Two students from the School of Science and Technology at the Singapore campus of James Cook University (JCU in Singapore) – Naw May Thu Han and Khin Chan Thar– achieved runner-up honours at the ASEAN Data Science Explorers (ASEAN DSE) National Finals for Myanmar.

The ASEAN DSE is an annual competition open to ASEAN nationals aged 15 to 30 who are enrolled full-time in educational institutions across the 10 ASEAN member states. Participants, competing in pairs from the same country, were tasked with developing data-driven storyboards and proposals using cloud-based solution SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC).

Representing Myanmar, Naw May and Chan selected “Sustainable Cities and Communities” as their area of focus. Their project, titled “From Risk to Resilience,” was inspired by their reflections on the aftermath of a major earthquake in Myanmar which struck while they were brainstorming for their project.

Realising how unprepared communities can sometimes be in moments of crisis, the students created a prototype application called SafeBuddy. They designed SafeBuddy to provide people with clear alerts, guidance, and support, even without Internet connection, in local languages. The students hope that with the application, vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or non-native speakers, “are never left behind”.

“For us, it’s about turning fear into preparedness and helping communities feel safer. We want help to reduce fatalities and economic losses from disasters, while equipping communities – particularly the most vulnerable – with the resources they need to stay safe and resilient,” they explain.

Naw May and Chan expressed their goal for SafeBuddy to become a reliable resource for disaster safety across the ASEAN region. Ultimately, they hope their initiative will contribute to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 11.5. This target aims to reduce the adverse effects of natural disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations, by the year 2030.

Mentored by Dr Randy Zhu, Lecturer in Information Technology at JCU in Singapore, the students expressed gratitude for his guidance throughout the competition.

“Dr Randy has been with us every step of the way during the competition. We really appreciate how approachable and humble he is – despite his vast knowledge and experience, he always treated us like equals and patiently answered every question we had, even the random ones outside the competition. We’re super grateful for all the time, support, and encouragement he gave us,” they said.

Dr Zhu praised the students for their perseverance, commitment and dedication to the competition – highlighting their ability to balance academic responsibilities while developing innovative, data-driven solutions for the competition.

“The competition not only enriched Naw May and Chan’s learning experience beyond the classroom but also helped them build credentials that will serve them well in their future careers. Most importantly, their achievement sets a positive example for future students, showing what can be accomplished with determination, teamwork, and creativity,” he added.

“We are very proud of Naw May and Chan. Their achievement shows the drive, creativity, and resilience our students bring to the field of data science. Naw May and Chan demonstrated not only technical skill but also the ability to think critically about real-world issues, which is exactly what we aim to nurture at our university,” said Associate Professor Roberto Dillon, Academic Head of Science and Technology, and Associate Professor of Information Technology.

Find out more about the Singapore campus of James Cook University.
Learn more about Information Technology programmes at JCU in Singapore. 

Contacts
Randy Zhu randy.zhu@jcu.edu.au
Media: Ms Pinky Sibal pinky.sibal@jcu.edu.au / Ms Hoe Shu Rin shurin.hoe@jcu.edu.au