ISSUE 58 I ISSN 1675 - 2023 I APRIL - JUNE 2016
Building on the Strength of Our People
2 UTP Quarterly
MESSAGE
FROM THE VC
Datuk Ir (Dr) Abdul Rahim Hj Hashim
For any organisation or business entity,
one of the key ingredients to function
well and more importantly to succeed in
their goals and endeavours, is teamwork.
We all know the Aesop fable about how
one stick can easily be broken, but it
is not impossible to break a bundle of
sticks tied together. Similarly, behind the
success of an organisation, collective
teamwork and camaraderie strengthened
by unity of purpose, is unbeatable and
unbreakable. For 1+1 does not equal to 2
in this instance, but rather 1+1= 11.
Here at UTP, I am glad to say that this
has been one of the supporting factors
behind our success in becoming
Malaysia’s top private university. The
entire community within the university,
staff as well as students, are well aware
of the goals and targets of UTP, and
in knowing this, work together for the
common goal.
I am glad to say that one of the best
things about UTP is the camaraderie
among the staff as well as the student
body, as we strive Towards Global
Prominence.
As the world grows smaller each day
as a result of rapid development of
technology and communication, it is
also heartening to see the cross-cultural
relationships of the global community
reflected right here in our own backyard.
As one of the strengths of our university,
the diverse experiences with people from
all creeds and origins and all walks of
life prepare our graduates well for their
adventure into the world out there.
For at the end of the day, the strength of
any organisation is marked and defined
by the strength of its people; and at UTP,
we are not only building university of the
finest repute and calibre, we are building
the future generation.
While each and every person has his
or her own strengths and capabilities,
interests and passions, together they will
come together to form a complete body
that is taking UTP further into the worlds
of academia, science and research.
UTP Quarterly 3
Feature Story
Teaching Excellence
Recognised…
Gifts, presents, awards. We all love
them, anytime, anywhere, always!
They represent milestones,
accomplishments and recognitions for
achievements and jobs well done.
We at UTP love them too! Especially
as awards and recognitions boost up
credibility, prestige, reputation and
status. This time round we applaud the
success of four UTP staff who were
recognised as outstanding educators
in the realm of private education in
Malaysia.
For while these awards celebrate the
personal and private victories of the
individual recipients, they are also a
reflection of the calibre and talent that
we have at UTP as a university that is
fast gaining international reputation for
excellence and quality.
This award is under the auspices of
the Private Education Cooperative of
Malaysia, with the awards ceremony
held in conjunction with the annual
Teachers’ Day celebrations held on 16th
May each year .
It recognises outstanding teachers
and educators in Malaysia who
are dedicated and committed in
their service to students of all ages.
Teachers of all levels of students, from
the pre-schooler to the university
graduate, are recognised in various
categories ranging from teaching, law
education, science, arts and design,
engineering, research and innovation
and humanities.
With 250 educators from 48 private
institutions, including universities in
attendance, the event was, needless
to say, a colourful gathering of
intellectuals who came together to
celebrate the accomplishments and
achievements of their peers.
4 UTP Quarterly
It also highlighted the increasingly
important role that private educational
institutions play in Malaysia, especially
in the light of the ever-increasing
demand for education in our country.
Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Yahaya Ibrahim, the
Patron of the Cooperative mentioned
that recognition for private educations
in Malaysia is somewhat insufficient.
“Private educators are now the biggest
contributors and the driving force of
the education industry in the country
and we need to acknowledge and
recognise this fact,” he said.
The Cooperative, formed just recently
aims to empower its members through
education and training opportunities.
It will also pave the way for welfare
and financial assistance while creating
investment opportunities for good
returns. Membership is open to
teachers, lecturers, employees of
education institutions, owners of
institutions, students above 18 years of
age, parents and all stakeholders in the
private education industry.
20 awards were given out this year
from a total of 250 nominations from
48 educational institutions.
Some of the esteemed teachers who
were honoured at this event held at the
Brickfields Asia College were Emeritus
Professor Datuk Dr Ibrahim Ahmad
Bajunid, Emeritus Professor Dr Lee Fah
Onn (INTI), Datuk Professor Joseph
Adaikalam (Binary University), Assoc
Professor Ir Dr Low Kaw Sai (UTAR),
Professor Dr Murali Raman (Multimedia
University), and Assoc Professor Dr
Zulkifflee Bin Mohamed (Universiti Tun
Abdul Razak).
