Ms Camelia Ng (second from left) and her teammates displaying their certificates for the Outstanding Teamwork Award
Summer, albeit hot, is a season where warmth meets adventure. For Camelia Ng Choi Lam, a postgraduate student in the Master of Engineering Science programme at UTAR Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT), this summer proved to be a rewarding experience. She participated in the Urban Science and Sustainability (USS) Summer School, hosted by the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Xiamen, China, from 6 to 15 July 2025. Joining her were Mr Pravin Muniandy, another postgraduate student from FEGT, and Ms Chew Ke Xin from the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FICT). Together, the trio represented UTAR on the international stage.
Ms Camelia Ng detailed her experience of collaborating with her international team members, namely Aditya Manglik from ETH Zurich; Hanbo Hu from Beijing Normal University; Ilya Ilyankou and Natchapon Jongwiriyanurak from University College London; and Yuwen Deng from Southeast University. Their team worked on exploring the use of emerging technologies to address environmental challenges in rapidly urbanising cities. The team’s strong collaboration and innovative ideas earned them the Outstanding Teamwork Award.
Beyond teamwork, Ms Camelia Ng also had the opportunity to build lasting friendships and global connections through the programme’s enriching cultural exchanges and site visits. These activities deepened participants’ understanding of sustainable urban development in China, and created a stronger sense of appreciation towards culture, history, and sustainability.
Having spent a meaningful summer, Ms Camelia Ng expressed her gratitude to FEGT and the USS Summer School for the transformative learning experience. She looks forward to applying the insights and skills she has acquired in her future research and contributing further to sustainability initiatives.
The USS Summer School is an intensive 10-day programme featuring expert-led lectures, interactive workshops, group projects, and field visits. This year, it gathered 39 students from diverse academic backgrounds and institutions worldwide to explore pressing urban challenges such as climate change, urban resilience, smart infrastructure, and sustainable development. Topics ranged from artificial intelligence and digital governance to environmental modelling and urban metabolism, delivered by leading scholars including Professor José Lobo from Arizona State University and Dr Fengqi You from Cornell University.
Group discussion
Ms Camelia Ng presenting her part
From left: Ms Chew Ke Xin, Ms Camelia Ng Choi Lam, Mr Pravin Muniandy
Professor José Lobo (far left) and the trio
Group photo with other participants
Participants and organisers of the USS Summer School
Field trip to the Institute of Hydrogeology and Environment Geology, CAGS
Field trip to the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Field trip to the Xiamen Planning Exhibition Hall
© 2025 UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN DU012(A).
Wholly owned by UTAR Education Foundation (200201010564(578227-M)) LEGAL STATEMENT TERM OF USAGE PRIVACY NOTICE