Dr. Yew Weng Kean, 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.”
The first-ever Science Festival was recently held at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM), which had a fun-filled weekend.
The event featured a variety of immersive experiences that let potential students and their families learn about the wonders of science and invention through different competitions, exhibitions, and activities that promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Visitors had the chance to interact with our academics and students through a variety of interactive activities, such as numerous academic talks and workshops, as well as campus tours that were intended to provide a glimpse at campus life and facilities.
The first-ever Science Festival featured funfair booths backed by numerous student clubs, including 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 well-liked by all those present. All students had the opportunity to participate in the festival and demonstrate their understanding of and proficiency in STEM fields.
In addition, there was a “Newspaper Bridge Competition” where students had to construct a bridge solely out of 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.
The Youth STEM Cup 2023 competition was one of the Science Festival’s noteworthy events. The Malaysian Alumni of the International Science Olympiads (AMISO) in conjunction with HWUM are hosting the first-ever student-led, national competitive science Olympiad, known as the Youth STEM Cup (YSC).
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.
As an example, the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS) hosted a workshop on smart beverages where students could participate in experiments that required knowledge of chemical, mechanical, electrical, and electronic engineering.
Additionally, the Malaysia Foundation Program (MFP) held a Hot Ice Crystal Tower workshop and the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences (MACS) held an Introduction to Java workshop.
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.”
Our Science Festival and Open Day weekend was filled with inspiration, learning, and exploration. We wish everyone who took part had an enlightening and motivating experience. We want to thank everyone who participated in and made this weekend unforgettable, and we hope to see you at some of our upcoming events.