilson from the Faculty of Creative Industries won the first place in the International Communication Division (ICD) Teaching Contest 2020. Initiated in the year 2016, the ICD teaching contest aimed to promote teaching excellence and recognise innovative and effective approaches to teaching international communication.

Dr Sharon was the first winner in Malaysia and also the first winner from outside North America to win the award. Besides featuring her winning submission on the ICD website and social media, she will also be recognised at this year’s ICD Business Meeting during the 2020 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Annual Conference in San Franscisco.

The title of her winning entry was “Cross cultural teaching and learning on virtual platforms: A case study for continuous collaborative learning”. It was a collaborative, cross-cultural course held for students enrolled in UTAR and University of Delaware United States (UDEL). The course, conducted via videoconference, was facilitated by Dr Sharon and Prof Dr Patricia Sloane-White respectively.

The course was structured to engage the two groups of students in a shared cultural exploration concerning contemporary culture and social values. The course provided an opportunity for the students to examine the nature and meanings of each culture’s consumer and popular culture; discuss everyday issues affecting their community and lives and share ideas and trends about global cultural influences and the role and persistence and transformation of culture, beliefs, ethics, tradition, and identity in both settings.

Dr Sharon said, “I joined the contest, not thinking that I would win, let alone win the first place. I just wanted to share my project idea with everyone because this was something extremely meaningful and exciting for the students and also for Patricia and me as academics.”

“Students taught each other about their lives, values and experiences. They also explored and exchanged cultures as they grew up in two very different lifestyles and landscapes. Even though the semester has ended and many of the students have graduated, they are still connected by Whatsapp and continue to have meaningful conversations about the world that they live in and the effect of events on them. This goes beyond traditional classroom education to continuous engagement, interaction, and holistic learning,” she added.

The first place was won by Dr Sharon, followed by Dr Rachel Mourão from the Michigan State University, USA in the second place and Lamia Zia (PhD student) from Texas Tech University in the third place. Each submission was evaluated by three reviewers based on the following criteria: Innovation; contribution to international communication; connection with learning objectives; impact and learning outcomes. The winners were calculated based on the final scores of the review outcome.

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/July/21/01/01.html

UTAR academic receives ICRA grant from EASTS Japan

UTAR academic-cum-researcher Assoc Prof Ir Dr Khoo Hooi Ling from Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) was selected to be the recipient of the International Cooperative Research Activity (ICRA) Grant.

The grant, worth JP¥1,000,000, was allocated for two years (2020-2022) for the research topic titled “Shared Space Design and Modeling: Case Studies in Asian Cities”. It was funded by the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies (EASTS-Japan) c/o Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute.

In the year 2018, Dr Khoo established an international research group on “Shared Space Design and Modeling”. The research group was led by Dr Khoo with two other members, namely Dr Raymond Ong Ghim Ping from the National University of Singapore and Dr Hsu Yu-Ting from the National Taiwan University. All of them shared the same research interest in road design for non-motorized road users.

Dr Khoo said, “Shared space is an area or zone that has no traditional traffic management systems such as traffic light, road marking or shared spaces, thereby forcing vehicles, alternate transport modes and/or pedestrians to share the same road or sidewalk space. Although the concept is not new, its implementation has faced various issues and challenges.”

Dr Khoo’s research mainly aims to identify issues and challenges in shared space implementation; understand the design principles for shared space; review successful case studies on shared space design implementation; model drivers’/commuters’/cyclists’ behaviours with roadway facilities and understand the impact of shared space.

“Researchers have to be sensitive to the recent issues and challenges in their research discipline and must be able to venture into some new concepts for future development. In addition, working together with peers who share the same research interest will make the research life more interesting. No one is expected to work in a silo,” Dr Khoo advised.

EASTS (Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies) is an umbrella organisation for science transportation societies in Eastern Asia. It was founded in November 1994, following the meeting with transport experts from 13 economies/regions. The society has members from 19 economies/regions such as Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Cambodia, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Philippines, China, Taiwan, and others which are majorly from the Asia Pacific region. The society now has about 1,800 members. The primary objective of EASTS is to foster and support excellence in transportation research and practice as well as to stimulate professional exchange in all aspects and modes of transportation.



Assoc Prof Ir Dr Khoo Hooi Ling

This post has been edited by cnvery: Jul 22 2020, 07:07 PM

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/Aug/03/01/01.html


Architecture student wins Miss Grand Selangor 2020



K Lishalliny

Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) Architecture student K. Lishalliny won the Miss Grand Selangor 2020. She was crowned at the coronation night which was held at MATIC Mini Auditorium Hall on 25 July 2020. Aside from the Miss Grand Selangor 2020 title, Lishalliny also won the subsidiary title of Miss Body Beautiful.

