FYP Poster Competition turns student research into industry-facing ideas

A group photo taken to commemorate the occasion

Student research found a sharper public voice at the Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) Final Year Project Poster Competition for the February 2026 trimester, held on 29 April 2026 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus.

Group photo of the FYPC and the panel of judges

Organised by the Final Year Project Committee (FYPC) and the External Relations Committee (ERC) of LKC FES, with the IEM Student Chapter as co-organiser, the competition brought together final-year students from nine academic tracks to present their work through posters, project explanations and face-to-face assessment. Beyond recognising strong academic performance, the event gave students a setting to explain their ideas clearly to judges, visitors and industry representatives, an ability that remains central to professional practice in engineering, science, computing, architecture and related fields.

This year’s competition was held in conjunction with Huawei Day: Intelligent World 2035, adding an industry engagement dimension to the academic showcase. Partner booths were also open to students, creating space for conversations on technology, career pathways and professional expectations. The event was supported by Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, VSTECS Pericomp Sdn Bhd, Glocomp Systems (M) Sdn Bhd, Impact Business Solutions Sdn Bhd and Tec D Distribution (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

Prof Goi delivering his opening remarks

In his opening remarks, UTAR Vice President for Internationalisation and Academic Development Ir Prof Dr Goi Bok Min congratulated the participating students on their hard work and encouraged them to use the competition as a learning platform. With 196 posters submitted across nine tracks, he said the event offered students a valuable chance to learn from one another while gaining feedback from experienced judges.

Prof Goi also expressed appreciation to the judges for their time, guidance and support in helping students refine their ideas. He thanked Huawei for its continued partnership and support, noting that industry exposure of this nature is highly beneficial for students as they prepare for future careers. He added that building connections remains important, as such engagement can help students explore opportunities beyond the classroom.

Across the competition, students presented projects that reflected a wide spread of concerns, from cultural preservation, sustainable buildings and smart agriculture to rainfall modelling, indoor positioning, wastewater treatment, identity verification and renewable energy systems. The range of topics showed how final-year projects at LKC FES continue to address both technical questions and practical needs in society and industry.

Winners of Track 1 Department of Architecture & Sustainable Design (DASD)

In Track 1, Nathaniel Giyl A. Tubong won the Gold award for “TUNAS: Melentur Budaya, Mengangkat Karya”, while Tin Li Sin received the Silver award for “Akar Commons: Aquaponic (Agriculture + Hydroponic)”. The projects reflected different approaches to built environment thinking, with one engaging cultural expression and the other exploring food-related sustainability through aquaponic systems.

Winners of Track 2 Department of Mathematical and Actuarial Sciences (DMAS)

For Track 2, the Gold award went to Tan Wei Shan for “Modelling and Predicting Monthly Rainfall Patterns in Malaysia Using Tweedie GLM”. Gan Thong En received the Silver award for “Comparison the performances of universal portfolios in ASEAN Markets”. Both projects drew on mathematical modelling and quantitative analysis, with applications linked to climate patterns and financial markets.

Winners of Track 3 Department of Mechatronics and BioMedical Engineering (DMBE)

In Track 3, Goh Guang Yi won Gold with “A Single-Output Sensor for Temperature–Pressure Decoupling in Robotic Grasping”, while Chua Yun Juan secured Silver for “Development of a Smart Farming System for Precision Agriculture Using IoT and Machine Learning”. Their work pointed to the growing role of sensing, automation and machine learning in robotics and agriculture.

Winners of Track 4 Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (D3E)

Track 4 saw Lee Qi Zheng receive the Gold award for “High-Precision Indoor Positioning Using Visible Light Communication and Quantum-Inspired Optimization”. Liew Zi Yue won Silver for “Development of a Modular Optical Character Recognition and Large Language Model Application”. The winning entries highlighted advances in positioning technologies and practical artificial intelligence applications.

Winners of Track 5 Department of Computing (DC)

In Track 5, Ng Zhi Syuen earned Gold for “Merchant Onboarding Web Portal with Secure Access and Automated Identity Verification”, while Teoh Wei Hong received Silver for “AI-Enhanced Online Multiplayer Game Server with Predictive Opponent Modeling via WebSockets”. The projects reflected computing solutions for secure digital services and online game systems.

Winners of Track 6 Department of Surveying (DS)

For Track 6, Liow Pei Yu won Gold with “Digital Transformation in Quantity Surveying: The Impact of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in Malaysian Quantity Surveying during the Pre-Contract Stage”. Lim Chee Yun received Silver for “A Study on Innovative Smart Building Systems for Sustainable and Healthy Indoor Environments”. Both projects examined how digital tools and smart systems are shaping the built environment.

