First-year civil engineering students win best structural presentation
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia proudly celebrates the remarkable achievements of Year 1 Civil Engineering students Emmanuel Chong, Oscar Kaw, and Li Qin at the UTAR PROKON Structural Earthquake Stability Interuniversity Competition 9.0 (SES-IX), held on 20 July 2025.
Despite being among the youngest and smallest teams in the competition, the trio demonstrated exceptional teamwork, resilience, and technical skill under intense pressure, earning the coveted Best Structural Presentation award.
The competition brought together 13 teams from various universities, with most comprising Year 2 and Year 3 students in larger teams of four to five members. In contrast, Emmanuel, Oscar, and Li Qin tackled the challenge as a compact team of three first-years—making their achievement all the more impressive.
Assistant Professor, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society and Academic Supervisor Dr. Chu May Yen said, “We are incredibly proud of Emmanuel, Oscar, and Li Qin. Their performance exemplifies the kind of initiative, technical competence, and collaborative spirit we aim to foster in all our students. The experience not only marks a significant milestone in their academic journey but also reflects Heriot-Watt University’s commitment to nurturing confident, industry-ready engineers from day one.”
One of the competition’s biggest challenges was the limited 3.5-hour time frame to construct a structural model capable of withstanding simulated seismic activity. Against the odds, the Heriot-Watt team successfully completed their structure within the tight deadline.
Although a misunderstanding of certain competition rules led to their model being the heaviest among all entries, their design withstood all seven levels of the shaking test—a feat that reaffirmed their sound structural understanding, adaptability, and unwavering determination.
Beyond their hands-on engineering skills, the team also stood out for their professional presentation and technical articulation. Their ability to clearly communicate their design process, structural concepts, and software modelling impressed the judging panel, earning them top honours for presentation.
Importantly, the team also gained valuable practical experience using PROKON, an advanced structural modelling and analysis software. They were among the few groups to successfully complete and run a working PROKON model, an outstanding accomplishment at their level of study.