Universiti Malaya (UM) proudly hosted the Materials Lecture Competition (MLC) 2024, in collaboration with the Institute of Materials, Malaysia (IMM) and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, UK (IOM3-UK). The semi-final and final rounds were successfully held online via Zoom on 3 September 2024 and 24 September 2024, respectively, and were livestreamed on the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UM Facebook page.
Following the format established since 2020, the competition continued to be conducted online, ensuring participation from across Malaysia while maintaining health and safety measures amid the ongoing pandemic situation.
The aim of MLC 2024 was to provide a platform for young talents to showcase their presentation skills and knowledge in materials science and engineering. The semi-final was officiated by Dr. Abdul Hakim Md Yusop, Chairperson of the IMM-MLC Committee, while the final round was officiated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hendrik Simon Cornelis Metselaar, Head of the Centre of Advanced Materials (CAM), Universiti Malaya. The event concluded with closing remarks by Ir. Hisyam Yahya, representing Ts. Dr. Chew Khoon Hee, President of IMM.
The judging panels for both rounds comprised distinguished experts from academia and industry, ensuring high standards consistent with international expectations. Fourteen universities participated in the semi-final, and five outstanding finalists advanced to the national final.
After an impressive showcase of research and communication excellence, Jerome Liew from Universiti Malaya emerged as the Champion of MLC 2024. Ainaa Amirah Marzuki from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Aslam Hadi from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) were awarded first and second runners-up, respectively. The top three winners received cash prizes of RM 3,000, RM 2,000, and RM 1,000, while the remaining finalists received consolation prizes of RM 500 each, all sponsored by IMM.
Representing Malaysia, Jerome Liew went on to participate in the Young Persons’ World Lecture Competition (YPWLC) 2024, organized by IOM3-UK in November 2024, held online.
