Curtin Malaysia’s Faculty of Engineering and Science collaborates with Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri to host Sarawak Children’s Festival

Miri – 7 September 2023 – The Faculty of Engineering and Science of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) recently collaborated with Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri to host a two-day Sarawak Children’s Festival. The unique event was designed to ignite curiosity, creativity, and a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) among Sarawak's young minds.

More than 9000 visitors attended the event which featured a range of interactive and educational activities designed to captivate and inspire children of all ages, nurturing their curiosity, creativity, and thirst for knowledge.

The facilitators for the event were Associate Professor Bridgid Chin Lai Fui, Professor M.V. Prasanna, Vivian Dayong, Dr. Angnes Tiong Ngieng Tze, and Dr. Tan Yie Hua. Joining them were Curtin Malaysia IChemE Student Chapter members Priyankavani A/P Maga Nadan, Michael Chon Yun Chai and Ashley Bernardette, and postgraduate applied geology students Patricia Henry and Sharveen Ravichandran.

According to Associate Professor Chin, who is chair of the Faculty of Engineering and Science’s Student and Alumni Relations Committee, the event provided a platform for young minds to explore their interests and discover their passions, develop new skills, and chart their future directions.

The children engaged in a fossil activity where they learned about different types of marine fossils that once lived in the Earth's oceans. They also took part in physical properties activities that introduced them to some common minerals and taught them learned how to test the minerals’ properties.

In a virtual reality (VR) site visit activity, the children donned VR headsets to explore a virtual chemical engineering plant that would be inaccessible to most people in the real world. They also indulged in a virtual gaming (escape route) experience, diving into a digital realm where they had to solve puzzles, decipher clues, and collaborate with their peers to escape from challenging scenarios.

The activities were all designed to captivate the young audiences, making learning fun and inspiring. The variety of hands-on and interactive exhibits allowed the children to explore the wonders of STEM at their own pace, and they had the chance to tackle engineering and science challenges, fostering problem-solving skills and creativity.

“This collaborative effort between Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri and our Faculty of Engineering and Science underscores our commitment to promoting STEM education and cultivating a lifelong passion for learning among Sarawak's youth,” she said.

“We believe that by engaging children in hands-on STEM experiences from a young age, we can inspire future scientists, engineers, and innovators. This festival is a celebration of curiosity and learning."

Razak Bin Rambili, Regional Manager for Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, added, "We are delighted to partner with Curtin Malaysia on this endeavour, as it aligns perfectly with our mission to provide enriching educational experiences for the children of Sarawak."

Meanwhile, Muhammad Annwar Adenan, co-coordinator of the Sarawak Children’s Festival, said this year’s event attracted children from across Northern Sarawak and over 9,000 visitors over the two days. 114 activities were staged in 12 exhibition spaces, including a Story Space, Cultural Space and Lestari Space, and there were 54 collaborations with government and private entities, young entrepreneurs and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). 30 volunteers from various backgrounds also showcased their skills and talents, contributing to the success of the event.

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