WELCOME TO THE BRUNEI STUDENTS’ RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2013 Students are the pillars for progress and excellence centered on the knowledge-based economy and innovation in line with the country's vision to develop knowledgeable, skillful and civilised citizens and residents Excerpt from the Titah of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam during “Majlis Bersama Rakyat” in the United Kingdom on 30th December 2012.
The Brunei Students’ Research Symposium (BSRS) 2013 is a one-day symposium to be held on 6th April 2013, targeted at all Bruneian students currently in the UK and Eire. The symposium enables students to present any aspect of their current, previous or future research. The symposium also intends to facilitate discussions between students from all academic fields, in line with the chosen theme, “Towards A Knowledge-Based Economy”, with a view to realising Brunei Darussalam’s Wawasan 2035. BSRS 2013 is based on the previous Brunei Postgraduate Symposium (BPS), which was held successfully in 2009 and 2010. BPS was organised in the past by Brunei Postgraduate Society and opened to Bruneian postgraduate students. BSRS, handled by both Brunei Postgraduate Society (BPS) and Brunei Undergraduate Research Society (BURS), with support from the Brunei Students’ Unit and Brunei Students’ Union, will be the first of its kind by extending participation to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. As research projects are not only limited to postgraduate studies, BSRS 2013 also intends to encourage undergraduate students to share their research, and cultivate interest in conducting research. The overall aim for this one-day symposium is to provide a platform for discussion between Bruneian students (both undergraduate and postgraduate students) from different disciplines, as well as representatives from Brunei-based ministries, policy-makers and research organisations. This allows students to share their experience of research, and discuss how their knowledge can contribute to Brunei’s drive towards a knowledge-based economy, in line with the key objectives of Wawasan 2035: in particular, exploring the roles of research, innovation and the development of human capital.
OBJECTIVES
To establish a line of communication between Brunei-based working academics, researchers, policy-makers and students.
To enable Brunei-based working academics, researchers and policy-makers to highlight research currently being done in Brunei and their views of what further research is required.
To enable students from different academic fields of research to understand how their research and research skills can be relevant and beneficial to Brunei Darussalam’s development plan.
To discuss issues and challenges of doing research and the future of research in Brunei.
To encourage discussion and debate amongst students, as well as to obtain constructive feedback in improving their research projects.
To cultivate interest in performing research among undergraduate students.
To facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations between different academic fields of research.
To facilitate the creation of a network of students and academics who can create a support system and pursue the issues that have been discussed during and beyond the symposium.
PROGRAMME ITINERARY VENUE: (LT) G34, SAF BUILDING 09:00 – 09:45
Arrival of Presenters and Guest (Registration and Networking Session)
09:45 – 10:00
Arrival of Keynote Speakers and Guest of Honour
10:00 – 10:15
Opening Remarks by the BRSR Co-Chairs (Muhammad Ayyub and Sarah Ghazali)
10:15 – 11:00
Welcoming Remarks by the Guest of Honour / Leading Keynote Speaker
11:00 – 11:30
Second Keynote Speech
11:30 – 12:00
Q&A Session
12:00 – 13:30 13:30
BREAK Networking Lunch and Zuhur Prayers All Attendees to reconvene CONCURRENT PRESENTATION SESSIONS VENUE
VENUE
SESSION 1
SESSION 2
RM 120, SAF BUILDING PUBLIC POLICY AND EDUCATION
RM 122, SAF BUILDING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
13:30 – 13.45
Opening Remarks by Sabrina Daud (Panel Moderator)
Opening Remarks by Ian Chan (Panel Moderator)
13:45 – 14:00
Jade Yee Lim University of Edinburgh
Mohammad Sabri Md Ali University of Leicester
Abdul Malik Omar University of Essex
Dk Haslina Pg Razali University of Sheffield
Ak Md Hasnol Alwee Pg Md Salleh Durham University
Jia Xin Chong University of Southampton
Dk Siti Norazriah Pg Metussin Loughborough University
Abdul Hanif DP Hj Mahadi University of Oxford
Formulating a sustainable energy policy regime for Brunei Darussalam
14:00 – 14:15
Brunei Inc: Connecting Asia
14:15 – 14:30
Retirement Planning in Brunei
14:30 – 14:45
Investigation and analysis of the barriers and factors of sports development for Brunei Elite athletes.
