NASA Space Apps 2017 by Farhanna Abd

#1 I did not wanted to join

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-27 03:30:51 UTC

The experience in participate NASA Space Apps Challenge is indeed one of a kind.

Too much emotion were poured during each process.
Hope you'll be able to enjoy reading it.

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It was that semester where most university lecturers are so bias, despite having high marks, the other faculty in that class somehow got more.

I did not see that coming really. But when I do, that time, I was determined not to join any programmes or competition.

"semester 3 perhaps"
I told myself that.
It was until Dr Wan Zuhainis really begged us and told us to consider and just join the meeting.

I was really struggling with myself because at that time I wanted to score for this semester. It's tough you know.

Plus semester 2 really played with my emotions up until today haha

You should have seen the blackeye I managed to collect, even my classmate told me
"yeah, i know you're tired simply by looking at your eye!"

#2 Somehow...

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-27 03:35:09 UTC

I decided to join the meeting with my head asking
"What could go wrong?"

Well, a lot.

I remembered that moment inside the meeting room,
Dinesh sat next to me saying how hungry he is, in front of me was this guy with specs, I never saw him in the faculty before.
(He is Adib in this story)
Then, came a girl who I recently knew as Amy, a SEGI student and one of the members of Putra Elites (a club under Microbiology Department.)

And seniors walking in.

What I remembered was I did not really had so much interest in it.
Even after Dr Wan showed the website, collaborations, how Dr Ali (a lecturer from UKM teaching Computer Science) share his experiences in New York, I was just thinking

"How am I supposed to work this out?"

We then excused our self because we had BBI class.

It was when we walked out from the faculty,
Suddenly, Without noticing,
Anis and Khairina stated how we need another 2 members.

I was shocked at first cause

1. suddenly a group is formed and I was one of the members

2. I did not object,
why hanna? Ya Allah

I did not wanted to disappoint them by saying
"sorry, I just came to the meeting without any means to participate"

And they were asking me to ask Jasmine if she wanted to join the team member.
At that time I thought Jasmine already had team members because of how proactive and smart she is so I simply told them it's best we search for other member in case Jasmine already have a team.

YOU SEE, I DID NOT EVEN OBJECT THE IDEA.

So yeah, let the story begin.

#3 Huh...

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-27 03:52:27 UTC

I could tell you of how blurred I was during the period of brainstorming.

Why?
1. It was test week. I did not even focus for NASA Space Apps (NSA)
2. I was more focus for MU Sym really.
3. Presentation week, lets not forget about thaaat !
4. Aaaaand Virtual Microbe !
(I was the rep so I have to settle everything before NSA)

So, I was blurred. Yup.
What made me MORE blurr when somehow..

I ended up conducting the NSA whatsapp group by asking them to read any articles related in order to brainstorm because really, the Challenges were not out yet and we had no idea what to do.

There were so many from each individuals.

at first the team members were me, anis, khairina and aisyah.

It was then the following day I whatsapp a super long super detailed text to the group, Jasmine asked me if she can join the team.

I did not know to feel happy or tiring haha.

Throughout the process, I know that I did not give 100% commitments for NASA Space Apps as I remembered well that time I had to focus so badly on Virtual Microbe since I was the 1st year representative .

Mostly I would catch up with NSA when we did a meeting with ourselves, usually in the faculty at cafe where we open our laptop while discussing.

And usually the ideas are so many that we don't know how to merge with one another.
so we decided to just brainstorm for local challenge since its not specific, or we would wait until the challenge was out.

#4 At first...

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-27 06:19:47 UTC

You see, since it was our very first participation with ZERO idea what is going to happen, we choose the local challenge.

I forgot the theme, but what I remembered was we planned on doing maintain the cold temperature in the Artic/Antartic by using Pseudomonas syringae.

We then proposed to Dr Wan about it.
Dr Wan told us to look up to how P.syringae is able to freeze.
And you know what we found?
~~Basically,it was not me who found it haha.~~
There was already a company that had extracted the enzyme within the P.syringae that could do ice-nucleating.
I forgot the company that sells the powder, but it is an air-cond brand.

However, the idea was too simple.

I mean, why did they not do it then from the start? Pour the powder there?

We tried to read any article as well as read the ecology but there was no answer to it.

So we think it is best to K.I.V of it.

And it was a wise decision for not choosing the P.syringae idea.
You are probably asking why so?

1. Because there was another UPM team, specifically my classmates team,
they did another challenge regarding Methanogens.