Here are our winners..let’s see what
made them stand out as excellent
teachers.
Dr Mohammad Tazli Azizan National Outstanding Educator Award
(University Category)
With a PhD in Chemical Engineering,
Dr Mohammad Tazli teaches core
engineering courses at UTP, with a focus
on Reaction Engineering.
Understanding the needs of today’s
student, he sums it up this way:
“Students to be entertained in class, and
ultimately spoon-fed. Just like watching
a good movie, if the lecturer is good they
will be entertained, otherwise the movie
review will be bad.
“I do not give them a movie, as it were.
Instead my goal is to create the movie
with them, and this I do by empowering
them and encouraging teamwork in the
classroom.”
Students in Dr Mohammad Tazli’s class
then, are very often tasked with projects
that require the contribution of everyone.
They also need to put on their thinking
caps and take initiatives to seek out
answers and solutions. This is where
Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)
come in.
In keeping with today’s technology,
he also makes sure that he keeps in
communication with his students
through social media.
“I also share online videos and
incorporate the flipped classroom
concept which draws in more student
engagement and participation. This
makes them prepare before hand and
so they have to read more, do more and
learn more.”
For Dr Mohammad Tazli, his approach
to teaching is very much a marriage of
chemical engineering and multi-media
and this dedicated and committed
lecturer goes all out to engage his
students by using all sorts of multi-media
applications to stay in tune with current
trends.
At the end of the day, he says that a
good lecturer is able to start the interest
and passion of the students and keep
them motivated to learn. It is not merely
about the technical content; the learning
atmosphere is very important today as
well, and student must feel that they are
truly learning.
“Instilling self-learning
skills, empowering
teamwork among
students and
nurturing values such
as grit and empathy.
This is what I feel
are some of the key
things that students
need to learn today,
and this is what I
teach.”
“Another aspect is the student-teacher
relationship. There is no teaching if there
is no relationship and I make it a point to
cultivate good relationships with as many
students as I can.”
Associate Professor Dr Lau Kok Keong National Outstanding Innovator Award
(University Category)
Curiosity, enthusiasm and the acceptance
of failure - these are the hallmarks of a
successful innovator, says this winner.
In tandem with this, he teaches
separation processes, fluid dynamics and
thermodynamics at UTP.
Armed with these, Prof Lau delves into
research in membrane technology,
absorption technology, process modelling
and scale-up and computational fluid
dynamics. While all these words, not to
mention the actual science themselves,
are a mouthful to the lay-person, to Prof
Lau, these areas are his passion and his
life-work.
Prof Lau says that science and innovation
have a significant role in society, as it is
through this exciting and infinite area
that the world progresses and grows.
“As a scientist, we need to be sensitive
to the world around us, to the issues
and challenges faced by people and
UTP Quarterly 5
Feature Story
industries. Our role is to find the
solutions to these challenges and make
things better, so to speak.”
Simultaneously, for UTP, he adds,
innovation is crucial to generate
outstanding research output in order to
support UTP’s aspiration towards global
prominence.
“I am honoured and grateful that my
research has been recognised by this
local body. It adds value to the work
that I am doing while directly benefiting
industries as well.”
Prof Lau has also won Gold medals at
the British Invention Show and ITEX as
well as a Silver medal in MTE.
Prof Lau’s award was for software
product commercialisation to
industries.
“Innovation is an
essential key and
catalyst to continuous
productivity of a
society, while also
enhancing the quality
of life.”
Associate Professor Dr Irraivan Elamvazuthi National Outstanding Researcher Award
(University Category)
Prof Irraivan has a goal : to one day
help paraplegics to walk again.
“I hope one day the research output
under my guidance could be translated
into a cost-effective innovative system
to enable paraplegics in Malaysia to
walk again.”
With this goal spurring him on, Prof
Irraivan’s work today is concentrated
on developing assistive robotic
technologies in the form of
exoskeletons for upper and lower
limb rehabilitation. This encompasses
hardware design and intelligent control
algorithms.
