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CURRICULUM VITAE

DR. NAZHATULSHIMA BINTI AHMAD
DR. NAZHATULSHIMA BINTI AHMAD
Senior Lecturer
Department of Physics
Faculty of Science
+603-79674100
013-7739079
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Scopus Author ID
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ORCID ID

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Nazhatulshima Ahmad is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, where she has been a member of the academic staff since 1999. She received her BSc in Physics (1998), MSc in Astronomy (2003), and PhD in Physics (2013) from the University of Malaya. Her doctoral research, entitled “The Characteristics of Be Stars in the Delta Scorpii System,” focused on the variability and physical properties of emission-line stars.

Dr. Nazhatulshima has played an important role in the development of observational astronomy at the University of Malaya, contributing to the establishment and growth of research activities in optical astronomy. She currently leads the Optical Astronomy Research Laboratory, where she coordinates observational programs, research projects, and collaborative activities related to stellar astrophysics and small-body studies.

Her research focuses on emission-line stars, particularly Be stars and short-period eclipsing binaries, with an emphasis on photometric and spectroscopic variability. In addition, she is actively involved in the observation and monitoring of asteroids and Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), including astrometric observations and orbital analysis to support planetary defence initiatives.

Dr. Nazhatulshima also conducts studies on light pollution and its impact on astronomical observations, with the aim of improving observational site quality and protecting dark skies for scientific research.

Beyond her astrophysical research, she collaborates with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) on astronomical applications relevant to the Muslim community. These include observational and computational studies on crescent moon visibility for the Islamic months of Ramadan, Shawwal, and Zulhijjah, as well as investigations into the astronomical determination of Isha’ and Fajr prayer times.

Through her work, Dr. Nazhatulshima continues to contribute to the advancement of observational astronomy in Malaysia while fostering collaborations that integrate scientific research with societal and cultural applications.

Area of Expertise

Astronomy and Astrophysics: Spectroscopy of emission line stars; binary stars; asteroid; observation and imaging techniques in optical wavelengths; spectroscopy, photometry and astrometry techniques; crescent moon; almanac

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

  • Doctoral Degree (PhD)
    Universiti Malaya (UM)
  • MSC, (FIZIK)
    Universiti Malaya (UM)
  • BSC, (FIZIK)
    Universiti Malaya (UM)

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES

  • Committee Members
    07 Feb 2022 - 31 Dec 2023 (Department)

MEMBERSHIPS

  • INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION, MEMBER
    Since 2019 (International)