Cancer treatment? : Recruitment of HDAC7 to the SMRT/NCoR Co-Repressor Complex
Molecular methods for detecting avian malaria and MHC alleles in house sparrows
The effects of mindfulness training on subjective, autonomic, and neurocognitive response to carbon dioxide challenge
Morphologies of CeO2 as Solid Base Catalyst
14:45 – 15:00
Chien Hau Lim University of Cambridge
Muhammad Ayyub Kamaludin, Imperial College London
Norizah Haji Rajid University of Leicester
Wan Nurul Naszeerah Md Zainal Abidin Ariff University of California-Davis
An investigation into students’ perception of the linguistic and educational factors relevant to the successful learning of English in Brunei
15:00 – 15:15
A Case Study on Teachers’ Initial Perceptions of Assessment for Learning (AfL) in Brunei Government Primary Schools
15:15 – 15:30
Characterisation of Polymers
"You're Sitting on My Bacterial Friends!" The Essentials of Research in Microbiology of the Built Environment (*Video Presentation)
Desmond Tan Chia Chun University of Oxford
Learning to assess pupils learning in schools : a study on a group of secondary student geography teachers in England
15:30 – 15.35 15.35 – 16:00
Closing Remarks by Panel Moderator
Closing Remarks by Panel Moderator
BREAK Afternoon Tea and Networking VENUE
VENUE
SESSION 3
SESSION 4
RM 120, SAF BUILDING HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
RM 122, SAF BUILDING SOCIAL SCIENCES
16:00 – 16:05
Opening Remarks by Panel Moderator
Opening Remarks by Panel Moderator
16:05 – 16:20
Norainie Ahmad University of Oxford
Nur Syahirah Chua Md Firdaus Chua Brunel University
Dk Nur Qayyimah Santika Pg Md Apri University of Exeter
Yani Malai-Mair King's College London
Sarah Hanaa Hj. Ahmad Ghazali University of Warwick
Ahmad Zahid Md Daud University of Leicester
Closing Remarks by Panel Moderator
Closing Remarks by Panel Moderator
Configurations of Family Formation: Understanding the Fertility Decline in Brunei
16:20 – 16:35
Snow White and the Seven Continents: The Perception of Skin Colour In a Malay Society.
16:35 – 16:50
Little Lives: The Perils of ‘Speaking For’ Lived-In Foreign Domestic Workers in Southeast Asia
16:50 – 16:55
The Creation of a ‘Successful’ Autistic: A Discourse Analysis.
“Mun Paham Bisai!” – Why Don’t Individuals with Autism ‘Get What You Mean’?
Cross-cultural investigation of parental influences on adolescent psycho-emotional development in Brunei and the UK
All Attendees to reconvene at (LT) G34, SAF BUILDING 17:00 – 17:30
Closing Ceremony (Resolutions, Certificate Presentation and Gift Presentation)
GUIDELINES PRESENTATIONS A total of 19 papers will be presented in the afternoon session. Each presentation will last for a maximum time of 10 minutes. The presentations will be divided into subpanels according to their areas of study.
Attendees are required to register their interest for the subpanels during the lunch break. This is due to the limited places available.
Attendees do not have to remain in a particular sub-panel throughout the afternoon. Attendees may switch between panels and rooms, according to their academic interests. However, seats are not guaranteed due to the limited places available.
Presenters are allowed to switch between panels and rooms, once they have completed their presentation.
All questions and comments are to be reserved for the Q&A Session at the end of each presentation.
Q&A SESSION A 5-minute Q&A Session will follow each presentation. All presenters and attendees are required to fully utilise these sessions.
Presenters are advised to clearly state the types of feedback that they require from the audience.
Attendees are advised to ask questions or provide comments that are directly related to the presentation that they have just heard.
All presenters and attendees are requested to observe good conduct throughout the symposium. All forms of feedback are required to be constructive.
