Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lee Siew Ling

5–9 August 2026 | Universiti Malaya

Some programs become memorable not because of the schedule or the final result, but because of the people and experiences we share along the way.

From 5 to 9 August 2026, I had the privilege of serving as a mentor to four UTM students in the Program National Maker-Preneur 2025/2026: Tan Li Ying, Yu Kok Yang, Cheng Shin Thong, and Lim Le Xuan. The program was held at Universiti Malaya and involved 180 students from 20 local higher education institutions.

A memorable moment with my UTM mentees at the National Maker-Preneur 2025/2026 programme. From left to right:  myself, Dr. Lee Siew Ling,  Cheng Shin Thong, Lim Le Xuan, Yu Kok Yang, Tan Li Ying.

Over these few days, I had the opportunity to watch them transform an initial idea into something more tangible through discussion, prototype development using 3D printing technique, repeated improvements, and finally, pitching.

As a mentor, I helped the students with sample analysis, poster preparation, and product commercialization planning. I wanted them to think, discuss, and arrive at their own solutions. To me, mentoring is not about telling students exactly what to do. It is about guiding them to become confident enough to make their own decisions. The students always exceeded my expectations. 

The following days at Makerspace@UM were probably the most demanding. The team went through mentor review sessions, hands-on prototype development using 3D printing, and repeated pitching practices. We had long discussions, changed direction, and sometimes had to rethink certain ideas. The students became more confident in expressing their opinions, solving problems, and working together as a team.

Then came the Pitching Competition on 8 August.

The UTM team presenting their idea during the Pitching Competition.

Watching them present was a proud moment for me. Li Ying, Kok Yang, and Shin Thong did a very good presentation introducing their product – BloomShield”. Including Le Xuan, the four of them defended their idea and the prototype design confidently in front of the judges. The audience saw only a short presentation, but as their mentor, I saw everything behind it — the discussions, corrections, rehearsals, uncertainties, and many small improvements that brought them to that stage.

By the closing ceremony at Dewan Tunku Canselor, Universiti Malaya (UM), I realized that the most valuable outcome was not simply about winning. It was about learning how to turn an idea into action, accept feedback, communicate confidently, and keep improving when something doesn’t work the first time.

Together with my four UTM mentees at the National Maker-Preneur 2025/2026. 

Special thanks to the organizers, Universiti Malaya and Makerspace@UM, for creating such a valuable learning platform. To Li Ying, Kok Yang, Shin Thong, Le Xuan and Ke Xin, who was absent during the program, I hope this experience stays with you beyond the competition. Keep questioning, experimenting, and creating.

For me, these three days at UM were not simply another mentoring programme. They reminded me that mentors also learn from their students through their creativity, energy, resilience, and willingness to try. That’s what made this journey truly meaningful.

On 6 August 2026, CSNano UTM was happy to co-host the Porous Materials Workshop 2026 together with Chiang Mai University (CMU), Thailand.

The workshop was conducted in a hybrid format and received more than 271 registrations from over 16 countries and territories, involving more than 55 institutions and organizations. It was wonderful to see researchers, academics and students from different backgrounds coming together to share knowledge and ideas on porous and advanced functional materials.

Throughout the day, we had the opportunity to learn from distinguished keynote and invited speakers who shared their expertise in material design, synthesis, catalysis, sensing, energy, environmental applications and sustainable materials.

At UTM, CSNano also hosted a live participation session at the Ibnu Sina Institute. Assoc. Prof. ChM. Dr. Lee Siew Ling, Director of CSNano UTM, addressed the participants and shared CSNano’s commitment to building stronger international research connections.

More than just a workshop, the programme provided a great opportunity to meet new people, exchange ideas and explore possibilities for future research collaborations, publications and student engagement.

We are grateful to all the speakers, organizers, collaborators and participants who made the workshop a meaningful and enjoyable experience. We look forward to more opportunities to learn, connect and collaborate in the future!

https://news.utm.my/2026/08/csnano-utm-strengthens-global-research-collaboration-through-porous-materials-workshop-2026

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), through the Centre for Sustainable Nanomaterials (CSNano), ISI-SIR, welcomed a delegation from Hainan Normal University (HNNU), China, from 20 to 24 July 2026.

The delegation was led by Prof. Dr. Wei Sun, Director of the Key Laboratory of Laser Technology and Optoelectronic Functional Materials of Hainan Province and Director of the Hainan International Joint Research Center of Marine Advanced Photoelectric Functional Materials. He was accompanied by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hongji Li, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Xiaoping Zhang and Dr. Dan Zhang.

