Institution news
At the East Malaysia road show on 12th October 2013, the Institution’s Malaysia Branch officially established the Student Chapter of Curtin University in Sarawak.
Curtin, the first Institution Student Chapter in East Malaysia, is led by third-year mechanical engineering student Ms Yeong Siew Ping with Dr Vincent Lee as the university’s Academic Liaison Officer. The Student Chapter currently has 52 members and is fully supported by the Young Member Section (YMS) of the Institution’s Malaysia Branch.
During the launch ceremony, Professor Michael Cloke (Dean of the School of Engineering and Science) was presented with an official Institution Student Chapter launch certificate by Professor Ong Kok Seng (founding president of the Institution’s Malaysia Branch), witnessed by Dr Albert Tshai AMIMechE (YMs Chair, Malaysia Branch) and Ir Mathew Thomas Ceng FIMechE (Honorary Treasurer, Malaysia Branch).
Albert explains the purpose and function of establishing a student chapter at Curtin:
“This Student Chapter has been set up to provide engineering students and young local graduates with a tangible link to the Institution. The principal aim of the Student Chapter is to recruit members while they are at university. Having a Student Chapter also provides a dedicated communication platform for the students and academics to get their voice heard in the wider engineering community, while training up more volunteers and increasing the Institution’s engagement with the local community.”
The chapter’s planned activities include professional training in leadership skills, technical seminars, innovative- and creative-thinking workshops, career seminars, industrial visits, online discussion forums, networking evenings, competitions, (such as the globally renowned Speak Out for Engineering (SOFE) competition) and membership recruitment seminars.
Also present at the ceremony were Curtin Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor Yudi Samyudia; Director of CSRI, Professor Aaron Goh; lecturers Dr Vincent Lee and Miss Lim Chye Ing and Industrial Advisory Panel member, Mr Chow Yuet Hong CEng FIMechE.
The launch ceremony was closed with a technical talk by Professor Aaron Goh entitled ‘Enhancing the Professional Skills of Mechanical Engineering Students’.
During the evening, the Institution’s Malaysia Branch also hosted the East Malaysia road show and networking night at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Miri. This event was held for the third time in East Malaysia, engaging approximately 45 Institution members and invited guests.
The night started with a welcome message by Malaysia Branch founding Chair, Professor Ong Kok Seng (in the absence of the current Chairman, Prof Teoh Kok-Soo CEng FIMechE) followed with a talk by Ir Mathew Thomas on membership guidance and the professional registration application process.
This was particularly encouraging for Affiliate and Associate members in the audience, who are working their way to becoming corporate members of the Institution and Chartered Engineers. Professor Ong KS also delivered a technical presentation entitled ‘Energy Efficiencies with Heat Pipes and Thermoelectric Devices.’
An informal end to the proceedings followed, with opportunities for networking in the elegant hotel.
If you would like to find out more about the Malaysia Branch, it’s volunteers and activities, please visit their Near You site.