UTAR Science Fair - a breakthrough success

UTAR has chartered yet another milestone when its inaugural UTAR Science Fair (Science Fair @ UTAR) drew hundreds of inquisitive young minds from secondary schools from all over Perak in a bustling affair held at Heritage Building at UTAR Perak Campus from 11 to 12 July 2013.

A joint effort between UTAR Faculties, Research Centres, Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research, Department of Consultancy and Commercialisation and UTAR Microalgae Sdn Bhd, the two-day fair comprised not only an R&D Exhibition featuring researches conducted by UTAR lecturers, but also scientific demonstrations, arts exploration, exhibition of posters and award-winning projects, talks, games, video presentations and hands-on programming activities.

The UTAR community apart, the fair also garnered strong support from the University's partners such as Agilent Technologies and DreamCatcher.

Streams of visitors thronged the fair as early as 8.30 in the morning. They comprised not only UTAR students and members of the public but also groups from schools such as Pei Yuan High School, Hua Lian High School, Shen Jai High School, SM Wesley Methodist Ipoh, SM Yuk Choy, SMK Changkat Lada, SMK Sultan Yussuf, SM Sains Tapah, SMK Dato' Sagor, SMK Methodist Kampar and SMK Sentosa Kampar.

UTAR Vice President for R&D and Commercialisation and also Organising Chairman Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei, said, "This science fair aims to create a science-based culture that inspires innovations for students, especially school students, and to assist them to strengthen their inclination towards science." 

He added, "The fair is also in line with government policy to encourage more students to take up science subjects and to increase the percentage of science stream students from 20 to 60 percent." 

Jasni bin Montah, guidance and counselling teacher from SMK Changkat Lada, expressed his pleasure in visiting the fair.  He shared, "This is a good opportunity for our school students to sharpen their scientific skills and to cultivate science-based interest among them.  It also serves as an enlightening experience for young students by trying out the hands-on science experiments organised by the university." 

 

"The fair is very informative and cater for students from both the science and art streams. It gives me a good overview of what every field is all about and at the same time, enables me to get good advice from the exhibitors and lecturers themselves," beamed Seervina Kaur Virk, a form four student from SM Wesley Methodist Ipoh.

There were also science-related talks such as 'TCM: Improving Health and Looks the Natural Way', 'Pests of Fruits Trees', 'Death and Survival in the Game of Plant Immunity', and 'An Overview on Evolutionary Computation'. 

The science fair will be an annual event to encourage more students to take up science subjects and to increase their competence in science. 

A group of students trying out the chalk chromatograph experiment 

Students trying out the microscopic investigation on human body parts

Curious students experimenting with the invisible ink

Centre for Foundation Studies lecturer explaining the Ruben's tube experiment

School students trying out the spectrometry experiment

Prof Lee (second row, fourth from right) posing with students and teachers of Shen Jai High School