Luck was not on their side, I could say because during their second presentation, one of the judge was amn expert in methanogens.

So their idea, was immediately rejected.

What if we choose on something we as well were not quite sure and we had the same situation as our friend?

2. Another reason we wanted to apply P.syringae was because, we want to promote the world of Microbiology in this competition. Found out that during the competition, our senior did the same presentation.Thank God we did not end up choosing this idea!

So yeah, Wise decision.

#5 We then later...

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-27 07:38:48 UTC

Then, we found out that the global challenge has already released.

Out of all the challenges,
The Planetary Blue interest us all the most.
We did check every challenge, yet during the process, so many ideas had been generated for Planetary Blues,

And only 1 took interest;
Icy Polar Opposite challenges

Design a data analysis and/or visualization tool to show the spatial and temporal changes in Arctic and Antarctic ice to a general audience.

We already had ideas and so many questions so many debates, in the end of the meeting, Lady White was produced.
We then asked the members how Lady White would appear on,
more and more debates and opinions were given, considering the thin layer of ice, the harsh condition, the "what if" and so much more.

IN the end of the tiring discussion,
we came out with Lady White appearance.
Wanna know how it looks like? Keep on reading!

But it was left either we wanted local or global challenge, we even had to asked Dr Wan for consult.
She told us this is where it is up for us to choose either local or global. We had both ideas.

Because Dr Wan seemed to encourage to take for global, and we had more confidence in doing Lady White,

We choose global challenge.

#6 Lady White ft Blanc

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-27 07:52:37 UTC

We just designed Lady White, nothing much was completed.
So after Microbiology lab,

I decided to ask opinion from the demo's

When I presented it to them, Syazwan and Naqiyuddin was the one who ask so many questions.

"What type of camera you guys use?"
"Type of metal?"
"tak berat ke?"

Because of them, we brainstorm more towards it mechanism and the small details about it.

(Thank you abang kakak demo Microbe!)

I guess you could say there was alot of work needed to be done, because when we presented in front of Dr Ali, he was asking us how do we want to make the people aware of the situation in the Arctic and Antarctica, and so much more question.

Dr Ali is amazing for sure because the questions he gave are realistic and because of his idea of the presentation,
we won up until final.

Dr Ali from UKM, thank you.

After the meeting has ended, we again planned and planned, thus

Blanc is born.

We really worked so hard on it and it was sooo rushing.

#7 The day of the competition

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-27 08:08:39 UTC

The competition starts at 9a.m.
but because we had to follow the volunteers time, which is at 7.15 a.m., we had to move early in the morning -.-

We had breakfast and by the time we reached KLCC, it was time for registration.

The grand launching of NSA Challenge was amazing.The PetroScience room was simply crowded with contestant.

Once it is all over, we took the free meal that was provided .
I still remember before we got back to the faculty to continue our work
(since it is wayyy more convinient compared to staying in PetroScience.)

There was this bold guy, he told us to move to other place after we had eat since that is his bench with this team.

We were fine with that, it's just that the way he spoke was horribly cocky and be little of us.

Siap cakap
"My work is super top secret that you wouldn't understand"

The nerve. ugh

Anyway,
Reading this, you probably think the flow was smooth.

I would like to say how wrong you think of that.

During the competition day,
There was a massive rain and it was simply THAT bad.

so many trees had fall,
not to mention the worst part of it was that
_Blackout.

Can you imagine the struggle of not having internet (we do it everything online ) as well as a place to charge laptop?

So Dr Wan gave a solution;
Stay at her house.

I was actually shocked when Dr Wan give such idea.
It's probably because I think it was not professional, I mean it's weird.

I even asked so much question
"your family don't mind?"
"How about dinner?"
"solat?"
"tidur muat ke?"
"Betul la ni dr wan?"

You see, it's just.. hard to imagine haha.

We end up crashing at Dr Wan's house.

We: My team, Radzaman's, Firdaus's, Sue's team.

We switch places when it come to sleeping,
Some sleep 3 hours straight,
some sleep 1 hour and then after waking up the one who slept 3 hour straight, they then sleep.

I remember waking up at 4.50 a.m. and Dr Wan told us to prepare going back to UPM.
We were given 10 minutes to prepare before going to KLCC with the volunteers.

this is blanc

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-27 08:14:30 UTC

A friendly mobile apps that help public to see the condition of the Arctic and Antarctic

Dr Wan house

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-27 22:36:51 UTC

#8 We wanted to watch Guardian of The Galaxy

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 02:44:03 UTC

Before entering the competition, we told ourselves that after the 1st pitching we are so going to watch Guardian of The Galaxy movie.
Most of us agreed cause we really expect to lose the 1st pitch.

