Sharmila Jayasingam received her MBA and PhD from the University of Science Malaysia in the field of Management. She is currently an Associate Professor in Leadership and Organizational Behavior at the Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Malaya. Prior to joining University of Malaya, she taught courses such as management, leadership, and knowledge management at Universiti Tenaga Nasional and Multimedia University. Her research is interdisciplinary, spanning knowledge management, leadership, and organizational behavior. Her current work explores the influence of social media on leadership effectiveness, as well as issues of happiness and well-being in the workplace. She has secured multiple research grants at both national and institutional levels, including funding from the Asian Institute of Finance (AIF), Permodalan Nasional Berhad, the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (Ministry of Higher Education), and the UM Impact-Oriented Interdisciplinary Research Grant (University of Malaya).  She has written several journal articles which have been published in Journal of Knowledge Management, Current Psychology, Knowledge Management Research and Practice, Industrial Management and Data Systems, International Journal of Human Resources Management, Management Research, Studies in Higher Education, and many other outlets. Beyond academia, she has several years of experience in consultancy projects with agencies such as Malaysian Aviation Group, FELDA, HC Consultancy, and others. She strongly believes that theories from academic research need to be translated into practical solutions for the workplace. Open to Supervision: I am available to supervise research in work psychology and leadership. I especially welcome students interested in using creative methods such as experiments, multi-level studies, and other innovative approaches to explore workplace and leadership issues.

  Associate Prof. Dr. Roslina Ismail, known as Lyne Ismail, is a distinguished visual artist, academic, and researcher specializing in Art-Science Convergence, Neurodiverse Creative Interventions, and Contemporary Abstract Art. Her abstract art reimagines microstructures and biological processes as metaphors for social complexities and personal narratives. Her interdisciplinary research is highlighted in her publication in Leonardo Journal (MIT Press), titled "Object-Oriented Ontology in Shaping Perspectives on Bacterial Art and Non-Human Agency," exploring how non-human actors like bacteria and AI challenge traditional notions of creativity. Her broader inquiry focuses on non-human agency and its societal impact, grounded in Science and Technology Studies (STS). In Cultural Studies, Lyne’s research examines subculture and intangible cultural heritage, including her work on Malaysian female Muslim punks and Islamic aesthetics. She contributes to global discussions on the preservation and reinterpretation of cultural practices through contemporary art. Her RimbaScape Room project addresses neurodiverse mental health, demonstrating art’s transformative potential for social change. Internationally exhibited, including at the Slade School of Fine Arts, Lyne continues to push boundaries in visual culture, technology, and cultural heritage, mentoring emerging scholars and fostering innovation in art and society.   Area of Expertise:   Art-Science Convergence: Exploring the intersection of art, technology, and science, with an emphasis on creative interventions and their societal impact. Neurodiverse Creative Interventions: Art-based solutions for neurodiverse individuals, focusing on inclusivity and mental health. Non-Human Agency: Explore how AI and other non-human actors influence creativity, aligned with Science and Technology Studies (STS).   Research and Supervision Opportunities I welcome researchers and PhD candidates who are  interested in pursuing practice-led research at the crossroads of art and science, digital art, subculture studies, and neurodiverse artistic practices. My approach to supervision is rooted in fostering a collaborative and inclusive research environment, where innovative ideas and interdisciplinary methods converge to produce impactful research that bridges theory and practice. I encourage students to explore the intersections of visual culture, technology, and cultural identity, aiming to create meaningful contributions that resonate both academically and in wider societal contexts  

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.