Tong Shi Cheng, a postgraduate student from the School of Science at Monash University Malaysia, has won the coveted Champion title in the ASEAN Graduate Research Paper Competition.

Held at the 18^th ASEAN Food Conference 2025 and organised by the Federation of Institutes of Food Science and Technology in ASEAN (FIFSTA), Shi Cheng’s victory showcases the profound impact of his research and his exceptional presentation skills.

The competition is a platform for graduate students across ASEAN nations, seeking to promote original research, provide presentation opportunities, and foster cultural exchange in Food Science and Technology.

Shi Cheng's winning paper, “Extraction and characterisation of palm kernel protein for palm-based milk application, structural, in vitro digestibility, shelf stability and sensory attributes,” is perfectly aligned with the conference theme “Nourishing ASEAN: Innovating for Resilient and Sustainable Food Futures. The highly competitive final round featured outstanding research from universities including the National University of Singapore (Singapore), Padjadjaran University (Indonesia), the University of the Philippines Los Baños (Philippines), and Can Tho University (Vietnam).

Shi Cheng first secured his place on the international stage by winning the champion title at the highly competitive MIFT National Food Science and Technology Competition Postgraduate Research Paper Oral Competition 2025. This national contest saw him compete against top postgraduate students from all Malaysian institutions offering Food Science and Technology programs. As the Malaysian champion, Shi Cheng was selected to represent the nation at the regional ASEAN level in the ASEAN Graduate Research Paper Competition.

Shi Cheng was supervised by Dr Lee Yee Ying and Professor Siow Lee Fong, both from the Food Science and Technology discipline within the School of Science, Monash University Malaysia.