Category Archives: Research

3RD KEYNOTE SPEAKER INVITATION – 2025

TURNING RESEARCH INTO REAL-WORLD CONVERSATIONS

[It’s Another Unexpected Milestone]

Still riding the energy from my recent keynote at ICWEES 2025, I’ve just been invited again, this time by ICASE-2025, to deliver the same keynote talk at a different international conference. 

Third keynote talk this year.

Grateful beyond words to see my work resonating across different fields, from geoinformatics to environmental science, smart cities, AI, and beyond.

Thank you once again to all the organizers, peers, and communities that continue to open new doors and believe in this mission.

Let’s keep pushing boundaries, challenging ideas, and building the future together!

#KeynoteSpeaker #ICWEES2025 #ICASE2025 #GeospatialInnovation #SmartCities #GlobalImpact #ResearchMatters #NeverStopDreaming

ANOTHER KEYNOTE TALK, MAY 2025 – XI’AN CHINA

ANOTHER KEYNOTE TALK, MAY 2025 – XI’AN CHINA

I haven’t even delivered my keynote for this month’s conference yet. And the next invitation has already landed. This month conference is over 3,200 km from Skudai. And next month? Even farther, nearly 4,300 km to Xi’an, China. From South Asia to East Asia. Whatever it is, I am grateful for the trust given to share ideas across borders. Thanks!

KEYNOTE SPEAKER TALK – INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WATER, ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND SOCIETY (ICWEES 2025)

Keynote Abstract:

The keynote by Associate Professor Uznir Ujang explores the transformative potential of integrating 3D Geospatial Information Systems (3D GIS) with Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) for tackling urban challenges related to environmental quality, water systems, and energy efficiency. Traditional 2D geospatial methods often fall short in capturing the complexities of urban dynamics. This talk introduces a new paradigm where advanced 3D city models, enhanced by AI-driven spatial analytics, topological structures, and temporal intelligence, offer innovative solutions for resilient city planning.

Key real-world case studies, such as urban air quality visualization, traffic noise propagation, wind flow analysis, and voxel-based environmental simulations, demonstrate how this convergence of technologies can revolutionize decision-making. With data acquisition methods like LiDAR, UAVs, and CityGML semantic modeling, cities can leverage precise, intelligent tools to address sustainability challenges.

Join us as we discuss the future of integrating 3D geospatial intelligence into global sustainability frameworks and urban agendas.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ABDULLAH AHMAD (UKM)

CONGRATULATIONS TO ABDULLAH AHMAD

Warm congratulations to Abdullah bin Ahmad (P127080) from the Department of Civil Engineering, UKM, for successfully completing his Master of Science viva voce! He is a senior engineer at the Public Works Department (JKR). 

His thesis focused on a highly relevant topic: GeoBIM Data Structure for Sewer System, which I believe is a crucial area in advancing infrastructure management through geospatial and BIM integration. From my view, the nation needs more awareness on the importance of GeoBIM. It is good to have more research like Abdullah’s. 

The session was held on 14 April 2025 (Monday), at 9:30 a.m. at the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UKM Bangi.

I was honored to serve as the External Examiner, representing Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

The viva panel included:

Chairperson: Prof. Ir. Dr. Siti Rozaimah Sheikh Abdullah (JKKP, FKAB)

Internal Examiner: Sr. Ts. Dr. Noraini Hamzah (JKA, FKAB)

Main Supervisor: Lt. Kol. Bersekutu (PA) Prof. Madya Ts. Gs. Sr. Dr. Khairul Nizam Abdul Maulud (JKA, FKAB)

Thank you to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) for the trust and opportunity. It’s always a privilege to contribute to academic quality and support innovative research through external examiner roles.

Wishing the candidate every success in future research and practice!

#congratulations #externalexaminer #geobim #civilengineering #ukm #utm #vivaexamination #postgraduatestudies #academiccontribution #researchquality

PHD VIVA VOCE

PHD VIVA VOCE

Huge congratulations to my student, Syahiirah Mohd Salleh for successfully passing her PhD viva-voce this morning with excellent results!

