Here comes to second part, what have the students said about their peers and feeling upon graduation?

Say something about your classmates?

Celestine: I love how close-knitted we are; only having 23 students in Nutrition. I love how I know every single one of my classmates by name, if not by the outfit they wear.

Nhien Hao: I met extraordinary friendly and thoughtful classmates in Bioscience. Friendship, it is the most precious treasure I have ever had in Malaysia. They were always there, caring and supporting me through all of the ups and downs and always patiently listening to my ‘relatively poor’ English. I feel so thankful.

Stephane: I met some of the nicest, funniest and craziest people that I am proud to know and call my friends. We had first real biotech lab experiences together (yet sadly didn’t get to clone anything) and had loads of fun coursework.

Wei Harn: A shout out to my friends for making my journey through university a memorable one.

Kartik: In these 3 years I have met the nicest, funniest, interesting and wonderful people who I can call them my good and best friends. I am going to miss them so dearly.

How do you feel upon graduation?

Stephane: It’s weird, I feel like these were the fastest 3 years of my life and I really regret as they were also some of the best!

Xin Yi: Time flies and a million memories flashed through my mind. First arrived knowing no one and in the blink of an eye the time has come to bid farewell to everyone.

Kartik: Wow! That is how I felt for 3 years of my university life. Full of fun, enjoyment, wonderful experiences, friends and lectures made these 3 years an unforgettable moment of my life.

UNMC School of Biosciences is celebrating its 10^th Anniversary this year and as part of the celebrations, we invited seven of our 2016 fresh graduates to talk about their life on campus. The sharing series from students will be divided into three parts. Now, let’s see what have they said about their experiences with the School!

What is your experience with School of Biosciences in UNMC?

Celestine: I love how ‘kampung’ we are, how we are surrounded by greenery and fresher air, instead of high-rise buildings and smoke from traffic jams. How I can proudly think to myself, ‘my campus is better’, every time I visit other universities in Malaysia.

Nhien Hao: When I was preparing to go to Malaysia, I felt so anxious. I felt totally unconfident about myself, about my English and my knowledge. But guess what? The experiences are totally different and I actually have a wonderful time in Biosciences, UNMC!

Stephane: I’m thankful for the vast array of resources that I had at my disposal thanks to the campus, which not only helped me increase my knowledge on the subject but also allowed me to learn more about topics outside the course that interested me.

Wei Harn: As an institute of higher learning, the School of Bioscience has helped me a great deal in growing and developing my interest for the field of plant science.

Xin Yi: The excitement of making international friends, being BSN committee, organising events, becoming school representative, conducting my own research project, etc. are still vividly etched inside of me. I shall not forget to highlight my wonderful and life-changing experience as one of the mobility exchange students to UK campus. I enjoy my university life very much, to the extent that words just cannot describe my mixed feelings!

Jasmin: Studying in UNMC is an experience by itself. The diverse and multicultural community gives off the vibe that I truly am studying at an international campus. Malaysia as a tropical country makes learning Environmental Science really fun and never dull. Our classroom is not solely enclosed in the four walls of a building but encompasses the great outdoors, from the forest to the sea, swamps, caves and plantations. UNMC has given me a platform to maximize my potential.

School of Biosciences will be organising a Training Workshop-cum-Field Trips for professionals working with several NGOs in Bangladesh. The theme of this event is “Climate Change and Food Security” and be held from 24-31 July 2016. Details are here:

Objectives:

1. To familiarise participants about UNMC’s academic endeavours related to climate change, adaptation, crops growing under environmentally stress conditions and forest monitoring through remote sensing,
2. To observe field activities in Malaysia relevant to climate change adaptation and peoples’ livelihood enhancement, and
3. To find ways for future research collaboration between UNMC and Arannayk Foundation

Learning Outcomes:

1. Participants understand various concepts and principles related to climate change, mitigation measures, environmental stress physiology, food security and remote sensing.
2. Participants gather hands-on knowledge on forest monitoring through remote sensing.
3. Participants acquire practical knowledge about climate change adaptation and livelihood improvement of vulnerable people through field visits.

More information: Tapan.Nath@Nottingham.edu.my

Our B. Sc. Nutrition students presented their original communications at the 31st Scientific Conference of the Nutrition Society of Malaysia (NSM) held from the 31st of May and 1st of June in Kuala Lumpur.

Two students Lim Jia Jiet and Siti Hajar binti Hamzah presented posters on  ‘Salt intake and blood pressure in young university adults’ and ‘Relationship between body fat and bone in Malaysian adults’, respectively.

