Tag: Academia – Projects

Publication 2026/3 – Empowering STEM Outreach Programs Through Collaborative Innovation

This year marks a meaningful milestone for the UMPSA STEM Lab — ten years of exploring how we can make STEM learning more engaging, accessible, and relevant. What started as a small initiative has gradually grown into a vibrant community of student mentors, university advisors, collaborators, teachers, and learners who share a common goal: nurturing curiosity and building meaningful digital making skills.

Thank you to all the student mentors, university advisors, and collaborators who have contributed to this journey. The STEM Lab is a collective effort of dedication, creativity, and willingness to experiment, refining teaching modules, and continuously improving the way STEM activities are delivered.

Over the past decade, the STEM Lab has served not only as an outreach platform but also as a space for pedagogical exploration. One of the central questions guiding our work has always been: What is the best way to introduce digital making and engineering thinking to learners? Through workshops, classroom activities, and collaborative programs, we have explored various approaches to make STEM learning more experiential and meaningful.

The programs focuses on developing effective teaching approaches for digital making skill sets and engineering concepts for school children and university students. Engineering concepts such as microcontrollers, IoT systems, FPGA-based digital design, and AI can often feel abstract when taught purely through lectures. The STEM Lab therefore serves as a platform to explore how these concepts can be delivered through hands-on, project-based learning, allowing students to connect theoretical knowledge with practical system development. In this sense, the lab functions as a living environment for engineering education, where ideas about teaching and learning can be tested and refined.

A major component of our work revolves around physical computing. Learning becomes far more engaging when students can interact with the physical world. Over the years, our modules have incorporated a wide range of microcontrollers (Arduino, ESPs), Raspberry Pi single-board computers, and embedded platforms, allowing learners to build systems that sense, respond, and interact with their environment. Through projects involving sensors, actuators, and robotics, students experience firsthand how software and hardware come together to create interactive systems.

Alongside hardware development, programming has always been a central pillar of the lab’s activities. To support learners with different levels of experience, we adopt a gradual progression from block-based programming to line-based programming. Beginners can quickly explore ideas through visual programming environments, while more advanced learners transition toward structured coding, developing deeper understanding of programming logic and computational thinking.

In recent years, the lab has also expanded into AI and embedded intelligence. Using platforms such as Edge Impulse, learners can experiment with edge AI applications such as image classification, demonstrating how machine learning models can run directly on embedded devices. These activities introduce students to the growing field of intelligent systems, where sensing, data processing, and decision-making can occur at the edge.

More recently, the STEM Lab has begun integrating FPGA-based modules into its learning ecosystem. By exposing learners to hardware-level digital design and parallel processing concepts, these modules provide a deeper understanding of how modern embedded systems are built. Together, these platforms form a learning progression, from physical computing to embedded systems, edge AI, and advanced digital architectures.

Looking back over the past ten years, the most meaningful outcome is not simply the number of workshops conducted or technologies introduced. Rather, it is the community that has grown around the STEM Lab. Many of our former mentors have continued their journeys in engineering, research, and education, carrying forward the spirit of exploration that began in the lab.

As we move into the next decade, we hope to continue expanding this ecosystem, strengthening collaborations with educators, researchers, and industry partners while refining how digital making and embedded systems are taught. The future of technology will require not only technical expertise but also creativity, curiosity, and collaboration. These are the values that the STEM Lab strives to cultivate.

To everyone who has been part of this journey — mentors, advisors, collaborators, teachers, and learners — thank you for contributing your time, ideas, and passion. The past ten years have been an incredible learning experience, and the next chapter promises to be just as exciting.

PIE 7 – Day 8 – A Wrap-up – A Journey of Inspiration: Reflections from Cardiff, Wales

Its a wrap.

I had the opportunity to participate in an academic mobility and engagement programme at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales. Throughout the visit, I found myself deeply inspired—not only by the people and institutions I encountered, but also by the broader horizon of what academia can and should be in a global context.

I departed from Kuala Lumpur on 16 January, arriving in the UK ready for what turned out to be a truly fulfilling intellectual journey. The early part of the visit allowed us to immerse ourselves in the historical and cultural narrative of Cardiff and Wales, including visits to Cardiff Castle and the military museum. This grounding in history offered valuable context—reminding us that education, innovation, and institutions are deeply shaped by place, time, and collective memory.

Engaging with Leadership and Institutional Parallels

On 19 January, the programme formally began with meetings at Cardiff Met. I had the privilege of engaging with Prof. Platts, Dean of the Cardiff School of Technologies, alongside senior academic leaders including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic). Our discussions revealed striking similarities between the UK and Malaysian higher education systems, particularly in areas such as professorial pathways, academic chairs, and institutional governance.

More importantly, these conversations opened doors for potential collaborations between our institutions—ranging from joint research to postgraduate programmes, including Dual PhD initiatives. The openness and clarity in academic structures at Cardiff Met provided valuable insights for benchmarking and future planning at UMPSA.

A Lesson from a Giant in HCI

One of the most memorable moments of the visit occurred on 20 January, when I attended a talk by Prof. Alan Dix, a globally respected figure in Human–Computer Interaction (HCI). Beyond his academic stature, what left a deep impression was his intellectual humility and clarity of purpose.