Presenters and attendees are advised to use the networking sessions to relay questions or comments which were not voiced during the Q&A sessions.
NETWORKING SESSIONS Complimentary refreshments will be provided throughout the symposium. Presenters and attendees are advised to use these break times for networking, to fulfill the BSRS ethos, which is to promote ongoing interaction between all attendees, to maximise the exchanging of ideas and questions. Each presenter and attendee will be provided with name tags, to ensure the smooth running of these networking sessions.
RESOLUTIONS All participants will be required to reconvene at LT G34, SAF Building for the Resolution Session. This final session will conclude the symposium, and coordinators will review information which have been relayed throughout the day, as well as concretising the specific outcomes of the symposium.
ABSTRACTS-ORAL PRESENTATIONS PUBLIC POLICY & EDUCATION Abdul Malik Omar
BSc International Enterprise and Business Development, University of Essex Brunei Inc: Connecting Asia Brunei Inc is a concept to describe a joint stock holding company aimed towards connecting Asia through international trade. With the increasing trend of multi national corporation setting their sights towards the east, many subsidiaries were created to provide logistics for the massive global demand of their goods. After all the Southeast Asian region itself accounts over 650 million of the world’s population, and neighbouring up north is the largest exporter in the world, China, with an estimated population of 1.2 billion people-from which the MNCs outsource most of their produce. In the process they need faster, cheaper and efficient port facilities to help them achieve their international goals. Brunei Darussalamwhich is at the ‘heart’ of the new economic boom-should have greater focus in developing Pulau Muara Besar as a logistics centre to help businesses do just that. By focusing its investments in the industry or ‘acting as the middleman’, not only would Brunei able to effectively diversify its economy with sustained growth through custom taxes but would also attract massive inflows of foreign direct investments, tourism, and greater relations with international economies. In the presentation I will explain as above, the importance of trade in economic progress(citing Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai as examples), the disadvantages that that will accompany with global growth, and finally the need for the government to create and support a public corporation such that of Brunei Inc for its aims to connect Asia. All the more to contribute to His Majesty’s vision of Wawasan 2035.
Ak Md Hasnol Alwee Pg Md Salleh
DPhil Islamic Finance, Durham University Retirement Planning in Brunei In numerous countries, the personal financial scene is changing. Governments are increasingly pushing the responsibility of saving for retirement onto individuals. In Brunei, recent government regulations on retirement, such as the increase in retirement age from 55 to 60 in 2009, and the introduction of the Supplemental Contributory Pension scheme in 2010, is a reflection of such changes in the retirement arena. This presentation has two main aims; firstly, it aims to demonstrate the extent of retirement planning practice and knowledge of a Bruneian sample. Secondly, the presentation attempts to provide suggestions, to enhance retirement planning in Brunei. The research is based on structured interviews/questionnaire-based surveys undertaken in late 2011, involving 431 Muslim heads of households in the Brunei-Muara district (216 non-welfare recipients and 215 welfare recipients). The results indicate that, in general, there are poor retirement planning practice and knowledge demonstrated by the respondents, especially welfare recipients, which needs to be addressed to avoid or minimize old-age poverty.
Chien Hau Lim
MPhil Education, University of Cambridge An investigation into students’ perception of the linguistic and educational factors relevant to the successful learning of English in Brunei The need to investigate students’ perception of linguistic and educational factors relevant to the successful learning of English in Brunei stems from Brunei’s past and present educational systems’ emphasis in producing proficient English language users, despite linguistic diversity in Brunei. A mixed method approach is taken to investigate a selected government school. An SPSS analysis frames the main study; the SPSS investigates whether the type of L1, Malay versus Mandarin, have a linguistic relationship with English, which leads to variability in learning English, as measured by students’ ‘O’ Level results. The main study involves interviewing and administering a questionnaire to nine students from the school, to gain an insight into student perceptions regarding relevant educational and linguistic factors. The study suggests that the type of L1 plays a less significant role in the successful learning of English. From the interview with the students, educational factors appear more powerful than linguistic factors in the successful learning of English - active engagement through reading, writing, and social interaction in English are traits common to successful learners of English. This study finds that the creation of supportive and encouraging English learning environments is crucial, and that teachers can play an instrumental part in ensuring students’ success.
