SCIENCE students are often associated with burying their noses in notes and conducting textbook experiments in labs.

Ivan Choong, however, takes it a step further – he actively seeks solutions to real-life problems and devises innovations to make a difference in society.

According to the Victoria Institution alumnus, addressing common daily problems – such as mosquito-related issues and learning difficulties – through innovation is a driving force for him and the Form Six science students at Pusat Tingkatan Enam Victoria Institution (PTE VI).

Their commitment to creating meaningful solutions was recently recognised at the Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) 2025, where they received the Gold Award and the Silver Award in the Asian Youth Innovation Awards for “Wingward 2.0” and “Bio-Deck”, respectively.

The participating students, selected from the biology and physics classes at PTE VI, along with alumni members, formed two sub-teams, each working on an innovation.

Team Wingward 2.0 came up with a mosquito-repellent shoe diffuser that utilises oil of lemon eucalyptus to provide hours of protection. The diffuser is clipped onto shoelaces or shoes, safeguarding wearers from mosquito bites.

Team Bio-Deck designed a biodiversity memory card board game with a virtual reality (VR) application. A tool for self-regulated or peer learning, the board game allows students to engage in memory challenges related to biodiversity, while the VR application offers an immersive experience for exploring different organisms in a virtual environment.

Choong, who is an adviser for both teams and serves as the leader for team Wingward 2.0, said the mosquito repellent shoe diffuser was born out of a desire to tackle challenges faced by children in mosquito-prone areas.

“Some of our friends contracted dengue, which motivated us to take the initiative in developing a preventive solution.

“Through our research, we noticed a lack of natural mosquito-repellent products on the market. Most available options contain chemicals, while organic alternatives are often too expensive for many young students. This gap inspired us to create an affordable, effective and safe solution to help more people protect themselves,” the 18-year-old told StarEdu.

Similarly, the idea for Bio-Deck arose from the challenges of learning biodiversity, particularly in sixth-form education, said Choong.

“Our seniors often found this topic overwhelming due to the large amount of information involved.

“Additionally, there is a lack of engaging and interactive learning aids that align with the curriculum, making it harder for students to visualise and remember the morphological characteristics of different organisms.

“By combining a memory card board game with a VR application, we aim to not only help students retain information better but also foster a deeper appreciation for biodiversity,” he shared.

Choong described PTE VI’s recognition at the MTE, held from Feb 20 to 22 at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, as a moment of pride and validation for their hard work, research and dedication.

“Sustainability, market potential and creativity were our key criteria for success.

“This recognition motivates us to push even further in our mission to create meaningful solutions.

“These awards symbolise more than just accolades. They represent the potential of our ideas to make a real difference,” he said.

Moving forward, Choong said Team Wingward 2.0 plans to organise dengue-related campaigns and collaborate with a footwear company to improve dengue protection for Malaysians, especially children.

Team Bio-Deck, on the other hand, will continue their product development.

“We plan to expand usability studies with a larger sample, test the product with different student groups, develop an iOS version of the VR application, and conduct impact studies to measure its learning effectiveness.

“We don’t want it to be limited to biodiversity alone; instead, we hope to expand it to cover more subjects, from primary school to university, and from arts to science. This will allow more people to benefit from our application,” he said.

Choong – who also led another PTE VI team to win the Gold Award and the Special Award at last year’s MTE – urged students to embrace research and innovation without restricting themselves to conventional methods.

He also encouraged students to participate in science, technology and innovation competitions.

“Every student – whether from a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) or non-STEM background – has a role to play in research and innovation, as interdisciplinary collaboration is key to groundbreaking discoveries,” he asserted.

To support students in their STEM pursuits, Choong said Malaysia should enhance STEM education with hands-on learning, offer scholarships and financial aid, and strengthen university-industry collaboration through internships and research grants.

“Promoting STEM as a national duty can inspire students to contribute to Malaysia’s economic growth, technological advancement, and national security.

“Special focus should be given to underrepresented groups, including women and rural students, to ensure equal opportunities.

“Investing in research, innovation and tech incubators will help develop local expertise in artificial intelligence, green energy and cybersecurity, positioning Malaysia as a leader in STEM-driven progress,” he said.

Team Wingward 2.0 comprises Kuar En Qii, Nur Nilamsari Mohd Sani, Yeoh Yee Vun, Nur Alya Nabilah Azrul Hisham, Monesha Arumugan, Rachel Kalpesh, Jaskaran Singh Sidhu, Teoh Chern Zhong, Zufrizah Aryiati Mahamad Fazim, Muhamad Ikhwan Mat Saad, Wong Zhi Hoong, Rosmilah Misnan, Wong Yoke Seng, and Lee Hoi Yeh.

Team Bio-Deck comprises Yang Hong Jun, Seow Jin Xuen, Muammar Muazzam Andri Toni, Sashvin Lee Hock Guan, Clayton Wong Kai Zen, and Victor Tan Yi Jun.

Lara, 19, a student in Selangor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.