APU Team “STEMfinity” Excels in TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024

(L-R) Chin Pei Yueh, Kwan Jun Er, Tan Tze Ying, and Ms Chong Mien May (Lecturer, School of Computing at APU). Amelia Sow Jing Yi, another team member, is absent from the photo.

Kwan (Team Leader), Amelia, Chin, and Tan of STEMfinity from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), mentored by Ms Chong (Lecturer, School of Computing at APU) and Mr Jacob Sow Tian You (Senior Lecturer, School of Computing at APU) has achieved a top 10 position at the TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024, hosted by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

The TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024, held on 3rd April 2024, at the Asia School of Business (ASB) Academic Malaysia, provided STEMfinity with a platform to present its visionary concept for the future of education.

This highly competitive event featured 76 submissions from Malaysian universities and colleges, with STEMfinity’s project standing out for its transformative approach to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.

The TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024 drew participation of 204 students representing 30 universities and colleges, showcasing a robust engagement from the academic community in Malaysia.

The finalists proposed their ideas for making the best use of technology to bridge the gender gap in STEM fields and provide women with equal opportunities for growth in these fields.

Based on the theme ‘Empowering Women in STEM’, the team tackled three challenge statements in their proposals: using technology to enhance the STEM curriculum, promoting successful women in STEM as role models, and helping women in STEM advance in their careers.

STEMfinity’s showcased project, “Make STEM Fun Again!,” introduced a comprehensive approach to enhancing interactivity and support for STEM education across primary to high school levels.

Their personalised STEM learning platform incorporates gamification elements and a rewarding system to motivate students while tracking their progress.

Educational games and simulations form the core content, fostering engagement and active learning.

Moreover, their networking platform connects students with peers, STEM clubs, and learning tools, extending support to educators with AI-based lesson planners and collaborative forums.

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Their success underscores STEMfinity’s dedication to fostering inclusivity and accessibility within STEM education, demonstrating the power of creativity and collaboration in driving positive change.

Kwan said that his team members and him are immensely proud of their achievement at the TCS Sustainathon Malaysia 2024.

“This recognition reinforces our mission to make STEM education more engaging and accessible, particularly for underrepresented groups.

“We believe in the transformative impact of innovative approaches like gamification to inspire and empower future generations,” Kwan said.

Kwan’s team members also extend their heartfelt gratitude to their mentors for their unwavering support, guidance, and constructive feedback, which greatly contributed to refining and enhancing the teams’ ideas and presentation skills.