Post Graduate - 15 March 2016

THE STAR, TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2016

special

Equipped for sustainability

2 postgraduateTHE STAR, TUESDAY 15 MARCH 2016

Building on the green factorBy IAN JEROME LEONG

WITHIN the last few decades, technological advancements have led to the creation of tools and machinery that not only aid daily living but enable mankind to discover new knowledge and push the boundaries of science and engineering.

However, for every step towards leading a more comfortable life, one begins to wonder if mankind is taking two steps back on the environmental front as the actions of men have often contributed to or exacerbated large-scale problems that are harmful to both our health and the natural surroundings.

In light of this problem, civil and environmental engineers – whose work is highly interrelated with environmental health issues – become ever more relevant in the fight for sustainability.

Besides the built environment that includes buildings, supporting infrastructure and energy networks, key developments from the civil and environmental engineering sector can greatly reduce the negative effects of global issues such as climate change, pollution, disease outbreaks and the dependency on natural resources.

Necessary concernDr Yap Poh Sin, environmental

epidemiologist and senior lecturer at International Medical University, explains that professionals who work within the fields of environmental health are important as they are concerned with protecting human health from harmful biological, physical and chemical exposures in the environment.

“Their research will be used by authorities to support policy decisions and enforce compliance with legislation that protect or improve the health of the public,” she says.

Prof Andy Chan, associate dean for research in the faculty of engineering at The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, agrees that despite the contributions of science, technology and engineering, the introduction of technologies has brought along some detrimental effects to mankind.

However, he adds that it is for this reason engineers need to make valuable contributions to sustainability while development continues to progress in all technological sectors.

“The concept of sustainability is now fully embedded in the discipline of engineering – to do all these things that we have been doing without creating a liability for the future.

“This is the role of current state engineers and environmental engineers and they are specifically trained to perform this role,” says Prof Chan.

The problem at large

According to Dr Yap, among the issues affecting humanity is that societies are estimated to use up to 40% more resources than needed every year.

The finding is all the more worrying as it is estimated that there will be twice as many megacities in the future with the world population projected to increase to 9.6 billion people by 2025.

“Particularly in growing cities,

the supply of resources will place severe demands on infrastructure and the environment.

“This is when innovative technology and economic development play their part in finding a solution for sustainable strategies to reduce pollution, energy waste and natural resources, and reduce the disease burden of human health,” says Dr Yap.

The problem, however, does not stem purely from the existence of innovative technology

and engineering.Despite the calls for better and more efficient technological

solutions, the complication arises when said technology fails to make it to production or receive the acceptance

required from the public and relevant parties.

Prof Chan says, “It is easy to believe that all good ideas will come to

reality but this is simply not true.

“All products go through a stringent process of natural competition and elimination that

includes feasibility concerns, cost factors, market demands and trends, before entering the market,” he says.

High financial strain

Universiti Kuala Lumpur programme

manager Assoc Prof Dr Robert Thomas Bachmann says that technologically, engineers already have the solutions to the environmental problems caused by inefficient buildings as well as manufacturing processes.

“Principally, we also know how to design a sustainable, durable product that uses eco-friendly material that is easy to maintain and repair,” he says.

He explains that the major obstacle facing most companies, however, is the high costs involved in being an eco-conscious company.

“In regards to pollutants released during production, are companies willing to make the

required investments related to noise, air, water, solid and hazardous waste treatments, or do they prefer to pressure governments to refrain from imposing more stringent environmental laws and policies that will cost them more money?

“If the government imposes more stringent laws, will companies stay put or decide to relocate to another country where pollution is still tolerated?”

Assoc Prof Bachmann adds that the onus lies not only with companies but with end consumers as well and he questions if consumers are willing to pay the higher prices that result from the production of sustainably designed products.

Widespread consciousness

Prof Chan, Dr Yap and Assoc Prof Bachmann agree that education is vital in spreading sustainability awareness to the masses and represents the first step to global legislative reforms.

“We can highlight sustainability issues to governments via professional societies and engage in discussions with all stakeholders to jointly develop solutions.

“International collaboration between institutes of higher learning can also help to indirectly influence governments to train the next generation of engineers or enhance the knowledge and skills of existing workforce within governments and industries to develop holistic solutions that are economical, environmentally friendly and acceptable to society,” says Assoc Prof Bachmann.

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Looking to the futureMANUFACTURING sustainable products involves high costs. But besides this barrier to the adoption of sustainable technologies and design, general development and wealth generation appear to take centre stage in the hearts of many – both individuals and businesses.

Universiti Kuala Lumpur programme manager Assoc Prof Dr Robert Thomas Bachmann says companies are often forced to meet high sales targets and firms listed in the stock market have to constantly satisfy their shareholders with high profits and market share to ensure continued investment.

“To increase sales and generate more income, products are often designed in such a way that are either out of fashion after some time or designed to fail after a certain period.

“The lifestyle the economy promotes seems to have a more

materialistic focus,” he says. “If society does not complain

about pollution and if the prices for natural commodities remain low, sustainability is not a top priority.”

Between the issues of sustainability, resource demands and general development, the notion that these factors can grow hand-in-hand is, however, a possibility, according to Prof Andy Chan, associate dean for research in the faculty of engineering at The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus.

He believes societal priority is sometimes down to the cultural background and history of various nations.

Prof Chan raises the example of how China as a developing country currently prioritises development over sustainability while European countries are famed for putting sustainability

and natural conservation above any development – making it almost a cornerstone in all development efforts.

He believes that proper planning, vision and enforcement are needed to overcome this global problem.

According to Dr Yap Poh Sin, environmental epidemiologist and senior lecturer at International Medical University, “Achieving sustainable living will require change in industrial processes, in the type and amount of resources used, and in the products that are manufactured.

“Sustainability depends on the evolution of energy technologies, the efficient functioning of public infrastructure such as water and sewage systems, innovative biotechnology and an information technology revolution,” she says.

While civil and environmental

engineers carry the burden of introducing more feasible and environmentally friendly practices and products, the changes necessary for a healthier world remains the responsibility of all.

Assoc Prof Bachmann says, “If societies strive for a luxurious lifestyle as commonly showcased in Western countries, one planet is not enough.

“Efforts to stimulate the civil and environmental engineering sector must be driven by real demand.

