DR. NOORHAYATI BINTI IDROS

Dr. Noorhayati Idros holds a Bachelor’s degree (Hons.) in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Malaysia, and an M.Sc. in Nanoelectronics from The University of Manchester, United Kingdom. Her M.Sc. research at Manchester focused on the fabrication of polymer-based thin-film transistors (OTFTs), examining the effects of elevated temperatures on OTFT performance and the active layer's morphology.

Following her M.Sc., Dr. Idros joined the Centre for Photonic Devices and Sensors Group at Cambridge University’s Department of Engineering as a Ph.D. candidate. Her doctoral research centered on developing biochemical sensors to detect water contaminants, specifically targeting explosives like 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and heavy metals. This interdisciplinary work utilized aptamer/DNA and chemically functionalized nanophotonic crystal surfaces, integrating microfluidics paper-based devices, sensitive optical detection, and systematic colorimetric analysis in RGB-space via digital imaging and color calibration. Her sensors were designed for low-cost, portable applications. Dr. Idros is an alumnus of Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge (UCAM), and was active in university sports, serving as netball team captain for the Cambridge University Malaysia Society and as a netball player for the Malaysian Students' Society of Manchester.

Upon completing her Ph.D., Dr. Idros continued as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, where she developed fluorescence-based biochemical sensors for detecting heavy metals in water for Peruvian environmental projects. She also conducted environmental quality assessments in the Rio Cañete drainage basin, using Andean River Shrimp as a bioindicator species. This work involved DNA barcoding for species identification and dietary analysis of the shrimp. Dr. Idros also trained university staff and students in laboratory and field methods, presented her findings, and contributed to the PERU-UCAM staff and student exchange program.

In addition to her academic accomplishments, Dr. Idros brings significant industry experience from her time as an engineer at Intel Microelectronics Sdn. Bhd., where she supported System Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) testing for Vista and XP PV milestones, executed CPU and platform test plans, and led Vista Debug installations for CPU Product Release Qualification (PRQ). She also contributed to the Mobile Internet Device (MID) project and gained expertise in Linux-based application porting, as well as electrical and electronics debugging.

Currently, Dr. Idros is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Universiti Malaya and a Core Member of the Centre of Printable Electronics, specializing in the development of nanotechnology-based sensors for water quality and environmental monitoring.