Lishalliny said, “Pageant has always been my passion and dream. I was bullied back then for being chubby, however, that made me even stronger to fight for my passion. I had been a runner-up several times before winning the Miss Grand Selangor.” She expressed her joy when her name was announced as the winner, “When the camera flashes started flickering, that’s when I realised that I had really won and I put on the biggest smile. I feel so honoured and thankful to be chosen as Miss Grand Selangor 2020.”

As Lishalliny speaks about her advocacy in stopping period poverty, she said, “It's really jaw-dropping to hear that youngsters routinely missed school because they couldn't afford sanitary pads. Period poverty is a global problem that affects the health, education and productivity of young girls and women. There are many reasons for this stigma but both girls and boys need to end this poverty.”

Lishalliny believes that beauty comes from within. She said, “Through this beauty pageant, I’ve learnt to discover my hidden talents and be more confident about myself. I also practised a healthy lifestyle and self-discipline which impacted me physically and mentally in a healthier way. It also helped me to think wisely in areas concerning my life as well as my studies.”

“In five years from now, I would want to see myself settled with my passion until the internationals and also create a strong path for my career in architecture,” said Lishalliny.

Lishalliny’s next step would be advancing to the National Level which is Miss Grand Malaysia 2020.

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/Aug/04/01/01.html

FAM lecturer appointed as research advisor for IKM


IKM Centre for Research and Consulting Director Dr Yusman bin Yaacob (second from left) and Dr Cham (second from right) with IKM staff during SPSS Data Analysis Workshop

Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM) Head of Programme for (PhD and MPhil) Dr Cham Tat Huei has been appointed as a research advisor for Institut Koperasi Malaysia (IKM). Dr Cham will be involved as an advisor for the research projects by IKM and conduct research training for IKM staff.

Part of the collaboration will include Dr Cham as an advisor for the research projects at IKM whereby he will be giving inputs on the planning and execution of research projects, determining strategic and operational challenges faced by research members of IKM as well as coaching and developing members of the research team at IKM.

Following his duties at IKM, Dr Cham has recently conducted a workshop on SPSS Data Analysis (Intermediate Level) which saw the participation of more than 60 participants. The workshop took place on 29 June 2020 at IKM, Selangor. It was also hosted through Google Meet platform for IKM members to join from other zones in Malaysia.

At the workshop, participants were exposed to the introduction of research methodology, basic statistics using SPSS, explored data analysis, parametric and non-parametric tests, factor analysis, mediating and moderating.



Dr Cham conducting his workshop

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/Aug/04/02/02.html

UTAR wins prizes at Taylor & Francis Online Quiz 2020

With the recent Covid-19 pandemic plaguing the world, fake news has become much more prevalent; with people spreading false information about the virus, giving others a flawed perspective towards it. Thus, Taylor and Francis Asia Pacific organised the Taylor & Francis ‘Fake News’ Online Quiz from 4 May to 30 June 2020.

A total of 260 UTAR students and staff took part in the quiz. The quiz centred around the issues of fake news, with its aim to educate people on the detriments of fake news in their lives, especially in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The grand prize was two AEON vouchers worth RM200 each; the second prize offered two AEON vouchers worth RM120 each and the third prize was four AEON vouchers worth RM70 each. The fourth prize was 12 AEON vouchers worth RM30. Fourteen UTAR students and one staff emerged as winners out of the 260 UTAR participants.


One of the grand prize winners Cheong Sue Yin

“Honestly, winning the quiz was never my intention. I just thought it was fun and submitted a few sentences regarding the topic. However, receiving the grand prize was a surprise and genuinely made me happy. I like how Taylor & Francis and UTAR try to spread awareness about fake news while also making it fun and enjoyable. Props to them!” said one of the two grand prize winners, Business and Finance student Cheong Sue Yin.


One of the third prize winners Mosharrof Hosen

“To be able to participate in the prestigious Taylor & Francis Online Quiz 2020 competition was a fantastic experience for me. I was also very honoured and happy when I received the email from the Taylor & Francis Group representative, informing me that I was one of the winners,” said Business and Finance student Mosharrof Hosen, one of the third prize winners. He added, “We should participate in various competitions because it can help us develop our confidence. Once our confidence is set in place, we would be brave enough to tackle any challenges in our lives.”

Another third prize winner, Computer Science student Liaw Mun Kin said, “Participating in the quiz was overall a new experience for me, as I was very interested in sharing my opinion on the recent widespread of fake news, especially those concerning Covid-19. I was actually quite shocked when I found out that I won the third prize. I do hope quizzes like this would keep coming.”


One of the fourth prize winners Sivarajan

Foundation student K. Sivarajan, one of the fourth prize winners said, “First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all who were responsible for organising this quiz with the intent of raising awareness on the negative impact fake news has on society. It was a true honour to be able to participate in this quiz and I am even more honoured to be one of the winners. I hope more efforts like this will continue to be taken and more students will engage themselves in positive activities such as this quiz to ensure they do not divert their minds towards something that can negatively impact their lives.”

