Members of the Swinburne Sarawak IChemE Student Chapter pose behind their banner.
KUCHING: Representatives from Swinburne’s School of Chemical Engineering and Science are in the running to win prizes at the prestigious eighth Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Malaysia Awards 2020.
The IChemE Malaysia Awards is an annual award that recognises excellence and innovation of individuals and organisations in the field of chemical, biochemical and process engineering. 31 finalists are a step closer to winning prizes at the competition.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the winners will be announced via IChemE first-ever virtual ceremony that will take place on October 19.
Chemical engineering lecturer Dr How Bing Shen is among five finalists nominated in the Young Researcher Award category. He will be competing against four researchers from Universiti Malaya, Monash University Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Petronas.
Dr How, who has high research competency in the field of process system engineering, has published more than 10 journal articles in 2020 and accounted for a H-index of 11 (Google Scholar).
Currently a debate coach for Chung Hua Middle School No.1 Kuching, Dr How’s area of specialisation ranges from process modelling, sustainability evaluation, process optimisation, and supply chain synthesis.
“I enjoy doing research works with my co-workers as I believe tag-teaming with experts from diverse fields contributes in producing impactful and valuable end products. For this nomination, I would like to share my joy and gratitude with all my fellow co-workers,” Dr How said.
Meanwhile, Swinburne Sarawak IChemE Student Chapter has also qualified as a finalist under the Student Chapter award category. Other finalists include Universiti Malaya, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, and Xiamen University Malaysia.
Swinburne is shortlisted for the second consecutive time in the finals that acknowledges the accomplishments and activities of all the IChemE Student Chapters across Malaysia.
According to Dr Elaine Yeu Yee Lee, lecturer from Swinburne’s Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science and Swinburne Sarawak IChemE Student Chapter advisor, students can gain multiple benefits by joining the student chapter.
“University life should be much more than just focusing on academics,” Dr Yeu commented.
“Learning is certainly a huge part of the university experience but it’s also a social and growing experience that encourages a move toward independence.
“Apart from academics, Swinburne lecturers deeply care about their students’ development to ensure they mature into well-rounded individuals.
“By joining IChemE Student Chapter, students enhance their time-management skills, boost their self-confidence, and develop valuable soft skills like organisational and leadership skills.”
Under the leadership of former president Andrea Lee, the student chapter continues to grow where in the past, its members successfully organised various activities and events such as workshops and site visits that aimed to spread awareness and education to the Swinburne community.
Lee, who was succeeded by Natalie Ho as the current president, thanked all team members and advisors for their effort and hard work particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is a remarkable accomplishment for Swinburne Sarawak IChemE Student Chapter to be nominated as one of the finalists in the IChemE Malaysia Awards 2020 for the second year in a row,” Lee said.
“Even in the middle of a pandemic, our Student Chapter continued to organise virtual events and webinars in an effort to uphold our mission and provide strong engagement among engineering students in Swinburne Sarawak.”
Ho added that the nomination means so much to the members as it shows that their hard work and effort are acknowledged. They hope to carry on with their journey in promoting the student chapter to an even wider community.
Established in 2015, Swinburne Sarawak IChemE Student Chapter provides students a platform to learn more about chemical engineering and opportunity to network with their peers through collaborations with regional chapters.