Dr Nik Soffiya is an early career researcher at the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. Her scholarly interests are often situated at the intersection of language and social (in)justice. She is an emerging expert in Critical Discourse Studies with a strong inclination towards interdisciplinary research. Her current projects primarily revolve around discourses related to (violence against) women and children, including topics such as female genital cutting and online misogyny within the Malaysian context. She is also a co-founder of the Alliance of Linguists for Palestine (ALPS) research working group, driving linguistics-based research on the Palestinian resistance and liberation. Beyond her academic endeavours, Dr Nik Soffiya is actively involved in training doctoral candidates for Three Minute Thesis competition. She welcomes supervision request from students who are interested in exploring discourses of social issues through a critical discursive lens.

Fumitaka Furuoka is a Japanese economist who has lived in Malaysia since 1987. From 1991 to 1999, he worked as a senior assistant at the Consulate General of Japan in Penang. Since 1999, Fumitaka moved to academia and has taught economics at three Malaysian public universities, namely, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and Universiti Malaya (UM). His academic expertise is in the field of applied economics, which involves applying economic and econometric theories to address real-world critical financial issues and problems. As an applied economist, he aims to provide insights from his research to inform the development of effective policies that foster sustainable development, reduce regional disparities, and move society toward achieving economic and social justice.  In his research in the field of applied economics, he focuses on economic equity between countries (i.e., the problem of inequality of economic development level in different countries), as well as economic equity within countries (i.e., the problem of inequality of income distribution in a specific country). Regarding economic equity between countries, he has conducted extensive research on diverse and pertinent global economic issues, such as poverty reduction, unemployment, economic growth/development, and renewable energy. In 2006, he published a book on Japanese foreign aid titled New Challenges for Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) Policy. The book examines how Japan’s aid policy can contribute to reducing poverty and enhancing the well-being of developing countries, particularly those in Southeast Asia. As to economic equity within countries, the primary focus of Fumitaka's research is promoting “employment for all” which is closely aligned with Target 8 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He firmly believes that employment for all, including people with disabilities, is the basic foundation for a sustainable and more humane economy (Ekonomi Madani). This belief has led him to write a book on employment for people with disabilities entitled Disability and Employment: Towards a Humanistic Economy. The book was published by Springer in 2024. He also wrote another book, co-authored with Dr Yosuke Uchiyama, on employment for people with disabilities, entitled "Youth and Employment: Creating a Productive and Dynamic Society," which was published by the same publisher in 2025. This research direction has a strong practical orientation, and Fumitaka considers work in this area to be of ultimate importance for achieving economic equity and providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities or young people. In short, his research aims to identify barriers and initiate policies that promote and enable economic inclusion, employment, and justice for all.

  Mazdida completed her BSc and MSc in Chemistry (Natural Products Chemistry) from Universiti Malaya and later pursue her Ph.D. in Advanced Material at the same university in Kuala Lumpur.  She started her first career as a Chemistry Lecturer at Kolej Yayasan Pelajaran MARA Bangi in 1998-2001 before attached to Pusat Asasi Sains Universiti Malaya (PASUM). She has experienced in teaching Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Analytical Biochemistry. Apart from teaching, she is active in research work involves synthesis and characterization of magnesium and lithium-based composite solid electrolytes, development of STEM teaching and learning, and the latest research is to develop silver-zinc oxide nanoparticles from Scorodocarpus borneensis extracts towards antimicrobial activities. She welcomes those interested to pursue their studies in Masters or Ph.D either in the field of Chemistry Science or STEM Education. She also welcomes any interested bodies for collaboration and knowledge communication.