Twins Serene and Irene Lock clinch top honours at Malaysia’s BEM Engineering Awards

KUALA LUMPUR, August 24 — Identical twins Dr Serene Lock Sow Mun and Irene Lock Sow Mei, aged 36, earned national accolades by being recognized among Malaysia's leading engineers at the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) Engineering Awards ceremony. Sow Mun, an associate professor at Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), made history as the first woman to receive the National Young Engineer Award.

Meanwhile, her sister Sow Mei, a senior process engineer at Petronas, was honored with the Special Mention International Engineering Award (SMIEA) 2026. The sisters, born to nursing lecturers from Ipoh, Perak, developed their passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) during their formative years in primary school.

Though their paths briefly diverged when Sow Mun pursued her studies at the University of Toronto in Canada, Sow Mei completed her education at UTP, both opting to specialize in chemical engineering with a focus on future sustainability. Dr Sow Mei expressed her gratitude for the joint award, stating, "Receiving this honour alongside my twin sister is truly humbling.

This recognition fuels my determination to contribute more significantly to the engineering sector." She emphasized that the most fulfilling aspect of her career lies in addressing complex daily challenges and transforming academic research into tangible progress for the nation. Sow Mun hopes her achievement, as the first female recipient of the National Young Engineer Award, will motivate more women to enter engineering, serving as an inspiration and demonstrating the potential and leadership of women in STEM industries.