Speakers, Moderators & Hosts

Special Address

YBhg. Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Zaini Ujang

Secretary-General, Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA), Malaysia

Zaini Ujang (Dato' Seri Ir. Dr.) is the Secretary-General, Ministry of Environment and Water since March 2020. Prior to his current assignment, he was Secretary-General for various ministries on higher education, energy, green technology, and water. He was appointed professor in environmental engineering in 2002, and became Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (2008-2013). He has vast academic and professional networks, as former Vice President, International Water Association (2004-2006), journal editor of Water Science and Technology (since 2000), visiting professor at Imperial College London, Lund (Sweden), Tsukuba (Japan) and research associate at MIT. He has published more than 300 articles and written 46 books. He was the first recipient of the prestigious Merdeka Award (scholastic achievement) in 2009.

Moderator

Dr. Hezri Adnan

Executive Director, Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) & Adjunct Professor, Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya

Dr Hezri Adnan is the Executive Director of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER). He is also a former Chief Executive Officer of the Langkawi Development Authority, a statutory body under Malaysia’s Ministry of Finance. With a PhD in Public Policy from the Australian National University, he specialises in sustainable development solutions with work spanning areas such green economy and natural resources governance. Dr Hezri has consulted for international organizations such as UNDP, UNESCAP, UNICEF, UNRISD and the World Bank, on many issues related to sustainable development challenges in the developing world. His past and current advisory roles include Cleared Advisor for the Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industries and a Member of the Advisory Council for WWF Malaysia. He is an elected Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) under the Science & Technology Development and Industry discipline. From 2015 to 2018, Hezri served as a Member of the United Nations’ International Resource Panel (IRP), a UN global expert body that focuses on strategic issues of resource scarcity and efficiency. Dr Hezri is also currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia and Adjunct Professor at Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN). He has also served as Honorary Associate Professor at the Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University (ANU) and Visiting Scholar at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) at Kyoto University, Japan.

For more info, visit: https://www.mier.org.my/mier-management

Speaker & panelist

Dr. Sharina Abdul Halim

Chairperson, Pusat Penyelidikan Langkawi (Langkawi Research Center), Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia & Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) Lead Author for Chapter 10 to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6-WGII) (2019-2021)

Sharina Abdul Halim, an environmental sociologist, is a Senior Lecturer at the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI, UKM). Currently, she is the Chairperson for Langkawi Research Centre (PPL), Kampus Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, LESTARI, UKM. Her research interests include islands and indigenous community, sustainable livelihoods and adaptation, community engagement, tourism development, &. heritage conservation. Actively involved as part of the Scientific and Technical Team for the Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark since 2007. Also, assigned as one of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) Lead Authors for Chapter 5 on the Special 1.5 degrees Report (2017-2018) and Chapter 10: Asia & Cross-Chapter 7: Tropical Forests for the Working Group II contribution to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6-WGII) (2019-2021).

Speaker & panelist

Mr. Alizan Mahadi

Senior Director (Research), Institute Of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) & Policy Lead, All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM) - Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Mr. Alizan Mahadi is a Senior Director of Research at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia and the lead for policy at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on SDGs (APPGM-SDG). He is a frequent commentator of current affairs, and his thoughts and analysis is shared and covered in various media and platforms including print, electronic, online and through conferences and events. Previously, he served as the Special Officer to the Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Alizan has led and participated in various significant policy research projects related to sustainable development and governance. This includes being the project director for reviewing and drafting the 2nd National Climate Change Policy, and an author for the Voluntary National Report (VNR), the SDGs report for Malaysia. He was also the founding and lead researcher for the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on the Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG), where he led a network of experts to undertake micro studies on SDGs in ten parliamentary constituencies. Alizan has also played a key role in network building including being a founding member of the CSO-SDG Alliance, executive secretary for the Society for the Promotion of SDGs and was the founding principle officer of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Malaysia Chapter. He has a MSc in Sustainable Development from University of Uppsala, Sweden and is currently completing his PhD at the School of Media and Governance at Keio University.

