MERSING, Jan 11 – To promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and astronomy, a final-year Physics student from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, went to Sekolah Menengah Sains Sultan Iskandar (SMSSI), Mersing, to organize a program called Universiti Teknologi Malaysia-Stargazing Astrophysics Program II (UTM-STAR II) on 11 January 2025.

More than 100 Form 3 students in SMSSI participated in UTM-STAR II that organized by 48 students from Astrophysics course from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). The program was attended by Dr. Roslinda Zainal, Head of the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, UTM and the Principle of SMSSI, Nor Jaslina Esa. In addition, 3 lecturers from UTM and 5 teachers of SMSSI were present during the program.

During the closing ceremony, Dr. Roslinda expressed her gratitude to the school for its support and highlighted the importance of community engagement programs for UTM. She concluded her speech with the hope that the participants had benefited from UTM-STAR II program and would be able to apply the astrophysics knowledge in their daily lives.

The UTM-STAR II program aimed to introduce school students to Astrophysics through hands-on telescope training and a series of talks. The program began with an icebreaking session, followed by Startalk I, by UTM student, Hafiz Mazlan on the topics of the theoretical of telescopes. The program continued with Startalk II, presented by Nur Haziqah Mohd Hasrul, focusing on the Stellarium App and its use as a star map.

The program continued with group activities to promote teamwork and collaboration among the participants. They were divided into groups of 12 students and each were supported by four facilitators from UTM. The activities included a cosmic-themed crossword puzzle and astrophysics inspired word-guessing game. Since they have no access to mobile phones, students needed to pay attention during the talks to successfully complete these challenges. Points were awarded based on the speed of completing the crossword and word-guessing games.

The group activity continued with a telescope design project. Each group was assigned the task to design and improve their telescope models. Some basic concepts about telescope design were shared during Startalk I, and students were encouraged to design based on these information. This activity not only enhances their understanding of astronomical instruments but also fosters creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills. The designs were evaluated by judges from UTM, who given points based on how well they improved their models. Group 5 was announced as the winner, followed by Groups 8 and Group 4. All the winners received hampers during the closing ceremony.

Despite the rainy and cloudy weather, the hands-on telescope session proceeded near the canteen, providing students with an opportunity to experience the telescopes. Four telescopes were brought from UTM, and three telescopes owned by the school were available for use that night. This activity aimed to expose participants to practical experience and familiarize them with different types of telescopes. The session was engaging with interaction between UTM facilitators and participants, which contributed positively to their overall development. Many participants expressed interest in the program, with some noting that it was too short and looking forward to attend similar programs in the future.

In conclusion, despite the weather, the program successfully achieved its goal of bringing Astrophysics to schools. Students gained new knowledge in Astrphysics, and we hope they will apply their stargazing skills in their daily lives. We also received positive feedback from the participants, showing their appreciation towards the program.