The 2013 NRM Getaway

Hello fellow SCIENCESS friends! 

Well yeah, what’s new and exciting thing for us to share with you guys this time? Hmm… let us think, oh yes! 101/102 Biotech students' field trip to Taman Negeri Endau Rompin, Pahang. Under Natural Resources Management (NRM) course lead by the beloved Dr. Kamil, followed by few staffs, Biotech 3rd year lecturers and postgraduates students, the 3 days 2 night getaway promised to be the most unforgettable field trip ever.

On 12^th April 2013,  around 107 students excitingly gathered in front of the KOS since 8 am in the morning, fully packed with travel bags and bag packs, ready to start their sunny Friday morning on a journey to Endau Rompin, Pahang. The journey took up about 3 hours by bus, three buses were used to carry students, staffs, postgraduates and lecturers. Oh, and don’t forget our food supplies!

Arrived there safely past noon, the first day of the trip spent by the students to clean and set up their own tent according to the group divided. The night was filled with the question and answer time with the precious forest rangers to expose the students more about the state park and also answer all the curiosity of the students about the oldest reserved forest in South East Asia.

The second day was said to be the most exciting day for their trip. The Environment concentration students were all excited to collect their samples for their Biodiversity sampling meanwhile the Marine and Food students were just planning to enjoy their hiking experience. Getting ready early, being packed with lunch box, the students all gathered to do some stretching and preparing themselves mentally and physically for the hiking that was claimed to be scary by some students. Why? Because of the leeches! The hiking path were like leeches road, left, right, up, down, everywhere! Yup, you heard it right, you were entering the leeches territory. Keep your sense in alert mode guys!

But still, some manage to enjoy it, and here are some picture collections during the thrill hiking day. Rejoice~!

 

 

 

After a tiring two hours of journey, the students were served with the fantastic, breath-taking view of the fountain.The boys take this chance to do some stunt while the girls take this chance for them to dip in their worn out feet into the cold water and some even just leisurely dipping into the clean water.

One hour spent for the student to relax, dipping into the cold, clean river and had their lunch before they finally climb up, getting ready to depart back and some who are still physically fit, getting ready to the beautiful natural crystal cave.

The night was spent with full of laughter and entertainment. Students were served with delicious chicken BBQ and also their task for the culture night. Laughter and joy filled the night until finally the student were spent tiredly in their tent past the midnight. They sang, play games, acted and even dance on the stage to relax and just enjoy the last night in the nature.

The last day was somehow the most unforgetful experienced for the students. After two days of sun and cool air, their third day somehow were thrill with heavy rain and wind, causing the rangers and the staff in charge gathering every student to a safer place. Because of the weather somehow the students were not able to do the promising ‘water safety’ activity due to the rain that cause the raise of the river water.

Spending last day packing and cleaning the site to go back, the students were all excited to go back to their room sweet dorm. They reach IIUM late the evening. The journey back also filled with thrilling challenge but still the students and staffs reached IIUM safely.

This field trip was said to be the first and largest trip for the KOS students. The thrill, experience and lesson learned from this field trip were very useful for the future. The students were exposed a lot to the amazing of the nature and the living things behind the unseen. Laughter, scream and sigh for the long three days trip were unforgettable and will be remembered even until ten years to come. Thank you to all those who participate, the lecturers and staffs who spent their day off to take care of the students and to the postgraduates who prepared the food for the three days long. Thank you for the lovely getaway! Syukran.

Well, isn’t it exciting to be a part of SCIENCESS students?

Wait for your NRM subject soon. Dr. Kamil promise to plan a more thrill field trip for the future batch!

WATCH OUT GUYS! GET YOURSELF READY!!

There’s nothing boring about Biotech in IIUM, that is for sure!

Sincerely,

Cr.: To all the pictures used

Trip to Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre by Environmental Students

Well hello hello there!

On 8th April 2013, all the Biotech Environmental students went for an educational trip to Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre or popularly referred to as the Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary.

It was set up for wild and abandoned elephant for rehabilitation before being released back to the wild area that is the natural habitat to this wild beast. It was surely a worthwhile visit indeed! :)

It is located within the bio diversified-rich and protected Krau Game reserve and was set up in 1989 under the Department of Wildlife & National Parks, Malaysia and manned by the Elephant Capture & Translocation Unit.

However, before visiting the elephant sanctuary area, the environmental students had a quick visit to Biodiversity Institution at Kuala Gandah, Pahang that was located nearby.

 

Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre was before a base for the Elephant Relocation Team which started in 1974. Over the past 25 years the team has successfully relocated around 400 elephants to national parks, bringing the wild elephant population in Malaysia from an alarming low of 500 to about 1200 on 2013.

