Dr. Muhamad Fazly Abdul Patah has been a distinguished member of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Malaya since 2012. Dr. Fazly obtained his BEng and PhD from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. His primary research focus is on the production of sustainable chemicals and energy alternatives, specifically through the conversion of low-value materials and waste into valuable products such as char/biochar, liquid fuels, and hydrogen-rich gases. Dr. Fazly’s contributions to the field of chemical engineering and sustainability are substantial. His pioneering work in thermochemical processing and waste upcycling has established him as a leading researcher in the development of sustainable energy solutions. His publications and media appearances reflect the significance and applicability of his research, which continues to influence both academic and industrial practices. Dr. Fazly is actively engaged in supervising Masters and PhD research students, contributing to advancements in engineering and environmental sustainability. He has been involved in over RM 5.0 million worth of research projects, leading multiple national and international initiatives. The projects span several key areas including: Thermochemical Reaction: Including torrefaction, pyrolysis, gasification, combustion, and liquefaction processes. Chemical Upcycling: Transforming plastics, biomass, rubber, and municipal wastes into higher-value products. Ozone Gas Applications: For sterilization and water treatment. Catalysis and Chemical Reactions: Optimization of chemical reactions and reactor design. Hydrodynamic Simulation: Utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for fluid flow simulation. Liquid Atomization/Spray: Both with and without reaction. Bioreactor Design: Development for mass production of medicinal mushrooms. Dr. Fazly remains an active researcher and collaborator, contributing to multiple projects aimed at advancing sustainable technologies and improving environmental management. For further details on his research or collaboration, please contact Dr. Fazly via email at fazly.abdulpatah@um.edu.my or visit him at the University of Malaya.

Nazirah Hasnan was born and received her early education in Petaling Jaya Selangor, Malaysia. She completed her undergraduate (MBBS) and postgraduate training in rehabilitation medicine (MRehabMed) from the Universiti Malaya in 1993 and 2001 respectively. She then became a specialist and lecturer at her alma mater and completed a PhD in Rehabilitation (Spinal Cord Medicine), graduating in 2014 under the Universiti Malaya – University of Sydney Joint Doctorate (Co-tutelle) program. She has supervised more than 20 Masters and PhD students, and published over 80 scientific publications. She stands as a luminary in the field of Rehabilitation Medicine, whose extensive career and academic achievements have significantly contributed to medical advancements, particularly in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, Wound Management, Functional Electrical Stimulation, Exercise for Special Population and Assistive Technology. Her career, marked by dedication to both clinical practice and academic research, exemplifies the impactful intersection of medicine, technology, and education. Her leadership skills has driven the development of specialized rehabilitation services; stroke rehabilitation, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, diabetic foot care and wound management; and expansion of other services, CReATE@ PPUM being the latest. Professor Nazirah's professional trajectory is marked by significant appointments, reflecting her leadership and expertise in rehabilitation medicine. She has been a Consultant Rehabilitation Physician at Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM), Malaysia’s premier and leading academic medical centre since 2001 and has held various key positions, including Deputy Director (Medical) and, most notably, the Director of PPUM since November 2020 until today. At the national academic and professional level, she is a member of the National Rehabilitation Medicine Conjoint Board, member of the Academy of Medicine, and member of the National Specialist Registry (NSR) Specialist Sub-Committee.  She is the immediate past President of Malaysian Association of Rehabilitation Physicians (MARP) and the President of Malaysian Chapter of the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society. Professor Nazirah is an executive member of the Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN), member of the Education Committee of the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS), previosuly the National leader for the International Spinal Cord Injury Survey, a Swiss Paraplegic Centre and World Health Organization project and member of the Capacity Building Committee of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine-World Health Organisation. Outside academia, she has had extensive involvement and experience in project development, various networking with government and NGOs and has led many successful projects. Her dedication to community service is exemplified by her advisory roles in organizations supporting persons with disabilities (PWDs), such as the Malaysian Spinal Cord Injury Advocacy Association (MASAA), Diveheart Malaysia, OKU Sentral and previously Malaysian Spinal Injuries Association (MASIA) and Pet Positive. She has also been actively involved in initiatives promoting scuba diving for PWDs, showcasing her commitment to enhancing the quality of life for individuals through innovative and inclusive activities. Professor Nazirah Hasnan's career journey is a testament to the profound impact that dedicated healthcare professionals can have on advancing medical education and practice, improving patient outcomes and return to meaningful roles in the community. Her contributions to rehabilitation medicine, her leadership in academic and hospital management, and her commitment to community engagement illustrates the qualities of a true medical pioneer. Through her work, she continues to inspire and lead, shaping the future of medicine in Malaysia and beyond.  

