Shell has successfully carried on its STEM based learning challenge #MyGeekMovement since 2017, attracting school-aged innovators.
EVERY innovation has a story behind it and this one tells of the journey taken by young inventors who participated in the #MyGeekMovement, a social investment programme by Shell Malaysia.
The programme aims to provide Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning content to complement the country’s existing school co-curricular structure.
Launched in August 2017, with the support of the Ministry of Education, it involved 225 students from 15 schools across Malaysia, who received hands-on STEM learning, with a focus on technology.
WHERE IT ALL STARTED
In the second year of #MyGeekMovement, the programme attracted other students in the participating schools. Interest doubled when the founding members recruited and coached their juniors, indirectly benefitting some 20,000 students nationwide.
The programme, which is offered as an after-school activity, enables students to utilise STEM education tools such as the Arduino platform and the Android application, as well as design and prototype making.
Why STEM? According to the Science Technology Human Capital Report and Science Outlook 2015 by the Malaysian Academy of Science, Malaysia needs at least 270,000 students to complete their secondary schooling in the sciences to develop talent in scientific research areas.
In 2015, that figure stood at 90,000 and to compound matters, 12 per cent of science stream students migrate to non-STEM programmes at the tertiary level. Overall in Malaysia, less than 45 per cent of students are in the science stream. In East Malaysia, the percentage is much lower with less than 30 per cent of students in the science stream.
Shell considers the sciences as very important as the industry is always in need of talents with knowledge and skills in these areas. Through STEM-related programmes, the company aims to equip future generations with skills that matter.
The #MyGeekMovement 2019 is a competition that required teams to design Sustainable Living Systems inventions, from April 29 to May 2 this year.
Integrating NXplorers into this programme, Shell hopes to deliver technology, critical, creative and innovative skill sets for students, while challenging them to work in teams to design and innovate solutions to real-world problems.
LONDON CALLING
“I want to win, but this was unexpected,” says Isaac Yong Wei Onn, a member of Techie Monkey from SMK Bintulu, Sarawak who beamed with delight when the judges announced his team’s invention, iRecycle, as the winner of this year’s #MyGeekMovement National.
The team beat five other finalists.
iRecycle is a multi-platform mobile app that acts as an intermediary between recycling centres and the public, encouraging users to recycle by making the process simple and rewarding. The app enables users to connect with recycling centres to arrange for pick-up, and they can earn points.
“In today’s world where our young generations are very much inclined towards technology, it’s imperative to nurture their interest in STEM through creative methods,” says Nimmi Kamal, General Manager for External Relations in Shell Malaysia.
She says Shell’s #MyGeekMovement aims to increase students’ critical and innovative thinking towards creating sustainable inventions for the future.
Team member Darren Lee Hua Ee says that,“ #MyGeekMovement has helped us to be innovative and think creatively in coming up with a solution to ease the process of recycling, which will encourage people to cultivate a sustainable green habit.”
He adds that the team came up with the creation when its members realised that their friends don’t recycle because it is a hassle to take recyclables to recycling centres and moreover, they don’t get rewards for the effort.
“This app will change recycling practices in Malaysia,” adds Lee.
MENTORING
Looking back at their journey in coming up with iRecycle, Wendy Lim Yii Ann, the only girl in the team, recalls how they had to tolerate each other and work together.
“We learnt the importance of working as a team to overcome hurdles and to always support each other. We are so happy to have won. Our aim is to implement our app in our neighbourhood for a start. Hopefully one day, it will be used by others around the world,” adds Lim.
Shell encourages its members to be part of the mentoring team to guide other young aspiring inventors, and support them in their journey.
“Additionally, we also encourage the students to become future engineers and innovators by providing them with the required skills and mentorship,” says Nimmi.
Techie Monkey’s mentor is Cindy Sagan, who is the Business Improvement Advisor at Shell Middle Distillates Synthesis, the world’s first commercial gas-to-liquids plant located in Bintulu, Sarawak.
She is the former team manager for the UKM team that entered the Prototype — Alternative Gasoline vehicle in the first SEMA nine years ago.
“My team won then and today, the team I mentored has emerged winner and I’m ecstatic. It is good to be here again, it brings back memories and I hope they (Techie Monkey) will gain as much as they can from the other winners around the world who will be gathering in London,” says Cindy.
The Techie Monkey will get once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of Shell’s Make the Future in London next month.
OTHER WINNERS
Six schools — two from Peninsular Malaysia, two from Sabah and two from Sarawak — participated in the national finals after emerging as state winners and runners up at the #MyGeek-a-thon competition.
The inventions were judged by Richard Kho (General Manager, East Operated, Shell Malaysia), Xiaowei Liu (Vice President, External Relations, Asia Pacific, Shell International), and Sumitra Nair (Vice President, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation).
Entries were judged based on these criteria—technical, problem solving, and learning journey. The final 10 per cent comprised public votes which were opened to visitors during the grand finals that took place on the third day of Shell Eco-marathon Asia at the Sepang International Circuit.
The other finalist was FuelerX, a product by VEGA Team from SM La Salle in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Fueler X is a fuel pump system that converts seawater into fuel by using electrolysis and solar energy. This innovative solution could potentially replace fossil fuels with hydrogen gas.
Another team from Sarawak that made it to the final was from SMK Lutong in Miri with its invention called Fridget. This all-girl team invented an automated fan cleaning system that can be programmed to clean dust on condenser coils in the back of refrigerators.
The invention can reduce energy consumption by 30 per cent and comes with an alert system to notify owners if their fridge coils are dirty; it will trigger the automatic cleaning process.
SMK Putrajaya Presint 11(1) showcased an invention called Shower Water Saver, a system that controls water usage during soaping and shampooing by allowing users to pre-set the duration of the pause for the water flow. Once the time is up,the shower will automatically turn on to allow users to complete their showering process.
The second team that represented Peninsular Malaysia was the Star T.E.K. team from SMK Aminuddin Baki, Kuala Lumpur with its invention called SupaSlippers—a fall detection device designed to save lives.
The device can be attached to any footwear which is able to transmit a SMS notification within three to five seconds via Bluetooth to the caretaker’s mobile phone when the wearer slips or falls.
The final invention that made it to the finals was from SM Maktab Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The team invented Smart Street Lights. The system regulates street lights automatically using infra-red sensors. It saves electricity by activating street lights when it detects vehicles.
The current street light system uses light detection and turns on when there is low surrounding light, even in the absence of road users. The team’s innovation is simple— whenever a vehicle passes a stretch of road, the street light above and in front of it will switch on. As the vehicle moves forward, the lights behind it will switch off for effective energy consumption management.