JOHOR BAHRU, June 11 – To spark excitement and curiosity in science among secondary school students, a SULAM programme titled “Spark of Science: Electrochemistry Live!” was organised by the Centre for Sustainable Nanomaterials (CSNano), Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (ISI-SIR), Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), in collaboration with Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Pulai Jaya, Kangkar Pulai.

Led by Assoc. Prof. ChM. Dr. Lee Siew Ling, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme, formed part of CSNano’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. It aimed to nurture students’ curiosity, strengthen their motivation in science, and expose them to the relevance of scientific knowledge in everyday life.

A total of 55 Form 4 students from SMK Pulai Jaya participated in the programme, which featured scientific talks, hands-on experiments, demonstrations, and mini-project presentations related to electrochemistry and chemical reaction kinetics. These interactive activities helped students connect classroom theories with real-life applications while encouraging active participation and scientific thinking.

The programme was also one of the Service Learning Malaysia – University for Society (SULAM) projects conducted by the Faculty of Science, UTM. A total of 45 second-year Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) students from the Department of Chemistry served as facilitators for the school students.

Through this initiative, the UTM undergraduate students successfully transferred the knowledge and practical skills gained from their Physical Chemistry Laboratory course to the community. Following each demonstration, the school students were given the opportunity to conduct the experiments themselves, making the learning process more engaging, meaningful, and enjoyable.

In addition to the scientific activities, the programme also included an introduction to science programmes offered at UTM. This session aimed to encourage students to pursue tertiary education in science and consider UTM as a leading institution in engineering and science in Malaysia. Postgraduate student Lee Ching Shien and second-year Chemistry student Yu Kok Yang shared their learning experiences and campus life at UTM, giving participants valuable insights into university education.

The UTM organising committee comprised Programme Director Assoc. Prof. ChM Dr. Lee Siew Ling, Programme Vice-Director ChM Dr. Abdo Mohommed Ali Al-Fakih, Secretary Nur Isarah Che Raimi, Head of Activity Unit ChM Dr. Muhammad Amirul Aizat Mohd Abdah, Head of External Relations Unit Ts. ChM Dr. Mohamad Shazwan Shah Jamil, Head of Technical Unit, Shahrul Nizam Mahmood, and Technical Unit member Mohammed Rafiq Aziz.

The postgraduate students involved as programme committee members were Lee Ching Shien and Ling Chui Min.

The SULAM programme was co-organised by the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, UTM, and was mainly funded by the School of Undergraduate Studies (UGS), UTM. The committee also received financial and in-kind support from industrial partners, namely Santa Industries Supply and Petronas, respectively.

Both the organising committee and school administration were pleased with the programme’s successful execution. The combination of scientific talks, hands-on experiments, and interactive sessions enhanced students’ interest and comprehension of science, encouraging them to explore topics beyond the classroom.

The programme demonstrated CSNano’s and the Faculty of Science’s ongoing dedication to promoting science education in local communities. It aimed to foster curiosity and develop the next generation of scientists through valuable engagement between the university and the community.

Prepared by: Nurul Adhah Saini, Yu Kok Yang and Cheng Shin Thong