Rumana Akhter Saifi, MSS, MA, MPH (Epid-Biostatistics), PhD (Demography) Area of Interest: Demography, Implementation Research, Population and Reproductive Health, Epidemiology and Bio-statistics   CAREER SUMMARY: I come with 17 years of experience in research, teaching, and research administration. I am a Faculty at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine Faculty of Medicine (FOM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. My present teaching portfolio at FOM includes (1) Medical statistics (2) Research Methodology (3) Practicum in Health Research Ethics (4) Qualitative Inquiry In Public Health (5) Ethics, Law, and Health (6) Principles and Methods of Social Epidemiology and (7) Implementation Research. Over the years, I have also been developing and teaching courses on the Philosophy of Health Systems and Health Policy Research, Applied Statistics in Social Research, and Time Series Analysis. I am committed to expanding the local reach of Implementation Science and have been serving as a Faculty Scholar for the Malaysian Implementation Science Training (MIST) program, a collaborative effort of UM and Yale University, US. As the former Head and Associate Head of CERiA: Centre of Excellence for Research in Infectious Diseases and AIDS. Faculty of Medicine (FoM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I have overseen the entire research portfolio of CERiA. CERiA has been the leading Centre in Malaysia conducting HIV and infectious disease-related research in various fields including bio-medical, social-behavioral, clinical, and implementation research. In my role, I have overseen the progress of research projects starting from grant writing to IRB submission, to data collection, to analysis, to dissemination, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Additionally, my responsibilities include review of grant agreement(s) to ensure compliance; review of financial statements; and preparation of financial audit, and program reports. During my time at CERiA, it has been identified as the most productive research centre of the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya that conducts innovative and interdisciplinary research combining epidemiological, biomedical, and socio-behavioral approaches, focusing HIV prevention and treatment in key populations. With an excellent academic background, I started my career with ICDDR, B in Bangladesh. I stood 9th in Secondary and 6th in Higher Secondary Examination in Dhaka Board, Bangladesh. Over time, I specialized in mixed-method research. My major research expertise includes designing and conducting primary research projects, monitoring of outcomes, evaluation of programs, scaling-up interventions, analyzing and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data, designing and conducting large data collection surveys, managing and analyzing large data sets, and data trend analysis. For the last 17 years, my research focus has been on population health and health policy across diversified cultural contexts from cross-border areas of irregular migrants to conservative Muslim rural areas to urban metropolitan to urban slums to hard-to-reach areas; and across various disadvantaged population groups from young adolescents in early marriage to men who have sex with men (MSM) to sex workers to transgender to injection drug users to prisoners to fishermen. Working in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and New Zealand for the last 17 years gave me the opportunity to understand both developing and developed country settings. I’m acting as a faculty member of the Master of Health Research Ethics Program, jointly developed by Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, US, and the Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Fogarty International Center. I’m acting as a faculty scholar on a Fogarty Science of Implementation Training program jointly developed by Yale School of Public Health and Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, and Universiti Malaya, Malaysia which ultimately aims to create a regional implementation research center hub in Malaysia. My academic background is a blend of Demography, Public Health, Epidemiology, and Social Science. I hold a Doctor of Philosophy in Demography and Masters in (1) Public Health (Epidemiology and Bio-statistics) (2) Population and Reproductive Health Research and (3) Social Science.

Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Lai Chin Wei [PhD, BEng(Hons) | PEng, PTech, CEng (UK), MIEM, MIMechE (UK)] is currently a full professor in Nanotechnology & Catalysis Research Centre, "National Higher Institution Centre of Excellent (HiCoE)", University of Malaya. Lai’s main research interests are in the areas of chemically modified/functionalized metal oxide photocatalysts and carbon graphene materials, especially for sustainable development to diverse the inclusive science, technology, and innovation in environmental pollution management and energy storage technology. As a scholar and an indication of the global impact of research work (top 2% scientists in a global list), Lai’s works have been published in more than 300 refereed international top-tier journals with Scopus h-index of 51, 8 patents (granted 3 patents), 100 book chapters, and 100 international proceedings in materials science, physics, chemistry, and renewable energy researches. In all, Lai has reviewed more than 1300 papers in the past few years, mainly for top international journals / conferences and now serving as associate editors, guest editors, topic editors and editorial board members for several prestigious high impact international journals. Lai served as section editor/editor for a book entitled “Encyclopedia of Energy Storage: Capacitors/ Supercapacitors 2022” (Elsevier ISBN: 978-0-12-819730-1), “Encyclopedia of Green Materials: Green Materials for Additive Manufacturing 2024” (Springer ISBN: 978-981-16-4921-9), “Nanotechnology in Cosmeceuticals 2025” (Elsevier ISBN: 978-0-44-330184-1), and "Nanocomposites for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment 2025" (Springer ISBN: 978-981-95-1368-0).  