“If society does not want to accept the pollution of air, water and land, and is willing to allocate a bigger portion of its household income towards sustainable products and services, politicians and policy makers will react – allowing civil and environmental engineers to play a more important role,” he says.

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Fortunately, such undertakings are already in place around the world and will hopefully bring about new ideas to combat environmental problems.

One such event is the World Congress on Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering that will take place at the end of this month in Prague, Czech Republic.

Authors, researchers, scholars and industrial experts from around the world will come together at the congress to participate and discuss important issues in

Uniting for common sustainable goalenough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.”

If the world is to take sustainability and ecological problems seriously, there needs to be a unified effort to re-examine the way we lead our daily lives.

Both sustainability and development are important in today’s world but the focus is to find the balance between competing needs such as technological and economical needs, the need to protect the environment as well as the need for additional efforts, including significant changes in lifestyles, human behaviour and consumption patterns.

Dr Yap says, “History has shown many examples of adverse health impacts arising from technological advancement but the challenges of sustainable living lie on the fine line of balancing the array of interests and adopting the sustainable development that encourage technological advancement, economic growth, environment protection and public health.”

With 2020 being only four years away, the entire issue of sustainability will likely take a back seat to national development over the coming years.

However, events held in Kuala Lumpur such as the International Conference on Civil, Environmental and Structural Engineering last month and the Fifth International Conference on Advances in Applied Science and Environmental Engineering that took place last weekend is a good start for local engineers to introduce research and developmental activities, which will inspire civil and environmental engineering graduates who will lead the charge for national environmental reforms in the near future.

This, plus continuous media exposure of environmental issues, are the first crucial steps to educate the broader public on the importance of initiating green lifestyle changes and demanding more stringent environmental policies, which current environmental technologies can realise.

separate conferences focusing on geotechnical research and engineering, environmental sustainability, development and protection, and air, water, soil pollution and treatment.

Time for responsibilityQuoting the words of Mahatma Gandhi,

Assoc Prof Bachmann says, “The world has

Place for useful learningTHE University of Strathclyde Business School’s full-time Master’s in business administration (MBA) programme has been ranked 63rd in the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2016 of top global 100 programmes.

Strathclyde’s MBA was also ranked seventh in the world under the Employment and Best Value for Money categories.

Executive dean Prof David Hillier says, “We are delighted to have such a good showing in the Financial Times ranking, particularly this year when we celebrate 50 years of running our full-time MBA programme and 40 years of running our part-time MBA programme.

“Our standings confirm Strathclyde as a university that has real impact not only in Scotland but throughout the world.”

The Strathclyde Business School (SBS) is internationally respected as one of the most innovative business schools in Europe with one of the largest academic faculties.

Strathclyde is accredited by the international accrediting bodies such as AMBA (Association of MBAs), EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System) and AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).

SBS also has a reputation for research excellence. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, it was rated seventh in the UK for its world-leading and internationally excellent research.

The Strathclyde MBA allows its participants to have the flexibility of switching between different modes of study, depending on their location

and lifestyles. The programme is designed for ambitious,

talented and well-qualified individuals with solid business experience.

It is based on collaborative learning where work experience, knowledge, understanding and applicable skills are shared, worked with and reflected on.

The integrated programme comprises compulsory modules supported by a selection of optional in-depth functions, allowing students to tailor the MBA to their career aspirations.

Students spend time working on and building a corporate strategy. Strategic analysis and strategic thinking are central to the programme and run throughout the modules.

The programme seeks to help students develop ways of grappling with opportunities and problems in the practice of management by becoming reflective, open-thinking, adaptive learners.

The teamwork approach fostered at Strathclyde is an important aspect of the course and ensures that people from different backgrounds are encouraged to engage in a diverse working environment.

Strathclyde academic staff have a multidisciplinary outlook and build on the extensive expertise of academic staff from other business faculty departments.

Its academics have particular expertise in the areas of strategic management, leadership and scenario planning.

n For more information, visit www.cdc.edu.my or call 03-7660 8950 ext 109.

The MBA programme at the University of Strathclyde provides a diverse learning environment.

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Innovate and pioneer

DR Tan Teik Kheong, graduate of AeU’s Industrial Doctorate programme, is a technopreneur and educator.

His passion for big data science from engineering disciplines to financial market analysis won him an award in 2014 and several nominations.

Most recently, he was conferred the title of senior corporate fellow from AeU for his many achievements.

Here, he shares his views on technopreneurism and innovation:

“I represented Asia e University (AeU) and was the only Malaysian participant competing globally against many others at the London Hedge Fund Competition in 2014.

This competition was my first attempt to apply quantitative skills combined with the Bayesian analysis for big data in the finance industry.

I managed to build the portfolio of companies that led to the top selection in the final rounds. It was an eye-opening experience for me because I developed a methodology of portfolio selection that enabled the fund to maintain its high net return in both bullish (a market in which share prices are expected to rise, encouraging buying) and bearish (a market in which share prices are falling, encouraging selling) markets.

Since then, I have further refined the technique for robustness and risk mitigation for optimum capital allocation.

Part of this work was presented last year and this year at the recent IEEE conference (organised by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the world’s largest professional association for the advancement of technology).

After winning the top three hedge fund competition in London, I was psyched up and encouraged to apply high-probability Bayesian techniques to stock selection, thus driving my passion for finance.

Being a technopreneur at heart, I founded several startups and experienced product development life cycles multiple times in networking equipment and semiconductor industry.

Entrepreneurship was part of my business philosophy from young. I believe the key to successful entrepreneurship rests in the characteristics of the individual, including the ability to spot opportunities.

The second trait is confidence, substantiated by passion, desire and preparation. Innovation focuses on creating new ideas and is often used by business as a tool to increase productivity or create a new product to gain competitive advantage.

Entrepreneurship and innovation work

Dr Tan Teik Kheong, graduate of the Industrial Doctorate programme at AeU, is a technopreneur and educator.

simultaneously in furthering the success of the entrepreneur. Throughout my 30 years of being in private and public organisations, declaring myself as an entrepreneur has been easy but it is not as easy to convince investors, your team and customers that you are someone special to fund and follow.

If you do not consistently display the mindset and traits of an entrepreneur, people will not follow you and you are in danger of not succeeding in your business ventures.

Running a business involves a combination of successes and failures although I believe failing as a result of calculated risk-taking should be embraced positively.

An example was the initial public offering (IPO) process for a semiconductor firm I was involved in for four years.

