When interest and curiosity know no boundaries, learning becomes more exciting, especially for the group of 40 schoolchildren, who spent their quality school holiday participating in the “Holiday Science Camp”, co-organised by Centre for Extension Education (CEE) and Faculty of Science (FSc) on 7 December 2019 at UTAR Kampar Campus.

The aim of the science camp was to cultivate the interest in science through fun learning experience on the concepts of knowledge from upstream farming (crops, aquaculture and livestock) to the downstream of food and daily use-product processing. The mode of content delivery of the science camp emphasised on hands-on activity in the campus’ Agriculture Park and Food Science Laboratory.

As UTAR places continuous emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, the science camp also educated participants on the importance of sustainable agricultural practices and food safety. The highlight of the camp saw participants learning through activities such as potting plants, herbs identification, fish feed production, plankton diversity, and goat milking and pregnancy diagnosis.

Divided into three groups, the participants visited Station A: Microscopic Drifters, where FSc academic Dr Ooi Ai Lin taught them about microorganisms and their classification. Participants also had the opportunity to use lab equipment, such as the microscope to look at the microorganisms. Station B: Explore the Herbs conducted by FSc academic Dr Teh Lai Kuan, saw the participants learning about different herbs and their medicinal benefits, as well as their culinary uses. For instance, participants understood that peppermint, also known as Mentha x Piperita, is known to treat indigestion, respiratory problems, headache, nausea, fever, stomach and bowel spasms and pain. Its culinary usage includes garnishing and sauce in Western and Indian cuisines. Locally, the peppermint is commonly used in curry mee and laksa.

Participants also learnt about Hydrocotyle leucocephala and its medicinal properties which included possessing antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. It is also commonly used to treat cold, tonsillitis, cephalitis, enteritis and dysentery. It is also used as a spice and a customary cuisine in the tropics. The other plant that participants learnt about was the Artemisia argyi (Chinese mugwort), a popular Chinese medicine used for the treatment of asthma and bronchitis, and as an expectorant. It also stimulates menstruation and helps in treating infertility and dysmenorrhoea. Mugwort leaves are also known for their bitter flavour, and is used for flavouring meat or fish, or can even add to a smoothie.

Station C: Chicken Eggs-periment, conducted by FSc academic Dr Kwong Phek Jin, saw participants learning about chick development and ultrasound of goat pregnancy. They also had the opportunity to see the different stages of the chick development in the egg when a torchlight is shone on it, as well as the way to differentiate a boil and uncooked egg.

At the “Food Detective in the House!” session with FSc academic Chung Kok Heung, participants learnt about eating the right portion, ways to stay healthy, and understanding sugar content of foods. The activities conducted included “Draw Your Healthy Plate”, “Sugar Content in Beverages”, “Food Colouring Test”, and cleaning with baking soda and vinegar. The final session “Dr Soapy in Action1” with FSc academic Dr Tan Gim Cheong saw the participants learning about soap-making and its process. The educational science camp ended with the presentation of certificates to all participants.

“I enjoyed Station C because it gave me the confidence to touch animals. I also like Station B very much because I personally like gardening, so learning about the herbs and their benefits was a fun lesson for me. I hope they will organise another camp like that,” said 12-year old Kartikayan.

“It was fun learning about marine life and egg candling, and the ultrasound scanning was interesting. Using the torchlight to look at the chick’s development was very fun too because I never knew there was such a method,” said 12-year old Chan Shi Kit.

“I learnt about various plants, chick development, healthy eating and soap making. All the activities were fun, especially seeing the goats because I get to learn more about the goats and because I personally like animals. It was a fun camp!” enthused eight-year-old Syarifah Ayra Umairah binti Sayed Ahmad Zikri.

“As a parent, I always believed that children should be independent learners where they will explore and discover new things. The Holiday Science Camp was very suitable for stimulating her learning. By participating in the camp, my daughter learnt much about science, which is also her favourite subject. Apart from theories and practical understanding, she was also able to socialise and make new friends, as well as acquiring new skills. The camp was definitely a good programme and it was able to stimulate her thinking and improve her confidence. I hope there will be more of such camps or science activities organised in the future,” said Vani Ramu.

Formerly known as the Biodiversity Park, the Agriculture Park was established in 2011 and was relocated to the current site in 2016. The park is currently managed by a committee, chaired by FSc academic Assoc Prof Dr Tee Chong Siang, along with other FSc lecturers from the Department of Agriculture and Food Science and Department of Biological Sciences. Apart from research purposes, the park primarily serves as a facility for Bachelor of Science (Hons) Agricultural Science programme practical learning. Currently, there are collections of various forest trees, fruit trees, herbs and vegetables. Aquaculture such as the cultivation of tilapia, patin fishes and freshwater prawns, as well as livestock, such as Boer goats and poultry are bred in the park.

While FSc aims to spearhead the development, application as well as dissemination of knowledge related to the Biological, Chemical, and Mathematical Sciences including fields such as Agriculture, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, and so on, the faculty has been actively supporting the University’s initiatives in promoting STEM education to schoolchildren. The Holiday Science Camp is one of such initiatives.

Currently, FSc offers the following undergraduate programmes - Bachelor of Science (Hons) Food Science, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Dietetics, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Biotechnology, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Microbiology, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Chemistry, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Biochemistry, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Logistics and International Shipping, and Bachelor of Science (Hons) Statistical Computing and Operations Research.