Firuza Begham Mustafa is a Professor at the Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya. Her research focus is agriculture geography, environmental geography, and aquaculture. She has collaborated with local and international researchers and produced more than 150 publications, including in WOS-ISI journals, books, chapters, conference papers and posters. Most of her papers are published in reputable international journals such as the Journal of Ocean Engineering and Science (Q1, IF 4.803), Soil and Water Conservation Research (Q1, IF 7.481), International Review of Hydrobiology (Q1, IF 1.878), Soil Use and Management (Q3, IF 3.672), Acta Geophysica (Q3, 2.293), and Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography (Q3, IF 2.000). She has also written chapters for many international books published by Springer, Routledge, Taylor & Francis, Pearson Learning Solutions, CRC Press and Emerging Technologies and Research. She has also published nine scientific books in her field of interest and specialization. The books entitled Akuakultur Udang Harimau (Tiger Shrimp Aquaculture) Geografi Pertanian (Agriculture Geography) and Geografi Tanih (Soil Geography), Metodologi Terpilih dalam Geografi (Selected Methodology in Geography) are published by the Universiti Malaya Press. Geografi Pohon Lontar is the most recent book published in 2023 by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. The first-of-its-kind book about palmyra internationally covers the palm's geographical, botanical, and socio-cultural features. Her two books were also published by the International publisher, Springer Nature entitled Methodological Approaches in Physical Geography (2022) and Methodological Approaches in Integrated Geography (2023). The research work has been funded by international and local research grant i.e High Impact Research Grant (HIR), University of Malaya Research Grant (UMRG), KPM Community Research Grant, FRGS, LRGS, and others, with cumulative research funding amounting to at least RM2 million. She has several intellectual property rights (IP), and 10 international and local post-graduates completed their studies under her supervision. She won Gold Medal for Innovation and Creativity Expo (2010), Silver Medal for Learning Improvement and Teaching Enhancement Research (Liter) in 2018, Bronze Medal for Malaysia Technology Expo in 2010, Bronze Medal for Bioinno Awards in 2010, Bronze Medal for PECIPTA in 2009 and Bronze Medal for Biomalaysia in 2009. She also received Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang in 2019 and Sijil Perkhidmatan Cemerlang in 2011, 2018 and 2021. She won Anugerah Cemerlang Universiti Malaya (ACUM) (Universiti Malaya Excellent Award) 2022 for Teaching (non-science). She was also appointed as Visiting Fellow at Qinghai National University, China and Visiting Researcher at Aligarh Muslim University, India. She actively participated Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank of Australia entitled “Stressed ecosystems: better decisions for Australia (2011) and High Flyers Think Tank on Australia’s population: shaping a vision for our future (2012)” organized by the Australian Academy of Science (AAS). Between 2016-2021, she was also a Council Member of the International Geographical Union Commission on Commission Marginalization, Globalization, and Regional and Local Responses- C16.29, a member of the International Geographical Union for Commission on Geographical Education, a member of the Southeast Asian Geography Association (SEAGA) and the Centre for Global Geography Education (CGGE) training by Association of American Geography (AAG). She is an Associate Fellow (AFMSA) of the Malaysian Scientific Association (MSA). She has served on the Editorial Board of the Malaysian Journal of Tropical Geography (MJTG), Editorial Board of Water Conservation Management (WCM), Editorial Board of Geology, Ecology and Landscapes (GEL), Trout Journal of Atatürk, Turkey, Annals of the national of Association of Geographers, India and the International Journal of Creative Industries (IJCREI). She is an active reviewer in ISI-WOS journal reviewer including top-tier journals, the Science of the Total Environment, Frontiers of Earth Science, Arabian Journal of Geosciences, Journal of Public Affairs, Quaestiones Geographiceae, Land Degradation & Development, Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, Current Urban Studies and Natural Resources Forum and many others including local journal. She also serves as Auditor for Malaysia Qualification Agency (MQA) since 2009 for Geography and Environmental subjects and had audited program in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, SEGi University, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and many other university and private colleges. She acted as the PhD thesis examiner for more than 10 candidates from the University of Madras, Chennai and Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India; the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, Peshawar University in Pakistan and other Malaysian Universities. She had delivered lectures in many national and international seminars and conferences including in Switzerland, Austria, Turkey, Egypt, Australia, India, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Nepal, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei, Philippines, Bangladesh and Korea.    