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/Aug/12/01/01.html

LKC FES academics secure CREST R&D grant


From left: LKC FES Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Assoc Prof Ts Dr Yap Wun She, Dr Chee, LKC FES Dean Prof Ir Dr Goi Bok Min, Prof Lim, and Dr Lee

A team of academics from Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES), namely Dr Chee Pei Song, Prof Ts Dr Lim Eng Hock, Dr Lee Yong Hong, and Ir Danny Ng Wee Kiat, recently secured the Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology Centre (CREST) R&D grant. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) Deputy Dean for Academic Development and Undergraduate Programmes Prof Dr Ng Teck Han also joined the team to provide medical advice. The research is also an industry collaboration grant with MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd.

The grant, worth RM522,322.94, was allocated for 24 months (2021 – 2022) for the research project titled “Skin - alike and AI - driven Smart Biosensor - antenna for Monitoring ECG Signals”. The grant, which will also fund two postgraduate students and research facilities, will bring to light the multidisciplinary research works of integrating antenna and sensing technology into a wearable device with Artificial Intelligence (AI) features.

“The project aims to develop a battery-free, skin-alike biosensor-antenna that can detect abnormalities in the ECG signals automatically through an AI-driven processor. Our strategy is to integrate a thin-film electronic layer with the microfluidic embedded soft material for designing the ECG sensor,” explained Dr Chee.

He added, “This research will catalyse more exploration of multidiscipline research for healthcare applications or devices. Thus, it broadens the product range of the healthcare industry in Malaysia. This will be an important effort to make Malaysia a strong base for the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable technologies in the healthcare industry.”


Dr Chee (left) and Ir Ng displaying the soft electronic skin (taken early January 2020)

When asked of the inspiration that led to this research, Dr Chee said, “With the increasing interest in quantifying cardiac metrics for personal care, the heart rate monitoring sensors have been integrated into apparel and wrist bands. Nonetheless, these commercial devices comprise electronic components and interfaces that are mechanically rigid, thus restraining conformal skin contact for repeated and robust daily usage. Our team wishes to develop a soft electronic skin that is embedded with a sensor, energy harvesting module and antenna for far-field data communication. The data obtained will be analysed by an AI processor and it will inform users of their health status. Utilising soft material in the prototype development, the developed device is anticipated to be conformal to human skin and has better sensitivity.”

The Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology Centre (CREST) is an industry-led collaborative platform for market-driven R&D and Talent Development to enable Malaysia to become a high-income nation. The CREST R&D grant aimed to accelerate the university’s ability to produce industry-ready researchers, and increase the competitiveness of the Electrical & Electronics (E&E) industry. Its philosophy is to see that higher value E&E economic sector can be achieved when R&D thrives in the ecosystem, which can be accelerated by promoting collaborative research between industry and academia. With the accommodating intellectual property arrangement, industry involvement in the research enables the research result to be prepositioned to industry application, increasing the potential for commercialisation at research completion.

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/Aug/19/01/01.html

Second runner-up at Alibaba GET Global Challenge 2020


From left: Seah Choon Sen, Loh Yin Xia, Dr Hen Kai Wah, Chang Yik Khoon and Hoong De Shan

Team I-Farm from UTAR managed to secure second runner-up in the National Final of Alibaba GET Global Challenge 2020. The national final was held on 15 August 2020 at the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC), Cyberjaya. It was also broadcasted live on Alibaba GET Global Challenge 2020’s official Facebook page. The team will represent Malaysia in the Alibaba GET Global Challenge Global Final on 25 August 2020 along with other finalist winners.

The team consisted of five members, namely UTAR Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM) students Hoong De Shan, Chang Yik Khoon, Lee Shi Zhang, FAM Graduate Assistant Seah Choon Sen and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn student Loh Yin Xia (team leader). They were mentored by FAM Deputy Dean Dr Hen Kai Wah.

Organised by Alibaba GET Channel Partner- ITS Management Sdn Bhd, the competition was attended by several judges and guests, including Organising Chairman-cum-Managing Director of ITS Management Sdn Bhd Chong Hoi San, Founder of Stellavingze International Sdn Bhd DPSM Datuk Prof Dr Stella Chin and Chief Operating Officer of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Dato’ Ng Wan Peng.


The team receiving their prize (left), while Datuk Stella Chin applauds them

The nature of I-Farm’s business idea made them stand out from the rest of the other groups. The main theme of the competition was to create a distinct digital solution for individuals and businesses that have been affected by the current pandemic. Hence, the team came up with a unique idea to do so. They intend to transform traditional farming into “Vertical Farming” techniques, by introducing “Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)” indoors. I-Farm is a factory that will be placed in each city and area. With this idea, even confined places such as condominiums can be used to produce vegetables. Not only would they be able to grow vegetables, but also sell them to the local retailers in the area and people in the neighbourhood, using their e-commerce platform. Additionally, local farmers can also take this opportunity to use the platform to sell their vegetables to the retailers and people to earn some extra cash.


