Zaman International School

In the 2010 international competition for young scientists (I-SWEEEP) in Texas, the United States of America, three Cambodian female candidates attended the competition out of 703 candidates attending from 70 countries around the world.

There were 450 projects for competition this year lasting seven days from April 14 to 19, 2010 in Houston City, Texas State of the United States of America. In this competition, three Cambodian students had been selected to attend the competition by the selection Committee.

It was notable that the young woman SAM ANG Manin, a student in grade 12 at Zaman International School of Cambodia, the former winner of three awards at the same time including a gold medal award which surprised the world in 2009, was also selected to attend the competition for the second time.

Miss SAM ANG Manin said on the morning of May 5, [2010] that this year she chose the topic of “Environment” to enter the competition. She stated that in 2009, she chose the topic of “Renewable energy” – the refinement of Jatropha curcas to produce biodiesel [fuel].

Miss SAM ANG Manin added that the city and town waste water was a problem to be resolved both now and in the future. The research had found an inclusive method of city waste water treatment using EM-effective microorganisms and plants growing in the humid soil area to produce clean and reusable water.

This method was simple and cost effective, but highly effective in cleaning contaminated water, and therefore suitable for implementation in poor countries.

In relation to the methodology for this experiment, Miss SAM ANG Manin explained that first four different plants were planted in vases. Water hyacinth was put in the first vase, round reed was put in the second vase, square reed was put in the third vase and Thai reed plant was put in the fourth vase. Coal and fine gravel were put in the fifth vase to filter the water.

After doing the five methods, she added that EM-effective microorganisms was poured in a proportion of 1/5,000 – 1/10,000 in liquid waste water and were then passed through each vase, calculating the speed to ensure that the water went through the five vases in a ten-day period. This experiment was done in three stages. Firstly she used only the waster water without using EM. Secondly, she used EM 1/10,000 and thirdly, she used EM 1/5,000. All the clean water results had to be taken to the laboratory for quality control. What was remarkable was that the smells that affect the environment were completely eliminated.

As a result, the topic of Miss SAM ANG Manin won special awards from Houston University and a silver medal from I-SWEEEP. It was notable was that almost all students who had won gold medals last year did not win medals this year.

However, SAM ANG Manin proudly stated that this year’s competition was more complicated and strict than the previous year’s, and the topic was also very competitive. She stressed that winning a silver medal this time was also a [source of] pride for the country since out of all the countries in Asia, only Cambodia won a silver medal while the other countries won only bronze medals. She added that the other two Cambodian female youths attending the competition on the same topic – energy by refining bran oil to produce biodiesel –won bronze medals.

It should be reminded that in 2009, Miss SAM ANG Manin won three international awards at the same time. These awards included a gold medal, a full scholarship to study in Turkey and a trophy with a monetary prize for the resolution of renewable energy.