Professor Ir. Dr. U. Johnson Alengaram is the Director of the Centre for Innovative Construction Technology (CICT), a Research Centre under the Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is listed among the top 2% of the world’s scientists by Stanford University through Elsevier Data Repository and is also the recipient of outstanding achievement awards in most of the institutions he served. He has been serving as a research fund evaluator of different countries, including South American, Asian, and European countries. He is also recognized as an external examiner for doctoral theses and an evaluator for promotional exercises. He was the programme coordinator for developing a new MEng by coursework at the Universiti Malaya. He is also an advisor and examiner for the MEng programme in other universities. His industrial collaboration resulted in bringing research projects from industries to solve some of the imperative issues in material, mechanical, durability, and structural properties.  He is a Chartered Civil Engineer of the world-renowned Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE, UK) and the Engineering Council (UK); he is also a Companion Member of the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (CIEM), a member of the American Concrete Society (ACI-Kuala Lumpur Chapter), and a life member of the Concrete Society of Malaysia (CSM). Professor Ir. Dr. U. Johnson Alengaram has supervised 32 research candidates, including Doctoral (PhD) and Master of Engineering Science by Research Mode (MEng Sci.), to graduation. In addition, he has a number of patents and copyrights for his inventions. His current Web of Science (WoS) h-index stands at 56 based on the publication of over 190 journal articles from the Web of Science Core Collection. He started the University of Malaya's Institution of Civil Engineers Student Chapter (UMICESC), and currently he is the staff advisor. UMICESC serves as the professional student body for undergraduate students to enhance their professional attributes, so they can strive towards becoming CEng MICE after graduation and appropriate training. In his Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering, as part of his MEng thesis, he utilized jute as a sustainable replacement material for conventional wood. His MEng research project was acclaimed as one of the best innovative works, and the specimens of his research project, Sandwiched Plywood, were displayed at the International Exhibition held in Delhi, India. Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India (then Union Finance Minister) who inaugurated the exhibition, had a special word for his work on jute; he continued his research for his doctoral research using sustainable industrial by-products and investigated mechanical and structural behaviour that provided in-sight into vital characteristics on the ductility behaviour of oil palm shells—that he went on to develop as a blast-resistant concrete—using oil palm shell as a whole replacement for normal aggregate. Professor Ir. Dr. U. Johnson Alengaram has been in academic, consultancy, research, and administration for over twenty-five years and has contributed to society in different capacities in India, Bahrain, and Malaysia. His current research involves the utilization of industrial by-products, low-carbon footprint materials, and waste materials in the development of one-part geopolymer, low-carbon cement, and limestone calcinated clay cement (LC3) in mortar and concrete; other research aspects include lightweight aggregate, material characteristics, crack-healing mortar using microalgae, lightweight aggregate concrete, foamed concrete, geopolymer concrete, and impact & blast-resistant concrete. His experimental works revolve around investigations on microstructural behaviour, mechanical properties and durability characteristics, structural behaviour, functional behaviour etc. He is the recipient of outstanding achievement awards in most of the institutions he served. He and his research team won gold and silver medals at international and national exhibitions on concrete engineering & technology. He was the project director of two housing projects at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that utilized industrial by-products. His decade-long research work on geopolymer concrete enabled him and his team to construct the first cement-free house (superstructure) in Malaysia with the collaboration of Vinci Construction, a French-based construction conglomerate; this house is currently being used by bus drivers and serves as a research hub. He is the Principal Investigator of many research projects and has received numerous research grants from the University of Malaya research fund, the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, and national and international grants, including the prestigious Newton-Ungku Omar Coordination Fund: UK-Malaysia Research & Innovation Bridges Competition. He has a research collaboration with various universities in Malaysia, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Jordan, Oman, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam. He has been invited by various universities in different countries to give keynote lectures at international conferences, seminars, and research workshops.  Prof. Ir. Dr. U. Johnson Alengaram serves as an Associate Editor in the Journal of Sustainable Cement-Based Material, Australian Journal of Civil Engineering, and Editorial Board Member of the Jordanian Journal of Civil Engineering (JJCE); he also served as Chairperson of the SIRIM Committee for "Eco Labelling of Criteria for Reused By-Products Aggregates" and reviewer of multiple international journals. He has organized workshops, conferences, and seminars and trained school students to win local and international awards; further, as the Director of CICT, he has pioneered the activities of the centre to contribute to society, and thus many national and international researchers and students are being trained regularly in the centre.  He has been the organizing secretary, co-chair, and advisor of international conferences and workshops.