Speakers (2015)

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA
7th UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS FORUM (UPF) 2015

Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Nation Building

12 – 14 May 2015

List of Speakers

PROF. DATUK. IR. DR WAHID BIN OMAR
Vice-Chancellor
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Wahid Omar is a Professor of Structural Engineering at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). He was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of UTM in September 2013. His philosophical view of life is to always uphold trust and exercise wisdom in whatever he does, striving for excellence, both in his personal and professional capacity. He believes that in contributing to any good cause, sincerity, passion and commitment are essential.
PROF. DR. ROSE ALINDA ALIAS
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic & International)
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Born on 5th September 1964 in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, Prof Dr Rose Alinda Alias was appointed as the UTM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia on 16th of January 2012.

She was the Chairperson of Malaysian Deans of Graduate Schools Council (MyDEGS) from 1 Jan 2010 until 12th Jan 2012. She has been a long-time academic administrator at UTM, having held the posts of UTM School of Graduate Studies Dean (1 Aug 2009 -14 Jan 2012), UTM Graduate School of Engineering Dean (1 Aug 2007 – 31 July 2009), Deputy Dean (Project Management & Finance), UTM Research Management Center (1 April 2005 – 31 Mar 2007), and Deputy Dean (Graduate Studies & Research) UTM Faculty of Computer Science and Information Systems FSKSM (1 July 1998 – 31 Mar 2005).

In 2005, Prof Rose Alinda was appointed as UTM Professor of Information Systems Management at FSKSM where until December 2013 she has graduated 16 PhD students and is currently supervising 13 PhD students. She obtained her PhD in Information Systems from University of Salford, United Kingdom in January 1998, and MBA, MSc (Computer Information Systems), and BSc Computer Science from University of Miami, Coral Gables, USA in 1985 and 1986. Her research area of expertise is in Knowledge Management, Information Systems Strategy & Planning, and Information Systems Quality.

PROF. DR. AHMAD FAUZI ISMAIL
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation)
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
PROFESSOR AHMAD FAUZI ISMAIL is the Founding Director of Advanced Membrane Technology Research Center (AMTEC) and also the Dean of Research for Materials and Manufacturing Research Alliance of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). Professor Fauzi obtained a PhD. in Chemical Engineering in 1997 from University of Strathclyde and MSc. and BSc. from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 1992 and 1989 respectively. He is the author and co-author of over 350 refereed journals. His current H-index value is 37 with total citation of 5167. He has authored 2 books, 25 book chapters and 2 edited books, 3 Patents granted 17 Patents pending. He have won more than 120 awards and among the outstanding awards are the Malaysia Young Scientist Award in 2000; ASEAN Young Scientist Award in 2001; Two times winner of the National Intellectual Property Award (Patent Category), 2009 and (Product Category), 2013; Two times winner of National Innovation Award (Waste to Wealth Category), 2009 and (Product Category), 2011. Recently, he won National Academic Award (Innovation and Product Commercialization Category) on August 2013 and Malaysian Toray Science and Technology Foundation Award, on 28 November 2013. He is a Fellow of The Academy of Sciences Malaysia, Chartered Engineer in the UK (CEng) and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (FIChemE). At present, he is the Editor of Desalination with Impact Factor of 3.96. Professor Fauzi’s research focuses on development of polymeric, inorganic and novel mixed matrix membranes for water desalination, waste water treatment, gas separation processes, membrane for palm oil refining, photocatalytic membrane for removal of emerging contaminants and polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cell applications. Professor Fauzi has involved extensively in R&D&C for multinational companies related to membrane-based processes for industrial application. He is also the Editorial Board Members of Journal of Membrane Water Treatment (Impact factor 0.436) and the Advisory editorial board member of Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology (Impact factor 2.494). On 4th September 2014, he was announced as The Merdeka Award Winner 2014 for the Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Category. His had secured the R& grant sponsored by government and industries amounted about RM 45,443,000.00. In 2013, Ministry of Education unanimously awarded him the Innovative Action Plan for Human Capital Development Tertiary Level award. Currently Prof. Fauzi is the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
PROF. DR. AZLAN ABDUL RAHMAN
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development)
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