For more info, visit: https://www.isis.org.my/author/alizan/

Speaker & panelist

Ms. Aroe Ajoeni

Content Research Director, Persatuan Kesedaran dan Keadilan Iklim Malaysia (Klima Action Malaysia - KAMY) & Undergraduate Student, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya

Aroe is a university student who actively speaks about the climate crisis in Malaysia. Now, she is one of the young people in Klima Action Malaysia (KAMY) who builds the capacity of other youth to fight the climate crisis. For Aroe, the climate crisis is not just a youth issue, but a health and socio-economic issue of the people. As KAMY's technical officer and head of the research team, she focuses on the production of visual content to provide a platform for marginal communities such as the indigenous people; in the formation of a people-based discourse of the climate, which is often underestimated by many.

For more info, visit: https://www.klimaactionmalaysia.org/siapa-kamy

Speaker & panelist

Professor Leong Yuen Yoong

Professor, Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development, Sunway University & Co-Lead, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) ASEAN Green Future project

Leong Yuen Yoong co-leads the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) ASEAN Green Future project, which involves decarbonising of technical systems and re-carbonising of ecosystems. Whilst developing technology roadmaps forward for deep decarbonisation is important, Southeast Asian countries are heavily ecosystem dominated and need to develop a forward strategy which not only recognises ecosystems but also puts them centre-stage in our forward strategy. City-oriented consumerism is unsustainable. Southeast Asia aspires to achieve ecosystem understanding, symbiosis and full lives using less material, and lead the planet in this.

Yuen Yoong also teaches Sustainable Management and Operations in the Master in Sustainable Development Management programme at the Jeffrey Sachs Centre on Sustainable Development. She brings the care and growth leadership model, the European heritage regarding work as a learning process and board level perspectives to her teaching. She contributes creatively to a board by providing independent oversight and constructive challenge to the executive directors. Her work is enriched by her training in taichi and moxibustion, which are about enabling the qi to flow – a desired state of all.

Session Host

Associate Professor Dr. Zeeda Fatimah Mohamad

Director, Universiti Malaya Sustainability and Development Centre (UM SDC) & Associate Professor, Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya

Dr. Zeeda is an Associate Professor at the Department of STS and the founding director of the newly established UM Sustainability and Development Centre (UMSDC). She graduated with a Bc. in Ecology from UM, MSc in Environmental Management and Policy at IIIEE, Lund University, Sweden, and PhD in Science and Technology Policy at SPRU, University of Sussex, UK. Her academic interest is primarily to understand the relationship between the development of science, technology and innovation (STI) and environmental protection, particularly within the context of sustainable development and associated challenges to late-industrializing countries. In the past few years, she has applied her interdisciplinary perspective in environmental and STI studies into the emerging field of Sustainability Science. She is also active in campus sustainability activism since her student years until today. She was the deputy coordinator/principal coordinator for the UM campus sustainability initiative from 2009 - 2013, the founding Director of the university's Sustainability and Community Centre (UMCARES) in 2014 and acted as one of the architects of the current set-up of UM Campus Sustainability Living Lab programme. Zeeda is currently the principal investigator for one of UM's pioneering Campus Sustainability Living Lab - the UM Water Warriors - where she works closely with like-minded colleagues, across generations, who are passionate about participatory watershed conservation. She also acts as UM's representative for the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UMSDSN), Malaysian Chapter, the lead coordinator of the UM’s Transformation Taskforce on UM Green Culture Programme, and represents the university as the Steering Committee Member for the ASEAN University Network on Ecological Education and Culture (AUN-EEC)

For more info, visit: https://umexpert.um.edu.my/zeeda21

Speaker

Ms. Nabila Shohimi

Program Manager & Festival Manager, EcoKnights & Postgraduate student, Faculty of Science, UM.

Nabila Shohimi is currently the Program Manager in EcoKnights as well as the Festival Manager of the Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival (KLEFF) – one of EcoKnights’ flagship programmes. She has been with EcoKnights since 2016. She graduated from Universiti Sains Malaysia with a B.Sc degree majoring in Environmental Biology with a minor in Psychology and is now pursuing Masters of Sustainability Science in Universiti Malaya with interest in food security, science communication, indigenous knowledge, policymaking, public health and environmental education. Since the pandemic, Nabila spearheaded KLEFF’s digital screening – KLEFFLix and a few digital workshops as part of EcoKnights’ shift in project digitalization. She then became the project leader of Project BUMI in ASEAN COVID-19 Active and Robust Response (ASEAN CARES) 2020/2021 with ASEAN Foundation.

