MIRI: Curtin University Malaysia recently welcomed over 100 students of Form 3, 4 and 5 from SMK Lutong for a biodiversity learning activity centred around plant identification.
The activity was organised by the university’s Faculty of Engineering and Science with the aim to expose the students to the rich biodiversity of Sarawak and equip them with skills to identify plants as well as better understand their importance in the ecosystem.
The event began with a welcoming speech by the faculty’s dean Professor Tuong-Thuy Vu and a briefing on plant identification by senior lecturer Dr Tay Ai Chen.
“The students were divided into 11 groups then proceeded to carry out their fieldwork across the campus under the guidance of a team of experts, namely Dean of Learning and Teaching Prof. Tang Fu Ee; Head of Civil and Construction Engineering Assoc. Prof. Wong Kwong Soon; Head of First Year Engineering Dr Tan Yee Yong; Civil and Construction Engineering Programme coordinator Carrie Ho; Environmental Engineering Programme coordinator Dr Tan Yin Ling, and Civil and Construction Engineering lecturers Dr Timothy Ting and Dr Haider Hamad Ghayeb.
“In the fieldwork, the students participated in a guided tour of the university’s extensive gardens, where they learned how to identify various plant species and the key features that differentiate them. They also had a lot of fun learning to use Pl@ntNet, a mobile application that allows users to identify plants simply by photographing them with their smartphones,” the university said in a statement yesterday.
Meanwhile, Dr Tay expressed her excitement regarding the students’ visit as it provided opportunity to engage with young minds and inspire them to become curious and passionate about the environment.
She said plant identification is one of the biodiversity learning activities in the Environmental Engineering programme for secondary school students to help them understand the importance of plant biodiversity in environmental conservation.
“It is crucial for the next generation to have a deep understanding and appreciation of the diversity of flora and fauna here in Borneo and be knowledgeable of global environmental issues,” she said.
One of the participating students, Sarah Zareen, shared her excitement about the visit, “I had a great time with my friends, learning about all the plants. I liked how I could relate all that I had learned from the activity to what I had learned in my biology classes.”
Fellow student Priscilla Tra said, “The activity was a really good way to learn about biodiversity and the importance of preserving the environment. I didn’t know about the Pl@ntNet app until today, but it helped a lot in learning about the different plants, especially their scientific names. It was a fascinating experience indeed.”