Tan Pui Yee, a postgraduate student gave an oral presentation on ‘Association of serum leptin levels and LEP gene variation with body composition and insulin resistance in obese Malaysian adults’.

Their presentations were highly appreciated by the participants.

It was an impressive event indeed. We successfully planted flowering plants, vegetables and fruit trees in the garden site. Planted 30 forest tree seedlings of four species in the memorial planting site (beside main gate).

It was a fantastic event; had lots of fun and dancing while planting. We thank all participants from across all faculties, estate office and landscape staff. Special thank to staff of Selangor State Forestry Department for their participation and free seedlings.

We all now need to take care of these plants.

This year Biosciences summer school will be held from 23rd June to 1st July 2016 at the UNMC campus in collaboration with Crops for the Future (CFF)

Theme: Global Food Security and Dietary Diversification: How will we feed the world in 2030?

We welcome 18 students from our UK campus, plus 5 students from UNMC, for an intensive course that studies global issues of food and nutritional security. Students will explore the various issues of food security through a number of lectures, workshops, and field visits.

Topical issues include:

• The diversity of the Malaysian diet
• Global Food Security – the state of the world today
• The sustainability of our current diet
• Alternative approaches to feeding the world
• Food waste
• What will we eat in 2030

For further information, contact Dr S Azam Ali (Module Convenor) susan.azamali@nottingham.edu.my

As part of our celebrations we are running a 10^th anniversary Essay Competition. The winner will receive a cash prize of RM1000, and three runners up will each receive a prize of RM500. All entrants will receive a certificate of participation.

To enter, you will need to write an essay, of no more than 1000 words (excluding any figures, tables or references), on the following topic:

Obesity is a public health problem, now endemic around the world. How can scientists contribute to a change that reduces the impact of obesity in Malaysia?

The closing date for submissions is Friday 26 August 2016. Submitted essays should be attached (in .doc or .docx or .pdf format) to an email addressed to sobac@nottingham.edu.my and accompanied by a completed and signed entry form. You will need to confirm you have read the terms and conditions for this competition so please do this! Any questions you have about the competition can also be addressed to sobac@nottingham.edu.my

We look forward to receiving your entry, and wish you the best of luck!

Click here to view a poster advertising this competition.

School of Biosciences 10^th Anniversary at UNMC  Green Week 2016

As part of the School of Biosciences 10^th Anniversary celebrations we are proud to present a special event – Green Week 2016!

Are you curious about plant growth and want to learn more?

Do you wonder if you have green fingers?

Not sure how long it takes for a tree to grow

Then join us on Friday 10^th June 2016 (9-11am)!

This is a free event and we welcome everyone who is interested in to attend.

What do you need to do

1. RSVP to Vanitha.Singaram@nottingham.edu.my by 30^th May 2016 (Friday).
2. Mark the date on your calendar.
3. Bring along suitable attire and footwear to the ground.
4. Get ready and join us!

   10 Years of Biosciences in Malaysia, Nurturing the Solutions of Tomorrow

The Biosciences Students of Nottingham (BSN) academic society hosted its annual careers workshop, for all students in our School, on 30th March. This event occured early in our program of activities celebrating Biosciences’ 10^th anniversary in Malaysia. The event also links directly to a new ‘Professional Skills’ module for our second year students, which is an important part of our focus on ensuring Biosciences graduates are best prepared for life beyond university.

BSN President and year 2 BSc Biotechnology student Simran Venkatraman explained:

“The aim of Biosciences Students in Nottingham was always to involve the Biosciences Students in activities that aid in career development and create everlasting memories in their academic years here at UNMC. Also, as a part of the syllabus of D224G1 Professional Skills for Bioscientists, certain objectives to build upon our career needed to be addressed. To materialize our vision, the Biosciences Careers Day thus was organized in alias with the Faculty. On this day, dignitaries from Wobb.co, Sime Darby, AAR, Filna Marine, J-Biotech, and our very own University were invited to share their views and experiences in starting out their career. Topics such as ‘CV writing’, ‘Choosing your Career’, and ‘Facing Interviews’ were covered by means of a Panel Discussion and a Career Talk. To further facilitate the students in terms of applying for internships, we organized Exhibition booths for the speakers and representatives from the Companies. Students thoroughly benefited from the presentations and discussions on this day, and positive feedback was received. Moreover, the learning objectives of D224G1 Professional Skills for Bioscientists were effectively met”.