“Robotics is an exciting field that is
attracting more and more attention
from the scientific community today.
There is a world of possibilities here
and there is so much that we can look
forward to in this field. This science
is most certainly on the precipice of
becoming the next big thing in the
world.”
Currently teaching “Control Systems”
and “Circuit Theory” at undergraduate
level at UTP, he says his favourite
course is the former.
“I really like to see my students
learn the important theoretical
aspects of Control and apply it to
real world examples. To realise this, I
6 UTP Quarterly
have adopted the CDIO concept to
encourage them to carry out projects
using robotics kits.”
As for his take on research, Prof
Irraivan says that research output yields
new knowledge that could be firstly,
ploughed back for academic teaching
both at undergraduate and graduate
setting, and secondly, for producing
innovative products that could benefit
the society at large.
Receiving the award for his work in
“Robotics and Automation” Prof Irraivan
has an impressive array of awards,
having received, among others, 10 Gold
Medals in various ITEX and National and
International Robotics Competitions.
“Apart from selfmotivation, flexibility
and adaptability are
key attributes that a
researcher needs to
have to pursue his / her
goals”
Professor Dr Azmi Mohd Shariff National Outstanding Researcher Award
(University Category)
Passionate and committed - if there are
any two words to describe Prof Azmi,
these would be it.
“There is a great need for process safety
experts and UTP will have the privilege of
producing some of them.”
Deep into the world of process safety,
this scientist has taken it upon himself
to enlighten the industry about the
utmost importance of safety, especially
in the highly volatile and flammable
environment of the oil and gas industry.
His ultimate goal, through research as
well as training, is to fill the needs and
gaps of industry for safe operation of
process plant in hazardous environment
without major accidents that could
cause huge fatalities, asset damage, and
environmental pollution.
Towards this end, he works tirelessly with
industry as well as relevant governmental
bodies to create awareness on the
matters of process safety. He also
works with the authorities to formulate
guidelines and regulations in this area.
“Process safety is something that has not
been implemented properly in this part
of the world. If you really look at it, this
is something very crucial as accidents,
especially in the oil and gas environment
can lead to disastrous consequences.”
“My work at UTP, not only focusses on
research in process safety but we also
train, educate and create awareness,” he
says.
“My vision is for UTP to
be an industrial partner
of choice and centre
of reference in process
safety”
“All research is only as good as the
benefit it offers to society. Research
has no value if it is merely for academic
purposes and what we must do as
scientists is to produce something that
would help people and industry.”
With this firm belief, Prof Azmi has
led numerous research projects and
secured cumulative grants exceeding
RM35 million. He has filed more than
20 patents and has in excess of 150
publications to his name in indexed
scientific journals.
Prof Azmi is also a member of the Top
Research Scientists of Malaysia (TRSM).
Prof Azmi is also the man behind UTP’s
newest Masters programme - MSc in
Process Safety - which will start early
next year.
UTP Quarterly 7
Safety Does
Not Happen by
Accident…
News
CAPS recently signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) with the
IChemE Safety Centre (ISC).
The team-up between ISC and CAPS was formalised at a
signing ceremony at IChemE’s Hazards 2016 conference
in Singapore. It will pave the way for collaboration and
technical coordination between the two parties in the
areas of process safety education, continuing professional
development and strategic leadership.
It will also lead to the building of strategic links with
industry, government and international bodies in Malaysia
in this area.
This agreement is indeed timely in keeping with the
increasing focus on process safety around the world. It will
bring IChemE’s expertise to a new audience in Malaysia
and open pathways to a wider take up of IChemE’s
Professional Process Safety engineer registration.
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Sou
p
u
d
e
p
u
wifi!
Faster internet, better connections, improved
connectivity… this is what we can look forward to
in the near future as UTP becomes more of a digital
heaven for the higher goal of knowledge and global
connectivity.
This is because UTP recently tied up
with Celom Axiata to expand its wireless
facilities that will make the campus one
of the best, if not THE best, internet
connectivity spots in Seri Iskandar.