The team presenting their business idea

At the competition, I-Farm was the second team to present their business idea to the panel of judges, in which they did so brilliantly. Even though they had a limited time of 10 minutes, they managed to execute their presentation within the allocated time and convey their business idea clearly and concisely. Not only that, during the Q&A session with the judges, they answered all the questions directed to them calmly.

When asked about their inspiration, they explained, “Due to social distancing and the pandemic, most of the time, people need to go through long queues to buy vegetables. We wanted to have our own mini-farm to grow vegetables, so that we do not need to queue up in such a long line and thus, with that the idea I-Farm, was born.” They then started to work on the project and reach out to investors to run the business. From there, they built their first prototype and sold their first batch of harvest through their Facebook page.

The members of I-Farm said that their success is largely due to their hard work and discipline. They have sacrificed their time and put in a lot of effort to ensure that everything was perfect in order to achieve great things at the competition. According to them, the MCO period was very helpful for them as the organisers provided them with effective online training. They also had online meetings with their investors and the company involved.

When asked about what the future holds for I-Farm, the members said that their goal is to make this project into a real business, not just for this competition, but to actually earn a profit from it, as they plan to put in even more effort into making this dream a reality.

At the end of the competition, top five national teams were chosen by the distinguished panels of judges. Overall, the results are as follows; FoodXless from HELP University was crowned champion, TheMovement from Taylor’s University was the first runner-up, UTAR’s I-Farm was the second runner-up, ACE from Sunway University was the third runner-up, and the fourth runner-up went to Team Fitee from Taylor’s University. All five teams will be representing Malaysia for the Alibaba Get Global Challenge Global Final and they will be competing against teams from 13 other economies, which are the Africa Region, Cambodia, China, Colombia, France and Morocco, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand and Uzbekistan.

Once again, congratulations to I-Farm for such an amazing achievement, and everyone at the university will be cheering the team on from home during the Global Finals of the competition.


Team I-Farm with their prize


The team with their prize in front of UTAR Sungai Long Campus

About Alibaba GET Global Challenge



Hosted by Global eCommerce Talent (GET) Network of Alibaba Group, Organized by Alibaba GET Channel Partner - ITS Management Sdn Bhd, Alibaba GET Global Challenge is an international youth digital solution competition with more than 10 countries taking part in the event. The objective is to encourage young entrepreneurs to exhibit their creativeness and talents in developing unique digital solutions for businesses, individuals and institutions affected by the pandemic outbreak.

We believe this event will inspire more young entrepreneurs to involve and create influential impact for entire communities in Malaysia and even globally.

FIVE shortlisted finalist teams will be representing Malaysia to compete with finalists from other countries at Digital Global Stage. The five shortlisted finalists will also receive GET Global Challenge Finalists Certificate, be able to enroll into Alibaba GET Network Talent Bank, and will receive an incentive of RM 1,000 per team.

In order to be eligible to participate in the competition, several requirements must be met, which are; the competition is open to all young entrepreneurs aged 18-30, the team registration is open to 3-5 members, with one member being able to communicate English fluently, the new or ongoing business idea has to be less than a year old, and the team must not receive any institutional funding more than USD 100,000 in their current project.

There will also be several prizes for the winners of the Digital Global Stage. The team that achieves first place in this stage will receive a grand prize of RM100,000 plus a fully sponsored digital economy dream trip to Alibaba HQs in Hangzhou. On the other hand, the second prize winner will be awarded RM50,000 and the third prize of RM10,000 will go to third place.

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/Sept/02/01/01.html

Nursing student Len Xen Mei won second place for Best Oral Presentation at international conference


Len with her certificate

Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) student Len Xen Mei walked away with a certificate of award for Best Oral Presentation after winning the second place in the 1st UMS International Nursing Conference. Her award-winning final year project (FYP) was titled “The association between sleep quality and quality of life among undergraduate students in private university”.


Len presenting her findings from her FYP titled “The association between sleep quality and quality of life among undergraduate students in private university”

The 1st UMS International Nursing Conference was held at Universiti Malaysia Sabah from 6 to 8 March 2020, in conjunction with the 11th International Nursing Students’ Forum 2020. The conference was attended by hundreds of participants from countries including Malaysia, Australia, Oman, Thailand, China and Indonesia. In total, the conference saw a total of 44 oral presentations and 58 poster presentations. Len’s award-winning FYP abstract is also published in the Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences (MJMHS) Scopus Indexed journal and also in MJMHS in July 2020, Vol.16, Supp 5.

Len was indeed overjoyed over the success. She is grateful to her research supervisors and course mates for the support throughout her demanding learning curve in research.

She also added, “Special thanks to my family members and the nursing academic staff members. This conference is a whole new experience for me and it took me to a whole new level of lifelong learning. I hope with this achievement, other Nursing students will be motivated. I also hope that this would lead them to a proactive role in the research field.”