AWARD AND STEWARDSHIP

  • Excellence Service Award
    2025, Universiti Malaya

PUBLICATIONS

Article in Journal
WoS
  1. Hadi, Wan Aiman Hakimie Wan Abdul; Faid, Muhamad Syazwan; Nawawi, Mohd Saiful Anwar Mohd; Wahab, Raihana Abdul; Ahmad, Nazhatulshima; Zainuddin, Mohd Zambri; Rofiuddin, Ahmad Adib; Hashim, Muhammad Ridzuan (2026). Automated lunar crescent extraction from astronomical imaging using python-based vision algorithms, ASTRONOMY AND COMPUTING. 55. doi:10.1016/j.ascom.2025.101057
  2. Faid, Muhamad Syazwan; Nawawi, Mohd Saiful Anwar Mohd; Saadon, Mohd Hafiz Mohd; Wahab, Raihana Abdul; Ahmad, Nazhatulshima; Nahwandi, Muhamad Syauqi; Ahmed, Ikramullah; Mohamed, Ibrahim (2024). Assessment and review of modern lunar crescent visibility criterion, ICARUS. 412. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2024.115970
  3. Faid, Muhamad Syazwan; Shariff, Nur Nafhatun Md; Hamidi, Zety Sharizat; Wahab, Raihana Abdul; Ahmad, Nazhatulshima; Nawawi, Mohd Saiful Anwar Mohd; Nahwandi, Muhammad Syaoqi (2024). Alteration of twilight sky brightness profile by light pollution, SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. 14(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-024-76550-3
  4. Faid, Muhamad Syazwan; Nawawi, Mohd Saiful Anwar Mohd; Saadon, Mohd Hafiz Mohd; Nahwandi, Muhammad Syaoqi; Shariff, Nur Nafhatun Md; Hamidi, Zety Sharizat; Wahab, Raihana Abdul; Norman, Mohd Paidi; Ahmad, Nazhatulshima (2023). Confirmation methodology for a lunar crescent sighting report, NEW ASTRONOMY. 103. doi:10.1016/j.newast.2023.102063
  5. Ahmad, Nazhatulshima; Mohamad, Nur Izzatul Najihah; Wahab, Raihana Abdul; Nawawi, Mohd Saiful Anwar Mohd; Zainuddin, Mohd Zambri; Mohamed, Ibrahim (2022). Analysis Data of the 22 Years of Observations on the Young Crescent Moon at Telok Kemang Observatory in Relation to the Imkanur Rukyah Criteria 1995, SAINS MALAYSIANA. 51(10), 3415-3422. doi:10.17576/jsm-2022-5110-24
  6. Zulkeflee, A. N.; Yussof, W. N. J. H. W.; Umar, R.; Ahmad, N.; Mohamad, F. S.; Man, M.; Awalludin, E. A. (2022). Detection of a new crescent moon using the Maximally Stable Extremal Regions (MSER) technique, ASTRONOMY AND COMPUTING. 41. doi:10.1016/j.ascom.2022.100651
  7. Ismail, N. H., Ahmad, N., Mohamed, N. A., & Tahar, M. R. (2021). Analysis of Geomagnetic Ap Index on Worldwide Earthquake Occurrence using the Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. Sains Malaysiana, 50(4), 1157-1164. doi: 10.17576/jsm-2021-5004-25
  8. Ahmad, N., Nawawi, M., Zainuddin, M. Z., Nasir, Z. M., Yunus, R. M., & Mohamed, I. (2020). A New Crescent Moon Visibility Criteria using Circular Regression Model: A Case Study of Teluk Kemang, Malaysia. Sains Malaysiana, 49(4), 859-870. doi: 10.17576/jsm-2020-4904-15
  9. Tahar, Mohammad R.; Ahmad, Nazhatulshima; Ismail, Nur H. (2020). Identifying Light Pollution Sources at Two Major Observatories in Malaysia, SAINS MALAYSIANA. 49(2), 439-445. doi:10.17576/jsm-2020-4902-23
Scopus
  1. Hadi W.A.H.W.A., Faid M.S., Mohd Nawawi M.S.A., Wahab R.A., Ahmad N., Zainuddin M.Z., Rofiuddin A.A., Hashim M.R. (2026). Automated lunar crescent extraction from astronomical imaging using python-based vision algorithms, Astronomy and Computing. 55. doi:10.1016/j.ascom.2025.101057
  2. Faid M.S., Nawawi M.S.A.M., Saadon M.H.M., Wahab R.A., Ahmad N., Nahwandi M.S., Ahmed I., Mohamed I. (2024). Assessment and review of modern lunar crescent visibility criterion, Icarus. 412. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2024.115970
  3. Faid M.S., Shariff N.N.M., Hamidi Z.S., Wahab R.A., Ahmad N., Mohd Nawawi M.S.A., Nahwandi M.S. (2024). Alteration of twilight sky brightness profile by light pollution, Scientific reports. 14(1), 26682. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-76550-3
  4. Faid M.S., Mohd Nawawi M.S.A., Abdul Wahab R., Ahmad N. (2023). HilalPy: Software to analyse lunar sighting criteria[Formula presented], Software Impacts. 18. doi:10.1016/j.simpa.2023.100593
  5. Faid M.S., Nawawi M.S.A.M., Saadon M.H.M., Nahwandi M.S., Shariff N.N.M., Hamidi Z.S., Wahab R.A., Norman M.P., Ahmad N. (2023). Confirmation methodology for a lunar crescent sighting report, New Astronomy. 103. doi:10.1016/j.newast.2023.102063
  6. Ahmad N., Mohamad N.I.N., Wahab R.A., Nawawi M.S.A.M., Zainuddin M.Z., Mohamed I. (2022). Analysis Data of the 22 Years of Observations on the Young Crescent Moon at Telok Kemang Observatory in Relation to the Imkanur Rukyah Criteria 1995, Sains Malaysiana. 51(10), 3415-3422. doi:10.17576/jsm-2022-5110-24
  7. Hj Wan Yussof W.N.J., Man M., Umar R., Zulkeflee A.N., Awalludin E.A., Ahmad N. (2022). Enhancing Moon Crescent Visibility Using Contrast-Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization and Bilateral Filtering Techniques, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology. 2022(1), 3-13. doi:10.26636/jtit.2022.155721
  8. Zulkeflee A.N., Yussof W.N.J.H.W., Umar R., Ahmad N., Mohamad F.S., Man M., Awalludin E.A. (2022). Detection of a new crescent moon using the Maximally Stable Extremal Regions (MSER) technique, Astronomy and Computing. 41. doi:10.1016/j.ascom.2022.100651
Others
  1. A NEW CRESCENT MOON VISIBILITY CRITERIA USING CIRCULAR REGRESSION MODEL: A CASE STUDY OF TELUK KEMANG, MALAYSIA
  2. Nurul Fathin binti Ngadiman, Nazhatulshima binti Ahmad, Raihana Abdul Wahab. (2018). Pemupusan Atmosfera dan Kecerahan Langit Malam di Observatori Negara Langkawi
  3. Nazhatulshima Ahmad, Mohd Zambri Zainuddin, Mohd Sahar Yahya, Hakim L. Malasan, Christian Buil. 2015.Spectral variations of the Be disk of -Scorpii during the 2011 periastron passage. New Astronomy 36:80A
Article in Proceeding
  1. Mohamed, N.A., Ismail, N.H., Majid, N.S. and Ahmad, N. (2021). The Impact of Geomagnetic Storms on the Occurrences of Earthquakes from 1994-2017 Using the Generalized Linear Mixed Models
  2. N. Ahmad, (2019). Kajian Asteroid di Malaysia. Prosiding Seminar Ilmu Falak Dan Masyarakat di Nusantara, 9-14. ISBN 978-967-16077-3-2
  3. Chin Wei Loon, Mohd Zambri Zainuddin, Nazhatulshima Ahmad, Muhammad Shamim Syukur, Muhammad Redzuan Tahar,AIP Conf. Proc. 1657, 050006 (2015)