Celcom has deployed 600 WIFI access
points, covering indoor and outdoor
areas within UTP. All access points are
secured with unique ID and password
requirements and will offer a minimum
of 1 Gbps of high speed internet with
broader and faster wireless access and
latest technology.
Through this collaboration, UTP
community can enjoy a premium internet
service, only available at UTP, with
multiple internet data plan at a minimum
of 22.5 Gigabytes data per month
offered by Celcom Axiata. The seamless
super connectivity 24-hours a day will
especially benefit the students, providing
a doorway to limitless information to
magnify and enrich the learning process.
Meanwhile, UTP and Celom Axiata
are also looking forward to strategical
collaboration for the development
of undergraduates via internship
opportunities and entrepreneurial
programmes. The two organisations
will be collaborating in various key
initiatives towards the development of
UTP undergraduates, with Celcom Axiata
becoming one of UTP Industry Advisory
Panel members.
UTP Quarterly 9
Our Very First
News
Brand Laureate
Award
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Not only are we achieving
commendable success in
international academic/
university rankings, we also
recently clinched our very first
Brand Laureate Award.
UTP received the 2015-2016 President’s Award Best Brands in Tertiary Education – Engineering,
Science and Technology from the Asia Pacific
Brands Foundation this June.
This is all thanks to the strategies and initiatives of
our UTP Brand Lab who have put in much effort to
brand and position UTP as a leading engineering,
science and technology university in the world.
This recognition is truly meaningful and significant
as it reflects our concerted focus on enhancing the
quality of our academic and research initiatives.
The fact that we won this award despite our
comparatively low advertising and marketing
budget, tells an even bigger story about our
credibility and position in the education market.
We are also glad that although we have inherited
the brand and reputation of PETRONAS, we are
making waves in our own right. We have enhanced
our own unique brand identity and positioned
ourselves as the top university in engineering,
science and technology.
Each and every one of us is part of the UTP Brand.
This is our success and we continue our journey of
excellent with even higher aspirations!
Go UTP!
UTP Quarterly 11
A Visit from Pembroke
News
College of Cambridge
UTP hosted Lord Smith of Finsbury, the Master of
Pembroke College Cambridge during his visit in April
this year.
This visit was a follow up to the MoU
signed between both parties on 1 January
2015, with the link between UTP and the
University of Cambridge dating back to
2012.
We also have MOA with Cambridge
Admissions Testing Service (ATS) that
provides assessment tools and services
UTP now uses for the selection of
applicants for UTP’s foundation and
undergraduate programmes.
“Pembroke is proud of this burgeoning
connection with UTP and we look
12 UTP Quarterly
forward to welcoming the ViceChancellor, Datuk Ir (Dr) Abdul Rahim
Hashim, as well as other distinguished
representatives of UTP, into the
Pembroke community in Cambridge,”
said the Master of Pembroke.
UTP is anticipating working with
Pembroke College in the areas of
secondments, student placements,
seminars, workshops, lectures and other
collaborative efforts of mutual interest.
A Green Prize that
Does Us Proud
Associate Professor Dr
Suzana Yusup did us
proud when she clinched
the second prize in
the Elsevier Green and
Sustainable Chemistry
Challenge 2016 held in
Berlin, Germany. She
triumphed over 500
proposals that were
submitted to emerge as
one of the five finalists.
The Elsevier Green and Sustainable
Chemistry Challenge 2016 is open
to individuals or organisations
operating in the not-for-profit and
for-profit sectors from all countries.
Projects can be in any field of Green
or Sustainable Chemistry as long
as they are applicable for use in
developing countries.
Dr Suzana’s project - “Biopesticide
for Improvement of Paddy Yield”was awarded a research grant worth
€25,000. Her innovation is a waterbased biopesticide that uniquely
combines different plant extracts to
improve the productivity of paddy
fields.
community. As such, the project
also falls in line with UTP’s
corporate social responsibility
agenda as well as supports
Malaysia’s focus on ensuring food
security.
The research was a collaboration
between Perak Tengah Agriculture
Department, Bio-X Techno Sdn Bhd
and biomass processing cluster
under the Centre for Biofuel and
Biochemical Research UTP.
This is just one of UTP’s many
research areas which are poised to
offer much benefit to industries,
societies and applications across
the board.
