Why wait till graduation?
THREE students from UCSI University proved that you don’t have to wait until after graduation to make an impact in the real world.
Valedictorian at this year’s convocation ceremony, Tan Lea Ngar, 23, showed that being well-rounded has its benefits.
Having been elected as the Student Council events director, Unifest organising chairperson (an outdoor concert to support local music talents) and the varsity’s Hailer newsletter head designer amongst other positions, Lea Ngar is outspoken and passionate.
“I have been an active person since high school and am passionate about getting involved in events. By doing this, I gain exposure and skills outside of my studies,” she said.
Lea Ngar, who was on the Dean’s List multiple times, was one of 2,542 students who received their scrolls during the ceremony.
Khong Mei Li and Tiffany Chung Wei Ning are two other proud graduates with significant accomplishments.
A two-time UCSI University’s President Award winner, 21-year-old Mei Li also bagged the “Best Oral Presenter” award at the recent 23rd Intervarsity Biochemistry Seminar for her research on the origins of poisonous organelles and toxins in the moon jellyfish Aurelia aurita.
“Initially, I only wanted to discover what toxin was present in the jellyfish,” she said.
However, the toxin turned out to be similar to toxins found in other jellyfish, as well as specific bacteria, which suggested that the moon jellyfish toxin could be developed and used as therapeutic agents for cancer treatment, said Mei Li.
She plans to further her research on toxins with the hope of making therapeutic discoveries.
Tiffany, a Gold Medal recipient in the Third Life Invention Gifted Contest for Green Growth in Korea 2011, devised a method to convert human footsteps into electricity.
“During discussions with my supervisor, I thought about many methods for energy generation. There are areas where people walk a lot and their footsteps can be used to create compressed air which could then be converted to energy,” she shared.
Tiffany is now extrapolating her work to road humps and railways.
Her research has already been recognised by the International Conference on Renewable Engineering Technology and the Sixth International Conference on Advanced Computational Engineering and Experimenting 2012.
One of the event’s main highlights was the conferment of the title Emeritus Professor to Prof Dr Kwan Teck Kim, who has made significant and meritorious contributions to research and education in the fields of science and medicine for more than 35 years.
Apart from his research efforts, Prof Kwan is recognised for pioneering and establishing the varsity’s Applied Sciences, Medicine and Health Sciences, and Pharmaceutical Sciences faculties.
He also initiated the varsity’s twinning programme in Pharmacy with Curtin University of Technology.