By: Dr. Mazliana Ahmad Kamarudin
SERDANG, August 26 - The International Fundamental Science Congress 2021 (IFSC2021) has been held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions that still does not permit any cross-border travel.
The Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), continued the annual tradition via the new norm by hosting the Congress through Zoom. The 12th edition congress was held from August 24 until 26, 2021.
The programme director, Associate Professor Dr. Yap Wing Fen, said the virtual congress was hosted in collaboration with Kasetsart University (KU), Thailand and IPB University, Indonesia.
“We have received more than 200 entries from around the world. Renowned scientists from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other European countries, as well as Egypt, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, have shared their knowledge in this conference,” he said.
The theme of the congress, ‘Engaging Fundamental Science in the New Norm’ is in line with the efforts to continue supporting fundamental scientific research in the field of biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics in the new norm.
The congress was officiated by the Deputy Director-General of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education, Professor. Ir. Dr. Robiah Yunus, and it was attended by UPM Vice-Chancellor, Professor. Dr. Mohd Roslan Sulaiman.
The deans from three universities - UPM, KU and IPB also attended the opening ceremony of IFSC2021.
The annual IFSC congress commenced back in 2009 from the efforts of UPM’s Faculty of Science to create a sharing platform concerning the exchange of research in fundamental science for researchers and industries from both within and outside of the country.
One of the IFSC2021 participants, Muhammad Safwan Zaini, said the three-day international programme went smoothly. An international participant, Dr. Kanjanaboos, also gave compliments on the excellent organisation of the congress.
At the closing ceremony, the Dean of the Faculty of Science, UPM, Professor ChM. Dr. Mohd. Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman, handed over the symbolic baton to the Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, IPB University, Dr. Berry Juliandi, as the next host of IFSC2022 in Bogor, Indonesia. - UPM
