I am an associate professor at the Department of Asian and European Languages, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya. Much of my research focuses on the psychological and emotional dimensions of learning additional languages. My broader academic interests include quantitative methods in applied linguistics and natural language processing. I am also increasingly interested in the study of the human sensorium—particularly how sensory perceptions, such as olfaction, intersect with language, cognition, and emotion. In my research on language learning, one of the directions I pursue is exploring how language learners perceive and imagine the cultures of their target language communities. This interest led to the publication of my book, Stereotypes and Language Learning Motivation: A Study of L2 Learners of Asian Languages (Routledge, 2020). I actively engage with theoretical perspectives and seek innovative methodologies that help explain the psychological phenomena involved in learning a new language. This line of inquiry resulted in my most recent book, Emotions and Affect in Language Learning: A Photovoice Study of Learning in Lockdown (Routledge, 2025). In this work, Lev Vygotsky’s concept of perezhivanie provides the theoretical grounding for exploring language learners’ lived experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown. My work has appeared in journals such as Applied Linguistics, Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, System, and Journal of English for Academic Purposes. I welcome opportunities for collaboration with researchers working in related areas.

Marniza Saad is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Department of Clinical Oncology, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, since 2006. She also holds the Associate Professor post at the Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya (UM) Kuala Lumpur. She obtained her Medical Degree from University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom in 1997. She completed her general medical training within the South Wales Medical Rotation in 2000. In 2001 she joined UM as a trainee lecturer in Oncology. She pursued her formal training as clinical oncologist at the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, UK from 2002 to 2006 and was awarded the Fellowship of Royal College of Radiologists (Clinical Oncology) in 2006. She is now the supervisor and internal examiner for the Master of Clinical Oncology programme in UM since May 2006. Working within the department Education Committee, she has deep passion for education and training of future oncologists in Malaysia. She was the Head of Department of Clinical Oncology UMMC from 2013 to 2015. During this time she was overseeing the development of Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Radiotherapy (SRS/SRT) and Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) with the designated expert teams, until successful initiation of the services in UMMC in May and September 2015, respectively. She is currently in the UMMC Intra-Operative Radiotherapy Working Group to introduce the service in UMMC in the near future. She is an Exco Committee member for Malaysia Oncological Society since 2013. She is a member of College of Radiology Academy of Medicine Malaysia and European Society for Medical Oncology. Her areas of special interest include genitourinary cancer, sarcoma, breast and gastrointestinal cancers. She is the principle investigator for several international clinical trials mainly in urological cancers and regularly speaks in the areas of her interest at both local and international conferences. 

Senior Lecturer at Universiti Malaya with extensive experience and a documented history of working in the education management business; skilled in Internal Audit, Risk Management, Governance, Analytical Skills, Lecturing, and Research. Background also includes a history of working in the education management sector. Professional in the field of education who holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from the University of Malaya with a concentration in Internal Audit and Corporate Governance. In addition to this, I am currently serving as Associate Editor for the Asian Journal of Accounitng Perspectives (AJAP) and as the Coordinator for the Internal Audit Education Provider (IAEP) at Universiti Malaya. I am an associate member of the Institute of Internal Auditors Malaysia and associate member of International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS), Japan.