October 6, 2020, by Lee Mei Kee

Vice-Chancellor’s Medal 2020 Group Winners

The warmest congratulations to Vice-Chancellor’s Medal 2020 Group Winners i.e. Vanitha Singaram, Siti Nor Asma and Chong Zhi Xiong from the School of Pharmacy and Division of Biomedical Sciences! They were nominated by Prof Ting Kang Nee. Read the details of their achievements below:

“We received a Cascade Award in May 2017 for three years to run a project entitled “Promoting science using microscopes”. This project is in collaboration with the Royal Microscopical Society (UK). The aim of this project is to promote interest in science in primary school children in Malaysia. Since the start of the project we have hosted many schools on campus and visited many primary schools around Klang Valley including refugee learning centres. It is estimated that this project has benefited more than 30 schools and more than 4000 students and 100 teachers. In addition we have given opportunities to close to 70 UNM undergraduate and postgraduate students to get involved in the various activities ranging from conducting workshops for school students to running roadshow at a national science exhibition. The student bodies which have official participated in this project included BioMed Society, Rotaract Club and Engineers without borders UNMC. We have academic staff from all three faculties participated in our project to date. They are from the School of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, NUBS and Department of Biomedical Sciences.  

Many blogs have been written by students and participants of this project and some examples are listed below: 

https://www.nottingham.edu.my/NewsEvents/News/2017/Using-microscope-kits-to-enhance-science-learning-in-primary-school-children.aspx 

http://blogs.nottingham.edu.my/campusnews/2017/07/07/exploring-science-with-microscopes/ 

https://www.nottingham.edu.my/NewsEvents/News/2017/Promoting-science-using-microscopes.aspx 

https://blogs.nottingham.edu.my/campusnews/2018/02/22/science-day/ 

http://blogs.nottingham.edu.my/biomedicalsciences/2017/11/22/exploring-science-using-microscope-at-klesf-2017/ 

http://blogs.nottingham.edu.my/biomedicalsciences/2017/12/04/refugee-kids-visit-on-world-refugee-day/ 

http://blogs.nottingham.edu.my/biomedicalsciences/2018/09/02/exploring-the-world-of-science/ 

A final video with testimonial from teachers of participating school is added evidence of the success of this project in meeting its aim: 

https://www.facebook.com/UNMBiomedicalSciences/videos/221181622267371/ 

 

The sustainability of this project to run so smoothly is due to three main individuals who have never complained and play different but crucial roles to ensure the success of this project. They participated willingly and this is beyond their normal responsibilities in their roles. Vanitha helps with the administrative and liaising with the schools, transportation and catering for the visiting school children. Siti Asma supported the technical preparation of the samples, arrangement of the set ups and helped to run these experiments. Zhi Xiang wrote and improved the materials that we use in these activities and he leads and recruits student volunteers. Their efforts in the last 3 years and passion in improving the interest in science in Malaysian’s young children are commendable and should be recognised.”

 

Article written by Prof Ting Kang Nee (Head of School of the UNM School of Pharmacy)

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