Malaysian Teen Wins Honor Of Having An Asteroid Named After Her By NASA
fayejong
The Malaysian National Space Agency (ANGKASA) shared a congratulatory message on its Facebook page to Faye Jong Sow Fei for earning the recognition of having an asteriod named after her by NASA last Friday, highlighting the spectacular achievement of this Malaysian teenager.
"On behalf of ANGKASA and all Malaysians, we would like to congratulate Faye Jong Sow Fei from SMK Batu Lintang, Kuching for earning the honor of the Lincoln Observatory Near-Earth Object to have her name immortalized on a main-belt asteroid named #31460Jongsowfei (1999 CV19).
"This honor was bestowed on her in recognition of her achievements for being as awarded best of category and first place in the 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for her environmental management project. She also received the European Union Contest for Young Scientists Award."
The Sarawakian lass has not only brought fame to her school, SMK Batu Lintang School, Kuching, Sarawak but also Malaysia.
"It was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me and I hope that those following my footsteps one day will make full use of the golden chance that is bestowed upon them to weave wonderful and lasting memories that will be with them forever.
"I have checked with the National Space Agency (Angkasa) and they told me I was the first Malaysian to receive such an honour and I am pleased with that," Jong said as reported in The SunDaily.
What an honour it is indeed, as the asteriod is not named after a prominent astrophysicist, aeronautics engineer or any other professional scientist specialising in outer-space study but a 17-year old school girl from SMK Batu Lintang School, Kuching, Sarawak.
- mD
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