The utilization of long-lasting “photocatalysis technology” using nanomaterials to solve global warming and reduce environmental impacts has been the passion for Lai. Lai’s research findings aid in building the fundamentals knowledge and groundbreaking industry collaboration experience with many multinational companies/institutions/NGOs, which help direct research efforts towards critical aspects in nanomaterial development for various innovative advancements. Lai currently holds multiple positions as “product advisor” and “scientific technical consultant” for > 8 multinational companies since 2021. Lai’s research has been funded by the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia, MOHE, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia, MOSTI, internal University funding, international funding and industry grants. In total, Dr. Lai has secured research funding exceeding RM 7.5 million. As a testament to his mentorship and leadership in research, he has successfully supervised 16 PhD and 20 MSc graduates to completion. Meanwhile, Lai is appointed as national and international peer evaluation panel for Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), Eurostars 3 (ESTARS3)- a joint program between the EUREKA network and the European Commission, Innovation Fund Denmark Applications, Qatar National Research Fund and Dean's Research Fund from The Education University of Hong Kong (Eduhk) since 2020. Indeed, Lai is providing leadership development opportunities that privilege to bridge the gap between academia and industry, fostering collaboration and driving innovation to impact the world using nanotechnology. Being a reputable researcher, his enthusiasm and dedication towards research work, Lai has won numerous special awards or medal winners in International exposition on research innovation, invention & solution (> 22 gold/silver awards). Recently, Lai was recognized on the 2025 Asian Scientist 100 list by Asian Scientist Magazine (Singapore) for his outstanding contributions to photocatalysis and sustainable development. Through his work nanomaterials and catalysis field, Lai was awarded as JCI TOYP - Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World 2024 (Academic Leadership and Accomplishment), APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE) 2023 National Winner, IAAM Scientist medal 2023, Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Best Young Member Award 2022, JCI TOYM - Ten Outstanding Young Malaysians 2021 (Academic Leadership and Accomplishment), National Young Scientist Award 2019 by The Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), MASS Young Researcher Award 2018 by Malaysian Solid State Science & Technology Society, a finalist of National Young Scientist Award 2018 by Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia (MOSTI), University of Malaya Excellence Awards 2015 in the category of outstanding researcher - UM Young Researcher (Sciences Discipline) and USM Persada Kencana Award for Best Thesis (Ph.D. Category Engineering) 2014. Lai’s scholastic achievement and thought leadership are recognized locally and internationally. He has been appointed as the "Adjunct Research Advisor" for Shoolini University, India (2022-25), "Foreign Expert/Professional" for Shanghai JiaoTong University, China (2022-23), "Visiting Professor", "Adjunct Professor" for Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia (2024-25), "Visiting Lecturer" for Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia (2024), "Visiting Professor" for National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan (2024), "Visiting Professor" for King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Thailand (2025), "Adjunct Professor" for Faculty of Science and Data Analytics, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Indonesia (2025), "Visiting Professor" for Shanghai JiaoTong University, China (2025-26), "Foreign Expert/Professional" for Southwest Forestry University, China (2025-30), "Visiting Professor" for The University Of Sydney, Australia (2025), "Adjunct Professor" for University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India (2025-27), "Visiting Top Professor" for Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Indonesia (2025-26)  and "Scientific Advisory Committee" for Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, India (2025). Lai is honoured to be listed among the top 2% scientists in a global list since 2020 till up to date (2025) compiled by the prestigious Stanford University, USA and awarded as Top Peer Reviewer in Cross-Field & Materials Science powered by Publons (Top 1% of Reviewers) since 2019. On professional qualifications, Lai successfully registered as a Professional Engineer (PEng) in Material Engineering discipline with the Board of Engineers (BEM) and registered as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) with the Engineering Council, UK as well as registered as a Professional Technologist (PTech) in Nanotechnology discipline with the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT). Meanwhile, Lai is an active member in The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM, MAL), Energy Institute (EI, UK), Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE, UK) and Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC, UK). In overall, Dr. Lai believes that nanotechnology will hold great potential for solving real-world challenges and positively affect the living standards of mankind for a better living environment. Dr. Lai is recognized as among the calibre and outstanding young scientists in the country who have the potential of advancing the scientific ecosystem in Malaysia. Dr. Lai's vision and direction in academic career are addressing global challenges with advanced nanomaterials design and development for a sustainable future.  

Dr. Nur Nasuha Binti Mohd Daud is a Senior Lecturer in Software Engineering at the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Malaya. She obtained a Doctoral Degree in Software Engineering Tools and Methods from the University of Malaya in 2022. Her areas of research include knowledge graphs, knowledge representation, link prediction, large-scale processing, Apache Spark framework, Azure cloud deployment, docker containerization, social networks, and autonomous computing. Dr. Nasuha is also a member of the Malaysian Special Interest Group in Software Resilience, Quality, and Automation. She is dedicated to advancing her research, teaching, and learning and is always seeking new opportunities to improve and expand her skills.