The delegation participated in research discussions with representatives from ISI-SIR, CSNano, the UTM Laser Centre, and the Faculty of Science. The discussions focused on future collaboration in functional materials, nanoscience, optoelectronic materials, and laser technology.

The delegates also visited several research facilities, including the UTM Laser Centre, laboratories at the Faculty of Science, and UTM Central Laboratory.

A key highlight was the Colloquium on Functional Materials and Nanotechnology, jointly organized by CSNano and HNNU on 23 July 2026. The programme featured presentations by HNNU delegates and UTM researchers, providing a platform for knowledge sharing and future research partnerships.

The visit concluded with a meeting with UTM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof. Dr. Ali Selamat. Overall, the programme marked another positive step in strengthening international academic and research collaboration between UTM and HNNU.

UTM and Hainan Normal University strengthen collaboration in functional materials and nanoscience – UTM NewsHub

CSNano was pleased to welcome Prof. Dr. He Tengbing and Assoc. Prof. Dr. He Guandi from the College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, China, during their visit from 13 to 20 July 2026.

Throughout the visit, we had meaningful discussions on ongoing research activities and future opportunities to strengthen collaboration between CSNano, UTM, and Guizhou University.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. He Guandi previously served as a Visiting Scholar at CSNano for one year beginning in June 2025. During this period, he collaborated closely with CSNano researchers and co-authored six research articles published in Q1 and Q2 journals.

We look forward to continuing this productive partnership and exploring more opportunities for joint research and publications.

Researchers from the Centre for Sustainable Nanomaterials (CSNano), Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (ISI-SIR), and the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), recently visited the Centre for Advanced 2D Materials (CA2DM) at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The visit was organised following an invitation from the Director of CA2DM, Prof. Dr. Antonio Helio Castro Neto, who had previously visited CSNano on 3 March 2026. It marked another important step towards building stronger research connections between UTM and NUS.

The UTM delegation was led by the Director of CSNano, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lee Siew Ling. CSNano research fellows Assoc. Prof. See Hong Heng and Dr. Siti Salwa Alias also participated in the research discussion. Other members of the delegation from the Department of Physics included Dr. Faizaini Mohd Noor, Dr. Razif Razali, Ms. Siti Rashidah, Ms. Bon Shin Er, and Mr. Ho Jin Hong.

During the discussion session, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lee introduced CSNano’s research activities and areas of expertise. Dr. Faizaini, Dr. Siti Salwa, and Ms. Bon Shin Er also shared their respective research projects and explored possible areas for future collaboration. Researchers from CA2DM presented their ongoing work, allowing both institutions to identify shared interests in materials science, nanotechnology, and advanced two-dimensional materials.

One of the highlights of the visit was a laboratory tour led by Prof. Antonio. The delegation had the opportunity to observe CA2DM’s research facilities and learn more about the advanced research being conducted at the centre. Prof. Antonio also welcomed research proposals from CSNano and the Faculty of Science, UTM.

The visit was both meaningful and inspiring. It provided an excellent platform for exchanging ideas, expanding research networks, and discussing opportunities for joint research, student mobility, research attachments, and knowledge sharing.

We look forward to seeing this connection grow into productive collaborations between UTM and NUS in the near future.

Johor Bahru, 11 June 2026 – Science came alive at SMK Pulai Jaya through the SULAM programme “Spark of Science: Electrochemistry Live!”, organised by the Centre for Sustainable Nanomaterials (CSNano), Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (ISI-SIR), Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), in collaboration with SMK Pulai Jaya, Kangkar Pulai, Johor.

Held from 7.30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m., the programme was led by Assoc. Prof. ChM. Dr. Lee Siew Ling as part of CSNano’s corporate social responsibility initiative. It aimed to spark students’ interest in science and show how scientific concepts can be connected to daily life.

A total of 55 Form Four students took part in the programme, which included science talks, hands-on experiments, demonstrations, and mini-project presentations related to electrochemistry and chemical reaction kinetics. The activities gave students the chance to explore science in a fun and interactive way beyond the usual classroom setting.

The programme also involved 45 second-year Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) students and two PhD students, Ms Ling Chui Min and Mr Lee Ching Shien, from the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, UTM, who served as facilitators. Through this SULAM initiative, the UTM students were able to share the knowledge and practical skills they had learned in the Physical Chemistry Laboratory course with the school students.