For more info, please visit: https://ecoknights.org.my/team/nabila-shohimi/

Session Host

Mr. Mohd Fadhli Rahmat Fakri

Research Officer, Universiti Malaya Sustainability and Development Centre (UM SDC)

Mr. Fadhli obtained his MSc. (Science, Technology & Sustainability) and BSc. (Hons) in Policy and Management of Science & Technology from the Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science UM. Currently, he is working as Research Officer at the UM Sustainability and Development Centre (UM SDC). Previously, he assumed various roles on campus sustainability coordination in UM via the various platform: Sustainability Science Research Cluster (SuSci), UM Eco-Campus Secretariat, UM Sustainability and Living Labs Secretariat (UMSLLS), and UM Community and Sustainability Centre (UMCares). He was also one of the youth Malaysian delegates at the 1st Global Model United Nations (GMUN), Talking Across Generations on Peace (India), and the 1st International Youth Symposium on Responsible Sustainable Palm Oil (Thailand). His research interest includes policy, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and volunteerism. His affiliation includes UM’s Technical Committee Member of Times Higher Education Impact Rankings on SDGs (THE IR) and UI GreenMetric World University Rankings (UIGM), UM Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UMSDSN), UM UNESCO Club (UMUC), Malaysian Universities UNESCO Club (MUUC), Youth Education for Sustainable Development and Peace Network Malaysia Chapter (in collaboration with UNESCO-Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Education, Peace and Sustainable Development).

For more details, visit: https://umexpert.um.edu.my/fadhli.html

Special Address

Dr. Mohd Zuhdi Marzuki

Political Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA), Malaysia

Mohd Zuhdi Bin Marsuki is currently the Political Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Water. He was the Director of PAS Research Centre from 2015 to 2019. Previously, he was a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy of Science, Eco-Theology and Islamic Philosophy at Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, MALAYSIA until April 2016. After retiring from a lectureship at the Universiti Malaya, he was appointed as the Rector of Zulkifli Muhammad Islamic College (KUIZM), a private higher learning institution.

He graduated from Universiti Malaya with a B.Sc. (Hons) (Geography) and M.Sc. (Philosophy of Science). In 2006, he pursued his studies at the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Wales, Lampeter, UNITED KINGDOM, by specialising in Islamic Eco-Theology. He was supervised by a prominent scholar in that field, Prof. Dr. Mawil Izzi Dien. He completed his Ph.D. Studies in 2009 by defending his thesis entitled "The Practice of Islamic Environmental Ethics: A Case Study of Harim and Hima". He also attained a Certificate of Arabic Language from the European Institute of Human Science in 2007.

Speaker

Dr. Asmawati Muhamad

Project Leader, UM Imarah Green Mosque Project Living Lab & Coordinator, Applied Science with Islamic Studies Programme, Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya

Dr. Asmawati Muhamad is a Senior Lecturer at Applied Science with Islamic Studies Programme, in Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. She obtained her Ph.D. degree in Qur’an and Sunnah Studies from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), 2014. Her research interest in Islam & Sustainability Science has developed since she was writing her Ph.D. thesis entitled Abatement and Control of Environmental Degradation: The Qur’anic Paradigm. Since 2016, she has started to lead the Green Mosque Project at the Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya under the purview of UM Community & Sustainability Centre/UMCares. She became more passionate to involve in Green Mosque initiatives and interfaith dialogue on Islam & Sustainability. She is the founder and advisor to the student volunteers club in UM, known as ‘Imarah Eco-Friends’ (IEF) which advocates eco-mosque community engagement programs in Kuala Lumpur with the motto of ‘Be Green, Be Exemplary.” Other sustainability research projects that she is currently involved in are:

• Transforming the Role of Surau APIUM for Campus Sustainability through Imarah Green Project

• Environmental Advocacy through the Green Mosque Programme: Case Study of Masjid Al-Ikhlasiah and Lembah Pantai Community

• Sustainable Governance in Climate Change and Disaster Management - Interreligious Component in the Development of Value related to Environmental Issue

