6 August 2026, Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Tapang, Tumpat - Interest in science-based streams among Malaysian students remains a concern, with STEM enrolment currently at just 47 percent and pure sciences at only 19 percent. The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2026–2035 has reinforced STEM as a national education priority, targeting 20 percent pure-science enrolment by 2035. In support of this agenda, Science Made Fun (SMF) has been held annually since 2013 to reignite students' interest in STEM through fun, hands-on activities.

This year, SMF 2026 was organised at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Tapang, Tumpat, by the Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), through the joint management of its Students' Association (MOMED) and the Industry & Community Network Division (BJIM), in collaboration with strategic partners: Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah (PPD) Tumpat, Kelantan; the Malaysian Society of Human Genetics (MSHG); and the Physiology Department, School of Medical Sciences, USM. Led by Project Director, Mr. Ahmad Firdaus bin Ahmad Sukri, the programme brought together 61 Year 6 students from SK Sungai Tapang under PPD Tumpat's supervision, with the aims of nurturing early interest in STEM and strengthening ties between industry, community, universities, and schools.

The event began with opening remarks from the school’s Headmistress, Ms. Jamilah binti Bongsu and the Project Advisor from INFORMM, Dr. Noor Fatmawati binti Mokhtar. This year introduced a new "Explorace" format — a competitive, station-based activity combining scientific exploration with team challenges. Students rotated in small groups through six stations consisting of: i) Shaking Ice-Cream, exploring states of matter through an ice-and-salt freezing technique; ii) Maths Ninja, a snakes-and-ladders-style arithmetic challenge; iii) Human Anatomy Puzzle, assembling body parts to learn basic anatomy; iv) Rainbow Tower, layering liquids of different densities; v) Flying Ball, demonstrating Bernoulli's Principle through airflow; and vi) Genetics Station, solving problems on hereditary and family genetics. Facilitators guided each group throughout, encouraging two-ways communication and interactive sessions. An interactive quiz session then followed to reinforce understanding of the concepts covered at each station, with attractive prizes awarded to the winners. The programme concluded with a prize-giving ceremony recognising the top three Explorace teams — Champion, First Runner-up, and Second Runner-up — adding an extra element of excitement to the day's proceedings.

In conclusion, the programme was a resounding success, delivered by more than 30 committee members and met with overwhelmingly positive feedback from students and the school, including Ms. Jamilah Bongsu, who expressed appreciation for the organisers and hoped for continued collaboration in the future. Moving forward, Science Made Fun will continue as an annual flagship programme, further strengthening STEM initiatives and biomedical science outreach among students across Malaysia.

Ashwaq is a foreign student from Syria and she finished her PhD in INFORMM in year 2018. The title of her talk was “What INFORMM added to my life” and it was attended by 30 participants through Webex Session. In her talk, Ashwaq shared her experiences along the journey before, during and after her PhD study in INFORMM. She related the difficulties she faced in each stage and her strategies to stay on track for graduation on time. She reiterated on how to fully utilise the knowledge and experiences she gained from her PhD study in her work now. Her advice to her juniors to manage their time efficiently, to establish networking and to keep their future career in mind was well received.

Warren Lee Xian Liang completed his PhD at INFORMM in 2019. His research focused on immunology and antibodies. In his talk, he shared his unforgettable memories of his PhD journey. He was candid in sharing his ups and downs throughout the years, and would not have been able to overcome the hurdles without the support and encouragement from his close colleagues. He stressed that sincerity, kindness and a camaraderie spirit were very important aspects for a conducive research environment. Warren joined Nanyang Technological University, Singapore as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow after his study.

Sanaa Yaseen Issa completed her MSc in Molecular Medicine at INFORMM, where she conducted research on the immunomodulatory effects of medicinal mushroom extracts on macrophage-mediated immune responses. During the session, Sanaa reflected on her 1.5-year postgraduate journey at INFORMM, USM, sharing cherished memories of her time at the institute, from adapting to research life and coursework in Malaysia to navigating the realities of thesis work in immunology and molecular biology.

She shared an honest account of her academic experience, including what she would approach differently in hindsight, and traced how her time at INFORMM shaped her career path, from teaching roles in her home country to her current work towards a PhD in precision medicine. The session offered practical insights for those considering the Molecular Medicine programme, balancing personal reflection with concrete advice on making the most of the INFORMM experience.

She is currently pursuing an academic scientific career while strengthening the research and technical skills needed to pursue a PhD in precision medicine and immunology in the near future.