Dr. Azar is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya. With over 27 years of experience, he has served as an EFL/ESL senior lecturer, researcher, and curriculum developer in Iran, Turkey, Qatar, and Malaysia. His research interests include academic discourse analysis, genre analysis, corpus linguistics, TESL, educational technology, and English language teaching strategies. He has published widely in prestigious journals such as GEMA Online® Journal of Language Studies, Asian ESP Journal, Asian EFL Journal, Studies in English Language and Education, World Journal of English Language, and Education and Information Technologies (Springer). Dr. Azar is the corresponding author of two recent articles: “Humour Discourse in ESL Classrooms: A Critical Literature Review,” published in the European Journal of Humour Research, and “Exploring AI-Generated Feedback in Second Language Writing: Learner Perceptions, Effectiveness, and Challenges,” both contributing to ongoing discussions in applied linguistics, ESL pedagogy, and AI-assisted language education. He currently serves as the Head of Professional Development, Artificial Intelligence and Technology Outreach at the Malaysian Association of Applied Linguistics (MAAL). Dr. Azar is also the editor of several scholarly volumes published by IGI Global (USA), including Reconceptions of Policies, Strategies, and Challenges in Education 5.0; Innovations in Educational Robotics: Advancing AI for Sustainable Development; and Smart Education and Sustainable Learning Environments in Smart Cities. Additionally, he sits on the editorial boards of several academic journals, including the Asian Journal of University Education (AJUE) – Scopus Q1, Universiti Teknologi MARA; the International Journal of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics (IJMAL) – Akademi Pengajian Bahasa, UiTM; Education Quarterly Reviews – ERIC-indexed, Asian Institute of Research; and the Journal of Pragmatics and Discourse Research – SINTA 3, PPJBSIP, Indonesia.

Dr. Saz obtained his BEng in Civil Engineering at Universiti Malaya in which he specialized in finite element analysis. He has provided renewable energy consultation as part of community engagement to obtain his MSc in Environmental Management at the University of Hertfordshire, UK. During his PhD at Universiti Malaya, he further specialized in building information modelling (BIM) and life cycle assessment (LCA). His research interests include industry-wide implementation of BIM, LCA of sustainable construction materials, and nanomaterials in cementitious materials. He is a Practitioner Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) UK, a Professional Technologist registered with the Malaysian Board of Technologists (MBOT) and a Professional Member of the Institute of Geospatial and Remote Sensing Malaysia (IGRSM).

  Professor Hany Ariffin  is  Professor of Paediatrics and Head of the Division of Paediatric Haematology-Oncology and Blood & Marrow Transplantation at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). She also heads the Biobank Unit in the Faculty of Medicine, UM.  Her main research interest is childhood leukaemia and she has been the Malaysian lead for the Malaysia-Singapore (MASPORE) Leukaemia Study Group since 2003. Her other research areas include childhood cancer survivorship, stem cell transplantation and inherited cancers, particularly related to mutations in the tumour suppressor gene, TP53. In 2015, she won the Anugerah Akademik Negara award and in 2018 received the Distinguished Researcher Award from University Malaya. Professor Hany is chairperson of the paediatric oncology accreditation committee for the National Specialist Register and a past president of the Malaysian Society of Paediatric Haematology-Oncology. She is also the chairperson of the VIVA-Asia Bone Marrow Transplantation Consortium for 2024/2025. Professor Hany is an Associate Editor for Technology in Cancer Reseach &Treatment (Tumour Biology) and Frontiers in Oncology (Paediatric Oncology).