RESEARCH PROJECT

National
  1. 2025 - 2027, UNIVERSITI MALAYA RESEARCH EXCELLENCE GRANT (UMREG)
    Preserving Islamic Astronomy in the Era of Light Pollution: Shariah- Based Framework and Legal Policy Proposal for Sustainable Practice ( Co-Researcher)
  2. 2023 - 2026, Government Agency
    Kajian Teknik Pengimejan Dan Garis Panduan Pengimejan Anak Bulan ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  3. 2022 - 2025, Government Agency
    Solar And Planetary System Influences On Climate Change And Natural Disasters ( Co-Researcher)
  4. 2012 - 2015, Government Agency
    Near Earth Object (NEO) di Observatori Negara Langkawi (ONL) dengan Menggunakan Kaedah Astrometri ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  5. 2023 - 2025, Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS)
    New Detection Algorithm of Young Moon Crescent First Visibility in Malaysia using Image Processing Technique, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) ( Co-Researcher)

CONSULTANCY PROJECT

  • Kerja-kerja penyelenggaraan & pembersihan peralatan astronomi di Balai Cerap UniSZA, DMB Kembara Sdn Bhd
    29 May 2025 - 01 Jun 2025 (National)
  • KOORDINAT KEDUDUKAN ASTEROID UNTUK MEMPEROLEHI KOD OBSERVATORI ANTARABANGSA BAGI KOMPLEKS BAITUL HILAL MAINS, Institut Penyelidikan Alam Sekitar Pantai Timur, Project Leader/lead Consultant
    01 Jul 2024 - 01 Dec 2024 (National)

