Dr. Mohd Rashid bin Mohd Saad is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Language And Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, University of Malaysia. His total current teaching experience in higher education sectors totaled more than 25 years. His experience includes teaching government-supported schools, private colleges and some consultation works with both public and private sectors both locally and internationally. He has been teaching issues, trends and research in the area of Teaching of English as a Second Language. His current interest is issues, emerging trends and debates in the implementation of Emerging Technologies for non-native EFL language teachers.  

Jillian Ooi started out as an environmental social scientist but shifted to studying marine plants because she is fascinated by the sea. For her Master’s degree in Environmental Management, she explored the effects of disturbances on seaweed communities. She later earned a PhD in Seagrass Biogeography at the University of Western Australia as an Endeavour International Postgraduate Scholarship recipient. Working under the mentorship of Professor Gary Kendrick and the late Dr Kimberly Van Niel, she studied the spatial patterns and ecology of subtidal seagrasslands in the Johor islands. There, she fell irrevocably under the spell of these overlooked yet vital ecosystems. Jillian’s research consists of 3 themes: (1) investigating ecosystem functions of seagrass, particularly their roles as habitats and feeding grounds for fish and megafauna, (2) developing spatial distribution models for seagrass species in Southeast Asia, to provide an understanding of what makes a suitable seagrass habitat, and (3) developing effective restoration methods for seagrass and coral reefs. Her work has contributed to the gazettement of the Kepulauan Lima marine park in Johor (2023), strengthened protection for the Tioman Marine Park in Pahang (2007), and supported the establishment of a dugong sanctuary in Johor (2005 and 2017). Jillian enjoys working with local communities, spearheading and nurturing community-driven seagrass conservation initiatives in the Sungai Johor and Sungai Pulai estuaries. Her efforts focus on empowering local stakeholders through capacity building in seagrass monitoring and mapping. In 2015, Jillian received the Komai Fellowship to study the satoumi approach to seagrass restoration in Japan. In 2022, she was among six global researchers awarded the Pew Marine Fellowship for her work in seagrass restoration and to raise awareness about seagrass in Malaysia through the cultural arts approach. She blended the performing arts with science to create Seruan Setu, a groundbreaking gamelan music concert dedicated to seagrass ecosystems. When she is not underwater watching grass grow, Jillian is the Artistic Director and Music Director of Rhythm in Bronze, an award-winning contemporary gamelan ensemble based in Kuala Lumpur. Founded in 1997, Rhythm in Bronze is known for its pioneering efforts in showcasing the Malay gamelan as its main medium of musical expression. Jillian’s music direction and compositions for the gamelan have won awards and/or received nominations at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards, which celebrates outstanding performances in music, dance, theatre and musical theatre in Malaysia. She considers the Sea her main source of musical inspiration. 

  Dr Yasmin Mohd Adnan is currently with the Department of Real Estate, Faculty of Built Environment. During her term at the university, she was also the Head of the Department of Estate Management from 2004 to 2007, from 2015 to 2018, and was the Deputy Dean (Undergraduate Studies) from 2019-2021. Prior to joining the University of Malaya, she has worked in a property consultancy firm, a bank, the property subsidiary of PETRONAS, the national oil company, and KLCC Urusharta. Her career spans over 25 years in the areas of valuation, property, and facilities management within the real estate practice and academic sectors. A valuer and property manager by training and professionally registered, Dr Yasmin has been involved in a number of major research projects in real estate focusing on commercial real estate studies, real estate sustainability (management & development) as well as real estate economics and has published in a number of international journals. She is also currently a member of professional organisations which include the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, UK (RICS) as well have held various positions in the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) which includes as a council member, examination board member, editorial board member, education and accreditation board as well as past Secretary of the Property Surveying Division. In addition, she was a board member of the Pacific Rim Real Estate Society (PRRES) from 2011 to 2017. She is currently the chief editor of the International Journal of Property Services, a journal of the Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya. She has also chaired international conferences which include the Pacific Rim Real Estate Society conferences that were held twice (jointly with the Royal Institution of Surveyors, Malaysia - partnering universities committee) in Kuala Lumpur.