Desmond Tan Chia Chun
DPhil Education, University of Oxford Learning to assess pupils learning in schools : a study on a group of secondary student geography teachers in England Assessment for Learning (AfL) has captured the attention of assessment policy makers and led to research initiatives aimed at embedding formative assessment into national educational systems. However, most of the research on AfL has centred on the policy and school level with a focus on teachers' practice; while very few studies of AfL have examined student teachers. Existing studies on AfL and student teachers have not considered how student teachers learn to implement AfL during their teaching. The study investigates how the purposes of AfL are revealed in the actions of student teachers in their activities in classrooms and how the purposes and practices of AfL are negotiated and implemented by student teachers in their teaching. Data will be collected through interviews, classroom observations and collection of relevant artefacts used by the school and student teachers. The general approach to data analysis and data collection will involve the cyclical process of thinking about the existing data collected to enable me to generate strategies in collecting better data. The research questions were designed from a cultural-historical perspective on learning and draws on student teachers’ reflections of using AfL in their teaching and of how school practices inform and shape their understanding and use of AfL. The intention is that findings of this study will not only extend existing knowledge in the literature on student teachers’ learning and in the AfL literature, but will have potential implications for teacher educators, researchers, schools and policy makers.
Dk Siti Norazriah Pg Metussin
BSc Sports Management, Lougborough University Investigation and analysis of the barriers and factors of sports development for Brunei Elite athletes.
The research is all about to investigate and analyse the barriers and factors of sports development for Brunei Elite athletes. Hence, i shall explain more in depth on the issues of what the Brunei athletes are currently facing. It will elaborate more on the role of government in this area i.e funding and education. It will be compared to frameworks such as SPLISS. This framework is one of UK successful framework in determining their Elite athletes. This research is being implemented due to the recent participation of Brunei for the first time in the Olympics. However, Brunei still stood behind other Asean countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Next I shall explain the nine pillars of SPLISS framework and compare it with Brunei’s situation on the development of Elite athletes. These nine pillars are financial support, integrated approach to policy development, participation in sport, talent identification system, career support, training facilities, coaching provision and coach development, international competition and scientific research. These is also included in my literature review. Furthermore, I shall explain how I have conducted my research and why I chose to do it using that particular method. Lastly, I would have given the conclusion and recommendation that I have made for my research which in this stage are still a work in progress.
Jade Yee Lim
DPhil Science and Technology Studies, University of Edinburgh Formulating a sustainable energy policy regime for Brunei Darussalam. Brunei is very developed in economic and social terms as well as having an established infrastructure across the country benefiting from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields that are the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. But dependence on oil and gas is not only very environmentally damaging, it also sets Brunei back in a world that is increasingly concerned with climate change and the need for low carbon solutions. The transformation of the energy sector can have a large impact in the subsequent processes in the transport, industrial and other sectors and requires science, policy and capital to interact in complex ways. Drawing on conceptions of sociotechnical regime transitions, I explore the discourses in the policy arena regarding energy issues and their interaction with incumbent technologies. Using qualitative interviews with stakeholders and government officials in Brunei, I intend to look at the reasons for the lack of a sustainable energy policy regime in order to inform and to present policy recommendations to Brunei’s existing energy policy.
Norizah Haji Rajid
MA International Education, University of Leicester A Case Study on Teachers’ Initial Perceptions of Assessment for Learning (AfL) in Brunei Government Primary Schools. This research will draw on a survey of at least 30 teachers and in-depth interviews on 6 – 10 teachers, each teaches pupils of age between 10 – 13 years old (Year 5 & 6) in Brunei primary schools. The focus is on teachers who may teach a particular core subject or subjects such as Mathematics, Science and languages. As the title suggests – the purpose of this research is to explore the initial perceptions of AfL held by respective teachers, based on their initial understandings on the uses of AfL or/and their experiences of implementing AfL. School-based AfL or better known as SBAfL programme is our Ministry of Education’s relatively new innovative and longer term strategy to improve teaching and learning in Brunei’s schools (MOE, 2008). AfL consists of using any assessment with the purpose of helping to raise student achievements by teachers informing students of their learning goals; where they are in their learning, where to go next and how to get there (Black et al, 2003). Research questions:
What are teachers’ initial perceptions of the uses of AfL in improving teaching and learning of core subjects in Year 5 and/or Year 6 classrooms?
