Engineering for a sustainable future

ENVIRONMENTAL issues akin to air pollution, local weather change, waste administration and the environment friendly use of sources are simply among the priorities of {industry} right this moment.

Past compliance with environmental laws and requirements, companies are taking a look at discovering higher methods to do issues to develop their enterprise, whereas guaranteeing that their actions and operations depart much less of an environmental footprint.

Moreover, they’re additionally specializing in changing waste into renewable vitality.

Given these imperatives, environmental engineers have been very a lot wanted lately for the position they play in environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Cognisant of the necessary position environmental engineers play inside the {industry}, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) added the MSc in Industrial Environmental Engineering to its record of postgraduate programs in January 2020.

The one postgraduate diploma of its variety supplied in Malaysia, the Grasp of Science (MSc) in Industrial Environmental Engineering, gives each a standard mode and open distance studying (ODL) programmes.

The programme prepares graduates and professionals with superior data on environmental applied sciences and processes to fulfill the calls for of varied industries akin to oil and gasoline, beverage, semiconductor, and textile, to call a number of.

UTP’s affiliate professor Dr Bashar S Mohammed, who’s the chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Division, says that the programme is essential for the commercial sector for a number of causes.

“Industries are topic to quite a few environmental laws and requirements. This programme was designed to equip professionals with the data to grasp and apply them, to fulfill necessities for authorized compliance and environmental safety for sustainability,” he says.

“Industrial actions can generate numerous sorts of air pollution akin to air emissions, wastewater discharge and dangerous waste contamination vitality use.

“Therefore, the programme emphasises on air pollution prevention strategies and applied sciences, waste therapy applied sciences and renewable vitality applied sciences – enabling professionals to establish and implement efficient measures to minimise air pollution.”

He shares that the Industrial Environmental Engineering Grasp’s programme at UTP has a cutting-edge curriculum that’s designed to equip college students with the data and abilities to deal with advanced environmental challenges in industrial settings.

The programme is aligned with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Improvement Targets (SDGs), specializing in sustainable practices, air pollution prevention and useful resource effectivity to create a greener and extra sustainable future.

“The programme is particularly tailor-made to deal with the environmental challenges confronted by industries, significantly within the space of environmental evaluation,” he provides.

“With a give attention to managing incidents akin to spillage and contamination, this programme equips professionals with the mandatory abilities to successfully help and mitigate such incidents, guaranteeing the long-term sustainability of the setting.

“The programme contributes to the sustainable practices and accountable stewardship of our pure sources.”

Crucially, Dr Bashar believes that the programme gives professionals with the mandatory experience to deal with environmental challenges, and contribute to a greener and extra sustainable future for the {industry}.

‘Collectively developed with PETRONAS’ Well being, Security and Atmosphere (HSE) fraternity, the aim of the MSc in Industrial Environmental Engineering programme is to cut back competency gaps by offering superior data on environmental applied sciences and processes to stop losses’, says Dr Ho Yeek Chia.

Programme supervisor Dr Ho Yeek Chia says UTP’s shut relationship with industries be certain that the course addresses {industry} wants associated to sustainable growth.

Collectively developed with PETRONAS’ Well being, Security and Atmosphere (HSE) fraternity, the aim of the programme is to cut back competency gaps by offering superior data on environmental applied sciences and processes to stop losses.

Other than lectures and analysis initiatives, the scholars additionally profit from technical seminars and adjunct lectures, obtainable for each typical and ODL mode college students.

Related recommendation from UTP’s strong Business Advisory Panel, which embody {industry} advisory panels, alumni, and professors each regionally and internationally, complement the enter within the growth of the programme.

The programme can be aligned to the UN SDGs and PETRONAS’ aspiration to attain web zero carbon emissions by 2050, in addition to the twelfth Malaysia Plan’s theme of advancing sustainability.

Ho says the course will profit these working within the environmental area, particularly in areas akin to wastewater therapy, renewable vitality, waste administration, air air pollution abatement, local weather change and greenhouse gasoline administration.

Engineers already working within the well being, security and setting departments, or services administration, may also profit from the programme.

With the data gained from the postgraduate diploma, college students can count on to progress of their careers, whether or not as environmental engineering consultants, regulatory specialists or sustainability managers.

‘The truth that I acquired interview gives from a number of well-established operators demonstrates the worth and recognition of the qualification I earned from UTP,’ says Laura Vega Garcia.

For 35-year-old Laura Vega Garcia, who accomplished a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Universidad de America Colombia in 2011, earlier work experiences uncovered her to the challenges industries face associated to emissions akin to gasoline, wastewater, strong and dangerous waste.

“I used to be drawn to the sphere of sustainability and environmental administration, as I imagine it’s essential to deal with these challenges and discover sustainable options,” she says.

“Moreover, I noticed that industries and governments worldwide are more and more shifting in the direction of extra sustainable processes to cut back environmental impacts, enhance efficiency and lower prices.”

Her analysis into the varied choices in sustainability and environmental research led her to UTP.

“What attracted me to this programme is its core give attention to fixing advanced environmental issues inside industries. The affiliation with PETRONAS provides credibility and assures that I might obtain sensible and industry-relevant data,” she says.

Upon finishing the programme in 2022, she was interviewed by numerous operators within the oil and gasoline sector in Canada, together with the likes of Canadian Pure Sources Restricted, PETRONAS Canada and Gibson Power.

“The truth that I acquired interview gives from a number of well-established operators demonstrates the worth and recognition of the qualification I earned from UTP,” says Garcia, who’s now an Operations Engineer in a famend Canadian firm.

“The industry-focused curriculum at UTP geared up me with a powerful basis in answering questions on advanced environmental issues inside the context of the oil and gasoline sector.

“This experience set me other than different candidates and positioned me as a fascinating candidate for employers within the {industry}.”

She factors out that UTP’s MSc in Industrial Environmental Engineering additionally adheres to the engineering training requirements established in Canada, significantly in Alberta.

“This recognition holds immense worth because it signifies that my academic background aligns with the rigorous skilled requirements set by the Affiliation of Skilled Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta.

“Such recognition additional enhances my {qualifications} and expands my profession alternatives inside the province,” she provides.

Just like Garcia, Syed Abdur Rahman, who has a Bachelor’s diploma in Electronics and Communication from Visvesvaraya Technological College, India, selected UTP for its industry-relevant curriculum and the college’s shut hyperlinks with the {industry}, particularly PETRONAS.

Presently in his second semester, Syed says that the course has made him extra conscious of the environmental points of industries, “I’m optimistic this course will profit my profession.”

For extra data on the UTP’s Grasp of Science in Industrial Environmental Engineering, go to www.utp.edu.my.