Dr Sabri Sulaiman is a Senior Lecturer of Applied Sociology and Evidence-Based Intervention at the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia. Trained entirely at the University of Malaya (UM), where he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Social Administration and Justice (with a minor in Anthropology and Sociology), a Master’s in Social Intervention, and a PhD in Social Services. His Master’s thesis examined Social Deprivation and the Social Well-being of Malaysian Children. His doctoral research on the development of a Community-Based Social Care Model for street-connected children. This work aligns with international debates on contextual safeguarding, prevention-oriented interventions, and socio-ecological approaches to child protection, social justice, and social wellbeing. His applied research and advisory roles extend to civil society and international organisations, reflecting his commitment to linking research with advocacy and policy reform. He has established an internationally recognised research profile, grounded in comparative, applied, and globally engaged sociology, spanning the Global South and the Global North.  As a sociologist and scholar of evidence-based intervention, Dr Sabri Sulaiman examines how structural inequality, social deprivation, social vulnerability, and socio-economic and political forces shape health, mental health, well-being, family dynamics, and social and human rights among marginalised populations across the Global North and South. His research translates sociological insights into the design, implementation, and evaluation of rights-based, evidence-informed interventions aimed at improving living conditions, behavioural health, social well-being, protection, welfare, and care systems, while promoting social well-being, reducing inequalities, and enhancing protective environments for children, youth, older adults, and persons with disabilities. He emphasises early prevention and family- and community-based interventions to disrupt cycles of disadvantage, violence, and exclusion. Central to his work is the political economy of care, exploring how social hierarchies such as income, class, education, gender, ethnicity, and geography and institutions like welfare regimes, healthcare, education, and legal systems shape inclusion, exclusion, and unequal access to resources. Adopting a life-course perspective, he investigates how inequalities accumulate across education, labour markets, family transitions, and ageing. His research places particular emphasis on children and youth at risk, including unaccompanied or stateless migrants, and those affected by poverty, homelessness, disability, child labour, trafficking, and justice system involvement. By integrating sociological analysis with applied social work and policy research, Dr Sulaiman contributes to scalable interventions and care systems that reduce inequality, strengthen social protection, safeguard child rights, and promote health, well-being, and social mobility for marginalised groups. Dr Sabri is actively engaged in national and international research, consultancy, and postgraduate supervision across these domains: Sociology of Children, Families, Ageing, and the Life Course: Family change, child welfare and protection systems, labour and family, social rights, early-life adversity, intergenerational inequality, disability, violence, and social exclusion, and their effects on education, social deprivation and well-being,  health, and long-term life chances. Sociology of Population Health, Human Development, and Well-Being: Social and structural determinants of health and well-being, including inequality, labour markets, housing, and public policy, with attention to global systems of colonialism, capitalism, and racism. Clinical Sociology and Evidence-Based Intervention: Diagnosis of social problems and the design and evaluation of evidence-based interventions addressing inequality, violence, deprivation, social exclusion, and health disparities. Global and Comparative Sociology of Development and Sustainability: Comparative analysis of capitalism, migration, displacement, climate change, and social protection regimes shaping inequality and life-course outcomes across the Global South and North. Sociology of Governance, Law, and Human Rights: Legal frameworks, governance arrangements, and social policies influencing access to services, institutional engagement, and social rights among marginalised populations. Sociology of Violence, Vulnerability, and Protection: Interpersonal, structural, and institutional violence, including child maltreatment, gender-based violence, labour exploitation, and elder abuse, using rights-based and evidence-informed approaches. Sociology of Labour and Work: Labour markets, work life and work-life policy program, work and family, institutional practices, and inequality in relation to vulnerability, exploitation, criminalisation, and social protection. Applied Statistics and Mixed-Methods Research: Advanced quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches for analysing inequality, institutional processes, and intervention effectiveness. In addition to his academic roles in research and teaching, he currently serves as a Consultant to the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), Malaysia. He is currently leading major research initiatives, including: A Study on Risk Behaviours among At-Risk Adolescents in Malaysia, examining life-course vulnerabilities, well-being, and social behaviour, violence exposure, and prevention-oriented interventions; and Creating Inclusive Digital Education for Students with Disabilities in Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia, focusing on accessibility, equity, and rights-based digital inclusion in tertiary education. Dr Sabri is also the author of a forthcoming book, Community-Based Social Care Models for Protecting the Rights and Well-being of Street-Connected Children in Malaysia, which advances evidence-informed and rights-based approaches to child protection and social care practice. He has previously published "Deprivasi Sosial Kanak-kanak Malaysia," a pioneering work that examines social deprivation and child well-being from the children’s own perspectives, alongside policy and intervention strategies to reduce inequality and enhance social well-being. His work is internationally recognised, and he is an active member of the British Sociology Association, the Association of Southeast Asian Studies in the United Kingdom (ASEASUK), the Social Policy Association, the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN), the Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW), and the International Sociological Association (ISA). He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, contributed to edited volumes, and presented at numerous international conferences. Dr Sabri welcomes collaborative research, policy, and practice-based partnerships with scholars, practitioners, and institutions committed to advancing justice, equity, and inclusive social care systems that leave no one behind.  

Wan Marhaini Wan Ahmad is an Associate Professor at the Department of Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. She has been a member of the Shariah Advisory Board for a few local Islamic financial and corporate institutions (Zurich General Takaful Malaysia Berhad and Zurich Takaful Malaysia Berhad since 2020, UOB Malaysia Nerhad since 2021 and Xeraya Capital Sendirian Berhad since 2014). Prior to this, she served as a Shariah Committee member for Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad (2012-2019) and EonCap Islamic Bank Berhad (2011 till 2012). She is also a registered Shariah Advisor for the Malaysian Islamic Capital Market. She has received secondary school education from Maahad Muhammadi lil Banat in Kelantan and obtained her Bachelor of Syariah (Hon.) from the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Further, she acquired her Master in Economics from the International Islamic University Malaysia and a doctoral degree in Islamic Finance from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Her main research interest is Islamic finance, waqf, zakat and personal finance behaviour. She has written, reviewed and edited articles and books as well as has more than a decade of experiences teaching and supervising students’ works in these areas.

Associate Professor Dr. Norhidayah Mohd Taufek is a researcher and academic at the Institute of Biological Sciences, Universiti Malaya (UM). She specialises in aquaculture nutrition and sustainable feed technology, with a focus on enhancing food security through the circular bioeconomy. Since obtaining her PhD in 2017, Dr. Norhidayah has established a strong track record in fish nutrition, reproduction endocrinology, and aquaculture feed formulation. Her current research spearheads the development of eco-friendly, cost-effective diets for aquatic animals and poultry by valorising local, renewable resources. She is particularly known for her work on alternative protein sources, utilising insect meal—specifically Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae and crickets—as well as mushroom by-products and underutilised crops. Beyond the laboratory, Dr. Norhidayah actively collaborates with agricultural industries to scale sustainable animal feed production. Her work aims to commercialise Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae as high-quality feed, reducing reliance on imported protein sources, and promoting environmental sustainability in Malaysia's aquaculture sector.