CHIEW Poh Shin (周宝芯, 周寶芯) is a senior lecturer in the Department of Malaysian Languages and Applied Linguistics, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. She earned her Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD from Nanjing Normal University, specialising in Chinese language and linguistics. Her primary research interests include phonetics and phonology, language variation, and language acquisition. Currently, she focuses on sociophonetics and prosodic studies, particularly in the varieties of Chinese like Hokkien, Cantonese, and Mandarin. She has a deep passion for human speech and wants to explore how speech sounds connect with cognition, society, and culture. Beyond academic research, she enjoys science communication work, sharing the fascinating world of linguistics with the public. Here is her first experience on a podcast.

Professor Dr. Maya Khemlani David (Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya) received the Linguapax Award in 2007 and   is an Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, United Kingdom and an Honorary Member of the Foundation of Endangered Languages. As a sociolinguist, Dr. David has a special interest in discourse analysis, languages in Malaysian minority communities, and the role of language in establishing and maintaining national unity within and across cultures. She is a Visiting Scholar, College for Women and also consultant (ELT) for Kinnaird College, both in Lahore, Pakistan. She also is Hon. Academic Consultant, London College of Clinical Hypnosis. She holds an Executive Diploma in Coaching and also in Counselling.  Her publications include Malaysian Indian: Sociocultural Assimilation towards the Malay Majority (2012, Tanjung Malim, UPSI), Leadership Discourse of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad (2010, Shah Alam, UPENA ), Code-Switching in Malaysia ( 2009,Frankfurt, Peter Lang) and The Sindhis of Malaysia: A Sociolinguistic Account (2001, London, ASEAN), and her co-edited and edited publications are National Planning and Language Shifts in Malaysian Minority Communities: Speaking in Many Tongues(2011,IIAS/ICAS, University of Amsterdam Press), Politeness in Malaysian Family Talk (2008, Serdang: UPM), Language and Human Rights: Focus on Malaysia (2007, Serdang: UPM), Language and the Power of the Media (2006, Frankfurt, Peter Lang), Language Choices and Discourse of Malaysian Families: Case Studies of Families in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2006, Petaling Jaya, Strategic International and Research Development Centre), Teaching of English in Second and Foreign Language Settings: Focus on Malaysia (2004, Frankfurt, Peter Lang) and Developing Reading Skills (2002, Kuala Lumpur: Melta/Sasbadi). Dr. David can be contacted at: mayadavid@yahoo.com Areas of Specialisation • Cross-Cultural Communication • Discourse Analysis • English for Specific Purposes • Language Maintenance and Language Shift • Language of the Elderly • Language and Human Rights

I am currently a senior lecturer at the Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Universiti Malaya (UM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. My research interests are in postharvest biotechnology, food security, natural products and stem cell fields.I was a PhD Biotechnology graduate from UM, where I researched on the cytotoxicity and effect of Moringa oleifera leaves on human Wharton's Jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs). My work involved the postharvest preparation of the leaves via drying technology, evaluating their antioxidant properties, and to study its effects on WJ-MSCs (RNA-seq analysis). I can converse in English, Malay and Mandarin (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia), therefore I often guided local students and bridged the language barrier for international students, especially those from China to understand and follow their courses. For my undergraduate studies, I achieved a CGPA of 3.95 and interned at the National Institute of Biotechnology Malaysia. Besides my academic pursuits, I am passionate about debating and coaching. I have been a debater since 2015 and represented UM in multiple international tournaments both as a debater and an adjudicator. Currently, I serve as Assistant Coach for UM’s English Debate team, and recently won the Top 10 best Judges award in Asia. My combined expertise in multidisciplinary research, multilingual communication, and competitive debating allows me to bring a unique edge to advancing academia, driving impactful research, and building global academic connections.