• Impact of Tahfiz Education on Green Practices Implementation at Darul Quran JAKIM, Malaysia

For more info, visit: https://umexpert.um.edu.my/asmawatimuhamad.html

Moderator

Dr. Fachruddin Majeri Mangunjaya

Chairman Centre for Islamic Studies Universitas Nasional, Jakarta, Indonesia

Dr. Fachruddin Majeri Mangunjaya, is a leading eco-activist in the Muslim world, who has been working to bring religion to bear in the pursuit of conservation goals since the 1990s. Graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Biology at the Universitas Nasional (UNAS) in Jakarta, and master's degree in conservation biology at the University of Indonesia, and Ph.D. from Post Graduate Program Environmental Management and Natural Resouces (PSL), Bogor Agricultural University, Dr. Fachruddin has helped to train more than 1000 clerics in delivering sermons that connect science and religion with environmental content. As an active environmentalist, author, senior lecturer at School of Graduate Program Universitas Nasional, Chairman Centre for Islamic Studies Universitas Nasional, Fellow The Climate Leader Presenter, leading eco-activist in the Muslim world, and been elected as one of four Muslim Eco-Warrior., he is interested in bringing religion to help conservation goals.

Dr. Fachruddin is also one of the active members/advisors of various organisations which include the Advisory Group Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology, International Society for the Study of Religion Nature and Culture (ISSRNC), SiagaBumi (Environment and Interfaith in Indonesia), United Planet Faith and Science Initiative (UPFSI), IUCN-WCPA Specialist Group in Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas, Borneo Lestari Foundation, Central Kalimantan, and Council Interfaith Rainforest Initiative (IRI)-Indonesia. Besides serving as the executive editor of Conservation International Indonesia’s TROPIKA Indonesia Magazine (2003-2010), he is also an independent consultant for several institutions such as UNDP (2012-2014), UNEP, and Islamic Science Education Cultural Organization ISESCO, Rabat, Marocco (2018-2019).

For more info, visit: http://www.drfachruddin.com/about-me/

Panel speaker

Professor Dr. Esther Gnanamalar Sarojini A/P A. Daniel

Honorary Professor of Medical Education, Research and Development Unit (MERDU), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya

Esther was formerly attached to the Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya. Her area of expertise and background is in science education, environmental education, technology integration in the science classroom, and learning and cognition and has conducted numerous training workshops and seminars related to research, pedagogies and has been a Master trainer for new lecturers in institutions of Higher Learning. Her research has focused on science education, in particular biology and environmental education. She has worked with WWF-Malaysia in conducting in-depth research and in training teachers in infusing sustainable development education. She has written numerous training modules for the teaching and learning of Science, for Environmental Education, and for Qualitative Research Methods. Among the books she has written are ‘Biology Education in a Changing Planet’ and ‘Cognition in Science Education’. In 2016, Esther received the UNESCO-HAMDAN international award for the effective training of teachers in Paris from the Director-General of UNESCO on October 5th, 2016, which is the day designated as World Teachers’ In 2017 she received the Venus International Women’s Award (VIWA) for a ‘Lifetime Achievement in Science Education (Specialisation-Biology). She has also served as the chair of the National Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) Eco-Campus Committee. Esther is now an Honorary Professor in the Medical Education, Research and Development Unit, Faculty of Medicine UM. She is also attached to the UM-WWF-M Living Planet Centre, a research centre, as an affiliated member and has just completed the Sustainable Development nation-wide research. Recently Esther has been appointed as an Adjunct Professor by the Asian-e-University (AeU).

For more info, visit: https://umexpert.um.edu.my/esther.html

Panel speaker

Dr. Shaikh Mohd Saifuddeen Shaikh Mohd Salleh

Senior Fellow and Director of Centre for Science and Environment Studies (KIAS), Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM)

Dr. Shaikh Mohd Saifuddeen bin Shaikh Mohd Salleh is Senior Fellow and Director, Centre for Science and Environment Studies, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia. He is also Adjunct Professor at the Academy of Islamic Civilisation, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He has also been entrusted as Member, National Bioethics Council under the Ministry of Science, Environment and Innovation; Member, Socioeconomics Advisory Committee under the Biosecurity Board, Ministry of Environment and Water; Member, Nadwah Ulama dan Ilmuwan Malaysia under Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia; and Member, Strategic Advisory Panel under the Islamic Affairs Unit of the Advance Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia. He holds an MSc and PhD in history and philosophy of science from the University of Malaya.

