Monash University hosts IKM Postgraduate Chemistry Medalists Seminar

30 June 2008

More than 120 chemistry postgraduate students from various local public and private universities made their way to Monash University Sunway campus to attend the IKM Postgraduate Chemistry Medalists Seminar.

The event, jointly organized by Monash University and Institut Kimia Malaysia (IKM) is aimed to promote the IKM Postgraduate Chemistry Award amongst the postgraduate students from local universities and at the same time to provide an opportunity for the medalists to share their research findings with the current and potential postgraduate students.

Present at the seminar was Datuk Dr Soon Ting Kueh, President of IKM. In his welcoming address he spoke about the outlook of chemistry in Malaysia and touched on chemistry as a profession. Apart from that he also mentioned about the research and development of chemistry in Malaysia and the role of IKM.

This was then followed by a speech by Professor Pua Eng Chong, Head of School of Science, Monash University Sunway campus. He highlighted that the seminar gives a chance for students and academics in chemistry to interact with each other.

“Monash is proud to be a part of the seminar and we have very strong groups in applied chemistry especially in research as we are a research driven university,” he added. He invited the students to visit one of the many labs in Monash.

The first speaker, Professor Dr Mahiran Basri who was awarded with the IKM Postgraduate Chemistry Award in 1993, presented her winning thesis titled ‘Green Organic Synthesis: Enzyme at Work’ and was followed by Dr Nor Hadiani Ismail, the winner for the year 1999 with her thesis ‘Chemistry and Biological Activity of Anthraquimones from Morinda elliptica (Rubiaceae).

Lastly it was Dr Ha Sie Tiong’s turn to present his thesis, “Smectic, Nematic and Cholessteric Liquid Crystals”. Dr Ha received the award in 2006.

Besides getting to know IKM and its Postgraduate Chemistry Award more, the seminar also gave students valuable insights into the vast research opportunities in chemistry. Hopefully more students will be interested in further pursuing their studies and careers in chemistry. – Anita Hadi.

 By Anita Hadi