We found out that we were the 1st group to go pitch ( I mean we were the morning session)
I remember that the 2 people we need to pitch in front was from Astro X while another one from TM.

Well, we could tell one of them was not impressed cause he kept playing with his phone.

So after the 3 minute pitching, we went out feeling dissapointed, I even told Dr Wan how I was not really happy with the presentation because we were fully dependant of the internet and inside the room had really weak connection.
So when we present, alot was lagged.

We did overcome this problem.

So I had lunch at noon cause waiting for other pitch was seriously long.
I had pepper lunch that time at food court level 4.
While eating, I suddenly recieve a call from Anis.

"Hanna, we made it for the next pitch"

Mau tak tersembur haha
I immediately chew on my food and literally swallow in order to directly run to my team mates.

I feel bad for Jasmine because she was the one who had to pitch for 3 minutes. She told us how she forgot the script and she need to memorise it again.

One of the volunteer told us the reason we made it to the 2nd pitch because we did not do any programming like the others, ours were a bit unique since we had a box which enhance the curiosity of the mentors.

This time the 2nd pitch was a guy from Hero mart and a lecturer from UTM.
Gladly, both of them were interested with our presentation. Effa, as a NSA volunteer even said that the Heromart guy kedekut markah, but when it come to us, he gave the highest.

Balqis also a NSA volunteer said she saw our marks and other marks since she had to compile all f the forms said the probability we are going to finals are high.

Because of that statement, we were sure to be going to the finals.

So, we kinda became easily pissed and edgy
Even Adib, the guy who wore specs that I never saw him in the faculty (Story #2) told us to calm down haha.

And boy, were we right
We were the finalist for Global Challenge NSA.

Which made us MORE edgy until Dr Wan had to scold us and calm down.

#9 Final

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 06:33:46 UTC

Here, I would like to tell you how different the final pitch was compared to the first two pitching we faced.

There were 5 judges, I remember reading one of them is a CEO of a company, he was one that ask so much about costs, about sponsorship, which organisation that we are aiming.

Questions what I thought but did not really asked, because well, like I said, we expected to lose from the beginning of the pitch.

During the final pitch, I was the person who had to handle the laptop and be on que when Jasmine talks to certain topics.

Of course, it was nerve wrecking.

Jasmine forgot the script, she went blank, I can't blame her!
Up to the Q&A session, boy was it so long
There were alot of things I regretted during the final pitching.

1. My voice has suddenly became slow and low.

2. During the Q&A session, we took time and exchanges look on who to talk and answer the questions.

3. I feel bad for Jasmine because she faced alot during each pitch. We should had been there for her.

And this time, the final pitch questions were so realistic and serious compared to the first 2 pitch.
By the end of our pitch, I remember Dr Wan was hugging each of our shoulder and said that we did our very best.

Adib, who adore Jasmine from the very start, always said this to Jasmine (Which Jasmine admit, she feels special)

"You are very special Jasmine"

I remember well that my fingers were trembling and how it gives the goosebumps up until today remembering each of their face.

#10 Guess what

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 06:55:16 UTC

We already know that we did not won, but we still stayed for the closing ceremony and helped out the volunteers arranging the chairs.

I had already felt sooo sleepy and some already slept before the ceremony starts (It's tiring!)

I would love to congratulate each of the team that won :)

Sadly, this year they are not offering going oversea for the 1st winner.
(last year they did, haha)

And you have no idea my team kept asking sarcastically

"Orang botak yang halau kita tu mana?
(Refer Story #7)

Yea, he did not make it to the final.

Once all the gift were given to each winner in each challenge , they then stated about the People Choice Awards.

That night, we went all out telling our relatives, our friends, the whole UPM to vote for our team.

And if you thought sharing is not tiring,
Ya Allah, penat gila -.-

I am thankful I have awesome classmates who would post on their social media asking to vote for out team, it is heart touching :')

To all of the classmates, I love you all

Even Dr Wan had asked Datin Paduka Prof Aini to vote for us!

Because we had to viral to ALOT of people, in the end a alot of work was postponed.

My team was so eager to know if we made it to Global or not.

I remembered well it was during lunch time, I was eating.
Suddenly my WhatsApp was full with notification from NASA SPACE APPS TEAM 3 (KAFZA)

"WE MADE IT"

mau tak tersembur makan nasi haaaa.