PAPER PRESENTED

Invited Seminar
  1. Kajian Asteroid di Malaysia , Seminar Falak Nusantara 2018 (Southeast-Asia Regional Astronomy Seminar 2018), Institut Tanah dan Ukur Negara, Jabatan Mufti Negeri Perak dan Universiti Malaya (International) (17 Oct 2018 - 18 Oct 2018)
Invited Speaker
  1. Kolaborasi Penyelidikan Profesional-Amatur di Malaysia, Konvensyen Profesional-Amatur Astronomi Malaysia 2024, Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Sembilan (MAINS) (National) (27 Sep 2024 - 29 Sep 2024)
Poster Presenter
  1. Optical Light Curve and Spectral Analyses of Nova and Recurrent Nova: Nova Per 2020 and RS Ophiuchi, IAU General Assembly 2024, International Astronomical Union (International) (05 Aug 2024 - 14 Aug 2024)
Presenter
  1. Characterizing Light Pollution Spectra To Identify Light Pollution Contributions at Balai Cerap Teluk Kemang, Seminar Falak Nusantara (18 Oct 2019)
  2. Kajian Asteroid di Malaysia, Seminar Falak Nusantara (17 Oct 2018)

ACADEMIC/ PROF. SERVICES

Contribution to External Organisation
  1. (2013) Project collaboration - Near Earth Object (NEO) atLangkawi National Observatory (ONL) , University of Malaya and MOSTI, National

SUPERVISION

Under Graduate Students
  1. (2025) The light curve analysis of asteroids
  2. (2025) Study of the sunspots' evolution and correlation to the flares
  3. (2025) Photometric light curve of eclipsing binaries
  4. (2025) Photometric light curve and simulation of closed binary stars
Postgraduate Student
PhD/ Doctoral
  1. (2025) LIGHT CURVE AND SPECTRAL VARIATIONS DURING OUTBURST OF NOVAE AND RECURRENT NOVAE IN THE MILKY WAY GALAXY: NOVA PER 2020 AND RS OPHIUCHI, SAAD MOHAMMED A ALSHEHRI
Master
  1. (2025) Enhanced Image Transformation and Annotation Methods for Crescent Moon Detection in Digital Images, SYED ALI SYED AHMAD YUNUS
  2. (2024) New Detection Algorithm of Young Moon Crescent First Visibility in Malaysia Using Image Processing Technique, Ahmad Lutfi Afifi bin Mohd Nasir (Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (unisza))
  3. (2021) Developing A New Crescent Moon Observation Technique in Malaysia, ahmad najmuddin bin zulkeflee (Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (unisza))
  4. (2021) IDENTIFYING LIGHT POLLUTION SOURCES AFFECTING TELUK KEMANG OBSERVATORY AND LANGKAWI NATIONAL OBSERVATORY, MOHAMMAD REDZUAN BIN TAHAR

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ACTIVITIES

  • pengendali aktiviti di dalam slot modul program MABIT dengan tajuk ‘CERAPAN LANGIT MALAM', (03 Nov 2023 - 03 Nov 2023) (National)
  • Panel modul program Man and Biosphere 360 Biodiversity Education Program, (22 Sep 2023 - 23 Sep 2023) (National)

COURSE ATTENDED

Internal/ External Course
  1. WORKSHOP ON MOON SIGHTING PRACTICES IN MALAYSIA AND JAPAN, SUGINAMI-KU (TOKYO), NAGANO & NOAJ MITAKA CAMPUS, JAPAN (18 Oct 2025 - 22 Oct 2025)
  2. THE 15TH SOUTHEAST ASIA ASTRONOMY NETWORK MEETING, INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI BANDUNG (12 Oct 2025 - 16 Oct 2025)
  3. SEVENTH PHOEBE WORKSHOP, YUNNAN UNIVERSITY ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY, 2QCR+V2R, Z031, GUANDU DISTRICT, KUNMING, YUNNAN, CHINA, 650208 (04 Aug 2025 - 14 Aug 2025)