PENANG, November 2014 – Once again, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) boosted the name of the country in research and innovation when all six of its research products that competed in the World Exhibition on Inventions, Research and New Technologies (INNOVA 2014) won a gold medal each.

USM also won three INNOVA Special Awards at the Exhibition held in Brussels, Belgium, from 13 to 15 November.

The dean of research products (PP) from the School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Professor Dr. Hanafi Ismail was the recipient of the Prize of Lublin University of Technology and Haller Pro Invention Foundation (Poland) for its invention, r-RubFoam - A Novel Solution for Global Oil Spills which also won a gold medal.

rRubFoam is a cost effective and modern way to deal with the clean-up and removal of oil spill on land and water.

“INNOVA 2014 is a world-class innovation exhibition that brings many of the Eastern European researchers and their products together,” said Hanafi who is also a member of USM research selection panel.

Other products that won gold medals were from the School of Industrial Technology lecturer, Associate Professor Dr Baharin Azahari who featured Green Material from Banana Tree; and Dr Uthumporn Utra @ Sapina Abdullah, BISTEA; School of Dental Sciences lecturer Professor Dr. Ismail Ab Rahman, D-Hybridfil; School of Civil Engineering lecturer Professor Dr Fauziah Ahmad, USlopeMTM: AN Innovatives Slope Stability Software; and School of Chemical Engineering lecturer Dr Suzylawati Ismail, PAINTOSORPTM-Innovative Solution for Coloured Effluent Treatment.

PAINTOSORPTM which is the production of paints designed for the adsorption of colours of industrial wastes also received a Special Award for Chemical Engineering INNOVA 2014.

Moreover, Baharin and Suzylawati also received recognition from the Association of European-French Inventors.

“All the products that entered the competition were based on the theme of sustainability and also towards environmental stewardship and waste to wealth,” said the Director of Innovation, Research and Innovation Division USM, Professor Dr Rahmat Awang.

“USM strategy highlighted the ability of pioneering sustainable research and this has attracted many visitors from the industry and foreign universities. I feel very satisfied and grateful with USM overall success,” added Rahmat.

Meanwhile, USM also won five gold and two silver medals in the International Trade Fair Ideas - Invention - New Products 2014 (IENA 2014) which was held in Nuremberg, Germany.

The innovative product of a lecturer from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Dr Zaini Abdul Halim, Electronic Kit to Detect Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB EZ Kit) won a special award for its green technology.

The list of medal winners is as follows: -

GOLD

1. Dr. Zaini Abdul Halim - Electronic Kit to Detect Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (EZ SRB Kit)

2. Dr Zaini Abdul Halim - Electronic Pole to Detect Ripeness of Palm Oil Fruits

3. Dr. Aziah Ismail - EZTyphi-Paratyphi DNA-Dipstick

4. Prof. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed - Continuous Production of Carbon Nanotubes using Rotary Reactor

5. Prof. Madya Dr. Srimala Sreekantan - G-COAT - The New Revolution Coating for Glass Era

SILVER

1. Dr. Yam Mun Fei - Eusinorthec: A Novel Anti-Inflammatory Agent

2. Dr. Yam Mun Fei - Stepping Force Analgesic

- Translation: Yong Check Yoon/Text: Nor Rafizah Md Zain/Photos: Courtesy of the researchers