Len (most left) with course mates and nursing lecturer Thavamalar (middle)

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/news/2020/Sept/01/04/04.html

JobStreet.com renews ties and presents JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award



Prof Ewe (left) and Gan (right) with the signed MoU


Front row, from left: JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award recipients Tan, Shum and Lee
Second row, from left: Prof Yow, Prof Ewe, Gan and Calvin Chan
Third row, from left: Lim, Nik Zaitun, Adrian Kam and Chua

UTAR and Agensi Pekerjaan JobStreet.com Sdn Bhd (JobStreet.com) renewed their ties by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 25 August 2020 at Sungai Long Campus.

The signatories were UTAR President Ir Prof Dr Ewe Hong Tat and JobStreet Malaysia Country Manager Gan Bock Herm. It was witnessed by UTAR Vice President for Internationalisation and Academic Development Ir Prof Dr Yow Ho Kwang and JobStreet Malaysia Employability & Social Media Lead Calvin Chan.

Also present at the event were JobStreet Malaysia Head of Marketing Adrian Kam, JobStreet Malaysia Customer Solutions Specialist Chua Kuang Eu, UTAR Examinations, Awards and Scholarships Director Nik Zaitun binti Nik Salleh, Department of Alumni Relations and Placement Head Lim Swea Jen and recipients of JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award Tan Han Wu from Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF), Shum Mei Kee from Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS), and Lee Woei Hao from Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM).

The MoU signing aimed to renew the award of “JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award” for best UTAR graduate in each faculty, each year, for another three (3) years (2020 – 2022). It also enables both parties to explore and conduct joint research collaboration activities, as well as joint academic-industrial collaborative activities including conferences, webinar, workshops, publications, and seminars.


Prof Ewe thanking JobStreet.com for supporting UTAR since 2010

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof Ewe said, “Today is certainly a very significant day for both parties as we continue to strengthen ties between UTAR and JobStreet.com for more collaborative opportunities. I am glad that this collaboration will promote knowledge exchange, recruitment and job opportunity information, and networking for our UTAR students. Also, the career page at JobStreet.com that would help fresh graduates applies for internships and related jobs relevant to them.”

“I would also like to thank JobStreet.com for supporting UTAR since 2010. The JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award was first presented in August 2010 to the best overall graduate in the year for each faculty. This award has been presented annually since August 2010 and I would like to sincerely thank JobStreet.com for your generosity to our graduates and for your recognition of their academic achievements,” added Prof Ewe.


Gan sharing the situation of the current job market

Sharing the situation of the current job market, Gan said, “The current job market is challenging for both experienced workers as well as fresh graduates as companies are taking steps to review their operations amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns. However, we have since seen the progressive recovery of the job market with restrictions being eased. The numbers of fresh graduate job have increased by 300 per cent during this period, bringing the total number of available fresh graduate jobs to over 1,700.”

“From a recent JobStreet Covid-19 survey, findings indicated that 25 per cent of the employers surveyed will be looking to hire again in the next 6 months and this will include fresh graduates. Based on the research, the top five industries still hiring are information technology, food and beverage, science and technology, government and health, and safety sectors. The MCO had changed the way companies need to operate in order to survive; skills related to digital and IT are highly sought after; fresh graduate also need to remain “driven” and be proactive in securing employment,” said Gan.


From left: Prof Ewe and Gan during the ceremony

Apart from the MoU signing, Jobstreet.com and UTAR presented JobStreet.com Best Graduate Awards to students from nine faculties and one institute. The recipients were Tan, Shum, Lee, Ong Ee Hung from the Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI), Kee Wee Boon from the Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT), Ang Cheng Kee from the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FICT), Kheu Siek Chin from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), Ooi Gia Wen from the Faculty of Science (FSc), Koe Jia Chi from Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) and Eng Sher Lee from the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS). These exceptional graduates were selected based on the best CGPA results in the faculty for the whole year- ie the best overall results from both March and August batch of graduates.


Gan (middle) presenting the JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award to Lee (right) as Prof Ewe (left) looks on


Gan (middle) presenting the JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award to Shum (right) as Prof Ewe (left) looks on


Gan (middle) presenting the JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award to Tan (right) as Prof Ewe (left) looks on


Lee thanking his lecturers for their teaching and guidance

FAM graduate Lee said, “I was surprised when I heard the news that I was awarded the JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award. I am thankful to the lecturers who have taught me to improve my critical thinking skills. I am also grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to justify my judgment in the assignments.”

“I believe that it is important to have a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge, however, gaining various practical experiences are equally important as it enables us to build a stronger career pathway. Apart from that, be daring to pursue the things that you are passionate about and see things from a different perspective. In the near future, I would like to gain more experience in my current work and also to venture into internal audits as I expand my career path,” said Lee who is currently working as an audit associate at Allan Ong & Co. PLT, Chartered Accountants.

