KUCHING – Swinburne’s chemical engineering department has secured two different spots consecutively in the reputable Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Malaysia Awards 2021, which demonstrates its excellence once again.

The IChemE Malaysia Awards is an annual award that celebrates excellence and innovation in various fields of chemical engineering and is an excellent avenue for teams, companies, or individuals to have their projects recognised on a national platform.

Due to the limitations of COVID-19 pandemic, winners will be announced in IChemE’s virtual ceremony once again as in year 2020. The virtual ceremony will take place on Friday, 1 October 2021.

Dr. How Bing Shen, who is a lecturer from the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, has published more than 50 journal articles and has accounted for an H-index of 14 in Google Scholar. This is his second consecutive year to be shortlisted as Finalist in Young Researcher Award. His research interests include sustainable biomass value chain, energy planning & carbon management, process integration & optimisation, multi-criteria decision-making and P-graph application.

“ ‘Young’ should not be the ‘constraint’ of a researcher, but act as the ‘fuel’ to strive for better outcomes. I sincerely thank Swinburne Sarawak for all the supports given, and all my research partners for all the memorable collaborations, “ said Dr. How.

Additionally, Swinburne Sarawak’s IChemE Student Chapter has also qualified as a finalist for the Student Chapter award category for the third consecutive time. This distinguished award acknowledges the accomplishments and activities of all the IChemE Student Chapters across Malaysia.

Dr. Elaine Yeu Yee Lee, who is a lecturer from the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science and the Student Chapter’s advisor, recognises the committee’s efforts for IChemE Student Chapter.

‘’Being a Finalist of the IChemE Student Chapter Award again is something that I am very proud of. As an advisor, I witness how they grow and how they support each other. Even though they failed sometimes, nothing will stop them from trying, and this spirit of determination is passing on. After several entry submissions, we were shortlisted as a finalist for the very first time under the leadership of former President Andy Law in 2019. The continuous growth of the Student Chapter led by former presidents Andrea Lee and Natalie Ho has earned a ‘highly commended’ for the entry in 2020. This year we are thrilled to be shortlisted for the third time under the leadership of President Abdulqader Bin Sahl. My heartfelt gratitude to the committee for continuous commitment and sincere thanks to our members for lending the untiring support. This achievement will definitely provide a tremendous boost to the entire team, and I am sure it will bolster our efforts to develop and continually improve our services,’’ said Dr. Yeu.

Former president Natalie Ho is credited for the Student Chapter’s continued development. During her leadership, Natalie effectively planned many activities and events such as various talks and webinars through online platforms to comply with Covid limitations which is beneficial for students as it promoted awareness and knowledge to the Swinburne community.

‘I am extremely proud of our student chapter for working hard to uphold our mission and provide virtual events to encourage strong engagement among students despite the pandemic. Swinburne Sarawak IChemE Student Chapter has always been dedicated to bringing meaningful events for students in Swinburne Sarawak and its community. Being nominated as one of the finalists in IChemE Malaysia Awards 2021 for the third time in a row is truly a remarkable accomplishment, and I am proud of every single committee that has helped bring our Chapter to where it is today,’’ said Natalie.

Abdulqader Bin Sahl, who is succeeded by Natalie Ho as the newly appointed President, appreciates the commitment by the team members and advisors that made the Student Chapter’s achievements possible during this unprecedented COVID-19 condition.

“I am truly honoured to be part of our student chapter that has grown so much in the past few years. Swinburne Sarawak IChemE Student Chapter continues to provide insightful and interactive events to our community as well as provide a platform for students to collaborate and develop their soft skills no matter what their role is in the chapter. To be nominated in the finals yet again is an outstanding achievement which is a testament to the consistent hard work from our advisors and committee,” said Abdulqader.

Established in 2015, Swinburne Sarawak IChemE Student Chapter continues to provide a platform for students to learn more about chemical engineering and the opportunity to network with their peers. This networking opportunity is expanded with the collaboration of regional IChemE Student Chapters. To find out more about the Student Chapter, visit their Facebook page at http://bit.ly/SUTSicheme and Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/suts_icheme/

 For more information about Swinburne, visit its website www.swinburne.edu.my, Facebook (@swinburnesarawak), Instagram (@swinburnesarawak), Twitter (@Swinburne_Swk) or YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak).