Dr. Mohammed H. Alaqad is an Assistant Professor of Translation & Interpreting Studies at the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. He has more than 15 years of academic and research experience. His main areas of research interest include translation studies and conference interpreting, forensic linguistics, artificial intelligence (AI), and socio-ideological aspects of the Arabic language. He is also the founder and CEO of the Asian Federation of Translators and Interpreters, Malaysia, where he contributes to advancing professional standards and fostering regional collaboration in the language services industry. Previously, he served as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Hashim Sani Centre for Palestine Studies, University of Malaya. From February 2019 to January 2024, Dr. Alaqad was an Assistant Professor at Management & Science University (MSU), where he led both the diploma and bachelor programs in translation and interpreting. During his tenure, he made significant contributions to establishing and shaping the university’s translation programs. He also served as an Associate Professor of translation and interpreting in the English Language Department at the Faculty of Humanities, Israa University, Gaza, Palestine, from 20 September 2023 to 31 December 2023. Dr. Alaqad has held several academic appointments at the University of Malaya, including: Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Hashim Sani Centre for Palestine Studies (July 2024 - August 2025) Universiti Malaya Elite Fellow, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics (December 2024 – December 2025) Visiting Lecturer, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics (February 2023 – February 2024) Lecturer (English & Arabic subjects), Center for Continuing Education (July 2017 – July 2018) Research Assistant, Asia-Europe Institute / The Centre for ASEAN Regionalism Universiti Malaya (CARUM)/ Humanities Research Cluster, IPPP (February 2013 – July 2017) He has been invited as a keynote/guest speaker at more than 40 international conferences and academic events, contributing to global discussions on language, translation, education, and artificial intelligence (AI). He is also a seasoned conference interpreter, having participated in over 150 conferences and events; this experience informs his academic work and deepens his understanding of the practical challenges and complex scenarios in interpretation and communication. His scholarly contributions include numerous peer-reviewed research articles, books, and book chapters. In addition to his research, Dr. Alaqad is the managing editor of The International Journal of Palestine Studies, UM. He also serves on the editorial boards of Cambridge Scholars of Language & Linguistics (UK), the International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation (IJALT) (USA), and the Journal of Intercultural Communication Research (a Scopus-indexed Routledge journal) from 2022 to 2025. He is also an editorial board member of The Southeastern Philippines Journal of Research and Development (a Scopus-indexed Q2 journal) in the Philippines from 2022 to 2027.   

Dr. Norhanim Zakaria is an Associates Professor in the Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya. She has held various responsibilities in academic administration including Head of Department and Programme Coordinator for Master of Science in Project Management at the Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya. Her research interest in project management focuses on Life Cycle Cost (LCC).   Dr. Norhanim had involved in quantity surveying-related consultation projects in Malaysia via the Universiti Malaya consultation unit i.e. UPUM Sdn Bhd. Dr. Norhanim has published articles in academic journals, including ISI and Scopus indexed, and books. She also has contributed articles in newsletters and bulletins and presented papers at conferences locally and internationally. She has worked as a Principal Investigator and as a co-researcher for external and internal grants. Dr. Norhanim had also registered 3 intellectual properties (IPR) on research products.

Siti Fairus Abdul Sani, an Associate Professor at Universiti Malaya (UM), is a dedicated researcher and educator in the field of Radiation and Medical Physics. She has recently honored with the prestigious award Anugerah Saintis Muda Negara 2024 (National Young Scientist Award 2024), recognizing her contributions to science and her research in radiation physics. This esteemed award reflects her commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and her hope to inspire future generations of scientists in Malaysia. Siti Fairus earned her PhD from the University of Surrey, UK, in 2015, and since then, she has established an outstanding academic and research record. With 136 publications, an H-index of 21, and over 1,000 citations, she has made significant contributions span teaching, research and community engagement in radiation applications for medicine, industry, and environmental studies. She served as the Deputy Head of UM’s Radiation Protection Services Unit (2016-2017) and holds a Radiation Protection Officer (RPO) certification. Her research has advanced understanding in areas such as EMT, FDFT1, endometrial and amyloidosis metabolite characterization, passive dosimetry, radiation modifier for diagnostic and therapeutic use, natural radioactivity, radiation sterilization, optical methods for radiation damage detection, and Monte Carlo simulations for medical and nuclear reactor applications. She has supervised over 80 students, including 16 PhDs (10 graduated), 4 MScs (3 graduated), and 61 FYP undergraduates, and led the Radiation Laboratory (RLab) at Department of Physics for nine years. Since 2014, she has presented her work at international conferences, including in Prague, Crete, Bologna, Beijing, Mexico, Sydney, India and Indonesia as an invited speaker, oral and poster presentations. In recognition of her academic and research excellence, Siti Fairus was invited to participate in the 2023 Global Young Scientists Summit in Singapore and was nominated by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia for the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. Her interdisciplinary research is supported by multiple grants, including the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), and an RM400,000 research grant from a collaboration with Princess Nourah University in Saudi Arabia. Her career achievements include a range of awards, including Special Award and Gold Award at the MTE2025, Gold Award in AiNEX2025, Silver Award at the NITC2023, Gold Award at the AiNEX2021, Gold Awards at the iMTC2020 4.0, Platinum Award at the InSIDE 2019, and Gold Award at the MTE2016 and ITEX2016. Alongside her research, Siti Fairus actively fosters a love for science among students from kindergarten through high school. She supports STEM education by training teachers and parents and has developed art-integrated STEM modules for secondary schools. She has also served as a judge for science and innovation competitions organized by the Ministry of Education Malaysia. A memorable highlight was being interviewed on Selamat Pagi Malaysia (RTM TV1) in 2025 on the topic “Peranan R&D dalam Bidang STI dalam Membangunkan Malaysia MADANI: Menyoroti Inisiatif Anugerah Saintis Muda Negara di bawah MOSTI.” She was also previously featured on IKIM radio’s Inspirasiku and the Extraordinary Muslims blog in 2016, sharing her inspiring PhD journey. Siti Fairus work supports SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being by advancing safer radiation applications in medicine, while her innovative STEM-based teaching aligns with SDG 4: Quality Education, inspiring future scientists. Through research in radiation dosimetry and detector technologies, she contributes to SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, enhancing safety in medical and industrial applications. Her focus on radiation’s environmental impact promotes SDG 13: Climate Action by advocating sustainable nuclear practices. Backed by grants and Universiti Malaya, her efforts reflect SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations to address global challenges and drive innovation.