Panel speaker

Dr. Karma Tashi Choedron

Assistant Professor, School of Politics, History and International Relations (PHIR), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), University of Nottingham Malaysia

Ven. Dr. Karma Tashi Choedron is a śrāmaṇerikā (Tib: getsulma), ordained by Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche in 2009. Ven. Dr. Karma is a meditation teacher, focusing on mind training, calm-abiding and insight meditation. She is trained as a civil engineer and holds a Ph.D. in Environment and Resource Studies from Mahidol University, Thailand. She completed an M.A. in Buddhist Studies from the International Buddhist College (IBC) in 2016.

Ven. Dr. Karma, an environmental sociologist and social auditor, is currently an Assistant Professor in Development Studies at the School of Politics, History and International Relations, University of Nottingham, Kuala Lumpur, and the Deputy Director of Education at the Vajrayāna Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM) and Religious Advisor to the Malaysian Buddhist Consultative Council (MBCC).

Ven. Dr. Karma received the Outstanding Woman in Buddhism Award in 2010 in recognition of her contribution to Buddhism and the environment by the Association for the Promotion of Status of Women in Thailand. Ven. Dr. Karma Tashi Choedron has authored two books on conservation and co-authored a book featuring a comparative study between Sikhism and Buddhism, titled, Two Gurus One Message.

For more info, visit: https://www.nottingham.edu.my/Politics/People/karma.tashi

Panel speaker

Mr. Balachandran Annamalai

Malaysian Hindu Sangam Sarawak State Council

Mr. Balachandran Annamalai is a fully trained senior lecturer and specialised in the training of trainers, particularly in Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary Approaches and Thinking. He was a certified International Baccalaureate observer in Sarawak for Ministry of Education, observer for Cambridge Common European Framework of References for English language (CEFR) Malaysia and Certified training of trainers from Plymouth University, UK. Apart from his professional contributions, Mr. Balachandran's passion for training includes formulating the 21^st Century’s way of thinking, designing teaching and training materials to suit his clients’ abilities, and enhancing the understanding of certain concepts and knowledge easily among the multilevel clients. His passionate abilities have successfully brought out the best among the multiple level clients and to work together for a mutual cause. His strategies are known for active participation for good team building and motivation and to bring out his clients’ abilities effectively by strategically eliminating their zone of comfort and guiding them to go for the best. As a service-oriented person, Mr. Balachandran has built up a strong impact among his fellow members from different religious backgrounds by participating in many multi-religious forums and expert sharing nationally as well as internationally in promoting mutual understanding among the multi-religious members. He is an ongoing Vedic researcher and a contributor for Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a non-governmental international peace organization, which was founded for global peace and cessation of war based in Seoul Metropolitan Government and many more.

Session Host

Professor Datuk Dr. Azizan Baharuddin

Director, Universiti Malaya Center for Civilisational Dialogue (UMCCD) & Chairperson UKM-YSD Chair for Sustainability

Azizan Baharuddin received her BSc (Hons) in Biology from the University of Tasmania, Australia in 1978, MSc (Univ. College London) in 1979, and Ph.D. in Philosophy of Science (Science & Islam) from University of Lancaster, United Kingdom in 1989. She specialises in several areas such as environmental ethics, religion and sustainable development, Islam and science, bioethics, interfaith/intercivilisational dialogue. She has published more than 300 books, book chapters, monographs, journal articles, and newspaper articles in the above-mentioned fields, including books Harmony between Religion and Science: An Islamic Perspective (2019), Environmental Ethics in Islam (2018), co-editor of Islam and Ecology: A Bestowed Trust (2003) and Environment, Values and the Future of Civilisations (2013). Due to her works and contributions in the area of Science & Religion, she received an award from the Centre for Theology & Natural Sciences, USA in 2001. She was also awarded the Federal Territory Maal Hijrah Award in 2016. In 2016, she received the Langkawi Award from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) for her work in environmental education and activism at the national level and abroad. She was a lead member of the drafting team for the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change (IDCC) endorsed by the UN United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and submitted to the President of the 70th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York in 2016. Currently, she is also the Chairholder of UKM-YSD Chair for Sustainability.

