The inception of the Young Persons’ World Lecture Competition (YPWLC) traces back to the UK, designed to cultivate the communication and presentation prowess of emerging materials scientists and engineers. Each finalist gracefully delivered a 15-minute lecture, delving into topics spanning materials, minerals, mining, packaging, clay technology, and wood science and engineering. The global finalists, hailing from countries like Canada, Hong Kong, the UK, South Africa, and Malaysia, emerged victorious in their respective YPLC finals. They proudly represented their regions and countries in this year’s grand finale.
The array of lecture topics spanned from the intriguing material properties of snail mucus to innovative plastics for renewable energy applications. The winner this year was Rathosivan Gopal, a representative of Malaysia. A dedicated Ph.D. candidate, under the supervision of Dr. Syafiqah Saidin, the Director of IJN-UTM Cardiovascular Engineering Centre (IJN-UTM CEC). His captivating lecture, titled “Immobilisation of Factor VII through Polydopamine Grafting of Polycaprolactone Membrane for Cardiac Bleeding,” secured his triumph.
Rathosivan’s journey included a six-month training attachment at Canada’s Laval University, generously funded by the Canadian government. Notably, he showcased his preliminary research in Quebec, Canada, during the QCAM Student Symposium of 2022. Additionally, his work reached audiences virtually in Japan at the 8th ICCME 2021 conference, spotlighting biomaterials, polymers, and mechanics. The second prize was awarded to Lauren Eggleton representing the UK, with her lecture “A sticky situation: The contradictory material properties of snail mucus”. Lauren is a current PhD candidate in the Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Sheffield, UK. While the third prize was awarded to Kate Fraser, representing Canada, for her lecture “Plastics for renewable energy devices”. Kate is a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry at Simon Fraser University, Canada.
In today’s swiftly evolving landscape, the skill of conveying intricate technical information with enthusiasm and clarity to a non-specialist audience stands as an indispensable asset. This competition fosters a congenial environment for young engineers and scientists, allowing them to cultivate their presentation skills while addressing a discerning audience.