PENANG, 19 March 2018 – Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Desa Murni from Butterworth, Penang, has been judged the winner of the ‘Young Makers Programme’ organised by Sains@USM and Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) and with full support from Makers@USM.

The winning project entitled ‘Smushy’ - a Smart Mushroom Garden House, which presented the idea of a mushroom house with a humidity level that could be controlled and optimised, caught the judges’ eyes.

The group won ‘the best of the best’ idea among the ideas from MRSM Beseri, MRSM Sultan Azlan Shah, Penang Free School and MRSM Kepala Batas. 

On hand to present the award to the winner was the USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail, during the opening ceremony of USM Maker Day 2018 held here recently in conjunction with the first year anniversary celebration of Makers@USM movement.

As a reward for being the winner, SMK Desa Murni will participate in the ‘Super Science High School Students Fair (SSH) 2018’, to be held in Japan in August, with the sponsorship provided courtesy of Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM). 

The Young Makers Programme is a programme that is focused on using the project-based learning approach to develop and improve high school students’ technical knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) through hands-on learning and development of industry-driven projects. USM has been providing training and coaching to the selected high schools.

Also present at the ceremony were the Director of National Advanced IPv6 Centre and also Director of Makers@USM Community, Professor Dr. Rosni Abdullah; USM Bursar, Dr. Rohayati Md Isa; Acting Managing and Director of USAINS Holding Sdn. Bhd., Farid Wajidi Mat Yusuff and the Dean of USM School of Physics, Professor Dr. Azlan Abdul Aziz.

Text: Nor Rafizah Md. Zain