FBF graduate Tan said, “I am feeling so proud to be awarded the best graduate of FBF this year. This is definitely a great recognition for me. I have successfully gained this award after working hard for four continuous years. Hence, I would like to take this opportunity to motivate my juniors and peers to excel in their academic studies. Remember, your success comes with your decision. Always believe and you will achieve your dreams someday.

Tan also shared some tips and advice to excel in studies, “Firstly, be sure to pay attention in the classroom. Secondly, be diligent in doing revision, especially before the exam. Thirdly, consult your lecturer or tutor if you have any doubts in your academic study. I would also like to remind you to give yourself a rest by participating in extracurricular activities such as competitions, events, etc. It’s definitely a good exposure for you to learn and experience new things. University life is definitely one thing you will miss after you start working. Thus, remember to study hard and play hard!”

“I am looking forward to jobs that relate to financial analysis, consulting, and problem-solving. I also planned to further my studies up to PhD and complete my Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) Program in the near future based on my career needs and development,” said Tan as he shared his thoughts on building his career.

FAS graduate Shum said, “I was surprised when I heard the news that I was awarded the JobStreet.com Best Graduate Award. My parents were very proud of me as I am the only child in my family. It was a very touching moment for me to know that I have made them proud. It is definitely a great recognition for me and this means a lot.”

“I was a transferred student back then. Being a new student in UTAR, I had to put in a lot of effort to stay on track. I realised that in order to excel in my studies, I cannot depend on my lecture notes alone. I had to fully utilise the library’s resources such as the reference book as well as other reading materials. After my classes, I would usually go to the library to do my revision. Other than that, time management is very important for a student. It helps to balance our study life and leisure time and enables us to become more organised,” said Shum as she shared some study tips.

“I wish to venture into the education industry. I could do home tutoring or set up a tuition centre. Currently, I am assisting my family with their business and also working as a home tutor. I am also planning to either continue my master’s degree or take up some other education courses to give me more opportunity in the education industry,” said Shum.

The signing ceremony ended with a souvenir exchange between Prof Ewe and Gan, followed by a group photography session.

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/awards/2020/Sept/04/01/01.html

LKC FES students excel in competition with innovative engineering design works

Students from Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) won in several categories at the online Innovate Malaysia Design Competition 2020, held on 17 August 2020. It was co-organised by various technology companies, including, CEDEC, Dassault Systémes SOLIDWORKS, Google, Intel, Keysight, MathWorks, Microsoft, SAS, and SilTerra.

The design competition aimed to promote innovative culture in engineering design work, tackle real-world problems with practical engineering solutions, and churn the brightest talents for product development, further research and commercialisation. Despite the limitations of Covid-19 pandemic that has brought difficulties for teams to gather and brainstorm, the LKC FES students were still able to perform and produce excellent results at the competition.

Winning the second place with a cash prize of RM3,000 in the Google Track category was Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Electrical and Electronic Engineering student Saw Jian Jing, guided by his supervisor LKC FES academic Dr See Yuen Chark.

“My supervisor has always advised me to never underestimate myself. Initially, it was not my intention to join this competition because I was not aware of this competition. Having participated and gaining all those experiences were indeed rewarding and I could not believe that I had won second place in that category. Other projects done by other participants were innovative and interesting as well, so I am just thankful that I won second place. With this honour, I would also like to thank my supervisor, Dr See, for all the guidance and support he has given me throughout this competition. I am also thankful to UTAR for providing me with a platform to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in this competition,” enthused Saw.


Second place winner for Google Track category, Saw

His winning project was titled “IoT Based Smart Single Wall Outlet”. The project presented a system that consists of a home control unit and a smart wall outlet that do not only enable the features of remote controlling and monitoring, but a protective mechanism as well. “This project was inspired by my previous project that was completed during my degree programme— Principles of Product Design. The innovation of this project is the protective mechanism whereby a locking cover hinders the outlet holes from being used by users particularly children where electrocution may happen. The project also allows easy monitoring of energy consumption and the electricity charges were also calculated and shown to users,” explained Saw.

In the MathWorks Track category, Master of Engineering Science student Miow Xie Cherng, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Electrical and Electronic Engineering students Ong Jia Ying and Wong Yee Cheng, won the first place with a cash prize of RM5,000, and MATLAB & Simulink Student Suite Edition (for each). Their winning project was titled “Accurate Positioning for DHL Express Delivery Package using LoRaWAN and A-GPS”




From left: First place winners Miow, Jia Ying and Yee Cheng

“As a team, we put in a lot of effort in defining and solidifying our problem statement. Our solution is designed to close these demand gaps. We joined the Innovate Malaysia Design Competition to develop our problem-solving skills. It is through competitions like these that participants can train their innovative and creative thinking, while applying the skills and knowledge learned in the classroom in the industry. The key feature of the competition involves solving real-world problems faced by companies and track sponsors, such as MathWorks and DHL. The competition gave us the opportunity to apply our engineering knowledge in bringing solutions for these companies. I was proud of the team when we won the competition because the time and effort that we put in was worth it,” said Miow.

