Dr. Nina Sakinah Ahmad Rofaie is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Decision Science at the Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya. She earned her Ph.D. in Statistics from the same institution, where her doctoral research focused on evaluating the performance of LED road lighting compared to traditional HPSV lighting using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Since completing her Ph.D., Dr. Nina has continued to specialize in performance measurement, particularly with the DEA approach. Her current research interests have expanded to include Halal talent development and the growth of the Halal industry in Malaysia. Additionally, she has been invited to lecture at both local and international institutions, sharing her expertise in quantitative research methods and data analysis. Her dedication to rigorous research and academic excellence is evident in her contributions to both the academic and professional communities. Dr. Nina's research portfolio reflects her commitment to addressing significant societal and economic issues through data-driven insights and innovative approaches.
show more »Ts Dr. Vimala Balakrishnan is a Professor affiliated with the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Universiti Malaya since 2010. She earned her PhD in Ergonomics from Multimedia University, complementing her academic journey that commenced with Master's and Bachelor's degrees obtained from the University of Science Malaysia. Dr. Balakrishnan's primary research focus lies in the domains of machine learning and deep learning, particularly in data analytics, with a specialized emphasis on social media applications. Her research interests span across diverse sectors, including healthcare and critical social issues like cyberbullying, suicide and misinformation propagation. She has published more than 100 articles in top indexed journals, 60 conference proceedings and eight book chapters, has three patents and sixteen copyrights. She is a Fulbright Research Scholar (2018) and a recipient of the Leadership in Innovation Fellowship (by the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK) award. Others include Malaysia Scopus Excellence Research Award 2024 -Societal Impact, Excellent Service Award 2017 & 2024, Cardiff Incoming Visiting Fellowship Scheme 2017, Best Elsevier Reviewer Award 2018 (Computer in Human Behavior), and awards won both at local and international competitions (three diamonds, 22 golds, 8 silvers and 4 bronze). Dr Balakrishnan is an advocate for women in science, and acts as the founder of HeRDS: Heels and Rouge in Data Science and co-founder of the Community of Practice in Research (Hello@UM). She was also listed as one of the top 2% world scientists by the Stanford University in five consecutive years (2020 - 2024), both in the single year and career categories. Dr Balakrishnan was recently recognized as one of the Successful People in Malaysia in the June 2022 issue as part of the British Media Publishing House publication. She teaches both the undergraduate and post-graduate students at the faculty. She has supervised ten PhD students, three Master by Research and 22 Master by Mixed-mode students to completion. Dr. Balakrishnan is currently supervising five PhD students, and two Master by Research students. She also supervises Master of Data Science students, and has served as the Program Coordinator for four consecutive years (2017 - 2021). Dr. Balakrishnan serves as the Editor-in-Chief to the Malaysian Journal of Computer Science. She serves as an active reviewer for several International journals, and as an external examiner for PhD thesis (e.g. International University of Malaya-Wales, Kolej Damansara Penang, Maynooth University Ireland, Modi Institute India, etc.). Dr. Balakrishnan also acts as the Program Assessor for HELP University (Master in Data Science and Bachelor in IT Data Analytics), Monash University (Bachelor in Applied Data Science), Multimedia University (Bachelor in Digital Analytics Management) and International Medical University Malaysia (Bachelor in Digital Health). She has given guest lectures at Yale University (2022), University of Georgia (2018), and Georgia Technology of Institute (2018), USA, Cardiff University (2017), UK, Soongsil University (2016), Korea, and as a Keynote Speaker at the Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering 2019 Conference (India). She has appeared in the local media (BFM Radio Malaysia, TV3), local newspapers and magazine (The Star, Berita Harian, Her World), podcasts, YouTube and served as an expert advisor in a round table session (Communications and Multimedia Content Forum Malaysia) on cyberbullying detection mechanisms. Currently, she is actively working on innovative solution-based projects related to digital health platforms including developing an integrated VOT enabled app for Tuberculosis management, MyTBCompanion through her Projek Celik TB (funded by the Research and Innovation for Development in ASEAN UK & Fulbright Alumni Engagement Fund 2024) and a chatbot for HIV minority communities with her international collaborators from Yale University (funded by Gilead Inc. amounting to 499,000 USD). Other on-going studies include developing and detecting digital fraud/scam (funded by the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme 2023 (Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia) and SATU Joint-Research Scheme 2023).