Even though I had planned and prepared well, the circumstances did not allow the IPO process to happen.

However, prior to that, I had successfully helped several companies in their funding series, one of which resulted in the sale of their mobile broadband assets to Qualcomm.

Being trained in electrical and software engineering and being the founder of several startups, I have developed a strong intuition on how to start and run a technology business and there are many opportunities available.

Everything from mobility to wireless communications to consumers’ relationships with technology is being disrupted.

Predictive analytics, cloud computing, big data sciences and next-generation wireless communications will be key enablers for the next generation of entrepreneurs to capitalise on.”

n For more information, visit www.aeu.edu.my.

Entrepreneurship was part of my business philosophy from young. I believe the key to successful entrepreneurship rests in the characteristics of the individual, including the ability to spot opportunities. Dr Tan Teik Kheong


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Going the distance RAENETTE Yoong Yenn Shin, bachelor’s degree student in hospitality, with the assistance and support of Berjaya University College of Hospitality (Berjaya UCH), spent a memorable autumn at Sejong University in South Korea.

What she gained through a semester abroad was more than knowledge and skills – it was invaluable experience.

Yoong has always been interested in the Korean culture, which was her main motivation in applying to study in South Korea for a semester.

For four months, she took up general studies and three hospitality-related subjects.

Lectures were conducted in English though occasionally the Korean language was used in classes.

With the practical knowledge she gained from Berjaya UCH, Yoong’s exchange at Sejong University went smoother than expected.

She believes that Berjaya UCH gave her a strong foundation that helped her a lot in lessons. In regards to her experience in coursework, she says, “When it comes to preparing reports and proposals, most of my research involved South Korean companies and the information provided was usually in Korean.

“It was then that I had to enlist my classmates for assistance in

translating the details. But I was glad and up for the challenge as it helped to improve my Korean.”

Sejong University also provided her with a global network of friends.

Yoong made friends with students from around the world during her assignments,

About Berjaya UCH

BERJAYA UCH is arguably Malaysia’s premier university college in the fields of hospitality, culinary arts, tourism and event management. It also offers courses in business and liberal arts.

Situated in the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur, it is located on the 11th and 14th floors of Berjaya Times Square.

It is conceptually designed with the ambiance of a five-star hotel and equipped with comprehensive and advanced facilities that mirrors real-world settings.

Berjaya UCH is working to make higher education more accessible, affordable and attainable for everyone.

The PTPTN education financing scheme is available for Malaysian students. Its affiliation with the Berjaya Corporation Group of Companies also allows it to host several bursary schemes and education scholarships made available to both local and international students.

Yoong gained a wealth of cross-cultural knowledge, skills and experience during her semester in South Korea, where she also made new connections.

discussions and studies. She learnt about their different

cultures and beliefs, which are important for her to pursue a careers as a global hotelier.

She lived in a guesthouse and worked there in exchange for accommodation. Besides spending her free time completing assignments, she travelled to the

nearby neighbourhoods of Insa-dong and visited her Korean friends.

She would like to visit South Korea again if given the opportunity as she loves the weather and culture.

n For more information on Berjaya UCH, visit www.berjaya.edu.my.


Enhance leadership skillsTHE Management & Science University (MSU) is one of Malaysia’s top universities.

It focuses strongly on in-demand areas of study, which encompass medicine, health sciences, pharmacy, information sciences and engineering, business management and professional studies, education, social sciences, hospitality, culinary arts, music, and fashion.

MSU has received much recognition from independent Malaysian and international bodies.

It has been rated as an excellent status university twice by the Higher Education Ministry through a rating system for all universities in Malaysia.

MSU is also accredited by the Accreditation Services for International Colleges (ASIC), the United Kingdom, and the Alliance on Business Education and Scholarship for Tomorrow (ABEST21), Japan.

MSU’s Graduate School of Management (GSM) recognises that today’s global companies require managers with a broader outlook.

The university attracts top students through its internationalisation effort of employing faculty members with overseas experience and forming effective links with businesses.

The Master in Business Administration by MSU (MSU-MBA) offers students an experiential

learning opportunity in cross-cultural communications, building a global network and possibly creating a future international career. In addition, students are able to develop management skills and techniques, obtain strategic orientation and implement the strategies formulated.

The MSU-MBA helps students develop skills in leadership, entrepreneurship, strategic management and decision-making so that they become successful leaders in the most competitive markets.

The programme aims to build on the foundations of work experience and, by equipping

students with new skills and knowledge, enable them to make a smooth transition to a higher level of responsibility.

The MSU-MBA provides sufficient knowledge for students to understand the various facets of an organisation to formulate successful strategies. It also instils confidence in them.

The MSU-MBA is popular with employers as it is a recognised currency in the human resources marketplace. Employers know the value of the qualification and what they can expect from an MBA graduate.

They also recognise the commitment shown by MSU-MBA

students in investing heavily in their careers. Such candidates are likely to be dynamic self-starters who will be an asset to any organisation.

Active learning exercises within the programme act as a basis for verbal analysis and discussion, allowing for a rich learning environment through the integration of classroom lessons with real-world experiences.

These exercises broaden students’ understanding of issues by inviting them to think beyond their learning materials. New terms and concepts are defined in the margins to facilitate learning.

Strategic-thinking sections that follow opening vignettes and cases provide thought-provoking questions and exercises that sharpen students’ problem-solving abilities.

The opening vignette is designed to illustrate the major issues found in each module with compelling real-world issues.

GSM has established collaborative educational links with a number of top overseas universities, including those in the UK, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan,

Germany, Russia and China.The Global Mobility Programme

is a means to provide MSU postgraduate students with international exposure.

Through this programme, students have the opportunity to develop an awareness and appreciation of other cultures, political and economic environments, and approaches of doing business.

Professors of the MSU-MBA are accomplished teachers who have made significant contributions to the business world, both as academics and working professionals.

They have conducted research and published articles across a broad range of business and professional areas.

They have also taught university-level business courses abroad, thus bringing their rich multicultural experience to Malaysia.

Professors at MSU are selected worldwide from among the best consultants and professionals in their fields.

n For more information, call 03-2718 4302/4300/4301 or e-mail [email protected] or visit www.msu.edu.my.

MSU-MBA’s active learning exercises allow for a rich learning environment by integrating real-world experiences in the classroom.


