PORT DICKSON – A total of 32 Form Three students from Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (STAR), Ipoh attended the Young Environmental Scientist (YES) programme to cultivate their interest in wildlife scientific research.

Put together by the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FPAS) jointly with the Negeri Sembilan Forestry Department (JPNNS), the three-day programme was aimed at boosting students’ understanding of the management of nature and wildlife.

Programme director, Dr. Hafizan Juahir said this first ever held programme was a proactive step taken for the students to gain exposure to research conducted on the environment and also to better equip them for international level research competition.

“The programme offered hands-on experience on how a research is conducted and able to achieve its objective as well as provide adequate exposure to aspiring scientists. The programme also helps the students to understand environmental management better,” he said at the YES expedition programme held at Edutourism Eco Centre, Sg. Menyala forest reserve.

He said eight groups of students worked on a report detailing the research findings at the forest reserve guided by student facilitators from FPAS’s third year undergraduate students as well as the postgraduate students (Master and PhD),” he said.

“Among the research conducted at the forest reserve by these students were identifying types of soil and plants by using FPAS research apparatuses,” he explained.

In addition, Aiman Amin Zuraimi of STAR said although he was more inclined towards pharmacy courses, the programme had benefited him in terms of learning how to identify a variety of wild plants.

“After participating in the YES programme, I discovered that not only was I being taught science subject matters but I also had the chance to learn about medicinal plants in the forest,” he said.

Date of Input: | Updated: | amir_peli