show more »Professor Dr. Yvonne Lim Ai Lian is the Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) at Universiti Malaya and a Senior Professor in the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine. She is also a member of the University Senate. A Fellow and former Council Member of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM). She was the co-chair of the APRU Asia Pacific Women in Leadership (APWiL) Programme and currently serves on the International Advisory Committee of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. Throughout her distinguished career, she has held several key leadership roles at both university and national levels, including Deputy Dean (Research) at the Faculty of Medicine, Director of the International Relations Office, and Associate Vice-Chancellor of Global Engagement at Universiti Malaya. She has also served as President of the Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine and as a Council Member of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. Her research focuses on deciphering the intricate host-parasite-environment interactions that contribute to disease in indigenous and underserved communities, aiming to develop multi-targeted solutions. Additionally, she investigates the diversity of gut and skin microbiomes across populations spanning various socioeconomic and ecological landscapes, from traditional to industrialized societies. For nearly three decades, she has dedicated her work to studying infectious diseases among the Orang Asli (indigenous) communities of Peninsular Malaysia, collaborating closely with Hospital Orang Asli Gombak. Her contributions to national policy, including the Orang Asli Development Policy (DPOA), reflect her deep commitment to community welfare. Her collaboration with New York University led to a groundbreaking discovery, published in Science (2016), revealing how low levels of helminth (worm) infections promote the growth of probiotic gut microbiota. Her gut microbiome research has since expanded to studies among HIV and cancer patients. More recently, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the USA, she has deepened investigations into parasitic infections, gut microbiome dynamics, and the relationship between skin infections and the skin microbiome which resulted in a publication in Cell (2025). Her work is supported by numerous national and international grants, including the prestigious US NIH R01 grants. She was recently awarded another NIH R01 grant as the principal investigator. She has published over 250 peer-reviewed scientific articles, contributed to nine book chapters, and authored three books. As a dedicated mentor, she has supervised more than 40 postgraduate students to completion and hosted researchers through extensive collaborations with institutions in the US, UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore. She has also held visiting research and academic positions at leading institutions, including the Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory in Glasgow, Scotland; the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Melbourne, Australia; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA; and the Department of Molecular Parasitology and Tropical Diseases at Taipei Medical University, Taiwan. She has earned numerous accolades, including the MSPTM Medal for outstanding young scientists, the Universiti Malaya Excellent Lecturer Award for Science Disciplines, the Top Research Scientists of Malaysia Award and inducted as a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. She has been consistently recognized in Stanford University's list of the top 2% of scientists globally in her field. She was also awarded the Fulbright Scholar Award for a fellowship at the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases at NIAID, NIH, USA. More recently, she received the prestigious Sandosham Gold Medal Award, the highest honour from the Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to parasitology and tropical medicine. Deeply passionate about her work with the Orang Asli communities, she remains committed to inspiring and empowering her colleagues and students to reach their fullest potential.
show more »RECENT PUBLICATION
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Islam, Ameena; Md Syed, Md Azalanshah (2026). Journalistic Professionalism in a Time of Paradoxes: ntv Online and "alternative Voice" in Bangladesh. Journalism Practice
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Adams, Donnie; Sothinathan, Jayanti S.; Radzi, Norfariza Mohd (2026). Science Mapping The Evolution of Middle Leadership Research, 2002-2023. Educational Management Administration & Leadership
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Ooi, Ai-Yee; Lim, Kian-Ping (2026). Multiple Blockholders and Governance Through Voice: Evidence from Blockholder Board Representation. Applied Economics Letters
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Daghigh, Ali Jalalian; Guo, Lisha (2026). A Socio-cognitive Account of Ideological Manipulation in Chinese Translation of Political Opinion Articles. Journalism Practice
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Azahari, Ahmad Fikri Azfar Ahmad; Naim, Wan Naimah Wan Ab; Sari, Nor Ashikin Md; Lim, Einly; Mokhtarudin, Mohd Jamil Mohamed (2026). Advancement in Computational Simulation and Validation of Congenital Heart Disease: a Review. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering
TOTAL PUBLICATIONS AS OF DATE 157
LATEST AWARDED GRANT
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School Management Health Diagnosis to Improve The Quality of Education in The Context of Education in Indonesia and Malaysia
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Biomonitor X: Next-generation Biodiversity Surveillance
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Design of a State of The Art High-ratio Converter in 130nm Technology Node
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Assessment and Optimisation of Leachate-to-biogas Conversion for Msw Power Plant Applications
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Improvisation of Universiti Malaya Grant Management System Via Web-based Workflow Automation
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Shielding Our Heritage: Digital Safety for Orang Asal Sabah
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Penglipur Lara & Pergerakan Kretif Igal-igal Bagi Kanak-kanak Bajau Sama
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Regulation of Collagen Synthesis in Rats Following Oral Administration of Spritzer Natural Mineral Water