My doctoral thesis is on developing an instrumented inclusion technique for stress measurement in concrete structures. I joined the Department of Structures & Materials, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in 1983 as an Assistant Lecturer, and later a full Lecturer. I am currently a full Professor in Structural Engineering, majoring in Bridge Engineering and Non-Destructive Testing of Concrete Structures. My other fields of interest are in Structural Health Monitoring of Bridges and Forensic Engineering Investigation of Structures. I was born in a small place called Salor, about 12km from Kota Bahru town in Kelantan, Malaysia. I attended my primary education at Salor National Type English Primary School (1967-1972) and continued my secondary education at a fully boarding school in Kelantan Science Secondary School (1973-1977). Currently I am a proud member of the Perintis73, an alumni of the first badge students of the school. After finishing my secondary school, I continued my A-Levels studies at Aberystwyth College of Education in Wales, UK (1977-1979). I later continued the rest of my higher education in the UK from 1980 to 1992. Since joining UTM in 1983, I have served as Head of Postgraduate Studies at Faculty of Civil Engineering, and Deputy Dean of Research Management Centre (1997-2005).Formerly since 2006 until November 2013, I served as Director of Corporate Affairs, and now I am serving as the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development). My other responsibilities also include as Chief Editor for Journal Teknologi and Chairman of Competency Panel for academic staff. I am also a Senate Member of the University from 2006. Currently I am teaching Bridge Engineering and also Structural Assessment and Repair at Masters level. Besides teaching and supervising research students, I do occasionally involve in consulting work in areas of structural forensic engineering and the non-destructive testing of bridges and buildings. My other non-engineering expertise is in the intellectual property management. Some of the awards I obtained during my service years in UTM include :

  • Award for Best Researcher, Faculty of Civil Engineering Research Seminar, UTM, SEPKA ’93, Johor Bahru, 1993.
  • AWARD FOR BEST RESEARCH (First Prize), UTM Research and Development Seminar 1993, Hotel Selesa, Pasir Gudang, Johor 1993.
  • UTM RESEARCH AWARD, Quality Day, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 1994. Award for Best Research, Faculty of Civil Engineering Research Seminar, UTM, SEPKA ’95, Johor Bahru 1995.
  • Award for Best Presenter, Faculty of Civil Engineering Research Seminar, UTM, SEPKA ’95, Johor Bahru 1995.
  • SILVER MEDAL AWARD, Exhibition on R&D Products MINDEX / INNOTEX ’95 organised by Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, August 1995.
  • ANUGERAH KEPUJIAN UNIVERSITI (University Award for Excellence), Quality Day, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, April 1998
PANELIST PROF. DR. MOHD ISMAIL ABD AZIZ
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni)
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Mohd Ismail Abd Aziz is Professor of Mathematics and the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). He is also the Head of Critical Agenda Project (Internationalisation), Higher Education Sector, Ministry of Education Malaysia. He received his BSc (Applied Mathematics and Computer Science) from University of New South Wales, Australia (1982), MSc (Mathematics of Control Systems) from Loughborough University, UK (1987) and PhD (Control Engineering) from City University, London (1999). He is an applied mathematician specialising in dynamic optimisation methods and its applications. Among the research projects conducted include optimisation of a network of reservoirs in flood management, identifying methods to maximise expected returns and minimise risks for investors, developing models to predict the result of international squash competitions, increasing efficiency for wastewater treatment problems, carbon sequestration modeling and strategic timber harvesting methods. He also conducts research in internationalisation of higher education, leading researchers from public and private higher education institutions in formulating the Internationalisation Policy for Higher Education in Malaysia (2011), Operational Framework for International Student Management (2013), and Shift 8: Global Prominence, Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher Education), a 10-year strategy on enhancing Malaysia’s reputation as a choice destination for higher education internationally.
KEYNOTE 1 PROF. DR. CAROLINE MCMILLEN
Vice-Chancellor and President
University of Newcastle
Professor Caroline McMillen was appointed Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Newcastle in October 2011. Throughout her 30-year career in the higher education sector, Professor McMillen has served in research, innovation and teaching leadership positions, as well as national and international roles in medical and health research, strategy and policy development. Prior to moving to Newcastle, she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President of Research and Innovation at the University of South Australia. Her previous academic positions have included Professor, Head of the Department of Physiology and Dean of Science at the University of Adelaide. Professor McMillen is a current Director of the Business Higher Education Round Table, a BE Sydney Ambassador, and member of the NSW Innovation and Productivity Council. She has also served as Convenor of the NSW Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (2013–2014), member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council Working Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders focusing on maternal and perinatal health, and has chaired grant review panels for the Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council. One of the inaugural Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, she has served on a range of international disciplinary bodies, Cooperative Research Centre Boards, as well as on a number of industry and government leadership groups focused on climate change, innovation, defence, manufacturing and the automotive industry. As a biomedical researcher, Professor McMillen is internationally recognised for her work on the impact of the nutritional environment before birth on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and obesity in adult life. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Doctor of Philosophy from Oxford University, and completed her medical training graduating with an MB, BChir at the University of Cambridge.
KEYNOTE 2 PROF. DR. CAROLINE F. BENTON
Vice Presidents of Global Affairs
University of Tsukuba
Caroline Benton is a Professor of Business Strategy at the Faculty of Business Sciences, University of Tsukuba. She was appointed Vice President of Global Affairs in April, 2013, after serving as chair of the MBA Program in International Business and as a member of the university’s International Strategy Committee and the Office of the Advisors to the President. Her mission is to promote global exchange of students, faculty and administrators through trans-border partnerships aimed at creating knowledge and developing the next generation of global leaders who can help contribute to tomorrow’s global society. Prior to her academic career, Caroline Benton worked in business and as a marketing consultant for foreign-affiliated corporations in Japan, where she fostered her interest in business theory. Her current research interests lie in business and innovation strategy, knowledge management, and global leadership; her recent major research projects include a large-scale 12-country, cross-cultural study on the learning mechanism of global leadership competencies, and a 6-country cross-cultural study on the development and education of global-mindedness in youth. In addition to her responsibilities as vice president, she is Director General of the university’s Global Commons, and is contributing to regional society by working on various committees such as Ibaragi Prefecture’s Committee for the Development of New Plans for Promotion of Internationalization, and by serving as Councilor to Tsukuba City’s International Exchange Association. Caroline Benton earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Davis, her MBA degree from the University of Tsukuba, and her PhD in Management Engineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
KEYNOTE 3 PROF. DR. JI-BEOM YOO
Vice President
Sungkyunkwan University

