I'm a Senior Lecturer at the English Language Department, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics. After more than two decades of working in language, communication and skills development, I joined UM in 2019 to contribute to progressing the field of health(care) discourse in Malaysia and beyond. In my current role, I teach languages and linguistics courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level, while supervising and conducting research. Research Focus - Improving Health & Wellbeing by Applying a Discursive ToolkitI study matters related to language, health(care) and wellbeing, applying qualitative and discursive perspectives to address problems and inform practice in provider-patient interaction, health education and other related topics. I am particularly interested in analysis of real-life interaction, to answer questions on how people "do things" with language in health-related contexts. For example, how do doctors and patients collaboratively make decisions about treatment, manage chronic health conditions, and discuss concerns by interacting with each other in person or online? I'm also interested in communication in healthcare education, interprofessional discourse and patient education, alongside how people express and make meaning of health-related issues via their talk and stories. My current funded  projects include studies on professional socialisation of house officers (FRGS), patient experience of gum disease (IIRG, UM). Expertise -Enhancing Language and Communication in Diverse SettingsBeyond my research and academic duties, I help enhance language and communication in academic and professional settings, applying a diverse knowledge and skillset composed over 25 years of experience. Before joining academia, I was engaged in various positions mostly as a consultant/independent contractor, including as a language/content service provider for over 15 years and as a language/communication skills instructor for over 17 years. In these roles, I provided language consulting services and skills training for corporate and individual clients in Malaysia and internationally. I have a CELTA qualification and am a HRDF certified trainer. My work history is available at https://my.linkedin.com/in/ayeshah-syed-0468293 Professional Activities and LeadershipAt UM, I have been actively involved in advancement of research and academic practices. From 2022-2024, I led the research portfolio at the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics as the Deputy Dean of Research and Innovation, with other appointments including as the Protem-Deputy Head of the Medical Devices Centre of Excellence, UM and Taskforce member for UM's Programme Educational goals. Outside the university, I  am involved in professional associations related to languages and linguistics and social advancement, including Persatuan Bahasa Moden Malaysia (President, 2022-2024, Vice President-2024 - 2026, Exco member since 2013) and the citizens' movement organisation, the Association of Voices of Peace, Conscience and Reason (Exco member - since 2016, Treasurer-2025-present).Research Collaboration and Supervision Opportunities I welcome potential collaborations aligned with my expertise and also enjoy connecting with other researchers to learn about their work, gain insight into new contexts, fields and perspectives and explore how I might contribute to their research activities.  In terms of postgraduate supervision, I supervise projects that apply discursive approaches to address problems in health-related contexts, focusing on interaction. Note to potential supervisees: I have limited availability for 2025-2026 due to a heavy supervision load. 

Dr Nithiah Thangiah has been working in the research field for the past 12 years. She has been involved in many projects on population health at the Centre for Population Health (CePH), Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya. Her research interest includes survey design, data management and data analysis. She is comfortable in using SPSS, Stata and JASP for data analysis. She has gained a Masters in Applied Statistics and PhD in Public Health (Adolescent Health). Her PhD in cluster analysis has enhanced her statistical skills while exploring adolescent health and CVD risk factors in Malaysia. She has published and co-authored several papers during her career as a researcher.

Mohd Anuar Ramli. He was born and raised in Kampong Air Putih, Junjong, Kulim, Kedah, Malaysia on 26th November 1976. The ninth children of almarhum Haji Ramli Ismail and almarhumah Hajah Sofiah Ariffin. Mohd Anuar received early education in Sekolah Kebangsaan Junjong (1982-1988), then continued secondary education in Sekolah Menengah Agama Tarbiyah Diniah, Kulim, Kedah (1989-1994), pre-university in Nilam Puri (1995-1997), subsequently earned his bachelor’s degree in Syariah (Fiqh & Usul) (1997-2000), master’s degree (2001-2004) and doctorate degree (2005-2010) in Universiti Malaya. He has been serving in Jabatan Fiqh & Usul (Department of Fiqh and Usul), Akademi Pengajian Islam (Academy of Islamic Studies) Universiti Malaya as a temporary lecturer since 2004 and now as a senior lecturer after finishing his doctorate study under Skim Latihan Akademik IPTA (SLAI) in 2010. Mohd Anuar’s areas of expertise are Fiqh of Culture, Fiqh of Gender, Fiqh of Consumerism and other related fields in Islamic studies. He has been teaching Introduction to Shariah, Fiqh of Culture, Fiqh of Consumerism, Fiqh of Worship (Ibadah), Maktabah Shariah and Research Methodology. He produced almost 40 postgraduate master’s and doctorate students and received numerous research grants from both internal university and external fund. Mohd Anuar has published almost 200 articles, chapters in books and conference papers in various categories either in the international or local level. The published writings cover diverse areas, such as custom and culture, gender, halal and consumerism, religious extremism and terrorism, contemporary fiqh and Malaysian society. He is always enthusiastic to serve as a versatile scholar that masters numerous fields and learns to explore new research area in Islamic studies framework. Mohd Anuar loves travelling to appreciate the beauty of panoramic nature and cultures of society as well as to enhance life experience and perseverance.