Is there a correlation between teachers’ beliefs on AfL and their experiences of applying AfL in classrooms?
Are there differences in teachers’ perceptions of using AfL across different core subject areas?
The basis of this research stems from the belief that classroom practices are influenced by what teachers believe about assessment. Presumably, in any circumstances, changes can only produce significant results if the people involved are willing to first, change from within and think outside the box.
HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES Ahmad Zahid Md Daud
BSc Psychology, University of Leicester Cross-cultural investigation of parental influences on adolescent psycho-emotional development in Brunei and the UK Previous researches have shown how different parenting style such as ‘overprotection’ might have a negative effect towards adolescent’s socio-emotional development. These studies have primarily have focus on western culture where they found students are at high risk in developing socio-emotional development problems. The data obtain is questionable whether it can be generalized to other cultures as well. For example, one of the crosscultural studies has found that higher levels of anxiety exist within participants in Asian students compared to their Western counterparts. The researchers have argued the result might be due to different parenting style between the Western and Eastern parents. Therefore, the study will investigate the comparison and differences of prevalence level of socio-emotional development in adolescents in relation to Brunei and UK parenting styles. In order to do this, the study will employ questionnaires such as Parental Bonding Instrument to measure each countries respective parenting styles. Furthermore, internalized and externalized behaviour problems in adolescence will be measured using the Adult Self adult for ages 18-25 ASEBA form.
Dk. Nur Qayyimah Santika Pg. Mohammad Apri BA Geography & English, University of Exeter
Snow White and the Seven Continents: The Perception of Skin Colour In a Malay Society. When the issue of skin colour is raised, one may think of racism or even the problematic ideals of beauty. Yes, the colour of our skin allows others to discriminate ‘them’ from ‘us’ but it can also unite us to a commonality as a group. This research proposes that the colour of human skin does not merely quantify us according to the level of pigmentation of one’s skin, however it also labels us into a group of respective qualities. Cultural geography argues that the world is a culturally constructed place where meanings are embodied and mediated through different social processes. Hence, this suggests that the culture of skin whitening for example reflects certain values held by our colour, our skin, our body’s largest organ. By using qualitative research methods and textual analysis, this research examines the perception of skin colour amongst Austronesian people specifically the Malays in Brunei, a civilisation much ancient yet unchartered in the academia. From the archaic conceptions of skin colour in the Grecian times to the scientific notions of human perfection in colonial discourse of the nineteenth-century, this research discusses the implications of skin colour in a Malay society addressing notions such as social mobility, gender and identity. It is important to note that the very existence of a skin whitening market in Brunei indicates the presence of a consumer’s goal, which based on the findings of this research, is unnecessarily becoming the fairest of them all.
Norainie Ahmad (DPhil Sociology) DPhil Sociology, University of Oxford
Configurations of Family Formation: Understanding the Fertility Decline in Brunei Existing literature on Brunei’s demography shows that economic development has had an impact on fertility rates in the long run. However, we do not know for sure why the total fertility rates have declined so drastically to below replacement level between 1970 and 2009. Has the family, traditionally seen as the core of the Bruneian society, been assigned with a different meaning? Are women simply postponing childbirth? Or are they having an overall smaller family size? Has there been a change in the desires to have a large family? This research sought to examine the multitude of factors that affect fertility decision-making processes among Bruneian women. The aim is to understand the attitudes, meanings and values attached to having children and forming a family. A purposively selected sample of 40 women in their reproductive age was interviewed and the narratives of their life stories were analyzed. The results show a complicated web of meanings and attitudes that indicate the complexities of being a modern-day Bruneian woman. It was found that there are at least four typologies of fertility intentions that could be categorized according to the women’s preferences, which in turn are shaped according to the location along their life course, their marital status, their education, their beliefs, and socio-economic background. In addition, the research also found the effects and mechanisms of salient relationships, such as the role of the mother-in-law and husband in family formation processes.