I managed to pose two questions during the session. When asked what excites him most when evaluating a research proposal or publication—whether a well-planned methodology or a groundbreaking idea—his response was refreshingly simple:

“Research that expands knowledge.”

He emphasized that meaningful research transcends external pressures such as the UK REF or, in our Malaysian context, MyRA. While metrics and frameworks are unavoidable, true academic contribution lies in advancing understanding. His words resonated deeply with me. In an era where shortcuts exist, Prof. Dix reminded us that consistency, depth of understanding, and time are what ultimately shape research quality—and that such quality naturally endures.

Showcasing UMPSA STEM Lab: A Decade of Impact

On 21 January, I had the opportunity to present the initiatives of UMPSA STEM Lab to members of the PIE-WiSE programme. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the lab—a decade dedicated to STEM outreach and engineering education.

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At the heart of our work lies a simple yet powerful question:
How do we simplify complex concepts just enough for students to grasp them—and become curious enough to explore further?

Our programmes focus on digital making skillsets, including programming, physical computing, 3D modelling, and digital manufacturing. Over the years, we have evolved from robotics, to picosatellites, and now AI-driven initiatives. What motivates us is not merely keeping pace with technology, but ensuring that students are empowered, not overwhelmed, by it. The exchange of ideas during this session reaffirmed the importance of continuously updating our programmes while staying grounded in pedagogy.

Learning Beyond Cardiff: Aberystwyth and Policy Perspectives

The journey continued on 22 January with a visit to Aberystwyth University, where we met Dr. Patricia Shaw and her team from the Intelligent Robotics Research Group. Their sophisticated laboratories and research in IoT, space engineering, and robotics were truly inspiring. The visit highlighted how strong infrastructure, clear research focus, and collaborative culture can elevate innovation.

Women, Voice, and Global Change: Reflections from the Welsh Museum

During our visit to the Welsh Museum, one exhibit left a particularly caught impression on me—the story of how Wales played a quiet yet powerful role in shaping the foundations of the United Nations and UNESCO through the collective voice of women.

The exhibit tells the story of Welsh women who, long before global institutions formally existed, mobilised at the grassroots level to advocate for peace and international cooperation. At a time when women’s political participation was still severely limited, these women gathered signatures, resolutions, and votes expressing a shared desire for a world governed by dialogue rather than conflict. Their collective voice was sent across the Atlantic to the United States, where it contributed to the growing momentum that eventually shaped the principles behind the United Nations and, later, UNESCO.

What struck me most was not merely the outcome, but the process—ordinary women recognising that their voices mattered on a global stage, even when formal power structures did not yet fully recognise them. Their action was an early demonstration of how civic engagement, moral conviction, and persistence can transcend borders and influence international policy.

Years later, the symbolic return of these original votes to Wales served as a powerful reminder: history remembers those who act with purpose, even if recognition comes much later. The return of the votes was not just a gesture of remembrance, but an acknowledgment of the foundational role women played in advocating for peace, education, and cultural understanding.

Standing before this exhibit, I was reminded that the struggle for voice—especially for women—has always been intertwined with the pursuit of knowledge, equity, and progress. The legacy of these Welsh women resonates strongly today, particularly in discussions about women in leadership, education, science, and technology. Their story reinforces the idea that meaningful change does not always begin in boardrooms or parliaments; sometimes, it begins with individuals who believe deeply in the value of collective action.

While in the museum, the broadcasting section caught my attention. The exhibition offers an engaging overview of Welsh broadcasting history, highlighting the language, culture, and evolution of media in Wales through informative displays and artefacts. One memorable highlight was getting the chance to read a weather bulletin using a real teleprompter, which gave me a small but exciting glimpse into the world of broadcast presentation. The museum itself is well curated and welcoming, making it a worthwhile stop that blends education, culture, and a bit of hands‑on fun.

In many ways, this historical narrative mirrors our present efforts in advancing women’s participation in STEM, AI, and global academic collaboration. Just as those women once sent their voices across oceans, today we build bridges across institutions and countries—ensuring that women continue to shape the future of education, technology, and society.

Welsh Parliament

On 23 January, we visited Senedd Cymru—the Welsh Parliament at Cardiff Bay. This experience offered a valuable policy and governance perspective on academia. Understanding how education, research, and innovation intersect with political decision-making added another layer to my appreciation of the academic ecosystem—one that extends well beyond laboratories and lecture halls.

Inspiration, Exchange, and Gratitude

Looking back, this visit was more than a programme—it was a transformative engagement. It reaffirmed my belief that academia thrives when we remain open: open to learning, to collaboration, and to being inspired by others.

I am deeply grateful to Prof. Dr. Esyin Chew for her outstanding leadership and vision in making this initiative possible. The PIE-WiSE programme has provided not just a platform for collaboration, but a space for meaningful intellectual exchange between Malaysia and the UK.

As I return home, I carry with me renewed motivation—to inspire, and to be inspired. I look forward to the next chapter of this journey and to future PIE programmes that continue to bridge ideas, institutions, and people across borders.

nurul hazlina

Jan 25th

 

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