“I am glad that our team was able to snag the victory for the MathWorks track. It was a truly challenging experience for us all, especially with the difficulty in meeting face to face for discussions on the project, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we managed to pull it off by being clear on the tasks that needed to be done, while frequently communicating with each other throughout the project timeline. I am grateful and proud of the efforts of my team members and advisor, Ir Ts Dr Tham Mau Luen,” said Jia Ying.

Yee Cheng, who also expressed her gratitude to Dr Tham for his guidance, was proud of the team’s achievement. The motivation for participating in this competition was to acquire experience in practical works other than only studying books. Also, this competition allowed us to expose ourselves to the advanced and modern technology nowadays. We have to keep up with technology at all times,” she added.

Miow, Jia Ying and Yee Cheng also participated in the DHL Design Challenge category using the same project. The team won the consolation prize of RM500.
In the Microsoft Track category, team members Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Electrical and Electronic Engineering student Ong Jun Xiang and Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Biomedical Engineering student Jessica Hon Siau Chieh won the consolation prize. They walked home with RM500.



From left: Hon and Jun Xiang won the consolation prize for Microsoft Track category

“Actually, we never had the thought of winning any prizes in the competition. We just wanted to gain more experience in competitions especially in national level competitions. We realised that it was a hard journey especially when the Movement Control Order was implemented halfway along the competition. We believe that we should always try our best to present our ideas and do whatever we could. Thanks to UTAR for giving us the opportunity to take part in the competition and represent the University. UTAR has always been encouraging its students to explore and take part in various competitions, while providing resources and platform for students to prepare and acquire the necessary skills and knowledge. We are also grateful for the insightful advice and guidance given by our supervisor, Ts Dr Lin Horng Sheng throughout the journey,” enthused Hon and Jun Xiang.

Their winning project titled “IoT based Precision Farming for Oil Palm”, proposed an IoT based precision farming that revolutionises on achieving oil palm profit per tree monitoring to detect and locate oil palm fresh fruit bunches harvesting in plantation. The project also aimed to automate oil extraction rate monitoring system in the oil mill.
Another team who won the consolation prize of RM500 was Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Electronic and Communications Engineering student Wong Jun Yong and Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Electrical and Electronic Engineering student Ch’ng Tai Yau for the Cenergi Design Challenge category. The team was led by LKC FES academic Ir Jeewa Vengadasalam.



From left: Consolation prize winners Jun Yong and Ch’ng

Their winning project was titled “Smart Building System using Augmented Reality and Voice Recognition”. The project was targeted for commercial or office building and university buildings. It aimed to reduce energy wastage; control activation or deactivation of electrical appliances and equipment using voice; provide Augmented Reality (AR) visualisation and history data on HVAC level of the office, and carry out predictive maintenance on equipment according to data.

Meanwhile, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Electronic and Communications Engineering students Jessica Tan Yen Lyn and Koe Jia Chi won the Sarawak Energy Design Challenge with a cash prize of RM3,000.



From left: Winners of the Sarawak Energy Design Challenge Tan and Koe

“Life has many ways of testing a person’s will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once - Paulo Coelho. I believe everyone can make it happen too, which is why I joined the competition because I wanted to challenge myself. Joining the competition has also provided me with ways to connect with top employers. So winning this category was incredible, especially in a large-scale competition such as this. It is a very beautiful process to watch the projects displayed together. It did seem impossible at the beginning, but nothing is truly impossible. We did our best to keep pace with the competition. We are thankful to our supervisor, Dr Lai An Chow for all the guidance and support given,” enthused Tan.

Koe, on the other hand, said, “I believe, apart from a presenting a complete project, which includes well-written methodology and clear results, the presentation plays an important part as well. We placed extra effort in designing our presentation slides to make it more interesting and understandable. The Covid-19 pandemic prevented us from performing a face-to-face presentation, so we did it online through Microsoft Teams. I believe being confident while presenting in a clear voice is important and helpful.”

Their winning project was titled “Power Outage Prediction Model using Machine Learning”. “For a machine learning project, the dataset is very important. Hence, for this competition, we gave several key datasets by Sarawak Energy Berhad. We would like to take this opportunity to see how the data is collected in real-word industry and also learn to study and process the real data. Besides, power blackout due to lightning striking a transmission facility and causing a rolling failure in the transmission and distribution system is a real problem currently faced by Sarawak. Hence, we wish to use our knowledge to see how we can help solve this problem. Having advance knowledge of where outages are most likely to occur allows companies to position crews and resources close to those places so that they can restore power more quickly. From a citizen’s perspective, preventing outages and mitigating their impacts is important because it eliminates or reduces the health and safety risks, as well as the economic damage they can cause,” explained Tan and Koe.

Congrats UTAR ranked 501-600 band in Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021!

