UTAR Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT) academics and students won one gold medal and one silver medal at the Penang International Invention, Innovation and Design (PIID) 2023. The PIID 2023 competition was carried out from 17 to 18 May 2023.

The PIID 2023 was organised by the Research Management Unit in collaboration with the Centre for Civil Engineering Studies of Universiti Teknologi MARA, Penang Branch. It aimed to serve as a platform for students, academicians, industries and professionals to highlight innovation, invention and design in their respective fields related to science, technology, engineering, mathematics and social sciences.

The competition was in line with the government’s policy to encourage research activities in Malaysia and promote the Sustainable Development Goals.

The first winning team, which was comprised of Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Petrochemical Engineering students Liaw Si Jian and Boh Chuang Jyhe, Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) student Lim Khar Lok, and FEGT academics, namely Assoc Prof ChM Ts Dr Sin Jin Chung and Assoc Prof ChM Ts Dr Lam Sze Mun, was awarded a gold medal for their invention titled “Advanced photo-catalysis technology for palm oil mill effluent treatment and pathogens decomposition with simultaneous biogas generation”. The team, led by Dr Sin, walked away with a gold medal and certificates.

Meanwhile, the second team which was comprised of Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Environmental) with Honours student Ng Jin Yuan and Master of Engineering Science student Leow Guo Yao, Dr Sin and Dr Lam, was awarded a silver medal for their project titled “Sustainable wastewater treatment and energy generation synchronously using copper scrap wire as anodic filling with calcium carbide-based constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell”. Led by Dr Lam, the team walked away with a silver medal and certificates.

PIID 2023 is a competition that commercialises products, ideas, inventions and designs that have high-quality innovation. The competition was judged by juries from the industry and academia with experiences in innovation, commercialisation and research.

Themed ‘Energising sustainable future through social entrepreneurship and innovation technology’, PIID 2023 attracted a total of 286 innovative projects from universities, colleges, vocational colleges, government agencies and industries.