Dr. Nur Ardiyana Rejab is a Senior Lecturer within the Genetics and Molecular Biology Program at the Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya. Her research expertise lies in the functional analysis of plant development, specifically focusing on the molecular regulation of flowering and the genetic drivers of oil accumulation in high-value crops like the oil palm. Utilizing Arabidopsis thaliana as a primary model system, Dr. Ardiyana performs targeted functional analysis of genes of interest to translate fundamental molecular insights into tangible crop improvements. Her current research portfolio also emphasizes sustainable agriculture through the field identification and collection of wild banana germplasm for future crop diversification, alongside collaborative efforts to develop biological control strategies against Ganoderma pathogens in plantations. By integrating rigorous laboratory-based molecular approaches with essential fieldwork, Dr. Ardiyana seeks to advance innovative and sustainable solutions for global food security and crop protection.

Dr. Zainah Ibrahim is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She received her Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering from Middlesex University, UK;  Master Degree in Structural Engineering from Liverpool University, UK, and obtained her Ph.D. in the field of Structural Engineering from Sheffield University, UK. She has over 20 years of teaching experience at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her research interests include structural dynamics, structural health monitoring, nonlinear dynamic system identification, structural vibration and control, repair and strengthening of existing concrete structures, and concrete materials.

Dr. Mumtaz Aini Alivi is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Media and Communication Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She earned her Bachelor of Art (Hons) with a double major in (i) Language and Malay Linguistics and (ii) Journalism from Universiti Putra Malaysia. She earned her Master of Corporate Communication and Doctor of Philosophy (Mass Communication) from the same university.Her research interests and focuses are mainly in Journalism, Broadcasting, News, Online Media, Political Communication, and Mass Communication. Apart from her academic qualifications, Dr. Mumtaz also has broad experiences in journalism, news, broadcasting, and media industry management. She was a media practitioner for twenty-two years in a government television station, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM). For almost twenty years, she was attached to the News and Current Affairs department, where she was involved with multitasking work in her position as Broadcast Journalist, Newscaster, News Editor, and News Producer. Her service to RTM exposed her to many challenging assignments, including following the prime minister and country leaders for international news coverage abroad, doing live news coverage and news reporting from the parliament, and other important events in the country, apart from daily news coverage. Upon completion of her PhD, Dr. Mumtaz was given a different task in RTM as Assistant Director for the Policy and Research section. Later, she held the same position in the Strategic Planning section before being transferred to the Quality Control for Creative Content Unit as Evaluation Officer. These three different sections are under the Strategic Development Department, where she spent another two more years in RTM. During her service in RTM, she also worked for a few months in Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA) as a journalist under the government staff exchange program between RTM and BERNAMA. She gained valuable experiences through the BERNAMA newswire service and BERNAMA TV. Prior to joining RTM, she completed her internship in a private TV station, Sistem Televisyen Malaysia (TV3). In total, she has extensive exposure and experience in the media industry, particularly in the news department, mainly in TV, some experience in radio, and in managerial and management duties. Her passion and enthusiasm for journalism finally culminated to winning the Best Broadcast Journalist award in 2001 at the national level.Being in the media industry for more than two decades and having academic qualifications in the same field, she was also appointed by few organizations for various tasks and consultancy work. Dr. Mumtaz was appointed as one of the panel of judges for the prestigious Malaysian Journalism Award organized by Malaysia Press Institute (MPI), panel for Pitching Evaluation (Private) and Panel for Screening (Syndicated) for programs in RTM, think tank member of Ciber Generation Laboratory in Institute for Social Science Studies (IPSAS), Universiti Putra Malaysia, and expert advisor for Promotion and Publicity in the University of Malaya. She is also on the editorial board of the Malaysian Journal of Media Studies.Dr. Mumtaz decided to shift from being a media practitioner to an academic staff at the University of Malaya in 2021 and begin a new career path with a bigger mission. She believes the educational field is the right platform to share all her knowledge and experience for the nation’s development and shape future leaders.