For more info, visit: https://umexpert.um.edu.my/azizanb.html

Speaker - Recap on key insights

Ms. Zara Phang

Fellow of Institut Masa Depan Malaysia (MASA) & WWF-Malaysia Sustainable Economy and Policy Analyst, Policy and Climate Change Unit

Zara Phang is WWF-Malaysia’s Sustainable Economy and Policy Analyst, providing content, research, analysis and insights on relevant issues to effectively communicate and support advocacy work on Green Economy. She was a lead author on the IPBES Regional Assessment report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Asia and the Pacific and has more than 10 years of experience in environmental economics and policy. Zara is a Fellow at MASA Institut Depan and also currently serves as a board member for Climate Action Network-Southeast Asia (CAN-SEA). Prior to her role as Sustainable Economy and Policy Analyst at WWF-Malaysia she worked as a freelance consultant on environmental policy and sustainable consumption and production projects in Malaysia with the Institute for Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) and the Economic Planning Unit. She also worked in consultancy in the UK working on projects with local and national UK government and with the European Commission.

Speaker - Closing Remark

Professor Dr. Nik Meriam Nik Sulaiman

Honorary Professor, Universiti Malaya Sustainability and Development Centre (UM SDC), Fellow Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), and Council Member of Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Malaysia Leadership Council

Professor Dr. Nik Meriam Nik Sulaiman obtained her Bachelor in Chemical Engineering (Hon) and Master of Applied Science degrees from the University New South Wales, Australia. She went on to successfully pursue her PhD in Chemical Engineering in Birmingham University UK. She joined Universiti Malaya as an academic staff in 1983 and has served as an active member of the academic community for more than 35 years. Her tenure-ship at Universiti Malaya has spread beyond academic teaching and research. She was entrusted with several administrative portfolios including as founder Dean of Sustainability Science research cluster (2009-2015) and Coordinator of SDSN UM Chapter (since 2013). Her earlier administrative experiences include as Director of Research Management & Consultancy (2006-2008), Deputy Dean of Engineering Faculty, and Founder Unit Head of Students Industrial Training (under HEP). She was the holder of the prestigious Dr.Siti Hasmah’s Professorial Chair in University Malaya from 2010 to 2014 focussing on the transformation of the sustainability strategy for Malaysian SMEs. She was also the Malaysian coordinator for the JSPS-AsiaCore Project with Kyoto University (2011-2015) working on Integrated Watershed Management. She was chosen as the Technical Consultant for the EU-Asia Link project for Clean Batik Initiative involving 100 Malaysian batik smallholders. Her research interests have always been grounded in the environment and sustainability science with a special leaning towards the participation of engineers for a sustainable future. She has dealt extensively in areas pertaining to environmental management strategies, life cycle management, environmental education, sustainable process technologies, and air pollution among others. She believes strongly in transdisciplinary research and knowledge sharing to make inroads for practical solutions. She is a Fellow of Akademi Sains Malaysia since 2019. She is currently serving as Honorary Professor at UM since 2019.

For more info, visit: https://umexpert.um.edu.my/meriam

Host

En. Mohd Noor Musa

Research Analysts, Institut Masa Depan Malaysia (MASA)

Mohd Noor holds a master’s degree of science (MSc) in science, technology and sustainability from the University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia. Prior joining Institut MASA, he worked at University of Malaya and Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (IKIM) on a wide range of research projects and programmes including science and technology (S&T) policy, governance, bioethics and ecotheology in collaboration with various institutions, such as Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Institute of Future Studies Sweden, Kyoto University, Waseda University and UNESCO Paris. He is also in charge of stakeholder engagements and appointed members in various committees such as Member of Science & Technology Department Curriculum Review Committee, Affiliate Member of National Bioethics Council of Malaysia, Affiliate Member of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (CCD), Advisor for UNESCO University of Malaya, Member of Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UM Chapter) and Research Associate of Asia-Core Program Malaysia-Japan. He had presented his research/papers in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Sweden, Turkey, South Korea, and United Arab Emirates on the topic of ethics, S&T governance and environmental sustainability.