Winners of Track 7 Department of Civil Engineering (DCI)

In Track 7, the Gold award went to Shino Tay E Ching for “Study on the Challenges to the Adoption of the Industrialised Building System (IBS) in Malaysia”. Sim Jia Xuit received Silver for “Experimental Study on the Engineering Properties of Lightweight Foamed Soil Incorporating Spent Coffee Grounds with a Clay: Cement Ratio of 2:1 at a density of 1200 kg/m³”. The projects addressed construction productivity and material innovation, including the reuse of spent coffee grounds in engineering applications.

Winners of Track 8 Department of Mechanical and Material Engineering (DMME)

Track 8 recognised Lee Zhao Ming with the Gold award for “Investigation of Energy Efficiency of a Hybrid PV-T System for Malaysian Household”. Liew Zi Wei received Silver for “Calcium carbonate filled recycled expanded polystyrene filament for fused filament fabrication”. Their projects explored energy efficiency and materials reuse, two areas closely linked to sustainable engineering practice.

Winners of Track 9 Department of Chemical Engineering (DCL)

In Track 9, Damon Lim Ching Ann won Gold for “Optimization of Alum-Lime and Bone Char on Steel Industrial Wastewater Fluoride Removal”, while Choong Yung Qin received Silver for “Production of Grey Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus Ostreatus) Mycelium Insulating Block Using Solid State Fermentation and Liquid Fermentation Hybrid Method”. The projects focused on environmental treatment and bio-based material development.

Winner of Most-liked Poster

The Most-liked Poster award went to Loi Jian Zheng for “The Hulu Budaya: The Malay Martial Art & Culture Centre”, a project that drew attention from attendees through its cultural theme and presentation.

The winners of each track

Nathaniel

Nathaniel Giyl A. Tubong, Gold winner of Track 1, said the project was shaped by the encouragement and ideas he received from those around him. “My friends, teachers and parents inspired me throughout the process and gave me many ideas. I feel that all of us won this prize, not just me. I am proud to be one of the students representing Architecture through this project,” he said.

Tan

Tan Wei Shan, Gold winner of Track 2, expressed happiness at receiving the award and thanked those who supported her final year project journey. “I am very happy to receive this award, and I would like to thank the faculty and my supervisor, Mr Phoon Sheong Wei, for their support throughout this FYP project,” she said.

Goh

Goh Guang Yi, Gold winner of Track 3, said he was pleased to be recognised as the top winner in his track. “I am happy to be the Gold winner for my track this year. I would like to thank my supervisor, Ir Prof Chee Pei Song, and my girlfriend, who supported me throughout the project,” he said.

Lee

Lee Qi Zheng, Gold winner of Track 4, said the recognition came as a pleasant surprise after a year of hard work. “I really did not expect to win this award. I would like to thank my supervisors, family and friends. I also want to thank myself for working hard throughout the year on this project,” he said.

Ng

Ng Zhi Syuen, Gold winner of Track 5, described the award as a rewarding outcome after a demanding project development process. “I feel extremely happy. It was not easy to complete this project, as it took a lot of time and continuous refinement. I am thankful to my supervisors for their advice and guidance, which helped me improve the project and win this award,” she said.

Liow

Liow Pei Yu, Gold winner of Track 6, said the win was unexpected and meaningful. “I feel surprised because I never thought I could win this competition. I would like to thank my supervisor, family and friends for supporting me throughout this project and encouraging me along the way,” she said.

Shino Tay

Shino Tay E Ching, Gold winner of Track 7, expressed appreciation to those who guided and supported the project. “I feel honoured to receive this award, and I would like to thank my parents, friends and supporters. I especially thank my supervisor, Ir Ts Dr Wong Chee Fui, for his guidance and support throughout the project,” she said.

Lee

Lee Zhao Ming, Gold winner of Track 8, said the project required persistence and fieldwork, but he hoped it would bring practical value. “I am incredibly proud of my work. I spent countless hours under the sun taking measurements and collecting data, and I hope that my project will contribute to the community in some way. I would like to thank my friends, parents and supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Rubina Bahar, for their guidance and encouragement in helping me complete the project,” he said.

Damon Lim

Damon Lim Ching Ann, Gold winner of Track 9, expressed gratitude for the support he received from his academic community and peers. “I feel very happy to have won this competition, and I am grateful to my lecturers, teachers and peers for supporting me and helping me with my project. I am especially grateful to my supervisor, Assoc Prof ChM Ts Dr Tee Shiau Foon. I am truly thankful for this award, and I hope others will also have the chance to experience such meaningful recognition,” he said.

The competition closed with award presentations, lucky draws and photo sessions, bringing together students, judges, faculty members and industry partners. For the participating students, the day was not only a competition but also a rehearsal for professional communication, where research had to be explained with clarity, confidence and purpose.

Poster presentation to the external judges