Nur Syahirah Chua Mohammad Firdaus Chua BSc Psychology, Brunel University, London
The Creation of a ‘Successful’ Autistic: A Discourse Analysis. Autism or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the normal development of social, behavioural and communication aspects of an individual. Autism has been reported to be a common prevailing condition, whereby 1 in 100 within the population are affected, especially children (Baron- Cohen, 2008), Brunei Darussalam is not excluded from facing a similar trend; increase in diagnosis as well as awareness. The question of this research is to explore how a ‘successful’ autistic individual is constructed in narrative (language). Research is based from an autobiographical perspective of a special autistic individual named Temple Grandin. She is autistic and an accomplished individual: successful PhD-holder in Animal Science, currently a renowned autism advocate and a professor at the Colorado State University in the United States. Using discourse analysis, the research focuses on analysing how language functions in social interaction and how it impacts this particular autistic individual. Discussion of the analysis findings as well as reflections and implications of the research will be covered in the presentation. It is hope that from learning and understanding this autistic individual’s literary work, the findings from this research provide critical insights from an ‘autistic’ viewpoint, especially on how she is able to cope successfully with the autistic condition. Other than that, to offer a constructive view of autism and how the condition can potentially be more than just a ‘disability’ in the eyes of mainstream ‘normal’ society.
Sarah Hanaa Hj. Ahmad Ghazali
BA English Literature, University of Warwick Little Lives: The Perils of ‘Speaking For’ Lived-In Foreign Domestic Workers in Southeast Asia My paper will be on the generic limitations of discourses which attempt to represent subaltern groups of people. It is inspired by my recent involvement in a service leadership programme, and aided by my academic training as a literary critic. My research will focus specifically on short stories, and the way in which formal limitations of texts about marginalised people can lead to misrepresentation. A collection of short stories is, conventionally, easier to consume than a novel or an academic essay. This is due to the length of the texts, which calls for focused storyline and language. One advantage of this form is that it provokes the reader into expanding their views of the story beyond what has been presented to them. However, I am concerned with the perception of an audience that is foreign to the world presented in a particular short story. For this readership, there is a danger of receiving the story presented blindly, resulting in their acceptance of a single story. My research will begin by using this theory in examining two works of fiction. The two texts are a collection of short stories written by Alfian Sa’at, published in 2012, and a book published in 1895 by Sir Frank Swettenham. Both texts go under the name ‘Malay Sketches’. I will examine the ways in which these two texts attempt to represent particular subaltern groups. Problems of misrepresentation can be seen when the texts are seen as ‘speaking for’ the groups, therefore claiming vocal authority and presenting a polemic single story. I will then further my research by adopting this theory in examining the problems faced when addressing contemporary social issues, particularly, the danger of misrepresenting the lives of foreign domestic workers in Southeast Asia.
