| Universiti Putra Malaysia

Blue Pea Powder wins top prize in schools Innovation and Invention Competition


SERDANG, 20 Nov –Blue Pea Powderan innovative product  by Sekolah Menengah Agama Tinggi Sultah Hisamuddin (SMATSH) students bagged the championship prize at the Science Innovation and Invention Competition 2012 hosted by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in collaboration with L’Oreal Malaysia and went home with cash prizes and a trophy.

Advisor to the Blue Pea Project, Azmira Azir, , said the success was due to the students’ remarkable teamwork and their meticulous preparation prior to conducting their research. 

 “Blue Pea Powder is the outcome of the students’ research on the blue pea flower, from which they extracted the colour content and transformed it into powder form for use as a colourant in nasi kerabu and beverages,” explained Amir Azir, who added, “With this success we will now explore the possibilities of commercialization.”

The first runner-up prize went to the Pressure Stablizer, an invention by students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Selangor, who were richer by RM2,000.  The second-runner up was SMK Jalan Empat, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, whose students Fruit Juice as an Electron Transfer Dye in a Dye–sensitized Solar Cell. They received a RM1,000 cash prize and a trophy.

Meanwhile, the best stall decoration award went to SMK Jalan Empat with their winning display of Pico Hydro Power Generator for Free Energy, which incidentally also  won under the innovation category. All in all, the students won a cash prize of RM500, a trophy and a certificate.

This competition is to test the participants abilities in terms of developing cutting edge technology and to  identify students who could excel in research  and scientific innovation development (biology and substance), while developing students’ potential and scientific skills as well as their communication and social skills.

L’oreal Malaysia Management Director, Andrew Stanleick expressed his confidence in the  L’Oreal-UPM collaboration becoming the best platform to encourage budding scientists to showcase their talents.

 “We see this as an opportunity for young students to cultivate their interest in science and see it as their potential career one day,” he said.

In addition, Prof. Datin Paduka Dr. Aini Ideris, UPM Deputy Vice Chancelor (Academic and International) said the carnival had served its purpose in showcasing scientific research outcomes and gathered budding scientists from prestigious schools to produce excellent students in the field of research through their involvement in scientific projects that are of international standard.

“The competition is able to develop students’ creativity to a higher level, advancing scientific knowledge and enhancing  the prestige of the schools as an intellectual development hub at the international level,” she said.

The six schools that submitted a total of 12 projects for this year’s competition were Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaaan (SMK) Damansara Jaya, SMK Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, SMK Seafield, SMK USJ 13, SMK Jalan Empat, and Sekolah Menengah Agama Tinggi (SMAT) Sultan Hisamuddin.

News prepared by Syifarida Muhamad Zaki, 03-89466013 with photographs by Marina Ismail, 03-89468985


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