Dr. Fung Shin Yee is a biochemist, receiving her degree from the University of Malaya. She actively pursues her interest in natural compounds focusing on medicinal mushrooms. She obtained her PhD in Molecular Medicine in 2008 (Universiti Malaya) embarking on a joint project with University of Siena, Italy and is a recipient of a fellowship from the Embassy of Italy in Malaysia (2003-2004). Dr. Fung first joined the Department of Molecular Medicine (previously known as the Department of Biochemistry) in 2000.  She leads the Medicinal Mushroom Research Group (MMRG) and has immense interest in Malaysia’s National Treasure, the Tiger Milk mushrooms (Lignosus sp.) amongst other medicinal mushrooms. Her innovative work with Lignosus sp. has won her several prestigious international and local prizes - including the much coveted Prix Du Salon International Des Inventions De Geneva and ITEX Gold awards ; and a number of Malaysian patents. Her interest also includes other prized medicinal mushroom such as the  Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Antrodia camphorata, Inonotus obliquus (Chaga), Sanghwang - to name a few. Her previous involvement with the Venom and Toxin Research Group (VTRG) in the Department of Molecular Medicine that works on snake venom toxinology has granted her a lucrative experience in the field of toxinology and toxicology; and has propelled her current research interest. Her research endeavours utilize a multidisciplinary approach in her methodology with multiple collaborators both local and international. Her work transcended from bench to bedside - a translational research that aims to bring the Malaysian medicinal gem to good use, promoting wellness to humankind. As a person constantly intrigue by the answers provided by nature for the problems faced in human health and social issues, she strongly believe that nature has many hidden secrets, which if one can tap into, will provide many solutions and platform from which to learn from. This has led her to her primary interest in natural compounds with healing properties. Her work has been published in many high impact articles in international journals and books. She is the Founder and CTO of Essenti Nutrien Sdn. Bhd. who specialises and pioneers the ACE Technology, well known for their flagship product, the xLr®. She is a Fellow with Royal Society of Biology (RSB), United Kingdom  and hold various leadership position. She is the current President of the Malaysian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MSBMB) which is an adhering body to the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB) and The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB). She has also been elected into the Nomination Committee of the IUBMB. She also currently serves as the Vice President of The Organization for Women in Science (OWIS), part of the Organization for Women in Science of the Developing World (OWSD) - a UNESCO programme unit. She is a Professional Chemist registered with the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry (Institut Kimia Malaysia, IKM) and a Professional Technologist registered with Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT).  

Associate Professor Dr. Mohammed Rizman bin Idid is an evolutionary biologist and molecular ecologist, whose scientific research projects mainly focus in providing baseline information on biodiversity and ecology of various terrestrial and marine organisms in Malaysia. His initial research projects were focused on freshwater fishes, before expanding towards the marine and coastal environment investigating jellyfish, marine fungi, and mangroves. These studies employ molecular genetic techniques, such as DNA sequencing of biological resources, species assemblages and communities in natural ecosystems. Elements of DNA barcoding and phylogenetics are utilized for species identification, detection and monitoring that facilitate conservation and management of natural ecosystems. He also applies ‘omics’ technologies to study organismal responses and adaptations to environmental stressors in the context of climate change. He is also considered as a pioneer and authority of jellyfish biodiversity and ecology in Malaysia, thus contributing his expertise towards jellyfish studies in Southeast Asia. He is active in polar research looking into the response and adaptation of climate change on fungi and the phylogenetics of marine and polar fungi. As environmental changes may elicit chemical changes, he is also interested in the bioactivity of compounds derived from fungi and marine organisms. He is currently attached to the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES), Universiti Malaya, where he is the Head of Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystems Studies Research Unit (2013-2018, 2025-2027), Coordinator for Course Development of Academic Program and IOES Risk Coordinator. In IOES, he previously served as the Coordinator of Bachok Marine Research Station (2012). He was also Coordinator for Bioinformatics Programme in the Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya (2008-2012). At a national level, he represents the Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences as Executive Committee of the Confederation of Scientific and Technological Associations in Malaysia (2022-2024). He was also President of Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences (2012-2014). Since 2008, he has secured national and international research grants as Principal Investigator and as Co-Investigator totalling to RM 1,205,304 and RM 765,400, respectively. His expertise in the field of jellyfish taxonomy and ecology has earned regional recognition through regular invitations under ‘IOC-Westpac Harmful Jellyfish Workshops’ and as reviewer of international journals. His jellyfish photos have even been immortalised by Pos Malaysia as a postage stamp under Malaysia-Thailand joint issue ‘Marine Creatures’. Being a scuba-diver, he has led several national and internationally organized expedition surveys of marine parks and protected areas in Malaysia. Findings from the 2018 ‘Biodiversity Expedition in Melaka and Negeri Sembilan’ have led to the gazettement of three islands in Melaka as marine protected areas. As a polar fungi scientist, he has contributed towards many workshops and several ‘Malaysian International Symposium on Antarctica’ conferences. He is also a research grant recipient of the Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation (YPASM). He was Data Deputy Advisor for Ocean Hackathon Kuala Lumpur 2022, organized by the French Embassy, Malaysia. He was also appointed by the Academy of Sciences, Malaysia (ASM) as one of the working group members for governance and policy sector of the Malaysia Blue Economy Blueprint (MBEB) 2025 study.          To date, he has H-index = 12  and published over 40 peer-reviewed articles, 4 books and 6 book chapters, with over 400 citations. He has supervised 4 PhD students and 10 master students to completion and currently oversees 6 ongoing students (2 PhD and 4 MSc). 

Started primary school in St Bernadette's Convent, Batu Gajah, Perak. Went on to secondary school in SMK Convent, Batu Gajah, Perak. Completed Form Six in SMK Sultan Yussuf, Batu Gajah, Perak. Started working career as a college trained secondary school teacher after attending professional training at Lembah Pantai Teachers' Training College and Ilmu Khas Teacher's Training College. Completed one year speacialist course in  Ilmu Khas Teacher's Training College in 1995. Completed Degree in TESL, minor Moral Education followed by Masters in Education, majoring in Moral Education in University of Malaya. Completed PhD in Education in Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Completed post doctoral studies in Inclusive and Critical Educational Psychology in The Waikato University, New Zealand. Strongly passionate about helping teachers to upgrade themselves in the teaching profession through training, research and publication in holistic education and service learning. In 2015 after the AME Conference in Santos, Brazil, have been elected as the Elected EXCO for two years. It is an honour to be the first Malaysian to be in the AME EXCO which comprises mostly renounced academics from Europe and North America. Was the Director for Centre in Research for International and Compartive Education (CRICE) from 2017 until 2022. CRICE focuses on international and comparative education in terms of research, collaboration and publication. Currently, I am holding the post of SULAM @ Service Learning Malaysia-University for Society coordinator in Universiti Malaya. Been working diligently with the internal Service Learning coordinators from the 16 faculties in Universiti Malaya. Initiating Service Learning International for 21 Century Education.