Improved productivity of the
paddy fields can in turn increase
the income of the surrounding
UTP Quarterly 13
Showcasing UTP
From the campus of Seri Iskandar
to the heart of the city,the Meet
UTP@Galeri PETRONAS attracted
potential students from all over the
country.
This annual event aimed at prospective students and
parents and showcases the courses that we offer
and outlining admission requirements. It provides
an overview of other key student issues such as
accommodation and financial assistance.
News
We also have admission and career consultation,
courtesy of the staff and alumni of the university.
Held in April this year in collaboration with Galeri
PETRONAS, this year’s event incorporated impressive
visuals of UTP through a 3D presentation that brought
UTP right into the heart of the city.
The visual tour provided visitors an insight into the
campus grounds, taking them through the 1,000 acre
campus and the modern and fully-equipped faculty
buildings, bringing UTP to life.
The Meet UTP@Galeri PETRONAS was a fun-filled
event with quizzes and info hunt open to visitors with
attractive prizes up for grabs.
An extra for this year’s event was the fact that potential
students were able to apply directly for the July 2016
intake by bringing along a copy of their academic
result and identity card.
It was a job well done and an event to be proud of!
Step
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Going from good to
even better, we have
climbed further up the
Quacquarelli Symonds
(QS) World University
Rankings by Subject for
Chemical Engineering
and Mechanical
Engineering.
From a spot within the Top 200 in
Chemical Engineering we have moved
to the Top 150. Mechanical Engineering
also rose from Top 250 to Top 200. The
improvement is especially significant for
the latter, as it only made it into the QS
ranking list last year.
We must also commend the Electrical
& Electronic Engineering and Computer
Science & Information Systems subjects for
keeping its position in the Top 250 and Top
350 respectively.
institutions in four of the 42 subjects
featured in this ranking based on academic
reputation, employer reputation and
research impact.
As icing on the cake, UTP is ranked at
127th in the QS Asian University Rankings
2016. A significant jump from our position
between number 151 - 160 in 2015. With
this achievement, we still remain as the
best private university in the nation.
Here’s to us as we march further
Towards Global Prominence.
With this achievement, QS has recognised
UTP as being amongst the world’s elite
p-by-Step
Up the Global Ranks of Academia
UTP Quarterly 15
News
Great Minds to Convene at
It will be a sight to
behold and an event
not to be missed; for to
have more than 1,400
scientific experts from
more than 50 countries
all in one place is no
mean feat indeed.
ESTCON2016 will once again bring
together research and development
experts from the world over to
brainstorm and share ideas towards a
more sustainable future at the Kuala
Lumpur Convention Centre from August
15 to 17 this year.
They will pit minds and wit, ideas and
creativity with government officials and
industry players for an effort to make the
world a better place. This year’s theme
Engineering, Science, Technology
and Humanities: Convergence for a
Sustainable Future - is fitting indeed
as we grapple with the myriad of
environmental issues facing us today.
ESTCON2016, the fourth biennial
congress, is expected to be our biggest
and best yet, and we anticipate more
16 UTP Quarterly
than 3,000 delegates from universities,
industry and the general public.
The event will also feature “Innovation
Pitching” which will facilitate
commercialisation opportunities. It will
be a platform for inventors to introduce
their new creations to potential investors,
creating a link between the worlds of
science and business that could lead to
the increase of varsity revenues and job
opportunities.
We will have nine conferences running
simultaneously, covering a myriad of
agendas and topics from leadership and
entrepreneurship to nanotechnology,
green computing and geo-technology,
among others.
Another One
for The Books
We congratulate Professor Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abd Mutalib,
UTP Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic, on his recent
appointment as a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia
(ASM) in the discipline of Engineering & Computer Sciences.
He is the fourth from UTP to become an ASM fellow.
Prof Dr M Ibrahim is a Chemical Engineering graduate from
the University of New South Wales. He holds a MSc and PhD
from the University of Manchester, Institute of Science and
Technology, in the field of Process Integration.
Previously the Dean of the Engineering Faculty, he is the new
Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic and he has held various
important positions within UTP. Outside our walls, Prof Dr M
Ibrahim is a respected and esteemed leader who holds several
leadership roles within PETRONAS and government agencies.
