Published:
Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) had a fun-filled weekend, recently hosting our Open Day and the inaugural Science Festival. The event included a range of immersive experiences allowing prospective students and their families to explore the wonders of science and innovation with various activities, exhibitions, and competitions promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Visitors had an opportunity to meet and engage with our academics and students through various interactive activities, including a myriad of academic talks and workshops, as well as campus tours that were designed to give a peek at the campus life and facilities.
The inaugural Science Festival attracted students from all over Malaysia and featured carnival booths supported by various student clubs such as the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) Student Section, Energy Institute (EI) Student Chapter, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Student Chapter, Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) and many more, which were a hit among all the attendees.
The festival provided a platform for all students to showcase their knowledge and skills while engaging with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In addition, a "Newspaper Bridge Competition" was held, where students were challenged to build a bridge using only newspapers. The festival also included young students from Chumbaka Digital Maker Hub, Cyberjaya, a social enterprise that provides STEM-based education and problem-solving skills through programming and coding.
One of the significant events of the Science Festival was the Youth STEM Cup 2023 competition. The Youth STEM Cup (YSC) is the first ever student-led, nationwide competitive science Olympiad hosted by Malaysian Alumni of the International Science Olympiads (AMISO) in collaboration with HWUM. Intending to promote interest in competitive STEM subjects, especially Olympiad competitions in Malaysia, the final stage of this competition gathered over 300 students from schools all over the country to HWUM, including Chong Hwa Independent High School, Alice Smith International School, Kolej Matrikulasi Pahang, Kolej GENIUS@Pintar, Chung Ling High School and St Xavier High School from Penang, SM Sung Siew from Sandakan, and SM All Saints from Kota Kinabalu.
There were also workshops hosted by Schools, such as the Smart Beverage Workshop by the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS), where students get hands-on experience in experiments that requires chemical, mechanical, electrical, and electronic engineering knowledge. An Introduction to Java workshop was also held by the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences (MACS), and Hot Ice Crystal Tower workshop by the Malaysia Foundation Programme (MFP). Assistant Professor Dr. Yew Weng Kean, the Chairperson of the Science Festival Organizing Committee, said, "Science is not just a subject. It's a way of thinking and exploring the world around us. Our Science Festival and Open Day aimed to inspire the next generation of scientists, innovators and problem-solvers, and I am proud to see so many young minds engaged and excited about the wonders of STEM."
It was an unforgettable weekend of learning, exploration, and inspiration during our Science Festival and Open Day. We hope all who participated had an enlightening and inspiring experience. We want to thank everyone who participated and contributed to this unforgettable weekend, and we look forward to seeing you at our future events.