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Dr. Mohd Nasir Hashim is a prominent figure in the University's music arena. Having served the Cultural Centre in University of Malaya for 25 years, he is a seasoned musician specializing in composition, orchestration and music technology. Upon gradution from the Mara Institute of Technology (UiTM) in Music, Dr. Nasir later obtained his post graduate degrees at the University of Southampton, United Kingdom. Dr. Nasir also studied under the tutelage of Andrew Llyod Webber in writing scores for musical broadways. His affliations with the Culltural Centre began when he was appointed as a Cultural Affairs Officer. He is today an Associate Professor at the Music Department. Since his postrgadute days, Dr. Nasir has been actively involved in the orchestra both locally and internationally. During his days at the University of Southampton, Dr. Nasir taught and arranged orchestration on a part-time basic. In addition, he was also the music director and deputy conductor of a jazz band and a symphony orchestra. It was at time that Dr. Nasir performed along side the world-renowend composer, Dave Brubek. He toured with Dave Brubeck,the accomplished jazz composer and his big band orchestra in UK and USA. Dr Nasir also participate in several music camps such as the National Music Camps, Asian Music Camp and World Music Camp where he peformed as he principal trumpet player. Dr. Nasir was a guest conductor with the London Guildhall Jazz Orchesta. As a result of his wide exposure in UK in conducting and arranging, he believes that whilst every genre of music is special, music can be used as a conduit for the University to reach out to members of society. Apart from conducting, he also copises songs for recording artistes and film soudtracks. He has composed and arranged numerous scores of various genres for the orchestra. He plays the trumpet, accordian, guitar, piano and a number of traditional instruments. His involvement in Malay traditional music, Western Jazz, Rock, Rock and Symphony Orchestra gives in a special edge into these genres. At present Dr. Nasir is also actively producing scores and CDs for publication by the Unversity od Malaya. He conduct workshop,camps and lectures across the region, with a hope that music can be performed an apprecated as a discipline as well as for leisure.

A biophysicist by interest, Dr. Vengadesh Periasamy is based in Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre (LDMRC), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as a Senior Lecturer/ Research Fellow. His field of expertise and interest mainly involves DNA electronics, Langmuir-Blodgett (LB), Biophotovoltaics (BPV) and Nanomedicine (Riboflavin, Green Synthesis of Nanoparticles for Antipathogenic and Anticancer Properties). His current research groups consist of numerous final year projects, interns, research assistants, MSc. and PhD. students comprising of various disciplines and nationality. Resulting research outputs have been published in various high impact factor journal papers, proceedings, patent, book and book chapter. Research covers a comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach whereby underlying fundamentals are thoroughly investigated to enable possible applications by constructing, characterizing and testing prototype sensors/devices. Using LB technique to fabricate pure novel DNA films, we are actively pursuing frontier research into fundamental DNA electronics, which would ultimately enable DNA genomic sequencing for rapid DNA detection and also the fabrication of DNA based environmental sensors. LB method also allows flexibility in designing different types of graphene films either as porous anodes or highly transparent conducting material. These highly customized electrodes will then be utilized to investigate bio-signals or intrinsic cellular noises from antipathogenic/anticancer reactions and other biological pathways of interest. Current research directions are therefore directed towards understanding interfacial properties by deciphering extracted bio-signals to be applied in the fields of nano-bioelectronics, nano-medicine and biomedical technology. Dr. Vengadesh’s interest in BPV is partly as a result of an MOU between University of Malaya and Centre of Research for Electrochemical Science and Technology (CREST), Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge to undertake combined research efforts in algae biotechnology. He and his group is developing LB derived high porosity graphene films for application as an anodic material in BPV platforms. Initial results indicating an increased power output and open potential suggest the possibility of substituting the currently used conventional ITO anodes. The LB method utilized allows for attaining higher electrode surface area and better attachment of biofilms. Coupled with the presence of functional groups, the films fabricated enables easier and effective algae attachment onto the graphene anode surface resulting in superior biocompatibility and hence the improved power output. Dr. Vengadesh visited CREST as a Post-doc/Academic Visitor from 21 January until 20 October 2014 to facilitate the collaborative research further and to establish a roadmap in BPV research between the two research centers.

Prof Dr Wan Hasiah Abdullah began her academic career in 1984 upon undertaking a tutorship/postgraduate programme in the UK and started teaching in the Department of Geology, University of Malaya in 1990. She was appointed Associate Professor in 1999 and Professor in 2005. Her research interest is in assessing oil-generating potential of coals and determining depositional environments of oil-prone source rocks. For her MSc, she worked on the Brent Formation coals of the North Sea and for her PhD she worked on a succession of sedimentary rocks from Spitsbergen, Svalbard. Throughout the years Prof Wan Hasiah has presented her research work in Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australia. She has published about 70 papers in ISI/SCOPUS journals, supervised 10 MSc/PhD students to completion and conducted many consultation projects for major oil companies such as Sabah/Sarawak SHELL and PETRONAS. In 2005 she introduced an MSc taught course in Petroleum Geology at the University of Malaya, the first of its kind in Malaysia, whilst the mixed-mode (coursework and research) was introduced in 2011. Adopting an innovative approach to teaching that allowed many applicants with engineering background and/or non-geological sciences to benefit from these MSc programmes. Through this approach, many of these graduates are presently serving major oil companies in Malaysia, undertaking tasks that are commonly performed by geoscientists. Prof Wan Hasiah has also served as Head of the Geology Department (2004-2007), as coordinator for the MSc Petroleum Geology programmes (2005-2015) and is presently holding the position of Deputy Director of University of Malaya’s Consultancy Unit.