Started his research career in the think tank sector, Dr. Lee Chee Leong (Karl) is attracted to the rise of non-traditional diplomacy in the international order today. Such appeal has taken Dr. Lee into new research horizons that started with his Monash University's doctoral research on the Chinese sub-state diplomacy in China-ASEAN economic cooperation. With constructive supervision by Professor Helen Nesadurai and Associate Professor Kuik Cheng Chwee, Dr. Lee completed his doctoral thesis that unravels how a faraway and least developed sub-state of Guangxi managed to overcome its own hurdles, navigate the complexities within the Chinese state and become the frontline actor in China-ASEAN economic cooperation. Following his doctoral completion, Dr. Lee's research on non-traditional diplomacy has expanded into Taiwan’s quasi-state diplomacy in Southeast Asia. Such quest has led him spending at great length in comprehending the concept of soft power, a concept that finds its relevance to Taiwan, which has no official diplomatic with Southeast Asia but is heavily connected to the region and has to rely on soft power in its engagements with these Southeast Asian nations. Taking Malaysia as the first case study of Taiwan's soft power in the region, Dr. Lee is developing the third intervening variable correlating both Taiwanese soft power resources and outcomes, in his course of providing a dynamical explanation for such phenomenon. For the coming years, his research focus and publications will be on the different areas featuring Taiwan-Malaysia and Taiwan-Southeast Asia cooperation such as digital social innovation (DSI) for climate change, industry-based education/training programmes, smart cities, tourism, digital democracy, agriculture, public health and medicine, ornamental aquaculture and aquascape. To date, Dr. Lee was the recipient of several scholarships and fellowships in Malaysia and overseas: University of Malaya’s Graduate Fellowship (2010-2011); Monash University’s Merit Scholarship (2016-2019); Chinese Government Scholarship (2018-2019); and Taiwan Fellowship (2020). Prior to his appointment as Senior Lecturer at the Institute of China Studies (ICS), he was the Visiting Scholar at Guangxi University for Nationalities (GXUN) (2018-10992019), Taiwan Fellow at National Chengchi University (NCCU) (2020) and Associate Fellow at ICS UM (2016-2019).He welcomes any potential PhD candidate who would like to work on Taiwan-Southeast Asia relations, Taiwan's soft power in Southeast Asia and Taiwan-Malaysia DSI cooperation for climate change. He is also willing to discuss with potential doctoral candidates on proposals related to the Chinese sub-state (provincial) diplomacy toward ASEAN, China's soft power in ASEAN, Southeast Asian sub-state diplomacy, comparative cases of sub-state diplomacy around the world and conceptual innovation of sub-state diplomacy as well as soft power. 

Dr. Marina Jokim Robert is a senior nursing academic and healthcare leader with over 25 years of experience in clinical practice, nursing education, and hospital administration. She currently serves as Senior Lecturer at Universiti Malaya, contributing to the advancement of nursing and professional practice. Her career encompasses senior leadership roles, including Director of Nursing at Jesselton Medical Centre and Assistant Director of Nursing at Bukit Tinggi Medical Centre, where she led quality improvement, policy development, and strategic workforce initiatives. A certified MSQH Surveyor and breastfeeding counsellor, Dr. Marina has championed evidence-based practice, communication excellence, and hospital accreditation readiness. She holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Universiti Sains Malaysia, a Master’s in Nursing, and a Bachelor of Nursing Science with Honours. Dr. Marina is dedicated to shaping future generations of nurses and elevating healthcare standards in Malaysia.