Ji-Beom Yoo (Seoul, South Korea, 1959) is a Professor at School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Korea. Currently, he also holds the position of “Executive Vice President of Sungkyunkwan University and “Director of Research and Business Foundation of SKKU”. He received his B. S. and M. S. degrees in Metallurgical Engineering from Seoul National University in 1982 and 1984. He received his Ph.D. degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University, CA, USA in 1989. His current research interests are synthesis and characterization of carbon nano materials such as CNT and graphene and application for electronics and energy field. He also works on compound semiconductor (CuInGaSe2, Cu2ZnSnS4) solar cells and applications of ALD in OLED.
He served as a senior researcher at Electronics and Telecommunication Research Institute, Korea (1984-89), Visiting Researcher at Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (2000-01), Dean of College of Engineering, SKKU (2010-14) and Deputy Director of Sungkyunkwan Advanced Institute of nanotechnology(SAINT) (2009-14). He has authored more than 30 patents and over 200 publications. He is a member of National Academy of Engineering of Korea. He serves an Editor of several international journals.

KEYNOTE 4 PROF. DR. MICHAEL ADEWUMI
Vice Provost for Global Programs
Professor of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering
Pennsylvania State University
Michael A. Adewumi is the Vice Provost for Global Programs at Penn State and Professor of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering. Michael Adewumi provides leadership for all Penn State’s global engagements, ranging from hosting thousands of students from more than 100 countries, sending thousands of Penn State students to more than 200 study abroad programs overseas and building strategic partnerships with institutions around the world. Prior to assuming this position in October 2007, Professor Adewumi was the Executive Director of AESEDA. The Alliance for Earth Sciences, Engineering and Development in Africa (AESEDA), is a major international multidisciplinary partnership among Penn State University, a select group of African Universities, select Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the US and public and private-sector organizations. The mission of AESEDA is to develop and foster interdisciplinary framework for integrating research, education and outreach aimed at harnessing georesources for sustainable livelihoods in Africa. Dr. Adewumi is Professor and Quentin E. and Louise L. Wood University Endowed Fellow in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at Penn State University. He holds a BS (1st Class Honors) degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, MS and PhD degrees in Gas Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. Prior to joining Penn State in 1985, Dr. Adewumi was a research fellow at the world-renowned Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) in Chicago. He also had prior experience working in the oil industry. Professor Michael Adewumi is an internationally known expert in the areas of natural gas engineering, phase behavior and multiphase fluid dynamics and has published widely in these areas, authoring and/or co-authoring more than 100 technical articles. His research projects have been funded by a wide variety of agencies including National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Engineering Foundation, Multinational oil and gas companies as well as independents. He has consulted for major multinational oil companies, gas companies, UNDP, Gas Research Institute in Chicago, etc. Under his supervision, more than 40 PhD and MS candidates completed their degrees at Penn State. He has also supervised 10 post-doctoral research associates and research associates. In addition, he has taught short courses for multinational oil companies around the world. Dr. Adewumi previously held a number of administrative and governance positions at Penn State including serving as Chair of the Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering graduate program, the on-line Master of Engineering Program in Oil and Gas Engineering Management. In addition, Dr. Adewumi has served Penn State University as a member and chair of committees at all levels (Departmental, College and University). These include Promotion and Tenure Committees and many important Search Committees. He served for many years as an elected member of the University’s Graduate Council. He served as Chair of the Graduate Council committee on Programs and Courses, which reviews and evaluates all new and revised graduate programs. In 2007, Dr. Adewumi served as the inaugural UNESCO Chair in Georesources Management at the University of Ibadan, a partnership initiative among UNESCO, Penn State University, University of Ibadan and University of Cape Town. Trained as an engineer, Dr. Adewumi champions the sustainable management of georesources through appropriate capacity building integrating science, social sciences and engineering. Since 2008, Dr. Adewumi has been a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering.
PANELIST PROF. DR. JONI HERMANA
President
Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS)
