Edmund Terence Gomez Gomez is Professor of Political Economy at the Faculty of Economics & Administration, Universiti Malaya. He specializes in state-market relations and the linkages between politics, public policies, and enterprise development -- a subject on which he has published extensively, writing not only for academia but also more widely.  He has held appointments as Visiting Professor at: the School of International Relations & Pacific Studies at the University of California-San Diego, USA (2014-2015); the Department of Political Science at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, USA (2013-2014); and at Kobe University, Japan (May-August 2002). Other academic appointments include Visiting Fellowships at: the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, Denmark (October-November 2004); the Australian National University, Canberra (February 2002); and at the Asian Studies Department, Murdoch University, Australia (January-December 1993). He was also Senior Research Fellow at the Department of East Asian Studies, Leeds University, United Kingdom from 1996-1999. From 2005-2008, Terence served as Project Manager and Research Coordinator of the programme area ‘Identities, Conflict and Cohesion’ at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) in Geneva, Switzerland. He has undertaken various research projects and convened numerous international conferences–among others, on political-business linkages in East Asia; the growth of national and transnational ethnic Chinese enterprise; the history of Chinese communities and their enterprises in Australia, Britain and Southeast Asia; ethnic conflict and social cohesion in Asia; equity distribution and government intervention in Malaysia –all of which have received funding from various local and global agencies, including the Sasakawa, Sumitomo and Toyota Foundations of Japan, the Department of Education and Training in Australia, the Christensen Fund (USA), the British Academy, and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) of the United Kingdom. He serves on the editorial board and advisory committee of the following international journals: East Asia: An Internationaal Quarterly, Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia and Asian Journal of Comparative Politics. He is also editor of the 'Chinese Worlds' Series and the 'Malaysian Studies' Series for Routledge, London & New York.

Professor Nirmala Bhoo-Pathy is a public health physician and epidemiologist with a distinguished career dedicated to advancing cancer care systems and improving life after cancer. Her research and policy advocacy support evidence-based strategies to bridge critical gaps in cancer care, particularly across low- and middle-income countries, where her work has driven meaningful change. She serves as a Commissioner on multiple Lancet Commissions, including the Lancet Commission on Women, Power, and Cancer, and the Lancet Oncology Commission on the Humanitarian Crisis of Cancer, reflecting her leadership in shaping global cancer policy.In addition to her impactful research, Professor Nirmala is deeply committed to medical education. As an educator, she inspires undergraduate medical students and postgraduate students to view public health as a transformative discipline that extends beyond illness, fostering solutions that enhance the health and well-being of entire populations. She serves as the Coordinator of the Master of Public Health program at Universiti Malaya, shaping the next generation of public health leaders. Her leadership also led to the development and successful implementation of the Master of Epidemiology program in Universiti Malaya, further demonstrating her dedication to capacity-building in the field.Recognized for her influence and contributions, Professor Nirmala was named one of Tatler Asia's Most Influential, joining a distinguished cohort of prominent clinicians, business tycoons, and entertainers who are shaping society across diverse sectors.

Dr. Hanee Farzana is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Malaya since 2016. Dr. Hanee first join UM in 2012 as an Academic Fellow. Prior to that, she worked as a Safety and Risk Engineer with ExxonMobil Malaysia from 2009 to 2011. She resigned to pursue her studies and a career in academia. Her primary research interests are design and development of novel solvents (e.g., ionic liquid and deep eutectic solvents) for various applications in chemical processes, particularly in the separation of fluid mixtures (liquid-liquid and gas-liquid mixtures), with a special interest on separation and recovery of precious metals, critical minerals and rare earh elements, and in CO2 capture and utilization. Dr. Hanee is also passionate about engineering education and Outcome-Based Education (OBE) implementation. She was the Programme Coordinator for the Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree program from 2019 to 2021 and was in charge of coordinating accreditation matters related to the program. She is currently the Head of Department for Chemical Engineering until 2027.