Curtin Sarawak and UKM appoint event organiser for ICSAS11

Miri – 26 August 2010 – Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), will jointly host for the 7th International Conference on Steel and Aluminium Structures 2011 (ICSAS11) in Kuching in July next year. The universities on Tuesday signed a Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) agreement with Kuching-based AOS Conventions & Events Borneo (AOSCEB), appointing them as the conference’s professional event organiser. Representing Curtin Sarawak at the simple signing ceremony at the Curtin Sarawak campus was Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Ian Kerr, Chief Operating Officer James Ng and Associate Professor Dr. Lau Hieng Ho. UKM was represented by Professor Dr. Wan Hamidon Wan Badaruzzaman, Director and CEO of UKM Perunding Kejuruteraan & Arkitek Sdn. Bhd., while AOSCEB was represented by its managing director, Amos Wong. The International Conference on Steel and Aluminium Structures (ICSAS) is a renowned and distinguished international conference series organised every four years in various countries around the world. In his speech prior to the signing, Professor Kerr said, “Simple as this signing ceremony might seem, it in fact marks a significant milestone for Sarawak and Malaysia. The ICSAS11 to be held in Kuching from 13 to 15 July next year will be the first to be held here, and only for the second time in Asia in almost 20 years. Therefore, it is a great honour for Sarawak and Malaysia to be put in the same league as the previous host countries. It will furthermore help promote Sarawak and Malaysia as destinations for academic conventions and conferences, besides tourism.” Previous conferences have been held in Cardiff, United Kingdom (1987), Singapore (1991), Istanbul, Turkey (1995), Epoo, Finland (1999), Sydney, Australia (2003) and Oxford, United Kingdom (2007). Professor Kerr added that, given the uniqueness of Sarawak, he was confident it will be a conference that would truly stand out from the other ICSAS and will be fondly remembered by the delegates for a long time to come. He also said that it was a great honour for Curtin Sarawak and UKM to host such a prestigious international conference. The organising committee for ICSAS11 is headed by Dr. Lau and co-chaired by Dr. Wan Hamidon. The committee comprises members of the Civil and Construction Engineering Department of Curtin Sarawak, Civil and Structural Engineering Department of UKM, as well as representatives from the steel industry. Up to 250 delegates and keynote speakers, including steel and aluminium structure designers and manufacturers, engineers, architects, researchers, academics and post-graduate students, are expected to attend the conference. It will bring together international experts and leaders in the field to disseminate recent research findings in the analysis and modelling of steel or aluminium. Furthermore, discussions and forums on the latest research and development in steel and aluminium structures will be conducted by eminent researchers and leaders in the field. More significantly, according to Dr. Lau, it will spearhead and promote the development of the local steel and aluminium industry, which is timely for the development of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE). The aluminium and steel industries are among the ten priority industries listed in the SCORE’s development plans and strategies, and are being intensively promoted and developed under the scheme. “By facilitating and showcasing the latest work in steel and aluminium research, hopefully ICSAS11 will not only generate interest in the latest ideas and technologies within the local industry, but also serve as a catalyst for greater development of the industry, to support SCORE and the continued industrial development of Sarawak,” he remarked. He said the conference’s focus is also well in line with Curtin Sarawak’s focus and priorities in research, and the university is indeed excited about the papers, research findings and talks that will be presented. As a leader in research and development, it also looks forward to being an active participant and presenter at the conference. According to Dr. Lau, many of Curtin Sarawak’s academic staff have won international awards for their research, and continue to spearhead important research initiatives and projects, as well as work with major industrial partners and fellow academics around the world. He added that their current focus is on sustainability in various fields of research. “In the Civil and Construction Engineering Department, for example, sustainability is the focus across diverse research areas such as structures, construction materials and management, environmental and water engineering, and soils research. I am sure they will have much to contribute to such a conference,” he said. Dr. Lau said the appointment of AOSCEB will ensure a truly world-class event that is managed and delivered in a timely manner, given the company’s track record in organising international conferences and the fact that they are strategically located in Kuching. ICSAS11 is supported by the Sarawak Convention Bureau, the Ministry of Industrial Development, Sarawak, and Tourism Malaysia. Members of the public who are interested to take part either as presenters or participants in ICSAS11 can visit the ICSAS11 website at http://icsas11.org/. The abstract submission deadline is 1 October 2010. The ICSAS11 organising committee is actively accepting sponsorship for ICSAS11. Sponsorship opportunities are presented at the ICSAS11 website.