At the elephant sanctuary, it offered visitors a hands-on introduction to those largest mammals on earth. Worker elephants are trained to help "guide and mother" others during the relocation process to National Park wildlife sanctuaries. Visitors are invited to help bath them in the shallow river or ride them. The juniors actually have sense of humor, so watch out for a dunking as you try to clamber up their backs!!

 

One of the students said that, "This trip is a rare and fantastic opportunity to get up close to endemic Malaysia elephants and once a life time experience" :')

Sincerely,

Field Trip by Food Biotechnology Students

Assalamualaikum,
and a big hi to everyone :)

Have you had your meal? Enjoyed your weekend? Or 3 days ain't enough for your "really good" weekend? I bet everyone will feel the same hehe! So lets jump to the main topic!

For weeks, all of the Food Technology students couldn't even wait any longer for the trips (I guess so), because y'know, they're taking this course, I suppose they're very fond of food regardless the killer subject (Organic Chemistry) would treat them in Food Chemistry.

So, we would like to share their experience during their field trip to Beryl's Chocolate, Bandar Baru Bangi and Yakult, Seremban yesterday.

Map to Beryl's Chocolate Factory, Bandar Baru Bangi.

The departure was roughly at 0530 am, and you guys have no idea what were their reactions when the mind had been set up to open their eyes at that kind of hour. The bus headed up straight to their destination which is Beryl's Chocolate at Bangi, Selangor -- Stopped at few R&R to perform salah and buy some snacks.

About 1030 am, they arrived at Beryl's Chocolate Factory. The place was so beautiful like these photos going to tell you.

Sister Haryanie was promoting the beautiful Beryl's Chocolate Factory.

Once you've entered the main entrance, you'll see this counter.

The demonstrator was in that white shirt.

The adorable frames are everywhere! We love the left one the most, what 'bout you?

The highest floor, with the gorgeous lamps and everything.

Quickly snapped the photo as they were hurried into the museum.

(No photos or videos are allowed in either museum or factory)

The process in making chocolate! 

Some sorts of the packaging of the Beryl's chocolate were displayed.

All students involved in this trip then moved into the factory which for sure, photos or videos aren't allowed at all. Next, they went to this one room where the warm-hearted Beryl's chocolate chef (also a product demonstrator) seemed ready to demonstrate on how to make dark chocolate with stick.

The chef showing the molds that he usually uses to make this kind of chocolate stick.

To make chocolate, we no need to use mask, but only gloves.

The dark chocolate needed to be stirred thoroughly to get the uniform temperature.

The chocolate should remain at the same temperature while you work with

chocolate outside of the bowl.

Bro. Zul was too lucky to be chosen to assist in this session:

He needed to pour the chocolate into the molds.

The dried fruits which would be put on the chocolate itself,

e.g: dried pineapple, dried mangoes, etc.

"Putting those sticks needed to be done in a short time," the chef said.

After putting some dried fruits on the chocolate, we have to put this thing in the fridge.

Here comes to the drizzling part, by which using strawberry chocolate (after the chocolate

has been freezed). The strawberry chocolate was heated in moderate temperature only.

Can't get these chocolate sticks in the store out there, because they're not for sale.

After finishing all the demonstrations, photos please!

What we were all waiting for... is actually this!

The Beryl's Chocolate Shop.

Shopping for everyone, family and friends!

About 1250 pm, everyone was starving for food, and the Muslimins particularly, had to go to Jumu'ah prayer at the nearby Mosque. Everyone should be gathered together at 0200 pm before proceeding to the next trip, which is to Yakult!

They arrived there at 0315 pm, and they got a very warm welcome by the staff (product demonstrator). She gave them all of the information that she ought to speak off. And they as the students felt so amazed with the interesting input, and even some of them had some kind of thoughts to apply job and get involved with Yakult production.

Yakult is a world pioneer in probiotics field. It's born from the research of a doctor that was conducted in 1935 by Dr Minoru Shirota. He became the first person in the world to succeed in culturing a strain of lactic acid bacteria (came from some kind of cheese), and indeed, this bacterium which is scientifically proven to be among the strongest strains of beneficial bacteria and has been shown to benefit human health, was named "Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain" after Dr. Shirota himself.

"Yakult is free of preservatives, colourings and stabilizers, and it is made not for only kids, but for everyone," said the Yakult demonstrator.

Yakult is a world pioneer and leader in the field of probiotics.

Yakult's cosmetics are created using biotechnology, from bacteria and herbs.

Free gifts from Yakult: a bottle of Yakult Ace and a notebook.

In front of the Yakult Factory which is located in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

Want to know how Yakult is produced?

Go to this link: Making Yakult

They went back to IIUM Kuantan at 0630 pm and arrived safely in the midnight. Everyone had so much fun and gained a lot of useful knowledge, mainly on the facts of both Beryl's Chocolate and Yakult.

Till then, ma'as salamah. Wasalam.

Truthfully,