BRIGHT SPARKS: UCSI’s winning teams posing for a group shot with their advisors, Asst Prof Dr Tan Khang Wei (most left) and Mr Mubarak Mujawar (most right) during the NRIC.

KUALA LUMPUR: Two teams from UCSI University’s (UCSI) Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment (FETBE) clinched gold and bronze medals in the recent Novel Research and Innovation Competition 2013, held at Universiti Sains Malaysia. 

Ecstatic about their win, the teams – under FETBE’s chemical engineering department – edged out more than 130 teams from local and foreign universities. 

Under the supervision of their respective lecturers – namely, Mr Mubarak Mujawar and Asst Prof Dr Tan Khang Wei, the teams spent several months designing posters and prototypes while collaborating with other research students and staff from Universiti Malaya and Monash University on the projects. 

Mr Mubarak’s team collected biomass extracts from palm oil mill and converted it into Magnetic biochar to treat waste water – notably, the project successfully removed heavy metal and dye. 

A member of the team, Ruth Jeyarani pointed out that the competition enhanced her interpersonal and communication skills. 

“During the competition, I needed to explain my project and communicate (the key messages) effectively to people. I am happy about winning (the gold prize) and am grateful to Mr Mubarak for supporting us,” she said. 

“All in all, it was a very good learning experience.” 

Sharing her view was student Soong Yee Kai, whose team focused on ultrasonic-assisted isolation of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) from palm oil biomass for their project. 

“I found this experience useful because I got to interact with a lot of people from various universities. I was also able to exchange valuable knowledge and expertise with Monash University’s research team through joint research efforts,” he explained. 

“It was our first time participating in such a competition and I found it very interesting.” 

The teams were judged on various aspects – such as teamwork, functionality, design, creativity and presentation skills, among others – and according to Dr Tan, the teams presented competently before the panel of judges. 

He also highlighted that the competition provided an excellent platform for the students to go out there and be immersed in real-life industry experience.