Professor Joni HERMANA, is the President of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), the science and technological university in Surabaya – Indonesia, since April 2015. He got the first degree in Environmental Engineering from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) Indonesia in 1986, the Master degree in Environmental Sanitation from the University of Ghent, Belgium (1989–1991); and PhD in Environmental Engineering from University of Newcastle, United Kingdom (1994–1997). He has a higher degree of experience in training, research, and publishing; coupled with experience at professional level as the CKNet-INA Chairman (Collaborative Knowledge Network of 10 Indonesian Universities in Water Sectors and Infrastructures, IWEM 2008-2011), as the technical advisor to the Indonesian Ministry of Public Works in Sanitation Sectors between 2004-2012, and the City of Surabaya (2002-2015). Besides, he is also the LEAD Fellow (Leadership for Environment and Development) since 2001, the international nongovernment organization that promotes sustainable development in global level. Triggered by the COP 13 in Bali (2007), he is now taking parts actively in developing concepts for the implementation of adaptation and mitigation activities, especially in the human settlements sector in Indonesia, by involving himself as the TCRP (The Climate Change Reality Project) Leader Indonesia.
PANELIST PROF. DR. PETER EDWARDS
Director
Singapore-ETH Centre
Peter Edwards studied natural sciences at Cambridge University in England, specializing in botany, and graduated in 1970. In 1973 he obtained his Ph.D. degree, also from Cambridge, for a thesis entitled-Nutrient cycling in a New Guinea montane forest?. From 1973 to 1993 he was a lecturer/senior lecturer in ecology at the University of Southampton in England. Since 1993 he has been a professor of plant ecology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, where he also served as dean of the Department of Environmental Systems Science. Peter Edwards has always had a strong interest in the application of science and technology for better policy. He was a founder and first executive secretary of the Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management, a professional organization for environmental practitioners. At ETH he was faculty coordinator and member of the executive board of the Alliance for Global Sustainability, a research partnership between several leading universities. He is now director of the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability, where he also conducts his own research into the environmental benefits of urban greenery.
PANELIST PROF. DR. SUKARNO DILAUSAN TANGGOL
Chancellor
Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology
Dr. Sukarno D. Tanggol is Professor of Public Administration in the Mindanao State University System and is the former Philippine Ambassador to the State of Kuwait. He finished his doctorate degree in Public Administration (Cognates in Islamic Studies) in 1992 at the University of the Philippines and was named Outstanding Alumnus for Peace and Social Cohesion by the UP Alumni Association in 2013. Dr. Tanggol’s researches revolved around Muslim Autonomy and Self-determination. His published books include Muslim Autonomy in the Philippines: Rhetoric and Reality, 1993 and Regional Autonomy and Federalism: Concepts and Issues for the Bangsamoro Government, 2012. The latter was an output of a fellowship at the Institute of Federalism, University of Fribourg, Switzerland in 2009-2010. Dr. Tanggol has shared his writings and researches on governance and policy issues especially on the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in various local and international fora. He also contributed in various assignments and initiatives such as the ARMM Social Fund for Peace and Development and the National Centennial Commission among others, in formulating and analyzing policies and in conducting research and analysis of issues. At present, Dr. Tanggol is the Chancellor of the MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City.

 

 

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION SLIDE: Click on Title for download

Keynote 1
Building Collaborative Partnerships between Universities, Government, Industry and Communities
Prof. Dr. Caroline McMillen, The University of Newcastle, Australia
Keynote 2
Creation of a Flexible Education and Research Structure for the Making of a Future Society
Abstract
Prof. Dr. Caroline F. Benton, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Keynote 3
Academia-Industry Collaboration in Knowledge Creation and Innovation – Lessons from South Korea
Prof. Ji-Beom Yoo, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea
Keynote 4
Research and Development as Driver of Sustainable Economic Development
Abstract
Prof. Dr. Michael Adebola Adewumi, Pennsylvania State University, USA

PANELIST DISCUSSION:

Prof. Dr. Mohd Ismail Bin Abd Aziz, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Abstract
Prof. Ir. Dr. Joni Hermana, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember
Abstract
Prof. Peter Edwards, Singapore-ETH Centre
Abstract
Prof. Dr. Sukarno Dilausan Tanggol, Mindanao State University – Illigan Institute of Technology
Abstract