Working tirelessly alongside the organising committee were the volunteers, who dedicated their time, skills, and enthusiasm to ensure the success of the 24th Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO 2024). These volunteers were Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) student Kwa Eng Keat and Master of Engineering Science student Thaddeus Lee Kie En from UTAR, and National University of Singapore students Alex Hue and Trinh Duy Hieu. Though sometimes behind the scenes, the role they played were testaments embodying the essence of community and service.

Kwa enthused, “Volunteering for APhO 2024 was certainly rewarding. I was able to hone my communication, problem-solving, and time-management skills. This was possible because effective communication was crucial when working with other volunteers and leaders to ensure the event ran smoothly. Despite that, I found myself relearning the importance of communication. Facing challenges allowed me to test my problem-solving abilities and improve my time management skills for better outcomes. Additionally, I have always been drawn to volunteering at events as it offers valuable insights into event management and networking opportunities.  Therefore, I am grateful to my postgraduate supervisor, Dr Lee Poh Foong, for providing me with this opportunity. My eagerness to apply my technical knowledge and observational skills to support the organising committee motivated my decision to volunteer. I am pleased to have contributed my best efforts and experience to make APhO 2024 a success.”

Meanwhile, Thaddeus Lee commented, “I began assisting the organising committee at the initial stages of the event at UTAR Sungai Long Campus. I chose to continue volunteering because it offered me a chance to gain wide exposure. This experience, among others, taught me the importance of being adaptable and a quick learner. These skills were crucial for completing multiple tasks efficiently and without errors.”

Alex Hue said, “I learnt about this event from my supervisor Prof Kwek Leong Chuan, who is also the APhO President, hence I got interested in helping. I personally like Physics, so it was fun to join in the efforts of advocating Physics education. During my time volunteering, I met many hardworking student helpers, who were brilliant and friendly individuals. Discussions were interesting and enlightening, which taught me the importance of collaboration. It was rewarding when I was able to share my knowledge in Physics, which the organising committee found helpful.  It was also useful when I was editing the theory paper and running the experimental demonstration during the paper discussion sessions. Other than that, I have been helping out with other general matters, like setting up the experimental equipment at the competition venue or printing for the discussions. It was truly an honour to work alongside many other hardworking helpers, who averaged out to roughly four hours of sleep a day, and even this pales compared to the more demanding tasks of the organising committee.”

Trinh expressed, “I was a past participant of one of the APhOs, and I am currently studying in Singapore. When I learnt that APhO 2024 will be held in Malaysia, I decided to apply for volunteering, since it was conveniently close to Singapore. This opportunity was too good to miss. It was exciting and refreshing to see the event from a helper’s perspective compared to when I participated. Being among the participants reminded me of my own journey and reignited my passion for Physics. Though I primarily assisted in marking the theory scripts of students and participating in the moderation process with team leaders, I was also responsible for facilitating team leaders and observers during theory and experimental discussions and translations. It was truly a joy to be part of the team as a volunteer.”