The Heart-to-Heart with Science seminar, organised by QIU’s Faculty of Science and Technology, QIU, aims to expose its audience to the various facets of scientific knowledge, applied for the betterment of mankind and the world.
For the March 2021 edition, Dr Lee Yong Siang, an assistant professor from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)’s Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology, motivated about 180 participants on the various pathways that are available to all budding engineers.
Dr Lee, a graduate engineer (BEM) and professional certified associate for AutoCAD, balances a professional career in construction planning with his academic duties. He was also previously a site project manager at a property developer-cum-construction company.
The seminar, entitled “Beyond Engineering”, saw the participation of staff and students from various faculties at QIU as well as UTAR, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Politeknik Ungku Omar, and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The seminar was moderated by Dr Ranjetta Poobathy from QIU’s School of Biological Sciences, QIU.
Dr Lee divided his session into three parts: exploring engineering; life as an engineer; and transformation. He began by describing the various technological advancements around us that are made possible by feats of engineering.
He also provided a history of his impressive accomplishments throughout his degree and postgraduate years, deftly interweaving his points with the passion he has for engineering.
Dr Lee stressed the importance of adhering to the five M’s of engineering—manpower, money, materials, machinery and method—in order to become an effective engineer, using examples from his own high-rise building and basement projects to push his points forward.
In his previous role as a site project manager at a property developer and construction company, Dr Lee aided in business process analysis as well as the creation of site operating procedures (SOP) for COVID-19 prevention. He provided a sneak peek into his role by playing a video depicting the correct SOPs to follow at construction sites.
Dr Lee then illuminated all participants on the influence his previous job roles had over his current teaching and research duties, with most of his efforts directed towards sustainable projects.
Dr Lee ended the session by stressing the importance of cultivating excellent communication skills in order to deal with people from all walks of life. He concluded his session by speaking about his hopes for the future, focusing on how sustainable engineering will make the world a better place for all humans.
We would like to thank Dr Lee for sharing his expert knowledge with us, and we look forward to more illuminating scientific talks during the Heart-to-Heart with Science series.
