KUCHING, 27 June 2018 – USM talents are again picking up a challenge, this time for a global sustainable cause at the Make For The Planet Borneo or #Make4thePlanet Challenge.

Two USM teams are putting their minds together at the challenge, with team 'HARAPAN' consisting of Fung Chey, Yew Farng Hwai, Tan Ren Zhang and Ong Xuan Zhi and team 'BIG BEYOND' (Bring Innovative Go Beyond) consisting of Chiew Sook Chin, Tan Zan Sang, Ng Lee Wah, and Nurul Amani Rosman. 

The challenge is aimed at creating solutions to challenging marine conservation problems, which would be presented in front of a global audience at the 5th International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC5) in Sarawak, Malaysia on June 24-29, 2018.

Up to 15 multidisciplinary teams of 4 from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, USA, Vietnam, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and United Kingdom will compete in an on-site event called ‘Make for the Planet’ over the duration of the IMCC5 conference.  

USM is a technical partner through Makers@USM for this event. Also present were CEMACS Director, Professor Dato' Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai, acting as a conservation expert and judge; and academics from the USM School of the Arts, Dr. Muhammad Hafiz Bin Wan Rosli acting as a presenter, conservation expert and reviewer; and from the USM School of Computer Sciences, Dr. Jasy Liew Suet Yan acting as a reviewer.

‘Make for the Planet’ is a team competition/hackathon to create hardware and/or software solutions to deal with specific conservation challenges. Teams would work to solve global conservation challenges through creative and transformative solutions that harness emerging ideas in science and technology, entrepreneurship and design.

Conservation X Labs is the host of this event, with its mission is to harness exponential technologies, open innovation, and entrepreneurship to dramatically improve the efficacy, cost, speed, scale and sustainability of conservation efforts to end human-induced extinction.

Text: Hafiz Meah Ghouse Meah