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UniKL graduates are experts ready to meet market needs due to their experience in an industry-relevant programme.

Improving energy efficiencyFOUNDED in 2002, Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) is a leading university in engineering technology and has received successive Tier 5 ratings in Malaysian Qualifications Agency’s SETARA 2009, 2011 and 2013 evaluations.

It is also the first technical university in Malaysia to pioneer the upgrading of technical education to higher technical vocational education and training (HTVET).

Lifelong learning has become the main agenda for many employers and employees in the world, and UniKL is committed to providing various programmes that fulfil the needs and wants of the global business community.

Buildings play an important part in every human’s life. They provide shelter from the elements as well as a place for rest, study, work, recreation and rehabilitation.

Buildings consume 30% to 40% of electrical energy, although the share of electrical energy consumption of appliances varies between commercial, public, industrial and domestic sectors as well as countries.

Alongside other greenhouse gases leading to global warming, buildings have their share in contributing to climate change.

To dampen the effects of global warming and guarantee a sustainable environment, major changes and bold decisions will have to be made in the next decades to cater for a new diversified energy mix as well as improved energy efficiency.

UniKL has teamed up with the University of Applied Sciences Rosenheim, a German university internationally renowned in the field of sustainable buildings, to provide a joint master’s programme to assist in creating a green, state-of-the-art energy-efficient yet affordable building culture.

The programme not only combines but also goes beyond conventional engineering and management subjects.

This is to produce experts who meet the market needs primarily to operate as well as retrofit existing buildings in a sustainable, energy- and cost-efficient manner, complying with green building certification tools such as the Building Research Establishment Environment Assessment Methodology, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the Green Star or the Malaysian Green Building Index.

By building up human capital in terms of green building and technology experts and technopreneurs, UniKL aims to achieve a tangible contribution to dampen global warming and the predicted energy crisis in Malaysia and beyond.

UniKL Malaysian Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering Technology (UniKL MICET) offers the Master of Engineering Technology in Green and Energy Efficient Buildings in the July intake.

n For more information, visit www.micet.unikl.edu.my/mgeeb/ or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].


Possessing the green edgeSUSTAINABILITY is the latest buzzword for developed and industrialised economies, especially as governments seek new energy sources and ways to optimise efficiency.

Monash University Malaysia’s Master of Advanced Engineering (Energy and Sustainability), which commenced in February, incorporates aspects of energy use, conservation, sustainability, management and processing in areas such as water and lighting.

Focus on sustainability“Traditional undergraduate engineering

programmes only gloss over these subjects,” says Dr Kenny Tan Boon Thong, senior lecturer and course coordinator (mechanical) in the School of Engineering.

“But these days, a strong emphasis is placed by governments on corporations to clean up their act. As such, there is a need for more engineers who specialise in these areas.”

Dr Tan believes that engineering graduates and professional engineers who wish to have a change in career should leverage on the master’s programme to capitalise on the emerging trends of green energy and sustainable living.

He adds that as many companies begin incorporating sustainability into their practices, more job opportunities are created in processing and energy sectors as well as consulting.

Nurturing innovative engineersMalaysia has acknowledged the

importance of such issues by establishing the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water in 2009 and the Renewable Energy Act 2011 to encourage organisations to produce electricity from renewable sources, reduce carbon emissions and drive advancement in green technologies.

The master’s programme accepts students with a bachelor’s degree in any engineering discipline as it incorporates elements of electrical, chemical and mechanical engineering.

According to Dr Tan, this gives graduates an advantage.

“Graduates will have fundamental knowledge of broad areas related to energy and sustainability instead of starting from ‘ground zero’ when joining a consultancy,” he says.

The course also features some unique subjects, including intelligent lighting and engineering entrepreneurship, where students are taught how to commercialise an idea or innovation.

The master’s programme can be completed full time or part time for the duration of one year or two years respectively. Classes are taught from 6pm to 9pm.

n For more information about the Master of Advanced Engineering (Energy and Sustainability), visit www.monash.edu.my.

Dr Kenny Tan Boon Thong says engineering graduates and professional engineers will have a competitive edge upon completion of Monash’s master’s programme.

Futuretech nowSCIENCE, technology and engineering graduates are big contributors to the economic growth of a country as they drive innovation and development.

This is particularly important because a nation’s economy and its application in the fields of science and technology is the deciding factor that determines if it is a developing or developed nation.

Here are some recently introduced technological products.

Look, no hands!Many developed and developing countries

have either semi-automated or fully automated public rail systems. The Copenhagen Metro in Denmark is an example of a fully automated rail system that can transport commuters between stations, close its doors, detect obstacles on the track and react to emergency situations without human intervention.

The town council of Trikala, Greece, has gone a step further by introducing driverless buses. Part of a European Union-funded trial project called CityMobil2, these automated vehicles are even able to operate on normal roads surrounded by cars, bicyclists and pedestrians instead of on segregated lanes.

Although special laws were passed to make way for the project, it is a good indication of how a fully automated transportation system can be introduced into public infrastructure, possibly reducing the number of road accidents that occur due to human error.

The success of this programme will lead to a large-scale implementation of similar systems around the world.

Remote constructionJapanese construction and mining

equipment company Komatsu and United States drone maker Skycatch recently collaborated on a project called Smart Construction, bringing cloud computing and construction to a new level.

In an effort to overcome the shortage of workers in Japan and reduce rising labour costs, Komatsu’s construction vehicles, such as excavators and bulldozers, can now drive and move earth by themselves.

Before the vehicles are sent to work, a Skycatch drone flies over the construction site to take pictures of the ground and stitch these pictures to form a 3D map.

Site planners then enter the information of what earth they want moved, the areas to be left untouched and how the next stage of construction should look like.

A human controller or manager can then supervise the machines on a computer, enabling efficient and optimal construction with minimal labour force. This high level of drone mapping significantly reduces the amount of time needed to survey the entire area compared to the traditional manual process.


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By PROF CHRISTINE ENNEW

VC COLUMN

Bridging the gap in engineeringLAST Tuesday marked International Women’s Day, coincidentally the day after I attended the Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) Society’s 6th International Conference, where I had the opportunity to speak in a panel discussion on the topic Women in Industry and Academia.

The panel, organised by Resh Plaha who champions the role of women within IEOM, included speakers from the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Morocco and were a mix of engineers and non-engineers.

