I hold a PhD in Politics and International Relations from the University of Aberdeen, UK. My doctoral thesis investigates the interplay between political modernisation and ecological modernisation in a developing country. It engages with modernisation theories while highlighting country-specific dynamics and offers theoretical and empirical insights into how the lack of political institutionalisation affects environmental decision-making, particularly in Malaysia. I am an Associate Fellow of the UK’s Advance HE. I worked as a teaching assistant in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Aberdeen for two academic years, during which my teaching experience spanned interdisciplinary modules in Politics, International Relations, and Sociology. Prior to entering academia, I served as Editor-in-Chief of an independent news website in Malaysia. I have authored, co-authored, edited, or co-edited four books on civil society, social movements, and environmental movements in Malaysia and Singapore. My current research areas include political modernisation, development, and institutionalisation, as well as environmental governance and misgovernance.

Sarel developed an interest in e-learning in 2004 when he volunteered as a participant in a public university’s e-learning project. Leveraging his background in software engineering—a bachelor's degree in computer science with a major in software engineering—he began exploring the design and integration of e-learning with educational concepts and technical functionalities to enhance student learning opportunities. His first official e-learning initiative, diskusiMAYA (accessible at www.diskusimaya.com), was primarily designed to support his part-time students since 2006. Additionally, he conceptualized and developed an innovative e-learning environment tailored for selected teachers as part of the MAYA project, accessible via maya.ilusikreatif.com and maya.sorient.my. His approach incorporates diverse instructional design strategies, including online learning environments and blended learning methods, to sustain student engagement in the learning process. Sarel has also contributed to the development of a virtual learning environment platform for a private university, focusing on how virtual environments function as collaborative spaces to enhance students’ learning experiences. Now, he emphasizes the importance of experience in practicing digital skills in education as a transition to AI Literacy. At the same time, he is an AI trainer in/for education who has produced several GPTs under the Scholar AI Project such as 'Scholar Proposal Mentor', 'Scholar Bloom's Digital Taxonomy', Scholar Intelligence Report, or 'Scholar UM Expert'. According to him, every engagement provided by the community (either lecturers or students) in the online environment is about building up motivation.

Dr. Nadirah Mat Pozian is a feminist public health scholar passionate about advancing gender equity and women’s well-being in Southeast Asia. She explores how gendered structures, social norms, and systemic inequalities shape women’s participation in work, access to health services, and overall life outcomes. Her work turns feminist research into practical solutions that improve policies, workplaces, and community programs. She collaborates with policymakers, NGOs, community groups, and global health stakeholders to design research that is inclusive, participatory, and transformative. She has led multi-country studies, facilitated stakeholder dialogues, and contributed to regional and UN-level policy initiatives on gender-responsive health systems and workplace equity. Nadirah’s research uses qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews, surveys, focus groups, and co-design workshops. She focuses on sensitive issues such as gender-based violence, maternal and reproductive health, and workplace inequities, ensuring women’s voices guide policy and practice. Her work bridges research, advocacy, and policy, advancing inclusive, feminist-centred approaches that centre women’s rights, agency, and care in health and social systems. Her publications include Family-Friendly Work Conditions and Well-Being Among Malaysian Women (2024) and Barriers Faced by Australian and New Zealand Women When Sharing Experiences of Family Violence with Primary Healthcare Providers (2023). She is currently writing her first book on family-friendly policies and family planning, focusing on Malaysia and Southeast Asia. She is interested in supervising PhD students in these topics: Gender equality and women’s health Feminist approaches to public health Women’s experiences at work and in workplaces Gender-based violence and access to healthcare Maternal and reproductive health issues Other topics of student interest related to gender, health, and equity (open for discussion) Please feel free to contact her at nadirahmatpozian@um.edu.my