PENANG, 5 August 2015 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has always empowered the postgraduate students’ potential in organising programmes at the international level and this can be seen in the recent success of the 5^th International Conference For Young Chemists (ICYC) 2015, which was fully organised by postgraduate students from the School of Chemical Sciences.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Dato’ Dr. Muhamad Jantan said this when officiating ICYC 2015 here, recently.

“The effort initiated by these students is truly exemplary and it parallels the motto of the university in ensuring a sustainable tomorrow, as this conference would benefit the society, more so the participants towards a better understanding of the role chemistry plays in their daily lives,” said Muhamad.

He added, the university is very proud when students become proactive in programmes such as this, indicating that they are not only active in carrying out their research work in the university but also securing opportunities in the best manner possible.

“The students’ capabilities in approaching the researchers and the international chemistry experts for this conference should be commended, other than them gaining the exposure to international networks to establish university-industry relations in the future,” he said further.

A USM Master’s in Chemical Sciences student who also chairs the ICYC 2015, Tan Khaw Lin, 25, said, this conference would provide the inputs and benefits to the Chemical Sciences students as more research findings could be shared, as well as in wishing that such a conference could be held more in the future.

“A conference such as this is the best avenue for the sharing of ideas among the participants and paper presenters, for them to exchange views and opinions as well as in generating more information in this field,” said Khaw Lin.

A paper presenter from Taiwan, Guan-Cheng Lin, 22, said, this was his first experience coming to Malaysia and he was delighted to be able to share his ideas and expertise, other than getting to know fellow presenters from other countries.

“A conference such as this could assist me in building networks with those who are also in the same field and indirectly could provide me the added value, as the future young chemists definitely have the ideas and thinking of the young generation,” he further said, as he now pursues his Master’s degree at the National Taiwan University in the field of Mechatronic Bio-Industry Engineering.

For Chemical Sciences Doctoral (Ph.D) student from USM, Nadirah Zawani, 26, the opportunity gained from this conference would be used in the best manner possible to assist her and her friends in building relationships with the various industries in the future.

“I hoped that the various parties involved could utilise this conference as the best avenue to build networks as how it has been envisioned,” she added.

She further explained, the conference which has gathered the young postgraduate chemists has provided a new dimension in the Science field, as more research findings could be shared from the presentations; and also the hope that in the future more Malaysian products would be featured, as well as more participation from among the Malay students.

ICYC 2015 with the theme “Green Chemistry Towards A Sustainable Tomorrow” is a biennial programme fully organised by postgraduates students from the School of Chemical Sciences with the involvement of 143 participants which include 74 oral presentations, 60 poster presentations and 9 participants to the seminar, and with 117 local and 26 international participants; whereas from USM there were 66 participants, 77 non-USM participants and 16 invited speakers.

The participants and speakers come from all around the world such as United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan, Pakistan, Singapore, India and the United States of America.

Others who attended the event include the Dean of the School of Chemical Sciences Professor Dr. Wan Ahmad Kamil Che Mahmood and Deputy Dean (Research) School of Chemical Sciences, who is also the Head of ICYC 2015 Advisory Board Professor Dr. Bahruddin Saad.

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin/Text: Siti Naquiah Abdillah/Photo: Mohamad Danial Shahri