PENANG, 31 December 2015 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS) celebrated the success of postgraduate students who excelled in various fields at the Majlis Persada Kencana (MPK) 2015 ceremony here today.

USM Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Adnan Hussein said, MPK 2015 is an annual event that honours and rewards our postgraduate students who have achieved outstanding performance in their areas of research and studies.

He added that it was also held to recognise the contributions of USM staff who have played a significant role in the postgraduate education programme.

“Postgraduate education is an important investment to a nation in terms of human capital development, and as such, I believe postgraduate students are our most precious research talents who play significant roles towards the formation of a strong research community in USM,” said Adnan who is also the USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Development and Alumni) in his officiating speech at the ceremony.

Adnan further added, today’s postgraduate students are faced with multifarious challenges such as rapid technological change, economic uncertainties and global competition amongst institutions of higher learning, and they have to brace themselves and be ready for these challenges.

“In USM, we always encourage our postgraduate students to be flexible and innovative to face these challenges while maintaining the quality and integrity in their studies and research work,” he stressed.

He also reminded them to maintain the good name and image of USM, to be good leaders and ambassadors of USM who will carry the name of USM with pride and joy wherever they go, and always contribute back to the society.   

Also present were the USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs) Professor Dato' Dr. Ahmad Shukri Mustapa Kamal, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Dato' Dr. Muhamad Jantan and the university’s principal officers.

Meanwhile, the Dean of IPS, Professor Dr. Othman Sulaiman hoped that MPK 2015 will provide the motivation and encouragement to over 20,000 postgraduate students from more than 30 countries who are studying in the four campuses of USM to be more diligent in their studies and excel in whatever they do.

"With the theme 'Beautiful Minds Inspire Others', USM IPS hoped that the students who are currently pursuing their studies would be able to make a difference to the society through their research results and outputs besides being able to inspire other students especially those who intend to do their postgraduate study," said Othman.

MPK 2015 gave recognition to seven categories which included Best Researcher Award, Best Thesis Award, Best Research Award, Sanggar Sanjung Award (Journal Publications & Patents) and Best Student Award (Coursework and Mixed Mode).

The recipient of the Best Researcher Award, Siti Khairani Abdul Jalil, 26, when met said, she was very grateful for the award and would continue to give her best to excel in her academic and research pursuits.

“Currently, I am doing my research in archaeology which I hope to complete in three years’ time; I also hope my research work will contribute significantly towards the archaeological findings at the Bukit Bunuh area of Lenggong Valley, Perak,” said Siti Khairani, whose research entitled 'Classification and Technologies of Flake Tools From Bukit Bunuh Impact Rocks and Their Function Through Usewear Experiment' is to find the functions of 308 types of rocks from the meteorite impact crater formed 1.8 million years ago at the Bukit Bunuh site.  

She also suggested that the results of scientific studies should be published in a language that is more easily understood by the public so as to facilitate sharing of knowledge.

Translation: Tan Ewe Hoe/Text: Syuhada Abd Aziz