PROF. DR. S. VIKINESWARY SABARATNAM

  Prof Dr Vikineswary started her academic career after completing her PhD in the Institute of Postgraduate Studies in 1989 as a lecturer.  She ventured into search, discovery and utilisation of indigenous microorganisms including actinomycetes and phototrophic bacteria for feed, feed or fine chemicals. Her research activities diversified and while studying the potential of mushrooms and in particular the white - rot fungi in environmental biotechnology, she had the opportunity to work with mushroom farmers.  Together with the growers, the Mushroom Research Association of Malaysia was founded in 2000 and as the founding  president she has highlighted the importance of mushrooms and the industry in Malaysia.  She is well known for the research conducted which includes systematic and bioactivity of marine actinomycetes, mushroom biology and their bioactive metabolites, phototrophic bacteria for bioremediation and as a live feed enhancer. She has  successfully trained 50 Masters and 20 PhD students and a number are currently pursuing their postgraduate studies under her supervision. Her research activities are sponsored by national and international grants including industrial funding.  Prof.  Vikineswary has won several awards for her research findings both in Malaysia and at International Exhibition.  She has collaboration with overseas scientists through CICHE, JSPS and EU programmes. She has published 265 papers in peer reviewed journals, proceedings, bulletins, chapters in books  and  books.  In recognition of her contribution in microbiology and active participation as member of the Malaysian Society for Microbiology she was elected as the first woman President of the Society in 2001. In 2014 she was nominated as one of the Top Research Scientist Malaysia by Academy Science Malaysia. In 2015 she was nominated as a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.

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DR. LOH KAR HOE

Dr. Loh Kar Hoe (K.-H. L.) is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES), University of Malaya. He graduated with a B.Sc. majoring in aquaculture before pursuing his research in fish reproductive for his M.Sc. in NTOU, Taiwan. He obtained his Ph.D. in Fisheries Science from the NTOU in 2009 for doctoral work on taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of moray eels (Mureanidae). After his Ph.D., he spent one year at the Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan as a postdoctoral researcher. He joined IOES July 2011 as a research fellow. He’s team have discovery eight new species eels (Gymnothorax pseudokidako 2021, Gymnothorax pseudomelanosomatus 2015, Neenchelys gracilis 2015, Pylorobranchus hoi 2012, Gymnothorax melanosomatus 2011, Uropterygius oligospondylus 2008, Gymnothorax taiwanensis 2008, Gymnothorax shaoi 2007), and a lot of new recorded fish from Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Japan, and Taiwan. In addition to studying Malaysian fish otoliths, he is also working on the fisheries assessment work on sharks and rays. A total of 47 ISI articles have been published, and 26 technical reports of the IUCN Sciaenidae Red List assessments in 2020. He has collaborative research on the genetic diversity, population genetics of marine organisms; Reef fish diversity and abundance in Malaysian water through DNA barcoding and eDNA in Malaysia. Another study focuses on microplastics in the gill and stomach of fish. He recently secured a research grant to “Resolving systematics of Cephalopods using morphological and molecular approaches in Malaysia”, and “Environment DNA matebarcoding illuminates the diversity of sharks and rays” funded by WWF-Malaysia.

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ASSOCIATE PROF. IR. DR. NUR AZAH BINTI HAMZAID

Ir Dr Nur Azah Hamzaid is a Professional Engineer (BEM) and Chartered Engineer (IMechE, UK). She is Associate Professor at Biomedical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya. She obtained her bachelor in Mechatronics Engineering (1st class Hons) in 2005 and pursued her PhD at the University of Sydney, Australia in the same year. Since 2010, she has been pioneering the Biomechatronics, Neuroprosthetics and Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) research group in Malaysia. She is  a Biomedical Engineering Consultant at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), seeing patients of complex rehabilitation cases at the Rehabilitation Robotics Clinic (CREATE). Dr Azah holds a Masters Certificate in Leadership by the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development, Malaysia. Her passion in teaching and learning led her to leadership roles in Academic Development and Enhancement Centre (ADEC) for 8 years under the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) office, and was the Director until early 2024. She is also a Certified Trainer under HRDCorp. Dr Azah develops the Biomechatronics and Prosthetics & Orthotics courses which include FES in Rehabilitation Robotics. In her second year of service in UM, in 2011, she was appointed as the Program Coordinator of Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering (Prosthetics & Orthotics), the first degree program aiming to produce Prosthetics & Orthotics Engineers in Malaysia. Dr Azah is the Founding President and currently Vice President of International FES Society (IFESS) Malaysia Chapter and Executive Board Member of IFESS International for the 3rd term. She was Board Member of International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics Malaysia. She is also the co-founder of the engineering outreach program  "Let's Go To Mummie's Lab", which focuses on young children's education through STEM and play. She has published at least 90 ISI-listed scientific publications, over 50 conference papers, a number of books and book chapters. Dr Azah has a few patents and trademarks, granted and filed. Her FES expertise has also brought her to the 2016 FES-Cycling Cybathlon championship, a world event for technology-assisted race for people with disabilities, in which their team placed 7th in the world. Dr Azah has so far graduated and are supervising several PhD and MEngSc students. She has also won Innovation Awards from ITEX, PECIPTA, Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE), BioMalaysia, i-ENVEX, KNovasi, and her work has been featured in national mass media including BFM radio, Nona TV3, Selamat Pagi Malaysia RTM, Mingguan Wanita, and other local newspapers, apart from UM Award for PhD completion in less than 3 years. She was also nominated for the UNESCO Award for the Popularization of Science in 2019. Her aim is to improve the Rehabilitation Engineering field in Malaysia by uplifting the knowledge and application through quality teaching and curriculum enhancement via industrial involvement, better student experience and participation in and out of class and in research. She strives to bridge the gap between actual society and patient's need and technology provision through sustainable means.https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4277-2813

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RECENT PUBLICATION

LATEST AWARDED GRANT

  • Empowering Change Agents: Building Leadership Capacity for Sustainability Governance in Higher Education


  • Designing a Sustainable E-waste Ecosystem At UM: Circular Economy, Recovery Technologies, and Behavioural Change


  • Lifelong Learning in Humanistic Buddhism: Integrating Tacit Knowledge and Acceptance of Evolution


  • Repurposed End-of-life Electric Vehicle Batteries for Demand Side Management System ? An Assessment On The Environmental and Economic Benefits Analysis


  • Scientific Analysis of Buddhist Meditation and Mantra Energy: An Experimental Study Using Aura Color


  • Smart Recycling On Campus: Investigating Rvm Adoption and Behavioural Determinants


  • Teaching for a Cooler Future: Empowering Pre-service Science Teachers Through Environmental Stem (e-stem) and Climate Change Pedagogical Content Knowledge (cc-pck) Via Campus-based Action


  • Advancing Predictive Modeling and Early Warning System for Microclimate and Air Quality Using An Intelligent Framework in Universiti Malaya