Besides the hands-on science activities, the participants were also introduced to science programmes offered at UTM. Postgraduate student Mr. Lee Ching Shien and second-year Chemistry student Mr. Yu Kok Yang shared their learning experiences and campus life, giving the students a glimpse of university life at UTM.

The programme was co-organised by the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, UTM, and mainly funded by the School of Undergraduate Studies (UGS), UTM. Support was also received from industrial partners, namely Santa Industries Supply and Petronas.

Overall, the programme was a meaningful platform to inspire young learners, strengthen their interest in science, and encourage them to see science as something exciting, useful, and relevant to everyday life. It also reflected CSNano’s and the Faculty of Science’s continued commitment to supporting science education and community engagement.

4–8 May 2026

A delegation from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) visited Hainan Normal University (HNNU) in Haikou, China, from 4 to 8 May 2026. The visit was organized to strengthen the relationship between the two universities and to explore new opportunities for academic and research collaboration.

The UTM delegation was led by Prof. Ts. Dr. Intan Zaurah Mat Darus, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), UTM. She was accompanied by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahyuddin bin Arsat, Dean of the School of Undergraduate Studies (UGS), UTM, and Assoc. Prof. ChM. Dr. Lee Siew Ling, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Nanomaterials (CSNano), UTM.

The delegation arrived in Haikou on the evening of 4 May 2026. The following day, the delegates had a sight-seeing session at the Haikou city, tour-guided by representatives from Hainan Normal University.

On 6 May 2026, the UTM delegation attended an official meeting with the Vice-President of HNNU, Prof. Dr. Xu Jiliang. One of the key highlights of the visit was the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) between UTM and HNNU. The LOI reflected the shared commitment of both universities to expand their collaboration in academic and research activities.

The delegates also met with the Dean of the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, HNNU, Prof. Dr. Chen Guangyin, to discuss possible collaboration in teaching, research, student mobility, and postgraduate programmes. In the afternoon, further discussions were held with representatives from the areas of artificial intelligence, economics, and management to explore broader opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration.

From 7 to 8 May 2026, the delegation participated in the International Seminar on Sustainable Functional Materials and Nanoscience at HNNU. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lee Siew Ling was the seminar Chair, while Prof Dr. Intan was one of the Plenary Speakers of the program. The seminar brought together researchers, academicians, and postgraduate students to share knowledge and discuss recent developments in materials science, nanoscience, optoelectronic sensors, and advanced photoelectric functional materials.

During the seminar, the UTM delegates also met with Prof. Dr. Wei Sun and researchers from the Hainan International Joint Research Center of Marine Advanced Photoelectric Functional Materials. The discussion focused on future collaboration, including joint research projects, academic exchange, postgraduate supervision, and joint publications.

https://news.utm.my/2026/05/utm-and-hnnu-strengthen-research-collaboration-through-international-seminar-on-sustainable-functional-materials-and-nanoscience/

On the afternoon of 8 May 2026, the delegation visited selected laboratories at HNNU. The laboratory visit gave the delegates a better understanding of the university’s research facilities and helped identify suitable areas for future collaborative work.

The visit concluded with a UTM promotional programme at the Affiliated High School of Hainan Normal University. The session introduced UTM’s academic programmes and provided an opportunity to engage with prospective students.

Overall, the visit was a positive and meaningful step forward in strengthening the partnership between UTM and HNNU. It opened up new opportunities for academic collaboration, joint research, postgraduate engagement, student recruitment, and future exchange programmes between the two universities.

My two PhD students Ling Chui Min and Alice Sim Hui Li joined the Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) under supervision of Prof Dr Vinoth Kumar Ponnusamy starting from 28 September 2023 until 24 March 2024. The research internship program in Taiwan had exposed the students to a world-class laboratory in the Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU), Taiwan. The students were given chance to use some advanced analytical equipment while carrying out their research project at KMU. Sincere gratitude to Prof Kumar and his team at KMU for the wonderful and fruitful research attachment for our PhD students.

The Faculty of Science, UTM is organizing Publication Workshop as one of the programs in FS Research Year 2024 on 30 April 2024. I have been invited as one of the speakers to share my own experience in publication with our young lecturers and post-graduate students. Hopefully, all the participants have gained important info from the sharing session, and they are motivated to WRITE and PUBLISH. Go for EXCELLENCE!!

Welcome back to UTM campus, Nurul Syarena, Zuriani, Siti Salinah and Hao Lin! I hope you can plan your lab work well as you might have only not more than 10 weeks to complete your lab work and submit your report. Work for it!!