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. Hong Wei-Han is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, specialising in medical education, curriculum development, educational assessment, and healthcare quality improvement. Her academic work focuses on advancing health professions education through evidence-based teaching strategies, educational measurement, and the development of innovative curricula that support effective clinical training and patient safety. Dr. Hong is actively involved in academic leadership and curriculum governance, including coordinating the MBBS programme and contributing to faculty and national initiatives related to teaching, assessment, and graduate employability. Her research focuses on self-regulated learning, student motivation, feedback literacy, medical student admissions, and educational innovation in clinical training. She has published extensively in international journals contributing to the global discourse on medical education and workforce development. Dr. Hong also serves on editorial boards and participates in international collaborations, conferences, and research initiatives in health professions education. Her contributions have been recognised through multiple awards, including innovation awards in medical education and excellent service awards from Universiti Malaya and international organisations.

Dr Nik Soffiya is an early career researcher at the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. Her scholarly interests are often situated at the intersection of language and social (in)justice. She is an emerging expert in Critical Discourse Studies with a strong inclination towards interdisciplinary research. Her current projects primarily revolve around discourses related to (violence against) women and children, including topics such as female genital cutting and online misogyny within the Malaysian context. She is also a co-founder of the Alliance of Linguists for Palestine (ALPS) research working group, driving linguistics-based research on the Palestinian resistance and liberation. Beyond her academic endeavours, Dr Nik Soffiya is actively involved in training doctoral candidates for Three Minute Thesis competition. She welcomes supervision request from students who are interested in exploring discourses of social issues through a critical discursive lens.