PooBalan received bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Technology Malaysia, Skudai in 1999; Master’s degree (MSc) in Advanced Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bristol, England, UK in 2005 and Ph.D. degree (fluid mechanics & heat transfer) from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK in 2010. He also served as postdoctoral-Research Assistant at the University of Aberdeen in 2010 to work on the research related to nuclear power plant thermal-hydraulic related problems. PooBalan has industry experience as Process and Product Engineer at AIWA Electronic Sdn Bhd, Johor, Malaysia and Venture Electronic Sdn Bhd, Johor, Malaysia from year 2000-2004. PooBalan has received professional engineer certifications of Chartered Engineer (CEng) from the Institution of Mechanical Engineer (IMechE), UK and IR (PEng) from Board of Engineer Malaysia (BEM). PooBalan expertise is within the field of study related to fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermal fluid, pump characteristics & application and heat exchanger. PooBalan is presently working on project related to aeration technology for aquaculture, development of venturi nozzle for mixing of water & air, development of micro-nano bubbles generator, development of compact heat exchanger based on open-type metal foam. PooBalan has a patent and a copyright on micro-bubble generator nozzle and technology for water aeration & mixing. PooBalan is also actively involved with community related project such as knowledge-transfer programs and activities on urban aquaculture farming. A model of an urban aquaculture farming has been developed at Sect 3, Petaling Jaya residential house and at Broga Hill, Semenyih based on effective & suitable aeration technology and Biofloc (healthy microorganisms).

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Patricia Nora Riget is a senior lecturer at the Department of Asian and European Languages, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. She was formerly the Head of Department of Asian and European Languages, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya (2012-2016) and also the Deputy Director of the International Relations Centre, Universiti Malaya (2019 - 2022). Her achievements include being conferred the Knight of the Order of Academic Palms (Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques) by the Government of France in 2019. The award recognises Dr. Patricia’s contribution to the strengthening of cooperation in the French language and culture between France and Malaysia. Patricia received her Bachelor and Master of Arts (Teaching of French as a Foreign Language) from Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France and her Master 2 Research and Doctorate in Language Sciences (Teaching of French as a Foreign Language) from Université de Strasbourg, France. She has to-date published more than 30 papers in respectable journals, books and conference proceedings both locally and internationally. Her research interests are in the areas of didactics of foreign languages, language education and ethnolinguistic. Her secondary interest is in the area of internationalisation of higher education institutions. 

Dr. Noor Munirah Isa is a senior lecturer at the Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya. Her Ph.D. in bioethics, which she received from the same department in 2013, provided her with a solid foundation for her research in this fascinating multidisciplinary field of study. Dr. Munirah has had a lifelong interest in Islam, Muslim, and science. This interest was inspired by medieval Muslim polymaths and was further cultivated when she studied biotechnology and Islamic studies for her bachelor’s degree. She was part of the first batch of students to graduate from the Universiti Malaya Applied Science with Islamic Studies undergraduate program in September 2007. This unique program provided her with the opportunity to study science and religion in an interdisciplinary manner, which has been a driving force behind her research to this day. Dr. Munirah's doctoral thesis was a study on how Muslim scholars assess selected applications of modern biotechnology from an Islamic perspective and how they view conventional perspectives in this regard. Her research has continued to focus on the intersection of science, technology, and society, and she has been especially interested in the interplay between science and Islam, bioethics, and science communication. She believes that these areas are crucial for bridging the scientific community and society, and for promoting public engagement and trust in science. In 2014–2016, Dr. Munirah conducted a small research project aimed at examining the role of Malay science fiction novels in communicating ethics in science and technology to the Malaysian public. This was followed by a larger project, which she led from 2016 to 2019, that explored the Islamic perspectives on human germline gene editing. This project was funded by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia and provided Dr. Munirah and her team with the opportunity to explore the Islamic worldview and to expound on Islamic ethical-legal concepts and principles related to human germline gene editing. Dr. Munirah is also a co-investigator in a project on developing standards for using kratom leaves for medical purposes. In addition to studying Islamic perspectives, she is also interested in cross-cultural studies of religious and cultural perspectives on bioethics. Her interest in this area has been recognized by the Global Forum on Bioethics of Research Project Fellowship from Wellcome Trust, which she received to study the ethics of human genome editing from Islamic and Confucian perspectives. She was also awarded the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) Scholars Award 2020–2021, which enabled her to explore the influence of religion on bioethics in Thailand, where Buddhism is the official religion. Dr. Munirah is currently the co-principal investigator of an international research project on the ethics and governance of human embryo research and stem cell-based embryo models in Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia. This project, which runs until September 2026, is supported by the Southeast Asia Bioethics Network and focuses on regulatory frameworks, ethical concerns, and cross-cultural perspectives related to emerging reproductive biotechnologies. From May to October 2025, Dr. Munirah served as the assistant leader of a consultancy project to develop Malaysia’s National Ethics Biotechnology Guidelines under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI). In this role, she contributed to drafting ethical frameworks and governance recommendations to guide the responsible application of biotechnology in the areas of agriculture, healthcare, and industry. This project reflects her ongoing commitment to advancing ethical governance in emerging technologies. Dr. Munirah recognizes that science communication is a crucial area of research that has been underexplored in Malaysia. With this in mind, she has attempted to fill this gap by conducting small projects with postgraduate students on Malaysian public knowledge, awareness, and attitudes toward various topics, including vaccination, dengue fever, and medical cannabis. Through these projects, she aims to better understand public perception towards science and technology and to identify the factors that contribute to public trust in science.