Yani Malai-Mair
DPhil Education and Professional Studies, King’s College London “Mun Paham Bisai!” – Why Don’t Individuals with Autism ‘Get What You Mean’? Figurative language such as metaphor and irony are used everyday all over the world, for any number of reasons and purposes. And yet, there are a large group of people who do not benefit from its use. Individuals with autism (IWAs), no matter how intelligent or conversational, have difficulties with figurative language. The implications go beyond social ineptitude. It reflects an underlying difference in how IWAs organise concepts and the world around them compared to typically developing individuals (TDs). My study aims to identify the skills needed to understand figurative language, and when this begins to develop in both groups. The study assesses figurative language understanding in both TDs and IWAs of varying ages and abilities, using a novel computer-based experimental task. This task involves short stories each ending with a figurative statement. Factors such as Theory of Mind, vocabulary, word knowledge, and central coherence are also considered. This study provides novel insight into how words and concepts are organised in both TDs and IWAs. Ultimately, this may lead to improved and/or more specific and tailored forms of assessment and language teaching, of which I hope to develop in future.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Abdul Hanif DP Hj Mahadi
DPhil Inorganic Chemistry, University of Oxford Morphologies of CeO2 as Solid Base Catalyst With the increasing importance of green technology in the chemical industry, the development of heterogeneous nanoparticle catalysis is at a high demand. There is an increasing chemical processes to be done at lower temperatures and harmful wastes to be minimised. However the application of nanoparticles as solid base catalyst has not been studied extensively. The basic characteristics of a solid nanoparticle are reported to be determined by its basic sites, which are provided by low coordinated oxygen sites. Therefore CeO2 is used as a solid base catalyst model to investigate the fundamentals of the basic site. The ratio of low coordinated oxygen sites can be controlled by synthesizing different morphologies of CeO2 nanoparticles. It was hypothesised that by controlling the ratio of these sites, the basicity of CeO2 could be tuned and would give a different catalytic behaviour towards the catalysed reaction.
Dk Haslina Pg Razali
DPhil Molecular Ecology, University of Sheffield Molecular methods for detecting avian malaria and MHC alleles in house sparrows. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are involved in triggering the immune response to rid the host body of harmful pathogens. Hence, to detect a wide range of pathogens, it is important for the MHC genes to be diverse. Pathogens such as avian malaria, is a major cause of mortality in endemic bird species, eventually leading to species extinction. Some studies have shown that individuals carrying certain MHC alleles are less susceptible to malarial infection. Therefore, my study comprises of understanding the mechanism of selection on MHC genes in different house sparrow populations. In order to do this, I apply molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing, to characterise and distinguish different avian malarial strains and MHC genes. These techniques are widely used in research areas such as wildlife conservation and forensics DNA profiling.
Jia Xin Chong
Bachelor of Medicine, University of Southampton The effects of mindfulness training on subjective, autonomic, and neurocognitive response to carbon dioxide challenge Inhalation of 7.5% carbon dioxide increased anxiety and autonomic arousal, providing a novel experimental model of generalized anxiety disorders (GAD). Mindfulness is a form of mental training that targets dysfunctional attention mechanisms implicated in GAD. We compared the effect of two components of mindfulness-based attention training (open monitoring (OM) and focused attention (FA)) against general relaxation on subjective and autonomic response to 7.5% CO2 challenge. 57 young adults were randomized to ten minutes of FA (n=24), OM (n=23) or a relaxation control group (n=10). Practice was guided by recordings from a consultant psychiatrist (DM) expert in mindfulness-based interventions. Practice was completed immediately before inhaling 7.5% CO2 and air. Anxiety and autonomic measures were taken at baseline and immediately following each 20minute inhalation period. Groups did not differ in pre-test self-report trait anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, attention control or dispositional mindfulness, nor baseline state anxiety or autonomic measures (F’s < 1.6, p’s > .20). The effect of meditation practice vs. control relaxation on subjective and autonomic response to CO2 (compared to air) was examined using mixed design analysis of variance ANOVA with group (OM, FA, control) and inhalation condition (CO2 vs. air) as independent variables. All three groups experienced increased state anxiety and negative affect following inhalation of CO2 compared to air (p’s, < .01), however the magnitude of CO2-induced anxiety and negative affect was significantly and similarly reduced in both mindfulness training groups compared to the relaxation control group (p’s < .05). CO2-challenge significantly increased autonomic measures to a similar degree in all groups. Evidence that mindfulness training attenuates only subjective anxiety reinforces suggestions that attention training may exert clinical effects through top-down mechanisms that support emotion regulation. Our findings complement pharmacological treatment studies to support the future use of GAD model to evaluate future psychological and pharmacological treatments for anxiety.
