A Material World And Ump’s Materials Technology Program
Disediakan oleh:
Dr. Jose Rajan,
Dean of Research Technology
Research & Innovation Office
Universiti Malaysia Pahang
The materials that we use today are the rubric for the future generations to rate us – just the same way we rate the previous times as stone age (before BC 5000), bronze age (AD 0 – 1000) iron age (AD 1500 –1800), and so on! Materials are the index of human progress and innovative materials over generations such as steel, polymers, composites, and micro-nanomaterials improved quality of life in this planet. Many recent technological revolution on information, transportation, and electronics are because of our ability to produce materials of desired properties at a relatively lower cost. Consequently, Materials Technology is a driver of a high income nation and is an avenue where many sciences, technology, and engineering meet; in other words, it is an interdisciplinary subject.
One of the big worries nowadays to make devices and structures is the primary supply of high performing materials – they are not unlimited. Materials such as petroleum and related products will be totally consumed in next few decades whereas some others are rare in the Earth’s crust but possible to be recovered and reused. There have been several keywords on materials in recent times such as renewable materials – which can be renewably produced such as carbon and cellulose from plant sources; nanomaterials – less amount of which are enough for creating functionality; smart materials – which serve many purposes. One of the emerging trends in materials manufacturing industry is materials informatics, which is computationally design cost effective routes for high performing materials by processing currently existing large volume data on materials properties and processes. Materials scientists and engineers throughout the world are deeply involved to develop protocols and materials to cater the need for an ever growing population. As an example, if plant derived carbon can be strengthened to the level of steel then building materials could be renewably produced.
Having established our niche in fine chemicals, the Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) is one of the ideal campuses for Materials Science & Engineering education. The faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology (FIST) of UMP is offering an undergraduate degree on Materials Technology; several other faculties offer masters and doctoral programs on production and application of Materials in addition to developing innovative materials. Over sixty percentage of the graduates from the first batch of FIST’s Materials Technology program, which was completed during July 2016, enrolled in their career as engineers, chemists, production managers, advisors in public and private sectors as well as in research & development immediately on graduation. The private sector where these graduates found their places include Top Glove, Felda-Johor Bulkers, NDK Quartz, ON Semiconductor, Flextronics, Guocera Tiles, Lumileds, Alpha Forge, Itami Plastic, Salutary Avenue Manufacturing, Daibochi Plastic & Packaging Industry, Taat Bestari, Ichem Solution, and Kruvent Industries. Malaysia as a nation lacks many material processing industries without which our dreams to become a high income nation could not be realized. Brilliant young minds should come forward to take up these challenges and grab unlimited opportunities exist for material scientists and engineers.