JOHOR BAHRU, 28thFebruary 2019 – A Pilot Plant Day was organized by the Department of Bioprocess and Polymer Engineering (DBPE) in collaboration with the Institute of Bioproduct Development (IBD) on 28th February 2019. The program was initiated by DBPE Bioreactor Analysis and Design team, led by Dr. Muhd Nazrul Hisham Zainal Alam, Dr. Daniel Joe Dailin, Dr. Nor Hasmaliana Abdul Manas and Dr. Nur Izyan Wan Azelee. This was the second of its series after the first one which was successfully conducted on April last year. The program received a full support from the School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, UTM.
The program aimed to give exposure to the final-year undergraduate students of Bioprocess Engineering Program about bioreactor operation from upstream to downstream processes. This program provided students with a better understanding on process scale-up and exposed them to the ways pilot-scale unit operations are operated. This program was intended to allow students to experience something beyond the confines of the university classroom and laboratory environments.
Welcoming speech from Director of Bioprocess and Polymer Engineering Program, Dr. Dayang Norulfairuz Abang Zaidel
The program started with a welcoming speech from the Director of Bioprocess and Polymer Engineering Program, Dr. Dayang Norulfairuz Abang Zaidel and the Director of Institute of Bioproduct Development, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Hesham A. El Enshasy. Then, the students were brought to the pilot plant facilities in IBD. During the tour, students were exclusively briefed by IBD officers, Mrs. Roslinda Malek, Mr. Solleh Ramli and Mr. Mohamad Saat regarding the upstream process, production process as well as the downstream process. Post-tour, students did some activities to test their critical thinking. The program was closed by a small gift-giving ceremony to the winning group and the program ended with a closing speech by the IBD Director.
The final-year undergraduate students of Bioprocess Engineering Program touring the IBD pilot plant facilities.
Students with IBD director and the team (front row from left; Dr. Daniel Joe Dailin, Dr. Muhd Nazrul Hisham Zainal Alam, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Hesham Ali El-Enshasy, Dr. Nur Izyan Wan Azelee and Dr. Nor Hasmaliana Abdul Manas).
As the students are now conducting their Plant Design capstone project, this kind of exposure is very useful in helping them visualize the real process in the industry. Students get to observe how the in-class theories were translated into real-world applications, and how things really work in the industry. This program is also one of the team initiatives to improvise teaching and learning activity, in-line with the university and to meet the requirement of accreditation board for the outcome-based education implementation. It is hoped that this program series will continue to get full support in the future.