Muhammad Ayyub Kamaluddin
MEng Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London Characterisation of Polymers All materials possess a value of fracture toughness, which basically quantifies that material’s resistance to fracture. This fracture often begins at an inherent defect in the material – a crack, for example. My project is to investigate the dependence of this fracture toughness measurement on the value of the crack tip radius. The investigation will be pursued through novel instrumented cutting tests, as well as traditional three-point bend tests. It is anticipated that the larger the crack tip radius, the higher the value of fracture toughness obtained will be. The findings from this research will assist in the definition of a new testing standard for determining the fracture toughness of engineering plastics. Plastics in themselves play an increasingly important role in several industries due to weight and corrosion concerns – for example, in the replacement of metal components in the offshore oil and gas industry.
Mohammad Sabri Bin Mohd. Ali
BSc Biological Sciences, University of Leicester Cancer treatment? : Recruitment of HDAC7 to the SMRT/NCoR Co-Repressor Complex Eukaryotic gene repression is regulated by complexes that contain histone deacetylase enzymes (HDACs). The SMRT/NCoR transcriptional repression complex contains GPS2, TBL1, HDAC3 and other Class II HDACs. It functions by removing acetyl groups from lysine residues on histone tails, which results in the condensation of chromatin. Assembled repression complex binds to un-liganded nuclear receptors repressing transcription. However the mechanism of Class II HDACs recruitment to the complex remains unclear. Previous studies in the group have shown that HDAC4 (a class IIa histone deacetylase) interacts with GSI motifs on the SMRT/NCoR complex. This GSI motif is found to be well conserved in all SMRT/NCoR orthologues through multiple sequence alignment studies. Fluoresence polarisation studies shows that this GSI motif interacts only with members of class IIa HDACs and does not appear to interact with class I HDACs. Crystallisation attempts have been carried out with HDAC4 without success. In this project I will use HDAC7 to study the bridging to GSI motifs. It has been shown that HDAC7 interacts with the GSI motif with ÂľM affinity similar with the other members of Class IIa HDACs. The aim of this project is to be able to produce and crystallise HDAC7 in a complex with the GSI motif. Hopefully we can determine the structure of the complex as well as characterize the SMRT/HDAC7 function. This study is very important because in recent years, HDACs have become important targets for the treatment of a number of cancers.
Wan Nurul Naszeerah Md Zainal Abidin Ariff
BS in Biological Sciences (Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology), University of California-Davis "You're Sitting on My Bacterial Friends!" The Essentials of Research in Microbiology of the Built Environment
SYMPOSIUM OUTCOMES The main outcome of this one-day symposium is to have an active academic community of Bruneian undergraduate and postgraduate students in the UK and Eire.
GENERAL OUTCOMES
To enable interaction between Bruneian students from different areas of study.
To develop presentation and networking skills among Bruneian students.
To increase participation of Bruneian students in renowned academic conferences.
To increase interest in research projects among Bruneian students.
SPECIFIC OUTCOMES
The establishment of the Symposium as a one-day event known to all Bruneian students as a day for exchanging ideas and academic interests.
The establishment of a centralised system for assistance in conducting research projects. This includes an organised system of circulating requests for participants for surveys, etc.
The establishment of a centralised database which can collect all research projects conducted by Bruneian students.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ADVISORS Unit Penuntut-Penuntut, Suruhanjaya Tinggi Negara Brunei Darussalam di London, UK The Brunei Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union in the UK and EIRE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair (Postgraduate) Muhammad Ayyub Kamaludin Chair (Undergraduate) Sarah Hanaa Hj Ahmad Ghazali Deputy Co-Chairs Dk Nuramalina Hafizah Pg Mumin Nurul Adilah Abu Bakar Muhd Najmi Nuruddin Jasni Marketing and Communications Nurul Adilah Abu Bakar Internal Affairs and Operations Muhd Najmi Nuruddin Jasni Chong Zhao Ren Secretariat Haslina Razali Mohammad Sabri Mohd Ali Financial Officer Onn Hui Jin IT & Design Wirdyatunzillal Hamidy Iznan Tarip Moderators Sabrina Daud (Postgraduate) Ian Chan Zhao Xiang (Undergraduate) Media Khairulnizam Omar Arifin Yussof
SPONSORS
Unit Penuntut-Penuntut
Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sendirian Berhad
Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah
NOTES