So many crying emoji spamming through the wall,
we thank alot of people that is for sure.

That's where more work needed to be done.

#11 WE GOT NO TIME FOR THIS

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 07:39:45 UTC

On Monday,
We got an email from Unlock Design that we need to make a 30s video alongside to update our page in the NASA Space Apps official page,

We were fine with updating the page.

It was just that the due date for the 30s video was this Friday.

crazyyyyy

And we even had test that week!
There were so many debates on how to do the video,
Not to mention the drama of Blackout have not yet ended, yup, we can't afford to do it in college.

So Dr Wan offers us to sleep at her house
Again.

We pretty much had planned so much.

We then wanted and I mean reallllyyyyy wanted to do on Virtual Reality videos.

The thing is
1. Virtual Reality is hard

2. It is super time consuming if we want to learn about it since we definitely have zero knowledge about it.

3. Come on, Friday was the due date.

WE TRIED to study about it but in such period of time?

We need a back up plan.

Then, Dr Wan send a link of her students did .

So we ended up using the same concept into our video.

We did all the props on Thursday, and took a whole day worth of shooting on Friday.

I edited the videos and let them consult.

I then had my dinner at 10 p.m. while attending to FESCO meeting.

At 11 p.m., everything went blank.

#12 Vote for us...?

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 07:50:34 UTC

Khairina was the team member that would always check the updates from the NSA page, which was convenient cause that time no one really did checked

It was midnight that suddenly NSA official page have uploaded the link for voting.

So this is how it works;
The period of voting are 2 week time.

In order to vote, you have to signup to the official page and then you are able to vote only for 1 team our of 145 (kot)

Then you have to wait for it to finish the 24 hour cycle to count new votes for the following day.

they follow the US time.
And the cycle goes on until 22th May.

It was obvious how I would not be able to give my full focus on NSA after that because I had MU sym to handle.
But I would just remind others to vote for KAFZA via WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.

Yet, it is futile because;

1. Login was the main problem, not all want to give commitments to sign up. Unlike previous, they just use Google docs which does not need to log in.
In order to solve this, we need to do so much campaign which is time consuming, not to mention we have other load of work that needs attention.

2. It was a 2 week period worth voting, that kinda means we need to remind them daily. If only we are like emails that would remind a week earlier everyday.
And we did remind them , but then the commitments is up to those who read it either they want to vote for us or not.

3. We at times, forget.
I remembered looking at Jasmine, exhausted. Not to mention in MU sym, she was in Scientific, up to the extent she stayed at the faculty with the other s 2 a.m.
I as well have days which I forgot to vote, others as well.

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 07:58:13 UTC

By the way, NSA simply means NASA Space Apps

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 08:03:28 UTC

#13 Not top 25?

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 08:27:32 UTC

A week before the end of voting, the NSA official page suddenly premiere the top 25 highest voting.

Fact was, I already know we did not make it top 25.

However, I can't help feeling sad ad devastated when I witness within my own eye we really did not make it top 25.

I guess thats one of the factors that made the team a bit down.

It took me 2 days to recover and motivates my team mates, we all know we would not win, but we never expect we made it globally.

In the end, we did not make it to the top 5 finalist in NASA Space Apps.

Dr Wan is still proud of us and we are proud of ourselves :D

A day before MU sym, I open the NSA official page and saw they already premiere the top 5 finalist.

I am happy for the top 5.

I hope Team Kepler will win, with the concept of Virtual Reality in space.

Acknowledgement

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 08:35:27 UTC

Without her motivation and encouragement, I would never join this.

I will always say this sentence again and again,
Associate Prof Dr Wan Zuhainis Binti Saad,
Microbiology lecturer.
You never stop believing in us and would provide us anything despite it tires you out.
Thank you <3

Thank you to Dr Ali, lecturer from UKM Computer Science, without your opinions and question, trust me, we could not have made this far.

Adib from Faculty of Computer Science UPM, you were super duper patient with us and show us the world of computers and programming,
Thank you for putting up with my attitude and stubbornness.
Thank you :D

Thank you to other NSA teams, your encouragement during the competition and your understanding the stress load we had, you never stop motivating us.

To my family, they really supported my team when I asked them to vote, you guys are awesome!

To my Microbiology classmates, you guys are the best! :')

To my friends, who told me that they would vote for KAFZA consistently.

THANK YOU ALL!

All of the UPM participant

farhanna_abd_ghani_97 — 2017-05-28 09:11:12 UTC

(contestant + volunteers)