The audience was even more nationally diverse but what was striking was the commonality of experiences across cultures and the similarly slow rate of progress in terms of female representation.

Women in education The starting point for much of

the discussion was higher education. For many of the science subjects, the primary concern was the problem of the “leaky pipeline” – there is plenty of female interest in the science subjects at university level but that does not translate into the workplace and

particularly, the academic workplace.

At various points along the career pipeline, women drop out in a way that men do not and, as a result, are significantly under-represented in the various professions and at senior levels in business, industry and academia.

I suspect that many of my colleagues in engineering might like to just have a leaky pipeline problem; for engineering, the major problem seems to be creating interest in the first place and attracting female students to engineering and technology subjects at university.

Around the world, female students are significantly under-represented in university engineering programmes. Commentators have attributed this to a variety of factors, including misconceptions of what engineering is really about, a lack of positive role models and the difficulties of working in a

dominantly male environment. Some are concerned that

engineering is perceived as a purely technical/vocational activity (such as fixing cars, repairing machinery, building roads and bridges), which makes it appear unattractive from a career perspective.

Others suggest that female students are less confident about their technical abilities than male students. Unfortunately, engineering is usually strongly associated with masculinity.

The problem of attracting women into engineering is one that appears to be widespread. Comparative data can be difficult to find, but if we look at women working in engineering, we find some interesting contrasts.

In the UK, about 7% of the engineering workforce is female; in Australia, the figure is 10% and in the US and Canada, it is 11%.

Contrast this with China, where 40% of the engineering workforce comprises females. In Malaysia, it is estimated that about 20% of the engineering workforce is female, despite the fact that nationally the proportions of females studying engineering is relatively high (though still below 50%).

Changing the imbalanceEngineering as a profession is

missing out if it fails to attract more women; if the profession mostly draws its talent from one half of the population, it loses out on the intelligence and expertise and creativity that reside with the other half of the population.

Changing this imbalance means attracting more women to the study of engineering and then helping them as they transition into the engineering workforce.

As one of my fellow panellists noted, for women, there is a shaky bridge between engineering at university and engineering as a profession.

There are plenty of practical activities that can support female students as they look to cross this bridge such as mentoring, employer visits, scholarships and bursaries, internships and enhanced career advice.

These are undoubtedly important but fundamentally, there needs to be a change in a range of deep-seated, possibly subconscious beliefs and attitudes.

And that change depends on highlighting both the true nature of engineering and its attractiveness as a career choice for women.

Engineering is the profession that harnesses scientific innovation, turning it into something of direct use and real value.

Engineers make a very real and practical difference to our lives because they create solutions to problems and find new and better ways of doing things.

We need, more publicly, to recognise and promote the fundamental importance of this area of study and work.

Moreover, history tells us that there is a long tradition of successful and highly influential female engineers; we need to more explicitly recognise and celebrate their achievements.

If we want to attract more women to the study of engineering and engineering profession, we must be able to demonstrate both the value of the subject area in itself and the real opportunities that it offers to women.

Prof Christine Ennew is the chief executive officer and provost of The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus.

n For more information, visit www.nottingham.edu.my.


Binary University’s city campus offers a green environment with in-house accommodation as well as food and beverage facilities.

Groomed for industryHAVING opened its doors in 1994, the Binary Graduate School (BGS) is a pioneer in offering postgraduate courses. It started off offering three courses.

“The BGS has grown by leaps and bounds and offers more than 20 postgraduate courses, including its flagship PhD and Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), both of which are fully accredited,” says vice-chancellor Prof Dr Sulochana Nair.

According to Binary University’s founder chairman Datuk Prof Joseph Adaikalam, the success of the BGS is a result of its unique delivery structures that meet the different needs of working adults and full-time students.

“For working adults, we deliver using the Block Release Mode, which enables them to pursue the PhD, DBA or master’s degrees without needing to leave their jobs. In addition, all our postgraduate courses are offered on a modular basis,” says Prof Adaikalam.

“As for full-time students pursuing master’s by research or taught master’s programmes, they carry out research that matters to employers, thus becoming highly employable graduates.”

Students can pursue the master’s of science (MSc) by research in areas such as human resource management, international marketing, innovation and entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, and environmental management.

“The Binary MBA offers ambitious individuals the opportunity to combine a

general MBA with industry-specialist skills, thus grooming one to take on senior positions in the future,” says Prof Adaikalam.

According to Prof Nair, the fully accredited Binary PhD has a large following because it is supported by five dedicated research centres.

“PhD candidates may publish using our homegrown journal Future Journal of Management & Entrepreneurship, which is internationally subscribed to,” says Prof Nair.

As for individuals from the corporate sector who wish to combine their work experience with contemporary management thinking, Prof Adaikalam says the DBA is the ideal programme.

“Despite current economic challenges, our Government is highly supportive of creating more postgraduate talents. Under the revised Budget 2016, the MyBrain15 grant is extended to benefit all Malaysians through MyMaster and MyPhD,” he says.

The next intake for the PhD, MBA and MSc by research programmes are on April 27 while the intake for DBA is on May 23.

All postgraduate applicants may apply for the MyMaster and MyPhD grants of RM10,000 and RM20,000 respectively through the BGS. These grants are provided by the Education Ministry to qualified candidates.

n For more information about personal counselling sessions, call Thinaharan at 012-288 8500 or Kumarandran at 017-254 7125.

Passion for researchFOR Assoc Prof Dr Bimo Ario Tejo, new dean of UCSI University (UCSI)’s Faculty of Applied Sciences, it was in the pharmaceutical chemistry laboratory of the University of Kansas, United States, that he discovered his research interest.

“Back then, I remember not having a specific research field in mind and going abroad was just an excuse for me to travel and see the world,” he says.

But by stepping out of his comfort zone and choosing a research field completely different from the one he was previously majoring in, Assoc Prof Bimo found a discipline he could dedicate his academic life to.

It is a testament to his research interest and dedication that he has already contributed to more than 50 publications over the course of his career.

Having had his hand in the research field of biotechnology, peptide and protein chemistry as well as pharmaceutical chemistry for more than 15 years, Assoc Prof Bimo is very much the right person to

spearhead the faculty’s research endeavours as UCSI gears towards being the hub of postgraduate studies for research.

UCSI’s wide variety of postgraduate degrees, which range from research-based programmes to coursework-based ones and include full-time and part-time modes, accommodates both fresh graduates and working adults.