He is also active in the international scene and is a peer reviewer
for many international journals in his field.
Passionate about research and innovation, he is exploring a
new area involving ionic liquids that has been known to have
significant potential for replacing conventional organic solvents
due to their greener properties.
His goal is to create a bigger role for ionic liquids in the industry
through process design and integration. This is a relatively new
arena with much to be explored and many gaps to be filled and
presents a challenge that Prof Dr M Ibrahim is truly enthusiastic
about.
UTP Quarterly 17
Never Stop
Learning
Alumni
UTP graduates make their mark
everywhere they go. This attests to the
learning and the character building they
undergo during their time here with us
at UTP.
We at UTP believe our students can do
anything they set their minds to, and
succeed in whatever endeavour they
delve into, be it climbing the ranks of the
corporate ladder, building businesses and
simply making a difference.
As Napoleon Hill said…Whatever the
mind can conceive and believe it can
achieve and these are some of our
graduates who have personified this
statement.
Lothfi Ishak
Project Engineer
Premier Six Pte Ltd
In today’s economic scenario, both locally
and globally, it is easy to feel dismal about
job prospects and opportunities. However,
a positive attitude and a cheerful outlook
coupled with good work ethic and initiative
will always place one in an advantageous
position regardless of situations.
“I did not just want a degree, I was
determined to improve and better myself in
every way possible, especially my English.
To improve my English I read novels, spoke
to everyone in English, and even started a
blog, asking friends to help me to correct
grammar and sentences.”
It is also much more pleasant and uplifting
to be in the company of such people, don’t
you think?
“As for soft skills, which are so important
today, I immersed myself in various
activities and events and each and every
activity became a learning opportunity for
me.”
Well, meet Muhammad Lothfi, a UTP
alumni who graduated just last year.
His bright outlook and positive attitude has
carried him through what he calls “failures”
in his life and kept him buoyed with hope
and expectations.
Alumni
“Failure is something that is part and parcel
of success, and the lack of something,
be it a skill or any piece of information of
knowledge should never be a hindrance or
a stumbling block,” he said.
One of the areas which he felt that he was
lacking in was his command of the English
language, which he said was one of the
reasons he failed to secure a scholarship
to study overseas. Nevertheless, he
finally secured a JPA scholarship to study
Mechanical Engineering at UTP.
The 4 years he spent at UTP moulded
and developed him into the confident
and secure young man he is today.
This is because he not only see that
serious opportunities available for self
improvement and self development, but
more importantly took action and initiative.
18 UTP Quarterly
UTP, said Muhammad Lothfi, is an excellent
platform to develop people skills and
leadership characteristics and if one had
the right attitude, there is much learning
that is available.
So, backed up by the learning and
the various skills he obtained at UTP,
Muhammad Lothfi today works for a
Singapore-based company which is an
overseas representative of Petro China.
Being able to speak Mandarin as well places
him in an excellent position when dealing
with the Chinese representatives.
Wise beyond his years, with an outlook that
is imbued with enthusiasm and ambition
yet tinged with practicality, he has this to
say:
“Be open to learning new things and
avail yourself to new experiences and
opportunities. There are myriad of
opportunities if you are open to variables
and changes in life. There is a whole lot of
opportunities out there, and a whole lot of
life to live. Do not set limits and GO LIVE!”
The Little Extra
That Counts....
Wan Abdul Hakim
Software Validation Engineer
Intel Malaysia
One of the crucial ingredients to a
successful step into the working world
upon graduation is, aside from expertise
in your chosen field, to “know a bit of
everything” and to know exactly what
you are looking for.
These are the words from Wan Abdul
Hakim, who not too long ago graduated
from UTP with a degree in Electrical and
Electronics.
With a clear goal in mind to work
with Intel Malaysia, he sent in his job
application, immediately after his final
examination, and the rest as they say, is
history.
“Within a month, I secured a position
with Intel Malaysia. I was probably
quite fortunate in that the company
was looking for people to expand the
department I am attached with at that
time. So it was also a matter of being in
the right place at the right time,” he said.
