Afiq received his First-Class Honors Degree in Biotechnology from the Malaysia University of Science and Technology (MUST) in 2013. He received the MUST President's Award for academic excellence and being the most accomplished student in his class. In 2014, he decided to follow his passion for research and enrolled in an MSc program in Genetic Manipulation and Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Sussex, UK. After completing his MSc program, Afiq gained valuable research experience by working as a research assistant at the Cancer Research Center (CaRC), Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in Kuala Lumpur. In 2015, he was awarded an Academic Training Fellowship (SLAB/SLAI) by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education to pursue his PhD at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. His doctoral research focuses on the discovery of new antiviral HIV-1 and VSV restriction factors. His findings have been published in reputable scientific journals and have gained the interest of the global scientific community. After completing his PhD in 2019, he worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the MRC-Centre for Virus Research (CVR) at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. In 2020, he returned to Malaysia to work as a senior lecturer in the microbiology program at the Institute of Biological Sciences, Universiti Malaya (UM), Kuala Lumpur. He currently teaches public health microbiology, diagnostic microbiology, microbial pathogenesis, and virology to undergraduate students. In addition to teaching, he also conducts research on various aspects of microbiology, with a particular focus on viral diseases. His research aims to understand the mechanisms of viral replication and pathogenesis as well as develop novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of viral infections. He actively collaborates with other researchers, both locally and internationally, to contribute to the global understanding of infectious diseases. In 2023, he was awarded a prestigious ASEAN-India Research & Training (A-IRTF) Fellowship from the Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India for 3-month research attachment at the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi).

Dr. Mumtaz Begum Peer Mustafa received the BSc. and MSc. in Software Engineering from University Putra Malaysia (UPM) and University Malaya (UM) in 2002 and 2006 respectively, and the Ph.D. in Computer Science from University Malaya (UM) in 2012. She was a researcher for a High Impact Research project in the area of Assistive technologies for speech-impaired individuals. Dr. Mumtaz is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Software Engineering, University Malaya. Her research interests include Speech Enhancement methods for Automatic Speech Recognition systems, Speech Processing, Big Data Applications and Technologies and Speech Assistive tools for disabled individuals. She has published her work in many of prestigious international speech conferences and journals. Dr. Mumtaz is also a certified software tester from Malaysian Software Testing Board (MSTB), a member of International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) and Certified Professional for Requirements Engineering (CPRE) from Malaysian Software Testing Board (MSTB), a member of International Requirements Engineering Board (IREB).  

Nurulaini Abu Shamsi is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Science and Technology Studies. She received her BSc in Biotechnology and Health Science from the University of Adelaide, Australia, and her MSc in Science and Technology Studies from Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. Having a deep interest in media and health communication, Nurulaini pursued her PhD in Health Communication at the School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, New Zealand. Her thesis focuses on understanding the media's role in disseminating information about non-communicable diseases in Malaysia, a developing country. Trained in both the natural and social sciences, Nurulaini recognizes the need and opportunities to bridge these two fields. To date, she has expanded her research in science communication and public engagement with science, actively participating in national and international research collaborations. She is currently part of the Trust in Science and Science-Related Populism (TISP) Project, a Many Lab Study that analyzes factors influencing trust in science and examines the prevalence and predictors of science-related populist attitudes across countries. Nurulaini also serves as an expert panel member for the Development of the Issue Paper on Science Communication to Facilitate Agrifood Systems Transformation, organized by the International Science Council (ISC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). She is a member of the Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) Network, a key international platform for science communication research. At the national level, she plays a vital role in Malaysia’s science communication network, collaborating with the National Antarctic Research Centre (NARC), the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation – Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics (SEAMEO-RECSAM), the Science Media Centre Malaysia, and the Malaysia Science Centres Collaborative Network (MySains). Her supervision and teaching primarily focus on research in science communication, public engagement, and health communication. These include the analysis of media representation and audience reception of health and science issues, the role of social media in science and health communication, the training of scientists in science communication, and stakeholder engagement in sustainability issues. Nurulaini previously served as the Coordinator of the Bachelor of Science in Science and Technology Studies (2019–2022) and the Coordinator of the Master of Science in Communication and Public Engagement (2021–2023), a new program introduced by the Department of Science and Technology Studies. She made significant contributions to the development of this program from its inception. Nurulaini aims to make Universiti Malaya a landmark institution for science communication research and activities in the region.