The programmes offered at UCSI’s Faculty of Applied Sciences are MSc Food Science with Business Management, MSc Biotechnology, MSc Biotechnology with Business Management, MSc in Applied Sciences by Research and Doctorate of Philosophy (Science).

Another programme, MSc in Nutrition with Management, is in the pipeline and will be launched next.

To ensure that its postgraduate programmes are accessible to the best and brightest, the university has allocated funds under the UCSI University Trust Graduate Fellowship.

Great lengths have been taken to ensure that the teaching and learning environment suits local and international students alike.

Joko Logis, UCSI’s MSc Applied Sciences by Research student whose passion lies in

discovering a solution to reduce dye pollutants in the environment, cannot agree more.

Previously a BSc (Hons) Biotechnology student at the university, the Indonesian student decided to further his education at UCSI due to his passion for research and the culture in the laboratory.

“I cannot think of a reason not to continue my postgraduate studies here; I am surrounded by supervisors who are helpful and laboratories equipped with cutting-edge equipment. Of course, having friends here also helps tip the scale,” he says.

UCSI’s emphasis on research saw more than 30 publications published in 2015 by its lecturers.

With more than 50% of the lecturers in the Faculty of Applied Sciences having PhD qualifications – the highest among private universities – postgraduate candidates can rest assured that they will have the opportunity to conduct meaningful research with award-winning academicians who are respected researchers in their own right.

n For more information, call the Office of Postgraduate Studies at 03-9102 4739 or visit www.ucsiuniversity.edu.my.

Joko Logis.


postgraduate 13

Students from IMU’s Master of Science in Public Health programme can play vital roles in building happier and healthier communities.

Transforming communitiesGRADUATES of the International Medical University (IMU)’s Master of Science (MSc) in Public Health have been helping to build happier and healthier communities around the world.

From the villages of Nigeria to the metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, IMU’s MSc in Public Health graduates are transforming the lives of the people they serve.

The programme’s graduates are making their presence felt in a variety of public health, health education, and research and disease prevention initiatives in Malaysia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Myanmar, India and Tanzania.

The broad-based flexible and modular curriculum enables graduates to leverage on their knowledge and skills learnt at the undergraduate level to upgrade their competencies in a field they prefer.

The MSc in Public Health at IMU has students who are nurses working as health executives in the corporate sector, nutritionists as lecturers, pharmacists as researchers or executives in pharmaceutical organisations, medical doctors in clinical research centres, and biomedical scientists as health programme officers.

Valuable input from faculty

members with years of public health experience at the national and international levels plays an important role in the teaching and learning of this programme.

Throughout the curriculum, communication skills are enhanced with hours of face-to-face presentation, seminars and written assignments.

Research is given due prominence and students have to explore a subject for research, do the project proposal, get it through the ethics committee, develop the instruments for data collection and carry out analysis and write their thesis. The research can be done either locally or elsewhere.

The programme includes modules in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental, occupational and population health, medical sociology, health promotion and public health practice.

Furthermore, there are field visits and a two-week attachment in a government public health organisation.

Not surprisingly, this is the only postgraduate programme from a private university that is recognised by the Public Service Department (JPA) for employment in the government

sector, provided the student’s undergraduate degree is also recognised by the JPA.

IMU also offers the MSc in Molecular Medicine, MSc in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Master of Pharmacy Practice, MSc in Environmental Health as well as MSc and PhD in Medical and Health Sciences (by Research).

Research programmes commence anytime throughout the

Technologies for sustainable futureMUCH of the Earth’s natural resources are rapidly depleting at the hands of humans. Soon, we will be without many of the resources on which we rely heavily today.

To counter this, scientists and engineers across the globe have been developing technologies to make use of non-exhaustible resources and turn them into energy.

Here are some of the latest technologies that are or will be available for use in the near future.

Solar-powered carThe Ford C-Max Solar Energi

Concept car is an electric car that runs on electricity generated by solar panels.

Its roof is mounted with a solar panel array that collects energy from the sun that powers the car’s 7.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

Ford claims that on a full charge, the C-Max Solar Energi can travel 34km on electricity alone.

The solar panels on the car are equipped with solar concentrator and sun-tracking technology, which allows the panels to absorb more energy.

Like every other electric car, the C-Max Solar Energi can be charged at electric vehicle charging stations.

If the car runs out of electricity, the solar panels will come in handy as drivers can leave the car to charge under the sunlight while they go dine or watch a movie.

Once home, the car is designed to be parked under specially designed “concentrators” that act like a magnifying glass, concentrating sunlight onto the solar panels to speed up the charging process.

The car is expected to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, of course, reduce the consumption of depleting fossil fuels. The Ford C-Max Solar Energi is anticipated to be on sale within the next two years.

SEE PAGE 16 >

year while the commencements of the other postgraduate programmes are in March and September.

If you have an interest in furthering your studies at the postgraduate level in any of these areas, apply online

today and gain an advantage in a highly competitive job market.

n For more information, visit www.imu.edu.my or e-mail [email protected] or call 03-2731 7272.


Prof Dr Ainul Jaria Maidin, dean of IIUM Crescent.

Ensuring quality in education

Centre for continuous learningIIUM Crescent, established on Feb 25, is a merger of IIUM’s strategic business units, Graduate School of Management, Harun M. Hashim Law Centre and the Institute for Language Advancement.

IIUM Crescent was set up to govern the university’s various SBUs that offer executive programmes, professional development training and continuing education courses with emphasis on lifelong learning.

Dean of IIUM Crescent Prof Dr Ainul Jaria Maidin said that it is timely for IIUM to have a central agency to manage the lifelong learning programmes for promoting good governance, efficiency in implementation and ensuring quality.

“This body ensures that the delivery of the programmes adhere to the procedures stipulated by the Higher Education Ministry, Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA), and the university with regards to its implementation and goes towards enhancing the quality of the services rendered,” says Prof Ainul.

IIUM Crescent is focused on increasing the standard of excellence in administration procedures, achieving efficiency in the utilisation of resources and minimising issues pertaining to human resource and financial governance as well as customer services.

IIUM Crescent has as one of its missions to establish strategic partnership with a wide range

of local industries that include skills training institutions, other higher-learning institutions, as well as government agencies involved in offering skills training, continuing education courses and professional development programmes.

Your gateway to professional leadership excellence can start with IIUM, which offers the opportunity to improve knowledge, skills and credentials for career development.