With a major in embedded systems, he is
now a software valuation engineer with
the company.
Wan Abdul Hakim added that having
a good working knowledge of the
company you are applying to is also
undoubtedly an advantage. This would
equip you with information about what
they are looking for and enable one to
offer the right services to fulfil company
needs and requirements.
“This would of course increase your
chances of securing your position.”
However, everyone knows that today’s
job market is highly competitive
and companies are looking for that
something extra, aside from book
knowledge and related skills and stellar
grades.
This, Wan Abdul Hakim, said, is
obtained through active participation in
campus and student activities outside
the classroom. For him, his passion
in electronics led him to a robotics
competition, among other things.
“Activities such as these teach you how
to withstand pressure and work in a
stressful environment. The lessons you
learn from this would come in handy for
the working world and also prepare you
to handle the stress.”
Towards this end, UTP has a whole
host of facilities and a wide range of
opportunities to offer students. The
university curriculum and philosophy
themselves are geared towards
developing a student as a whole person,
covering all areas of expertise and skills
to produce well-rounded and adaptable
graduates.
However, it must be said that for all
the facilities and opportunities, it is the
student himself or herself who must take
the initiatives and take advantage of what
the university offers.
“It is a no brainer that personal initiative
is a core ingredient. Also remember that
your lecturers are there to help. You
will be delighted to learn that they are
very approachable and helpful and will
be able to guide you towards the right
direction.”
UTP Quarterly 19
welcome aboard
29 new staff members joined us during the months of April to June this year. We welcome our new
colleagues from both far and near and we wish you a great journey with us here at UTP.
Abdelaziz Yousif Ahmed Almahi
Lecturer
Faculty of Engineering
Mohamad Pilus Aisa
Executive
Student Support Services
Nuur Israa Kamarudin
Executive
Registry
Adifazli Radzi Pradap
Clerk
Research & Innovation Office
Mohamad Radzi Ahmad
Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Engineering
Putri Yasmine Mat Poad
Clerk
Student Support Services
Afolabi Lukmon Owolabi
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Research & Innovation Office
Mohd Ashraf Syazwan Jumraizah
Clerk
Property Management & Maintenance
Saiful Anuar Mohd
Executive
Information Technology & Media Services
Ali A. Ati
Senior Research Officer
Research & Innovation Office
Mohd Dzul Hakim Wirzal
Lecturer
Faculty of Engineering
Siti Asmah Daud
Lecturer
Faculty of Engineering
Dzeti Farhah Mohdshim
Lecturer
Faculty of Geosciences & Petroleum
Engineering
Mohd Soperi Mohd Zahid
Associate Professor
Faculty of Science & Information
Technology
Tengku Zulhilmi Tengku Hariffadzilla
Clerk
Corporate Services
Eemir Syhafiq Roslan
Executive
Quality Management Unit
Muhammad Firdaus Haron
Executive
Information Technology & Media Services
Fabrice Meriaudeau
Professor
Faculty of Engineering
Muhammad Hakim Shafie
Executive
Research & Innovation Office
Haizatul Hafizah Hussain
Lecturer
Faculty of Geosciences & Petroleum
Engineering
Muhammad Roil Bilad
Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Engineering
Lee Jang Hyun
Associate Professor
Faculty of Geosciences & Petroleum
Engineering
Manzoor Ahmed Hashmani
Associate Professor
Faculty of Science & Information
Technology
Myo Myint
Associate Professor
Faculty of Geosciences & Petroleum
Engineering
Wafaa Khazaal Shams
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Faculty of Engineering
Wan Fahmin Faiz Wan Ali
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Research & Innovation Office
Wan Zinnirah Badlishah Sham
Executive
Corporate Services
Wirakaswita Munar
Executive
Strategic Alliance Office
Nada Safwanah Yon
Administrative Assistant
Faculty of Science & Information
Technology
UTP Quarterly is the quarterly newsletter of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS. The views and opinions expressed or implied are
those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University’s management. No article in part or in whole
should be reprinted without written permission.
Editorial correspondence and contributions can be addressed to:
The Editor-In-Chief, UTP Quarterly, Corporate Services,
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
Tel: 605-368 8230