Consecutive 4 years (THE 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021) in 501-600 band, only after University of Malaya (UM)!

Yes, I studied Sungai Long back in year 2016 there.

No worries on Cantonese, as there will be quiet number of Penang students here too.

Last time my monthly living expenses around RM1000 per month.

For now, I still students study remotely due to MCO period.

For Financial Aid, you can apply for PTPTN or UTAR Internal Student Loan, you may try apply for it.

Source: https://news.utar.edu.my/news/2023/Sept/25/01/01.html

UTAR and Tsinghua University forge academic alliance through MoU signing



Prof Dato’ Ewe and Prof Wang displaying the signed MoU

UTAR and Tsinghua University (THU) solidified their partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at UTAR Sungai Long Campus on 19 September 2023. The distinguished signatories were UTAR President Ir Prof Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat and THU President Prof Dr Wang Xiqin.

According to the MoU, both universities will collaborate on various fronts, including exploring international research projects, cultivating talents through joint programmes, exchanging academic staff for teaching and research initiatives, co-hosting academic seminars, talks and workshops, and facilitating student exchanges and internships in Malaysia and China.

Prof Dato’ Ewe said, “The close and ongoing exchange and cooperation between our two institutions have underscored the significance of formalising this MoU. I believe that through this MoU signing ceremony, both universities can further enhance faculty and student exchanges, organise a variety of academic events such as seminars, lectures, and workshops, and embark on collaborative research projects. These initiatives will not only benefit our faculty and students but also broaden students’ global perspectives, all while making a meaningful contribution to our societies and strengthening the bilateral relationship between our two nations.”



Prof Dato’ Ewe delivering a speech

Prof Wang highlighted THU’s notable international accomplishments in the realm of global engagement, including the establishment of research centres in various locations such as the United States, Latin America and Italy, a branch campus in Bali, Indonesia and the initiation of the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA). He expressed his hope that international cooperation would be a driving force for bilateral relations, including the relationship between China and Malaysia. Regarding the collaboration with UTAR, he stated, “I am particularly pleased today to see our university signing an MoU with UTAR. I hope that through in-depth exchanges and expanded cooperation, we can create more opportunities for the development of both institutions, staff and student exchanges, and collaborative research. This will infuse fresh vigour into the amicable ties between China and Malaysia and contribute positively to the rapidly evolving international environment. I have strong confidence that our collective efforts will pave the way for a brighter future.”



Prof Wong is confident that both universities can create a brighter future

Also joining the signing ceremony were several individuals representing both Tsinghua University (THU) and UTAR. From the Tsinghua University delegation, those in attendance included Tsinghua Alumni Association Secretary General Tang Jie, THU academic and NUCTECH Co. Ltd Chairman and President Prof Dr Chen Zhiqiang, THU academic and NUCTECH Co. Ltd Vice President Prof Dr Miao Qitian, THU Office of International Affairs Deputy Director Prof Dr Wang Hui, Office of International Affairs Senior Manager Zhang Yuan, NUCTECH General Manager of Asia and Eurasia Yang Bo, and NUCTECH General Manager of Malaysia Branch Ding Feipeng.

Representing UTAR were Vice President for Internationalisation and Academic Development Ir Prof Dr Goi Bok Min, Vice President for R&D and Commercialisation Prof Ts Dr Faidz bin Abd Rahman, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) Dean Assoc Prof Ts Dr Yap Wun She, Institute of Chinese Studies Dean Assoc Prof Dr Chong Siou Wei, Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI) Dean Dr David Tneh Cheng Eng, Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM) Dr Pok Wei Fong, Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research (IPSR) Deputy Director Prof Ts Dr Lim Yang Mooi, LKC FES Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Assoc Prof Ir Dr Ling Lloyd, Division of Community and International Networking (DCInterNet) Director Assoc Prof Dr Lai Soon Onn, DCInterNet Senior Assistant Manager Liu Dan and Assistant Manager Wang Yiling.

Additionally, several staff from Kampas Campus joined the ceremony via Microsoft Teams. They were Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FICT) Dean Assoc Prof Ts Dr Liew Soung Yue, Faculty of Arts and Social Science Dean Dr Lee Lai Meng, Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF) Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Assoc Prof Dr Choong Yuen Onn, Faculty of Science (FSc) Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Dr Phoon Lee Quen, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT) Deputy Dean for R&D and Postgraduate Programmes Dr Lo Po Kim and DCInterNet Deputy Director Dr Chen I-Chi.



From left: Prof Dato’ Ewe and Prof Wang signing MoU



Front row, from left: Prof Goi, Prof Chen, Tang, Prof Wang, Prof Dato’ Ewe, Prof Faidz, Dr Yap, Dr Pok. Second row, from left: Yang, Dr Ling Lloyd, Zhang, Prof Wang, Prof Miao, Dr Chong, Dr David Tneh, Prof Lim, Dr Lai, Wang and Liu