Swinburne,Centexs students make good showing at SEMA

KUCHING: Students from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus and the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (Centexs) showcased their ingenuity and technical prowess at the recent Shell Eco-Marathon Asia Pacific and Middle East (SEMA) 2024.

The collaboration produced the Green Gear-H in the event which sought to construct the most energy-efficient ultra-lightweight car.

The project was spearheaded by chief adviser Dr Muhammad Rafiq Mirza Julaihi.

Swinburne Sarawak in a statement said Team Green Gear-H became the first Malaysian team to pass rigorous technical inspections and achieve an impressive fourth-place in the hydrogen fuel cell prototype category.

Competing against teams from Indonesia, China, India and Saudi Arabia, Green Gear- H demonstrated a remarkable hydrogen fuel efficiency of 185 km/m3.

A jubilant Team Green Gear-H celebrates advancing to the prototype phase of the competition.

The team also benefited from the expertise of academics such as Dr Elaine Yeu, Dr Chong Kok Hing, Dr Soon Kok Heng, who are experts in mechanical engineering, and Dr Hadi Nabipour Afrouzi brought a wealth of knowledge in electrical and electronic engineering to the team dynamics.

The multidisciplinary team comprised students from Swinburne’s Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, and the Faculty of Business, Design and Arts.

Key members of the team include team captain Ong Jian Mian; technical manager Divyessh Sivakumar; drivers Amirul Supian Tarmizi and Centexs alumni Harry Ejay Atit, Ryan Liaw, Eva Martha Reeta Unyat, and Yassir Bengouarhu Anguilet.

Each team member brought their unique skills and dedication to the project.

Leading the Sarawak delegation at SEMA 2024 was Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration between institutions and businesses.

“This competition demonstrates the recognition and alleviation of Sarawakian’s expertise and skills at a global level,” he said.

Also present were Centexs chief executive officer Datuk Syeed Hussien Wan Abd Rahman, Solarvest Borneo Project director Joseph Koh I-Shen, SEB Research and Development general manager Dr Ng Sing Muk and senior manager Chai Yu Wun, and SEDC Energy chief operating officer Foo Kim Leong.

Meanwhile, Dr Muhammad said the participation of Green Gear-H would not have been possible without the generous support of sponsors.

“We are immensely grateful for the contributions from all our sponsors, and we want to acknowledge the support of our primary sponsor Solarvest Borneo Sdn Bhd, our diamond sponsors Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) and SEDC Energy, Yayasan Sarawak and Ibraco Berhad.”

SEMA 2024 saw the participation of 80 teams representing 11 countries including Saudi Arabia, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, India, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Qatar, Thailand, China, and Vietnam.