Besides the opportunity to study courses on a full-time or part-time mode taught by highly qualified teaching staff, including industrial experts, students at IIUM Crescent will benefit in terms of networking opportunities.

WITH programmes ranging from pre-university to professional level as well as leadership development in the areas of law and business administration, management, allied health sciences, engineering, information communication technology, English, Arabic and other foreign languages, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Centre for Strategic Continuing Education and Training (IIUM Crescent) offers students a unique opportunity for pursuing lifelong learning and continuing professional development.

According to Prof Datuk Seri Dr Zaleha Kamrudin, rector of IIUM, since it was established in 1983, the university has made significant contributions that put IIUM on the global map.

The biggest achievement is its recognition as the Premier International Islamic Research University conferred by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) on Dec 17, 2014.

IIUM has been recognised all over the world especially among Muslim nations and has become a role model offering integrated tertiary education infused with Islamic values without compromising the professional aspects and contents of various disciplines.

“Prominent global leaders, ministers and heads of universities and institutions from various parts of the world came to IIUM to benchmark themselves against our achievements.

“IIUM has also developed collaborations with various institutions of higher learning and agencies all around the world,” says Prof Zaleha.

Significant contributions by IIUM to developing countries were made possible upon appointment as consultants by the Islamic Development Bank and Asian Development Bank to establish Islamic universities in Maldives, Afghanistan and a few other countries.

“This special recognition is testament to the success of our strategies, quality leadership, and the commitment and contribution of our academic and administrative staff,” she says.

Prof Zaleha is confident that IIUM is capable of developing strategies and innovative ideas to remain competitive and attractive among the Malaysian and global community as an institution of choice for tertiary education and continuing education.

Contributing to development

The establishing of IIUM Crescent is one of the university’s strategies to provide opportunities to those seeking to achieve their ambition of pursuing tertiary education.

This is in line with the Government’s commitment to transforming Malaysia’s education system as set out in the Education Blueprint, which focuses on

equipping students holistically to succeed in the 21st century.

IIUM is committed to contribute to developing Malaysians who are knowledgeable, can think critically and creatively, have leadership and communication skills.

IIUM Crescent is the merger of three specialised business units (SBUs), which together have more than 30 years of experience in offering continuing education and professional development programmes developed by the academics from the various Kulliyyahs in IIUM.

IIUM Crescent offers a wide range of organic homegrown academic and professional training programmes developed by senior professors with strong research and publication backgrounds.

IIUM Crescent is based at the IIUM Kuala Lumpur campus located strategically at Persiaran Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, Taman Duta.

It provides an environment conducive to learning with ample facilities, such as well-equipped classrooms, library, Wi-Fi connectivity, student accommodation and study areas and more.

Quality educationOffering postgraduate

programmes covering a wide range of disciplines, IIUM Crescent is committed to excellence in providing continuing education, professional development, as well as leadership skills development trainings.

IIUM Crescent’s postgraduate programmes in business and management and law as well as pre-university and language courses are popular with local and international students.

IIUM Crescent’s signature academic programmes are the study of Islamic products and Islamic services as well as Islamic banking and finance (Certificate in Islamic Banking and Finance Law, LLM in Islamic Banking and Finance, BSC and MSC in Islamic Banking and Finance).

The MBA programme offers specialisations in Islamic finance, strategic management, waqf management, construction management and finance.

Those seeking to qualify as

syariah judges and lawyers can pursue the Diploma in Administration of Islamic Judiciary and Diploma in Shariah Law and Legal Practice.

Other postgraduate programmes now offered are the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Law (LLM) with focus on specific areas of law such as Islamic finance and banking law, business law and international law.

At doctoral level, the centre offers the Doctor of Business Administration programme and PhD in various areas of Islamic studies and social sciences.

IIUM Crescent welcomes working adults and those looking to enhance their qualifications.

There are also various professional qualifications and postgraduate programmes that are tailored to the needs of working adults who need to combine work and study.

“As a centre established under the International Islamic University Malaysia, a leading international university, it is important for IIUM Crescent to offer programmes and training

modules that produce graduates who are able to internalise and put into practice the knowledge and skills acquired in shaping management, leadership and organisational excellence,” says IIUM Crescent dean Prof Dr Ainul Jaria Maidin.

“Being one of the pioneering international Islamic universities in the region, IIUM emphasises internationalisation and promotes the integration of Islamic values and ethics into all the sciences and non-sciences programmes. We ensure our graduates can be agents of change either locally or globally.”

The mission of IIUM is to become a leading international centre of educational excellence that seeks to restore the dynamic and progressive role of the Muslim Ummah in all branches of knowledge and intellectual discourse.

The integration of Islamic principles, values and ethics into the curriculum promotes the good values of Islam that are in convergence with universal values.

Recognising the need to produce holistic graduates, effective and innovative educational programmes were developed and made available using innovative teaching pedagogy and blended learning environment.

Prof Ainul explains that to maintain the quality of education, the IIUMC’s best practices are implemented via statutory procedures and policies endorsed by Ministry of Higher Education.

Its programmes are also accredited by the IIUM’s self-accreditation practices and standards set by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency.

“In addition to high-quality standards in academic programmes, the efficiency and effectiveness in the context of teaching and learning is maintained through various core processes certified by ISO9001:2000

quality management system,” says Prof Ainul.

IIUM graduates will acquire high level of English proficiency as the language is the main medium of instruction besides Bahasa Malaysia and Arabic for certain programmes, especially those commissioned by Malaysian government departments and some Gulf countries.

Widespread recognitionProf Ainul says, “IIUM Crescent

cultivates strategic partnerships across the world, collaborating in terms of teaching, research and knowledge exchange.

“This dynamic strategy drives our distinctiveness to continue attracting and retaining high-quality students, staff and collaborators.”

IIUM Crescent has established partnerships with various local and international organisations, such as the Australian Institute of Management in Western Australia, Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia), Malaysian Prisons Department, Malaysian Immigration Department, Tabung Haji, Public Bank Berhad, Malayan Banking Berhad, Bank Negara Malaysia, United Nation Development Program, Unhabitat, Kyoto University, Wisconsin University USA, Ma’din Academy Kerala India, Hong Kong University and others.

