Born in Muar, Johor, Dr. Shafa is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Coordinator of Malay Studies at Academy of Malay Studies, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. She is a Guest Researcher affiliated with Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, Netherlands. Dr. Shafa was a Fellow at Universiti Malaya Community Engagement Centre (UMCares) for 2 years (2022-2023). Dr. Shafa experienced as Assistant Fellow (2006-2007) and College Fellow/Secretary (2008-2013) at Kolej Kediaman Tun Syed Zahiruddin (Ninth Residential College). In 2013-2019, Dr. Shafa lived in Leiden, Netherlands to continue her doctorate studies. Starting in January 2024 until present, Dr. Shafa serves as College Fellow/Treasurer at the same residential college.  Dr. Shafa obtained her Doctoral Degree from Leiden University, Netherlands on a thesis titled "Malay Singing in Pahang Villages: Identity and Practice" under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Bernard Arps (promotor) and Dr. Suryadi (co-promotor) from Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, Netherlands. Dr. Shafa earned her Master of Malay Studies in Performing Arts and Bachelor of Science in Biohealth (Honors), both from Universiti Malaya. Dr. Shafa specialises in heritage/traditional music, Southeast Asia music history, alternative culture (including punk rock), arts community, popular media and music care. Currently, she is working on a project - music care for caregivers - with her team members from Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Business and Economics, Faculty of Creative Arts and Faculty of Education. This project is under IIRG grant (2022-2025). As an ethnographer whose research sites exist between the online and offline in hybrid fields, Dr. Shafa's interdisciplinary music and/or expressive culture research moves with performers, industry professionals and audiences. In 2023, Dr. Shafa published her book titled "Malay Singing in Pahang Villages: Identity and Practice" (Publisher: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka). In 2016, Dr. Shafa with Associate Professor Dr. Salinah Ja'afar, Associate Professor Dr. Tengku Intan Marlina Tengku Mohd Ali and Datuk Dr. Zurinah Hassan (Malaysian National Laureate) published a book titled "Wacana Pantun Melayu" (Publisher: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka). In 2024, Dr. Shafa received Darjah Paduka Mahkota Perak (P.M.P.) in conjunction with Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah's 68th birthday. Dr. Shafa was awarded Anugerah Penggiat Seni (Seni Berbahasa) Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur in 2023, Anugerah Biduan Syair ASEAN in 2022 and Anugerah Bitara Syair Nusantara in 2021. Also, Dr. Shafa was awarded Skim Latihan Akademik Fellowships (2008-2011 & 2013-2016) from Universiti Malaya. Dr. Shafa is a traditional music practitioner in Malaysia and has recorded more than 300 songs. She experienced in performing music in Southeast Asian Countries, China, Tasmania and the Netherlands. Her videos of music performance can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/@syafasara/videos

Dr. Anas Hakimee is a Restorative Clinical Specialist and lecturer at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya. He obtained his Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from Universiti Malaya in 2014 and served with the Ministry of Health Malaysia until 2019. He subsequently completed his postgraduate training and was awarded a Master of Clinical Dentistry in Restorative Dentistry in 2023, also from Universiti Malaya, with clinical emphasis on Prosthodontics, Implantology, and Digital Dentistry workflows. Dr. Anas is actively involved in teaching and supervising both undergraduate and postgraduate dental students. He is a committed member of several esteemed professional organisations, including the International Association for Dental Research – Malaysia Section (IADR MALSEC), the International Team for Implantology (ITI), the Malaysian Association of Prosthodontics (MAP), and the Malaysian Dental Association (MDA). He also serves as one of the founding committee members of the Malaysian Dental Materials Society (MADEMS). His clinical interests centre around the integration of digital workflows in restorative dentistry and implantology. His research areas include Prosthodontics, Dental Materials, Digital Dentistry, Implantology, and Dental Traumatology. Currently, he is involved in a university-funded research project on dental trauma and supervises both undergraduate & postgraduate students in both clinical audit and research projects.

Professor Dr Hong Ching Goh, an interdisciplinary social scientist, studies human-environment interactions. Initially focused on urban planning and nature-based tourism, her approach has evolved to encompass sustainability, relevance, inclusion, and impact of scales. Her research inquiry explores how diverse communities benefit from nature, e.g., livelihood, health and wellbeing and intangible values. She investigates the threats and constraints posed by various anthropogenic actions and governance systems on the environment, and devises strategies for its safeguarding. This focus stems from her academic training in urban planning, tourism planning, and geography. Her research, with wide-ranging applications in urbanized environments, resource-rich regions and protected areas, draws inspiration from her fieldwork in Sabah since 2005, which has then driven her interdisciplinary coastal research in Southeast Asia. Currently attached to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, Prof. Goh also leads the Humanities and Social Sciences Group of the Malaysia National Antarctic Research Centre. She's a registered town planner with the Malaysian Institute of Planners and the Board of Town Planners Malaysia.  Prof Goh serves as the country coordinator for ForUm, a DAAD-funded network for Urban Futures in Southeast Asia that connects SEA and German experts since 2018. She also continues to serve on GYA membership selection and output review committees. Her commitment to interdisciplinary research has been significantly influenced by being a recipient of the MIT-UTM Malaysian Sustainable Cities Program Fellowship and the DAAD Doctoral Scholarship Awards where she conducted her doctoral study in the Center of Development Research (ZEF), as well as her memberships in ASEAN Science Leadership Program and Global Young Academy (GYA).  Since 2009, she has secured RM6.9 million in research grants, including RM4.95 million internationally. As a co-investigator, she helped secure the GBP6.4 million Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) grant. Her contributions to interdisciplinary research, particularly in marine environments and coastal communities, have earned recognition. This recognition was highlighted by the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur in 2021, in conjunction with International Women's Day and Commonwealth Day. In the same year, she was invited to join the UK Minister of Science, Amanda Solloway, and Professor Melanie Austen (University of Plymouth, UK) to discuss climate change impacts on marine environments and coastal communities in the Blue Communities program. In 2022, she was featured among the '100 Women Scientists in Global Polar Research. In 2024, she is appointed as the DAAD Research Ambassador in Malaysia in recognition of her outstanding contribution towards furthering the academic & scientific cooperation between Malaysia and Germany and awarded the Top Research Scientists Malaysia Award by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.   To date, she has published more than 65 peer-reviewed articles, 30 book chapters and books, and other 40 publications. She has supervised nine PhD students and three master students to completion and oversees 10 ongoing students.