KUCHING: Team Cuckoo Breaker emerged champion in the 2024 Kuching Integrated Circuit (IC) Design Make-A-Thon here today (Nov 3).
The team comprising Ivan Sim and Jaden Hwong from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus (Swinburne Sarawak), along with Issac Then and Melvin Wong from SMK Batu Lintang, the team earned a cash prize of RM5,000.
Present to handover the winning prizes during the grand finale of Sarawak Microelectronic Designs (SMD) IC Design Make-A-Thon at Swinburne Sarawak was Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah, who is also the SMD Semiconductor chairman.
Earlier, NextGen Coders which featured Aztrina Baie and Daniel Efesus Jaen from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), as well as Gracylea Isha Mai Stanley and Ethan Sia from SMK Jalan Arang claimed the first runner-up position. The team received RM3,000.
The second runner-up title which carries a purse of RM1,000 was awarded to TESLA. The team comprised Raphael Rijin Romi and Mohanad Taher Mohamed Sayed Roshdy from Swinburne Sarawak, and Mohammad Irfan Shah Mohd Idris Idet and Muhamad Haikal Sidik from Kolej Vokasional Matang.
The three-day competition which required teams to design and build a gramophone was organised by SMD Semiconductor Sarawak.
The competition included hands-on workshops and mentoring sessions led by industry experts and academics, offering participants valuable guidance and insights into the field.
It also aimed to promote the semiconductor industry, particularly IC design while advancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic (STEM) education in schools and universities.
The first competition started in Curtin University Malaysia, Miri from Oct 4-6, followed by University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), Sibu from Oct 25-27 and in Kuching from November 1-3.
In Kuching, it drew participation from 40 students, forming 10 teams, with participants from Swinburne Sarawak, Unimas, ILP Kota Samarahan, and 10-local secondary schools.
These schools included SMK Batu Lintang, SMK Tinggi Kuching, SM Chung Hua No. 1, Kolej Vokasional Matang, SMK Bandar Samariang, Yayasan Sarawak International Secondary School Petra Jaya, SMK Jalan Arang, and SMK Penrissen.
Among those present at the event were State Financial Secretary and SMD Board of Director Datuk Seri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar; Special Adviser in the Office of the Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Jaul Samion; SMD Semiconductor chief executive officer Shariman Jamil; Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC) general manager and SMD Board of Director Dr Peter Morin Nissom; Ministry of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Head of Department for Innovation Dr Cheong Yaw Liang; and champions of Miri and Sibu IC Design Make-A-Thon.
