KUCHING – It was an exciting time as close to 250 Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus alumni came together with nearly 100 key partners of the university on a Monday evening dedicated to them.
The annual ‘Appreciation and Awards Dinner: A Night with Alumni and Partners’ event was held on 16 October 2023, and brought together alumni and partners along with faculty and staff members of the university for a night of networking and strengthening connections.
Gracing the dinner event were YB Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government; Datuk Amar Jaul Samion, Chairman of Swinburne Sarawak Board of Directors; Professor Pascale Quester, Vice-Chancellor and President of Swinburne University of Technology, and Ir Professor Lau Hieng Ho, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of Swinburne Sarawak.
Ir Professor Lau Hieng Ho delivers the welcoming address at the Appreciation and Awards Dinner event.
Addressing the alumni, Professor Lau said, “Your accomplishments are a testament to the quality of education we provide and your achievements remind us of the profound impact education can have on individuals and society as a whole.”
Indeed, the room was filled with alumni accomplished in their own right, including academics, successful entrepreneurs and professionals holding senior positions in corporate offices.
When sharing Swinburne’s recent success in rising into the top 250 in the 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Professor Pascale emphasised the importance of the university community in achieving its missions.
Professor Pascale Quester speaks at the Appreciation and Awards Dinner event.
“A university is as good as its people – the students, staff, alumni and partners. The key to making our vision and moon shots come to life are the relationships we have with many of you – our industry partners and alumni.
“People need skills, knowledge and courage. Our degrees are more than just a piece of paper, and we prepare our students with the skills they need to succeed in a future world of work, for the jobs of the future,” she said.
The highlight of the night was none other than the Industry Awards ceremony, which recognises the best graduates in selected undergraduate degrees for their excellent academic achievements. This year, Best Graduate awards were presented in eleven categories, which included two Sarawak Foundation Outstanding Graduate Awards.
Among the distinguished award recipients was Jonathan Lee Wen Han, who completed his studies in the Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology) and was honoured with the Sarawak Foundation’s Outstanding Graduate Award.
Jonathan Lee (centre) receives the Sarawak Foundation’s Outstanding Graduate Award from Ir Professor Lau Hieng Ho (left), witnessed by Professor Pascale Quester (right).
With a perfect CGPA of 4.0, Jonathan not only excelled academically but is also the first student in the Science department to receive the Swinburne Emerging Leader Award. Beyond academics, he actively participated in competitions, volunteered, undertook internships and even found time for his personal passion project of writing a novel.
When asked about his secret to scoring a perfect CGPA while being active beyond academics, he advised, “Do not be afraid to ask the lecturers if you have any doubts, go the extra mile when doing your assignments and plan everything in a timely manner.”
In a field largely dominated by men, Rachel May Soon Bee Lian stood out in the Bachelor of Computer Science with her excellent academic results.
Rachel Soon (second right) receives the Best Graduate in Bachelor of Computer Science award from Ms Nadia Suhaili, Director of Customer Relationship Management at Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS), witnessed by Ir Professor Lau Hieng Ho (left) and Professor Pascale Quester (right).
“I think there should be a lot more women in Computer Science. I believe we definitely have what it takes to make it in this field and I would love to see more women in Computer Science in the coming years,” she said, advocating for more female representation in the field.
This year’s best graduate from the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Robotics and Mechatronics), Chin Hau Zen, is both fascinated and inspired by the endless possibilities Mechatronics offers through its combination of hardware and software expertise.
Chin Hau Zen (second right) receives the Best Graduate in Bachelor of Engineering (Robotics and Mechatronics) award from Mr James Ung, Group Chief Operating Officer and Swinburne Campus Ambassador of Sarawak Energy Berhad, witnessed by Ir Professor Lau Hieng Ho (left) and Professor Pascale Quester (right).
Today, Hau Zen is driven by his passion for smart agriculture. “I find it incredibly rewarding to explore the potential of IoT devices, automated guided vehicles, smart fertilising machines, IoT for agriculture and smart planting methods to improve crop management and optimise resource utilisation, which enhance the overall efficiency of agricultural operation.”
In addition to the abovementioned award recipients, eight other outstanding graduates achieved academic excellence in their respective fields:
- Phoebe Li Yun Qin, Best Graduate in the Bachelor of Business (Accounting and Finance)
- Renee Wong, Best Graduate in the Bachelor of Business (Accounting)
- Amirah Aina binti Hasbullah Khan, Best Graduate in the Bachelor of Business (International Business)
- Evelyn Mau Hui Qi, Best Graduate in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil)
- Kusau Brandonberg anak Salang, Best Graduate in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Chemical)
- Millenium Wong, Best Graduate in the Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic)
- Adryan Ang Seng Theng, Best Graduate in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical)
Aside from Jonathan Lee Wen Han, this year’s Sarawak Foundation Outstanding Graduate Award was also presented to Jon Bonnar anak Jores, a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical) graduate.