Nuruliza (left) helping visitors understand the science aspect during National Youth Day 2025 in Kuala Lumpur.
A TEAM of Malaysian academics is working to ignite passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among students and the public.
They call themselves Team Dr Planet: Guardians of Planetary Health.
These lecturers are from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) Medicine and Health Sciences Faculty; Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Chemical Engineering and Dentistry faculties; and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Education Faculty.
Their shared mission is to remind Malaysians that humans, flora, fauna and the environment are interconnected, and that protecting one part of the ecosystem benefits the whole, according to a media statement by UiTM Johor branch on behalf of the group.
Team leader Assoc Prof Dr Nuruliza Roslan from USIM, which is based in Nilai, Negri Sembilan, recalled support for their efforts.
This included overwhelming response to their interactive booth set up for National Youth Day 2025 celebrations at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, this past June.
“We were exhausted, but seeing the visitors’ enthusiasm, the curiosity in their questions and hearing their words of encouragement made everything worthwhile.”
She said visitors to the booth experienced a wide range of hands-on STEM activities, from extracting and observing human cells under a microscope to testing water cleanliness with environmental samples.
There was also a series of engaging hands-on activities designed to appeal to all age groups.
Among the highlights, said Nuruliza, was an experiment where participants extracted and observed human cells under a microscope, giving them a rare glimpse into the building blocks of life.
“Our team also introduced a do-it-yourself water cleanliness test, where participants used samples from the environment to check quality levels.
“Critical thinking games added to the excitement, encouraging young people to exercise problem-solving skills while having fun,” she said.
Nuruliza said their booth, set up in collaboration with Malaysian Youth Council, attracted hundreds of visitors, from curious schoolchildren to senior citizens.
She said many left with a deeper understanding of how their daily choices affect planetary health.
She added that the collaborative spirit behind the booth showed how STEM education could transcend boundaries of age, ethnicity and background while promoting scientific literacy.
Nuruliza and the team also credited volunteers and the Malaysian Youth Council for ensuring the booth ran smoothly over the two-day event.
UiTM Johor Chemical Engineering Faculty lecturer Dr Nur Farhana Mohd Yusof said the most rewarding part was watching both children and adults embrace learning through hands-on experience.
“This kind of outreach is essential to nurturing the next generation of environmentally responsible citizens,” Nur Farhana noted.
She said the team made a pledge to continue spreading awareness about sustainability and scientific knowledge to all corners of society.
“We will continue to spread awareness and knowledge through STEM for a more sustainable future,” she said.
