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).

  Professor Dr Puteri Shafinaz Abdul Rahman received her tertiary education at the University of Malaya. She was awarded by the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Commission United Kingdom, a Split-site Doctorate scholarship to pursue her PhD (Proteomics) at Nottingham Trent University and the University of Malaya. She completed her PhD in 2007 and, shortly after, joined the Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Puteri is a founding member of the Universiti Malaya Centre for Proteomic Research (UMCPR), and she is currently heading the centre. She is actively involved in research and has published over 50 referred publications, with an H index of 14 (WOS). In addition, she receives numerous research grants with a cumulative total of > RM2.5 million as Principal Investigator and collaborative investigator capacity. Since 2009, 8 Masters and 8 PhDs have successfully completed their studies under her guidance. Currently, there 2 Masters and 3 PhDs under her supervision. Dr. Puteri is the Head of the Unit for Central Research Laboratories, a designated facility with state-of-the-art proteomics and genomics research equipment at the Faculty of Medicine. Considering her vast experience in research management, she has also held several administrative posts under the DVC Research & Innovation portfolio. She was appointed Deputy Dean of the Innovative Technology Research Cluster (2015-2018), Deputy Dean of Frontiers of the Natural World Research Cluster (2019-2021) and a reviewer for evaluating various grants at the national and international level. She previously held the position of the Coordinator of the Research Project Monitoring Section under the Research Management Centre Universiti Malaya (2022-2024). In terms of research, as a molecular biologist and proteomic scientist, Dr. Puteri's primary expertise is in comparative proteomics. Her team employs proteomic platforms to develop proteome profiles of biological samples. By comparing the generated proteome profiles (e.g. disease vs non-disease state, treated vs untreated, different stages or time-points), dysregulated or aberrant proteins of interest are detected and identified via mass spectrometry approaches. Using this workflow, her team has analysed profiles of sera from cancer patients with gynaecological, nasopharyngeal and bone cancers in search of potential biomarkers for the detection of cancers at an early stage. Dr. Puteri was acknowledged for her work on proteomics of gynaecological cancer when she was selected as the first prize winner of the coveted Merck Young Scientist Award in 2008. In addition to cancer biomarker studies, her team has utilised proteomics technologies for studies on natural products and herbal medicine to understand the benefits of these extracts/compounds and unravel their mechanistic basis for treating various diseases. Her team is also actively profiling proteins associated with the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and soluble fraction of human milk compared to other animal species. Their current project focuses on the proteome, metabolome and circadian profiles of milk from mothers in the early stages of breastfeeding babies up to 2 years of age. The aim is to investigate the interrelationship of the bioactive milk constituents and their roles in young infants' immune protection and cognitive and physical growth development.    

  Dr. Vilashini Somiah is a feminist anthropologist from Sabah, Malaysia, and Senior Lecturer at the Gender Studies Programme at Universiti Malaya. She earned her Ph.D. from the National University of Singapore, an MA from Ohio University, an MRes from Universiti Malaya, and a BA from Universiti Malaya. Her research focuses on underrepresented narratives of women, migrants, and Borneans living in the interiors. She co-edited Revisiting Covid-19 in Malaysia: Plight and Perseverance (UM Press, 2023) and Sabah from the Ground: The 2020 Elections and the Politics of Survival (SIRD/ISEAS, 2021). Her first single-authored book, Irregular Migrants and the Sea at the Borders of Sabah, Malaysia: Pelagic Alliance (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022), won the Universiti Malaya Award for Outstanding Achievement (ACUM) for Best Social Science Book of 2022 and has received international acclaim and reviews. Dr Somiah is currently working on her fourth book which explores the lives and resilience of Bornean women.  In 2024, Dr. Somiah was a Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics, supported by the Henry Luce Foundation and SEANNET. In 2025, she was appointed a Harvard Asia Centre Associate (2025-2026) https://asiacenter.harvard.edu/vilashini-somiah . That same year, she was elected to the Southeast Asia Council at the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) in the United States, a position she will hold until 2028  https://www.asianstudies.org/about/governance/councils/southeast-asia-council-seac/.  Beyond academia, she writes ethnographic articles on Malaysia’s socio-political landscape. To learn more about her work, visit www.vilashinisomiah.com.   Dr. Somiah is NO LONGER accepting PhD students for 2025 and 2026.