Seven Malaysian Undergraduates to Examine U.S., Global Environmental Challenges

Seven Malaysian undergraduate students from various universities, including Universiti Malaysia Trengganu, Universiti Teknology Malaysia Johor, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and Universiti Sains Malaysia Penang have been selected to participate in a special program at the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii. This program, entitled The Thematic Institute on the Environment will take place from May 10 – June 21, 2009. Participants in the program will come from Malaysia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore and were competitively selected.

Embassy officers briefing the students.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the students who take part in this six-week program will look at global environmental challenges and the need for active leadership to deal with them. The program will provide a deeper understanding of the environmental movement in the U.S. and how advocates for environmental conservation and action undertake advocacy, market, policy, cultural and scientific approaches to environmental issues. During final week of their program, the students will travel to San Francisco and Washington, D.C for a field study.

Group with Acting Deputy Chief of Mission and Cultural Affairs Officer outside the Embassy Club House. On April 2, 2009, Public Affairs and the Economic Section organized a pre-departure briefing and visa interview for the 7 Malaysian undergraduate students at the U.S. Embassy. The students met with Public Affairs staff to discuss the purpose and content of their upcoming program, and what to expect when traveling in Hawaii and the Continental United States. They met other Embassy staff as well, including the Economic Counselor and the Environment Science Technology and Health officer. Several local journalists were invited to attend and interview the students.

Group with Acting Deputy Chief of Mission and Cultural Affairs Officer outside the Embassy Club House.

Source: U.S Department of State (2009), Seven Malaysian Undergraduates to Examine U.S., Global Environmental Challenges http://malaysia.usembassy.gov/program_eastwest_environment-032409.html [viewed on16/4/2009].

A Green Passion - The Star 12 April 2009

Sunday April 12, 2009

A green passion

By RICHARD LIM

IT is not always a chip off the old block.

Although her mother is a land developer, marine biology student Wong Shu Kuan, 22, has her heart set on conserving Malaysia’s coral reefs.

One of the lucky seven Malaysian undergraduates selected to represent the country for a study of the United States Institute on the Environment (Usie) in Hawaii – the birthplace of US president Barack Obama.

“I’m looking forward to observe negotiations between the US government and the NGOs,” said the second-year Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) student when met before her departure to Hawaii.

“Each side will have their priorities and compromise must be made to arrive at a middle path.
The group of students engaging in a gleeful discourse before departing for Hawaii.

The group of students engaging in a gleeful discourse before departing for Hawaii.

“Also, Obama promised so much and it’ll be interesting to see how his administration is delivering on his campaign promise.”
It is interesting that despite being an animal lover, Wong only acquired her passion for all things green at university.
“I love dogs and I originally wanted to study veterinary science,” she added. “However, this course was offered to me instead and I credit my dedicated lecturers who got me interested in environmental issues.
“They explained how our actions impact the environment and how neglect has led to climate change over the years.”
Wong also stressed that more environmental drives or foreign exchange programmes are needed to instil more awareness on issues like the greenhouse effect and waste management in local campuses.
Funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Usie is hosted by the East-West Center, Hawaii, in collaboration with over 20 organisations including the University of Hawaii’s Environmental Center, Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment and the Nature Conservatory.
Participants were competitively selected from Fiji, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Singapore by US embassy staff.
Like Wong, Universiti Teknologi Johor urban and regional planning student Abdul Hafiz Sheik Abdul Hardy, 21, cannot wait to start.
“I’m interested in discussing the effects of urbanisation and I hope to exchange ideas with the other parcipants,” he said.
“I’ll be presenting my ideas on the effects of urbanisation. Some orang asli settlements in Johor have made way for development and I’m interested in highlighting their plight.”
Abdul Hafiz was referring specifically to the Tanjung Pelepas port development and the Tanjung Bin power plant project.
“Many orang asli in Tanjung Pelepas are fishermen and their catch has since reduced,” he added. “We need to look into viable ways for them to change their economic activities, like switching to agriculture.”
The other selected Malaysian undergraduates are Universiti Malaysia Sabah environmental science student Chow Geh Tsung, 23, Universiti Sains Malaysia applied biology student Chuah Chiew Yen, 23, UMT marine biology student Qiistina Shakireen Azman, 21, and UMT marine science students Yew Min Terk and Lin Wai Hwa, both 22.
Also present was US acting deputy chief of mission Robert Kuntz who congratulated the students.
“This is the right time for all of you as the Obama administration is focused on environmental issues,” he said.

Source: Richard Lim (2009), A green passion, The Star Education, 12 April 2009, pg. E6.

Environmental Studies Project

I am taking the Environmental Studies subject this semester. Our lecturer, Mr. Ahmad Tajudin Kechik has asked us to prepare 2-pages panel of 10 things we will do if we are "someone or in some careers". My group which consists of 3 students namely Nurul Nadia bt. Mohd Rabani, Farinee bt. Ainee and of course me has been voted to become a farmer. Hence, we had prepared the panels of 10 things to do if we are a farmer.

Background of “Study of the U.S. Thematic Institute for Foreign Undergraduate Students on the Environment”

The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA) has awarded a grant to the East-West Center to administer the “Study of the U.S. Thematic Institute for Foreign Undergraduate Students on the Environment.” The purpose of the institute is to provide a group of 18 undergraduate leaders from various countries with a deeper understanding of the United States and its the environmental movement by engaging advocacy, market, policy, cultural and scientific approaches to environmental issues and seeing how these approaches are intertwined. The theme of environmental stewardship will examine a diversity of actors from regulators, activists, to businesses involved in the environmental movement. The program will also look at environmental challenges and the need for active leadership to deal with these challenges.

The institute aims to provide a transformative learning experience for participants through introductions to a broad spectrum of American life; enhance networks of understanding linking participants with U.S. environmental actors and each other; transfer, where applicable, lessons from the U.S. to the participants’ countries; provide opportunities for U.S. practitioners to learn about participants’ countries environmental challenges; link the next generation of foreign leaders in the environmental movement with the U.S.; and develop collaborative projects among participants themselves and with U.S. organizations.

The institute will be organized by the East-West Center in collaboration with over twenty other organizations.
The first five weeks will be at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the final week will be a field study to San Francisco, California, and Washington, D.C.