EROHSS shapes young minds for research
Give someone a chance, and you’ll see how much they can thrive. This simple yet powerful idea encapsulated the essence of the Engineering Research Opportunities for High School Students (EROHSS) program at Monash University Malaysia. The six-month program involved students from key Chinese independent schools in the Klang Valley — Kuen Cheng High School, Tsun Jin High School, Hin Hua High School, and Kwang Hua Private High School.
The initiative aimed to expose students to the world of university research, with assistance from school teachers and academic supervisors from the School of Engineering assigned to groups of students. The topics chosen by the students ranged from renewable energy and sustainability to advanced nanomaterials.
Students took the opportunity to apply what they had learned and presented their findings at a closing ceremony that took place on 20 January 2024, at Monash University Malaysia. The event's attendees included students, parents, the EROHSS planning committee, along with senior members from the School of Engineering.
In an earlier agenda, the Head of School, Professor Anthony Guo, officiated the ceremony by congratulating all students who took part in this momentous initiative. In his address, he also introduced the research pathways that students can potentially pursue in the near future at Monash University Malaysia.
The event then flowed into the presentation of selected students, along with a poster viewing session that offered an in-depth explanation of their chosen subjects. Each participant took turns in a 5-minute presentation about their research, covering areas of interest in STEM research, with a panel of judges to rate their overall performance.
By the end of the session, the best presenters were evaluated and rewarded based on their presentation efforts and creativity in crafting posters about their studies. Merit awards were given to the best research projects, along with projects that were deemed worthy of an honourable mention.
Overall, participants expressed appreciation for the learning curve they experienced, and many event attendees praised the School of Engineering’s success in pioneering the first, and certainly not the last, EROHSS.