| Izah Azahari |
WITH the official launch of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Convocation Festival 2016 (Pesta Konvo) yesterday at the UBD Library, visitors will be able to view innovative student projects and research exhibitions at the Learning Commons in the UBD Library.
The exhibition showcases a total of eight projects and research. One of the exhibits is the mapping of creative industries in Brunei by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), which is the result of collaboration among the graduates of the Creative Industries and Cultural Studies of the 2016/2017 session.
Supervised by Dr Rui Oliveira Lopes with graphics designed by Nuriskandar Hasnan, the project aims to produce a map of creative industries in Brunei which will be able to produce a complete analysis in the context of Brunei, and will be beneficial to policy makers, industries, artists and entrepreneurs, apart from providing an important impact in the creation of strategies, policies and actions for the creative industry in Brunei.
Another exhibition is on the pyrolysis of Acacia species to produce biofuels and other bio products by Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER), which was conducted by Ahmed Ashfaq, a student in PhD in Chemical Engineering.
The project is done through a process of biomass pyrolysis from the Acacia species that grows excessively in the Sultanate. The Acacia is known to be an invasive species and is found to be a serious threat to the country’s biodiversity.
The project aims to prepare an eco-friendly solution using the Acacia to produce bioenergy, which will help in reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the environment and to help in diversifying the country’s economy by providing new investment opportunities and employment.
Meanwhile, the Faculty of Science (FOS) is demonstrating bioelectricity generation from water plants. The research was conducted by Chai Jia Rong, a student of Bachelor of Science (Applied Physics), in efforts to continuously look for green energy sources through research done on energy produced from plant life in an eco-friendly way.
A close look at the Robotic Gulingtangan.
Among the fossils found in Brunei Darussalam that were on display during the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Convocation Festival.
Photo above shows the project on water purification using activated carbon. – PHOTOS: AZROL AZMI
The FOS is exhibiting a joint project done by graduates of the Bachelor of Science (Geology) on fossils found in Brunei Darussalam which proves Brunei’s wealth in paleodiversity as the fossils found have not been discovered anywhere else before, and the discovery will give way to research on how Brunei’s biodiversity has changed throughout the years, as well as build a new coastline for Brunei that gives impetus to the search for oil.
Also on display is the Robotic Gulingtangan (traditional musical instrument) by the Faculty of Integrated Technologies (FIT), created by Awangku Ahmad Al-Khairi @ ‘Aliuddin bin Pengiran Tejudin and Hirdy bin Othman, which simulates a musician playing the traditional musical instruments.
The robot was built within nine months where the ‘hands’ are programmed to play continuously which helps to improve the quality of a performance. This innovation will also help in preventing the extinction of traditional musical instruments and songs, and in turn may help in changing the perspective of the younger generation towards traditional music.
Furthermore, the Centre for Advanced Material and Energy Sciences is showcasing their student project on water purification using activated carbon. The project created by Nur Fajrini binti Matjalini demonstrates how activated carbon can be used to purify coloured water.
Two other exhibits are the ‘SGRA’ by the UBD School of Business and Economics which is an acronym for the Malay word ‘Segera’ (immediately), and the 1st Asean Graduates Collaboration Project by the Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences (IHS).
SGRA is a first-aid application invented by a second year student, Zahirul Ghazi bin Jomari. This prototype technology placed in a vehicle sends immediate notification to relevant rescuers if the vehicle is involved in an accident or an emergency situation.
The 1st Asean Graduates Collaboration Project is the first-of-its-kind to be done together by all the major medical institutions in Asean that aims to build a network of friendship and collaboration, improve the quality of medical education, health care and mutual help in the development of capacity in addition to working as an Asean community in the development of medical education, research and exchange programmes.
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