UMT STEM Foundation Centre recreated the success achieved during last year’s MTE 2019 by winning two gold medals, one silver medal, and Special Award (Asian Youth Innovation Award) at the Malaysian Technology Expo (MTE) 2020 held from 20-22 February.

MTE 2020 which was held at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur, gathered those interested in coming up with innovations in various fields especially Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Participations were open to not just Malaysians but those from other countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Iran, and a few others.

The three projects developed by UMT STEM Foundation Centre were STEM Port 4.0 (Machinery, Equipment, and Tools category), OOB-Bull-Jack (Manufacturing Process and Advanced Material category), and Geranium Airfreshner (Protection of the Environment, Energy, Water, Sanitation, and Green Technology category). Gold medal was won by the project named OOB-Bull-Jack (Oobleck Bulletproof Jacket). The project introduced a bullet-proof component that used ‘Non-Newtonian fluid’ called oobleck. The project, currently undergoing patenting process, was also announced as the winner of the Special Award for the Outstanding Innovation by Croatian Inventors Network.

The design of STEM PORT 4.0 was inspired by the design structures of Shanghai, Singapore, and Busan ports. The objective of the port diorama design was to create a new port or upgrade an existing port to meet the requirements of Industrial Revolution 4.0.

Geranium Airfreshner was developed to repel mosquitoes, and this product can help reduce the use of mosquito coils and aerosol spray as both products give bad impact to the environment.

UMT STEM Foundation Director Assoc. Prof. Dr Laili Haji Che Rose who was also the project leader at the expo said that the foundation which began in 2018 has produced students who not only excelled in STEM subjects but were able to invent products to be displayed at this kind of competition. The foundation molds the students to be more holistic and be ready to face the Industrial Revolution 4.0.

UMT STEM Foundation Centre (PASTEM)’s first intake was a group of 60 students in 2018. These students are now in their degree programmes at UMT in STEM fields. The centre now has 89 students, and they will continue their studies in degree programmes at UMT this September. PASTEM offers its foundation programme not only to science stream students but also to those from non-science stream, who have proven that they can obtain good results although they did not take science subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, and Biology, but only Science and Additional Mathematics.