The postgraduate programmes offered by IIUM Crescent was developed taking into account the need to balance between knowledge and practical skills such as social responsibility, practical skills, communication skills, leadership and teamwork, managerial and entrepreneurial skills, professionalism and integrity.

n For more information, visit www.iium.edu.my/iiumcrescent or call 03-6207 3400.

Prof Datuk Seri Dr Zaleha Kamrudin, rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).


postgraduate 15

Masterclass experienceWITH the changing business landscape, the delivery of the master’s in business administration (MBA) has transformed to be more innovative with greater inclusiveness of a wide range of topics.

The MBA programme offered at Sunway University has proven to be contemporary and capable of keeping up with global pace with its recently organised masterclass.

Held in January, the masterclass was an evening lesson for current and prospective Sunway University’s dual-award MBA students to explore change management, an increasingly prominent business issue.

The class focused on managing change from a process-relational perspective or “lens” on organisational activities and behaviours.

Dr Thomas Thornborrow, director of partnership development at Lancaster University, was the mastermind behind this masterclass, addressing some of the key issues in contemporary change management practices.

“Over the last decade, the evolution of change management theory and practice has accelerated from the ‘hard’ systems approaches of yesteryear to encompass and embrace the human behaviour aspect in relation to change.

“If the focus of change is on processes, procedures, input and outputs, measurement and rational logical approaches, then the change itself will often end up bogged down in the human fallout of imposed change,” said

Dr Thornborrow. He encouraged change agents to become more people-centric if they want to be successful.

The masterclass turned out to be a useful introduction, not only to the Sunway MBA students but also aspiring mindful managers as it allowed participants to gain substantial knowledge on change management and also a feel of how the MBA programme is delivered.

The dual-award MBA is one of Sunway University’s premier programmes as graduates will, upon completion of the MBA, be awarded two certificates, one from Sunway University and one from Lancaster University.

Sunway University is a renowned business education provider within Malaysia while Lancaster University is a UK-based university ranked in the world’s top 1% of universities.

Lancaster University is renowned for its MBA programmes that are triple-accredited and globally recognised by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

To maximise the career potential of this world-class dual-award MBA, join the Preview Session at Sunway University Graduate Centre.

n To reserve a place at the preview or find out more information about the programme, call 03-7491 8701 or visit www.sunway.edu.my/university/MBA.

The masterclass allowed participants to get a feel of how Sunway University’s MBA programme is delivered.

The masterclass held by Sunway University’s MBA, which focused on change management, was a fruitful learning experience for current and prospective students.


OUM’s new Learning Management System and enhanced digital learning modules will make teaching and learning more efficient and convenient.

Investing in learnersIN its bid to provide the best learning experience to its learners, Open University Malaysia (OUM) has been investing heavily to enhance and improve its services.

From May this year, OUM will be rolling out several new initiatives, including:l Increased bandwidth at

Learning CentresOUM will strive to increase

Internet bandwidths (subject to availability at the location) so that learners can enjoy better experience at all OUM Learning Centres.

This is an ongoing project and is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

l New learning management system

The current MyVLE has served the university well. However, due to the introduction of new learning styles and advances in technology, it has fallen a bit behind.

While it is sad to bid farewell to a reliable old friend, from May onwards, learners will be accessing a new learning management system myInspire.

This new system has been designed to be user-friendly, easily accessible, based on social constructivism and to conform to devices, including smartphones.

l Enhanced, all-digital learning modules

OUM is known for its

high-quality print modules. However, to keep up with the new form of learning materials, needs and styles as well as the enhanced capabilities of myInspire, OUM

has been improving its modules by adding enhancements such as colour graphics and interactive quizzes that can only be experienced in digital format

or, better still, through the new learning management system myInspire.

Starting from this year’s May

semester, OUM will no longer produce and distribute print modules.

Instead of the three learning modules that are given to learners every semester, learners will now be given access to digital modules for all programmes in the faculty.

This way, learners can broaden their knowledge by making cross references with related learning modules. It will be like having their own mini library.

Digital modules will also make it easier for quick updates to be carried out and enable learners to have access to the latest versions of the modules as soon as they are ready for release.

The above initiatives are part of OUM’s efforts to provide a better learning experience for its learners.

With digital modules that can be stored and viewed on smartphones, learners can learn and interact anytime and anywhere.

It is OUM’s hope that all its learners have an enriching and engaging learning experience.

n For more information, visit www.oum.edu.my.

Alternative sources> FROM PAGE 13

Solar Roadway (SR) panels are solar-powered road panels that can be individually pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle to form roads and parking lots.

These panels are fitted with LED lights that, when activated, form lane markings or warning signs.

SR panels are made with specially formulated tempered glass that is durable enough to support the weight of a 36-metric tonne truck. Damaged panels can be replaced with new ones.

SR panels have textured surfaces that provide traction for vehicles. They contain microprocessors that can be programmed, making the panels intelligent.

This allows the panels to communicate with one another, the central control station and the driver.

In future, the panels can display road directions for cars that have compatible technology.

SR panels can also store and produce power harvested from solar energy. They produce enough power to replace traditional power grids in small towns.

This eliminates the need to build a power plant to supply energy to power grids, hence reducing the usage of fossil fuels.

Solar Roadways Incorporated, the company that develops the SR panels, has received support funds of up to US$2.2mil (RM9.1mil) from the public through crowdsourcing website Indiegogo to further continue the development and testing of its product.

With this amount of public and financial backing, we could be seeing the mass manufacturing and implementation of SR

panels on roadways in the near future.

Urban turbinesWind Trees are tree-shaped wind turbines

developed by French start-up company NewWind. Each 26-foot tall Wind Tree is equipped with smaller, leaf-shaped wind turbines called Aeroleaf.

Up to 72 Aeroleaf can be installed on the branches of a Wind Tree. The mechanism in the Aeroleaf spins when it is blown by wind, generating energy.

Since Wind Trees are smaller than regular windmills, they can be placed in towns and cities.

It only takes a small amount of wind for the turbines to function, so even in cities and towns where much of the wind is cut off by tall buildings, the Wind Trees can still harvest enough wind to produce energy to power several low-energy structures in the vicinity.

Wind Trees were set up in Place de la Concorde, Paris, for testing last year. It is believed that the Wind Trees could go under mass production starting from June of this year, but will only be used initially in France before the turbines are shipped to other countries.

Source:www.power-eng.com

Wind Trees harness wind to create energy.

Documents

Post Graduate - 15 March 2016