UTAR Intervarsity Science Symposium 2016

Group photo of the participants and speakers

The UTAR Intervarsity Science Symposium (UISS) 2016 was held at Kampar Campus from 12 to 13 August 2016 and saw the active participation of around a hundred undergraduate and postgraduate students from UTAR and other public and private universities in Malaysia.

Held for the first time in 2015, the successful seminar was jointly organised by the UTAR Centre for Biodiversity Research (CBR) and Faculty of Science (FSc). UISS this year saw more than 20 presenters comprising students from institutions of higher learning assembling at the Kampar Campus for presentations of their R&D findings and research experiences in many different fields, namely chemistry, biological sciences, agriculture, food science and health sciences.

Chairman of the UISS 2016 Organising Committee Dr Tey Lai Hock expressed his gratitude to the speakers and the many sponsors for their support to UISS. He explained, “Themed ‘Embark Science for Future Advancement’, the symposium aims to provide an opportunity to undergraduate and postgraduate students to promote their research to the public via poster and oral presentations. The symposium also aims to create a platform for students to interact with experts from both the industrial and academic sectors. It is a meeting place for developing the careers of young researchers at the interface of the life sciences.”

Dr Wong addressing the crowd

In his speech, CBR Chairperson Dr Wong Wey Lim congratulated the Organising Committee for making the symposium possible and extended his warm welcome to the presenters and participants. He added, “Today, advancements in science and technology are the key drivers in improving human living and economic development. Fundamental advances in scientific research have become part and parcel of development in many countries, including Malaysia. It is important for researchers, industrial representatives and related stakeholders to sit together and share their up-to-date knowledge in creating and accelerating novel innovations in science.”

Dr Lim delivering his opening speech

FSc Dean Assoc Prof Dr Lim Tuck Meng said, “This symposium is a timely platform for people from various backgrounds in science to interact and exchange knowledge and ideas to synthesise scientific advances and to establish potential multidisciplinary research collaborations.”

He added, “The theme chosen is also pertinent for the development of STEM education because more and more students are shying away from science. The involvement of undergraduate students in symposiums and seminars will give good exposure to them and hopefully instill the interest to further their studies to postgraduate research.”

Dr Lee presenting his research findings  

The keynote speaker for the two-day symposium was Assoc Prof Dr Lee Ping Chin from Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Through her talk titled “Harnessing the Pharmaceutical Potentials of Tropical Biodiversity”, Dr Lee highlighted that Borneo is one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the world with its endless variety of flora and fauna. She revealed, “Over the last couple of years we have screened many tropical plants, microbial communities and marine sponges in Sabah for compounds with pharmaceutical applications. These organisms produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites which have bioactivities against signal transduction of prokaryotes and eukaryotes.”

Clockwise, from top left: Dr Kumaran, Dr Ng, Albert, Tan, Chan, Sharman, Dr Tan, Prof Sandy and Szu Ting

With 11 oral presentations and 17 poster presentations, the enriching discussions were further supplemented with elevating talks by nine other invited speakers, namely Assoc Prof Dr Kumaran Narayanan from Monash University Malaysia, Dr Ng Thian Hong from Synthomer Asia, Tan Poi Teng from Lab Science Solution Sdn Bhd, Albert Ng Choon Lee from Nanogene Solution Sdn Bhd, Chan Chun Foong from Orbiting Scientific & Technology Sdn Bhd, Sharman M. Gaspar from Infors Southeast Asia (M) Sdn Bhd, Prof Dr Sandy Loh Hwei San from The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Dr Tan Chon Seng from Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institutions and Ng Szu Ting from LiGNO Biotech Sdn Bhd. 

Participants during an oral presentation

Participants exchanging information with industrial representatives

Participants thronging the poster area

The two-day symposium officially came to an end after an announcement of winners for best oral and poster presentations. The list of winners is as follows:

Best Oral Presentation Award – Postgraduate: Toh Wai Keat, UTAR

Best Oral Presentation Award – Undergraduate:

 -   Aaron Justine Ng-Hao, UTAR

 -   Joanne Lam See Weng, UTAR

Best Poster Award – Postgraduate: Melissa Ong, UTAR

Best Poster Award – Undergraduate:

 -   Helena Erin Doge-Wan, Monash University of Malaysia

 -   Leong Mei Kei, UTAR

UISS 2016 was supported and sponsored by UTAR, INO Nature Sdn Bhd, Active Advance Technology Sdn Bhd, Geneion Bio Sdn Bhd, Spritzer @ Chuan Sin Sdn Bhd, Nanogene Solutions Sdn Bhd, Lab Science Solution Sdn Bhd, Intercontinental Specialty Fats Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Bumi Sains and MyTACG Bioscience Enterprise.