SCIENCE CASTLE in ASIA 2023

Science Castle in Asia 2023 marked its inaugural event, held on October 21 and 22, 2023, at RekaScape, Cyberjaya. This event brought together approximately 255 students from 35 schools across six countries, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and Indonesia, along with nearly 100 teachers and parents.

Approximately 255 students from six countries, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and Indonesia, participated in the event

The event was made possible through the generous support of its main partners: James Dyson Foundation, Suntory, Cyberview, and Tiger Campus, with further backing from supporting partners, including Aerodyne Group, JAZRO, Pelangi, Pandai Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, SEAMEO RECSAM, UiTM Makerlab, StudentQR, Robopreneur, and Yakult. Strategic Partners included the National STEM Association, STEM Education Promotion Alliance Vietnam, ASTI, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, and Weekly MTown.

The event commenced with an inspiring opening ceremony. Dr. Ezral Ghazali, the Project Leader for Science Castle in Asia 2023, encouraged students to find inspiration from the diverse backgrounds of Leave a Nest members and introduced the theme of the event. Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Noraini Idris, President of the National STEM Association, delivered an officiating speech, emphasizing the importance of STEM education in a fun and engaging manner. Dr. Amani Salim, CTO of nanoSkunkWorkX and former PI for NASA projects, delivered a special talk to inspire students, emphasizing the idea that one can pursue multiple interests in science.

The project leader of Science Castle in Asia, Dr. Ezral Ghazali, shared his passion for science with the students.

Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Noraini Idris emphasized to the students that science is all around us, and STEM is fun!

Dr. Amani noted that science can be challenging and demanding, and it's precisely these aspects that make it enjoyable

On the first day, students participated in two exciting science challenges: the Red Planet Rocket Challenge and the Cyberview Eco-City Challenge. For the Red Planet Rocket Challenge, students attended a workshop conducted by Dr. Azuddin Mamat from Universiti Malaya before proceeding to build and launch their rockets at Obama Oval. The winning teams for this challenge were SBPI Gombak, SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra, and Nguyen An Ninh Secondary School Vietnam.

The students from Nguyen An Ninh Secondary School in Vietnam constructed their water bottle rocket for the challenge.

The Cyberview Eco-City Challenge began with a presentation by Dr. Siti Azma Jusoh @ Yusof, the Coordinator of UiTM Makerlab, on the uniqueness of 3D building model design. This was followed by a presentation from Dr. Marina Mohd Nor, a Senior Lecturer at the Town Planning Department, College of Built Environment, UITM Puncak Alam campus, who discussed urban planning. Students then created their own eco-city plans using 3D models, and the winning teams were Sek. Men. Agama Ridayatul Amal, SMK Convent Jalan Peel, SBPI Gombak, Negros Occidental National Science High School, and BrainAdventure Center, Thailand.

Students from SMK Seri Bintang Utara presented their 3D eco-city model for the Cyberview Eco-City Challenge.

The event also featured the Great Teachers Summit (GTS), a dedicated session for teachers. The GTS, co-organized with SEAMOE RECSAM, was supported by the main partner, Tiger Campus, and additional partners, Pelangi and Pandai. Strategic Partners included Cyberview and the National STEM Association. The GTS provided a platform for teachers to participate in sharing sessions and discussions aimed at enhancing STEM education in the region.

The second day of the event was dedicated to oral and poster presentations, A total of 12 teams were selected for oral presentations, and 40 teams presented posters. The participating schools for oral presentation and their project titles were as follows:

Students from Tokyo Metropolitan Fuji Junior High School presented their research on Daphnia.

Students from SBPI Gombak presented their poster on consumer awareness regarding cosmetics ingredients and regulations.

In the closing ceremony, various awards were presented to recognize the outstanding achievements of participating teams:

Oral Presentation Award

Grand Winner Award:
Negros Occidental National Science High School (A) for “Bio-based Photothermal Film Made from Brown Seaweed Alginate.”

Young Science Bridge Communicator Research Award:
SMK Seri Bintang Utara (A) for “The Utilization of Lignin Extracted from Rice Husk for the Enhancement of Mechanical Properties of PLA Filaments in 3D Printing.”

James Dyson Award:
Orani National High School Main for “SANDY: Robotic Stimulating Machine [An Innovative Future to Remove Soil Contaminants].”

Tiger Campus Award:
SM Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra (B) for “Corncob to Cornkies.”

Universiti Sains Malaysia Award:
Pusat PERMATA@Pintar Negara, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for “Effect of Organophosphate Pesticide on Mice's Behavior.”

Student QR Award:
Surawiwat School Suranaree University of Technology (A) for “Developing a Dermal Patch by Using Pectin Extracted from Durian Rinds for Studying Physical Properties and Antibacterial Activity Against Staphylococcus aureus for Treatment and Reducing the Risk of Infection in Skin Ulcers.”

Poster Presentation Award

Pandai Poster Research Award:
MRSM Transkrian for “Repurposing Single-Use Face Mask Into Engineering Materials.”

Suntory Poster Research Award:
Upper Bicutan National High School for “Hair Treatment using Ginseng, Malunggay, and Calamansi extracts.”

James Dyson Foundation Poster Research Awards:
1. Philippine Science High School Cordillera Administrative Region Campus (PSHS-CARC) for “Dye-Sensitized Solar Panel Cell: Harnessing Sunlight Rays as Solar Energy Based on Biodegradable Materials.”
2. Tunku Kurshiah College (C) for “Sustainable Brush Retainer for Oral Health and Environmental Conservation.”

Leave a Nest Poster Research Award:
Trece Martires City National High School (A) for “Wind-Powered Electricity Prototype.”

The inaugural Science Castle in Asia was an inspiring and educational experience for students, teachers, and parents, celebrating innovation, collaboration, and a passion for STEM education across Asia. The event highlighted the power of teamwork and the potential to foster future scientists who will drive positive change in the world.

Science Castle in Asia has quickly become a cornerstone event for STEM education, drawing students, educators, and industry professionals from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, and beyond. The event provides a platform for students to showcase their scientific research and innovations while promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing among educators and industry leaders.

Partnership opportunities for Science Castle in Asia 2024 offer a unique chance for organizations to contribute to the advancement of STEM education in the region. By aligning with this event, partners can demonstrate their commitment to nurturing the next generation of scientists and innovators. Furthermore, our valued partners had the exceptional opportunity to conduct interactive workshops, adding even more value to their participation.

The Science Castle in Asia 2023 featured exclusive partner workshops, including sessions conducted by Tiger Campus, Robopreneur, and the James Dyson Foundation. These workshops provided a unique opportunity for partners to interact directly with students, educators, and industry professionals, sharing their expertise and insights. Partners engaged with the young minds, drove STEM education, and helped shape the innovators of tomorrow.

Leave a Nest invites organizations and institutions to join as partners, thereby enriching the educational experiences of participating students and educators. Various partnership levels are available, each offering opportunities for branding, showcasing innovations, and engaging with key stakeholders in STEM education.

For details on partnership opportunities and to express your interest in becoming a partner for Science Castle in Asia 2024, please contact us at [email protected]

Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a movement that empowers young minds, drives STEM education, and shapes the innovators of tomorrow!

Are you a secondary school student from Asia working on a research project you'd like to share? If so, Science Castle in Asia 2024 is for you! Please indicate your interest by completing this form (https://global.lne.st/joinsca2024), and as soon as the registration site becomes available, we will get in touch with you. Join us for this incredible opportunity to showcase your research.