Her thesis, titled “36-Intersection Model Topology Rules for 3D Objects in Spatial Database”marks a significant contribution to the field of Geoinformatics.

The session was chaired by Prof. TPr Dr. Ho Chin Siong, with Dr. Norhakim bin Yusof as the assistant chairman.

Special thanks to the examiners:

  • External Examiner: Assoc. Prof. Gs Dr. Tan Mou Leong (USM)
  • Internal Examiner: Prof. Dr. Mohd Shahrizal bin Sunar (Faculty of Computing, UTM)

The chairman and both examiners praised Syahiirah’s work for its originality and technical depth, agreeing that her research has great potential to be applied in various fields, from 3D GIS systems and spatial data infrastructure to urban planning and smart city development. 

We are incredibly proud of Syahiirah’s dedication, perseverance, and scholarly achievements.

Wishing her continued success in her academic and professional journey!

#PhDViva #Geoinformatics #UTM #3DGIS #SpatialDatabase #ProudSupervisor

ISDB SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS 2025–2026

ISDB SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS 2025–2026

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has officially extended the application deadline to 20 April 2025 for its renowned Scholarship Programs for the academic year 2025–26.

These programs are designed to nurture talent and build capacity in IsDB Member Countries and Muslim communities in non-member countries, supporting students in undergraduate, master’s, PhD, and postdoctoral studies.

The IsDB remains committed to human capital development, technological advancement, and inclusive progress. This is a valuable opportunity for ambitious students seeking to make an impact in their communities through education.

Apply now and take the next step in your academic journey.

Application link: https://www.isdb.org/scholarships

#IsDB #Scholarship2025 #HigherEducation #HumanCapitalDevelopment #SustainableDevelopment #IslamicDevelopmentBank #YouthEmpowerment #GlobalOpportunities

3D GIS Lab Iftar Gathering 2025

3D GIS Lab Iftar Gathering 2025

Yesterday, we’re treating the entire lab to iftar. It was a wonderful evening spent with my postgraduate students at our annual Iftar session! Great food, meaningful conversations, and a strong sense of camaraderie made it a truly memorable event.

Date: 13 March 2025

Venue: Gleneagles Terrace Restaurant, Pulai Springs Resort

In research, we push boundaries, tackle challenges, and work tirelessly towards innovation. But moments like this remind us that beyond hard work, we need time to connect, reflect, and recharge. A well-balanced journey is what keeps us moving forward.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined and made this gathering special. Looking forward to more moments like this in the future!

4TH CHAPTER COMPLETED – 4 CHAPTERS IN 2 WEEKS

4TH CHAPTER COMPLETED – 4 CHAPTERS IN 2 WEEKS

Finally, it’s a wrap! Chapter 4 is done, 5,800 words, 16 pages, and 40 references, completed in just 6 hours. Had to put it on hold on Wednesday, but today I squeezed in 1.5 hours to finish it strong.

This marks a major milestone, 4 book chapters completed in just 2 weeks. It wasn’t easy, but persistence and time management made it happen. One key takeaway: avoid multitasking, focus leads to faster and better results.

Every chapter is a challenge, and every challenge is a step forward. Alhamdulillah for the progress. Now, on to the next one!

SUCCESSFUL VIVA FOR UiTM MASTER’S STUDENT!

SUCCESSFUL VIVA FOR UiTM MASTER’S STUDENT!

Congratulations to Muhammad Naim Bin Ramli from UiTM Shah Alam for successfully defending his Master of Science (Built Environment) thesis! His research, titled “Development of Precision Disease Mapping for Tuberculosis Using UAV and GIS Techniques,” showcases the power of geospatial technology in tackling public health challenges.

It was an honor to serve as the External Examiner for this viva examination. The panel included:

Chairperson: Prof. Madya LAr Ts Dr. Alamah Misni (UiTM Puncak Alam)

External Examiner: Prof. Madya Ts. Gs. Sr Dr. Muhamad Uznir Ujang (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia)

Internal Examiner: Gs Dr. Nafisah Khalid (UiTM Shah Alam)

Main Supervisor: Prof. Madya Ts Gs Dr. Abdul Rauf Abdul Rasam (UiTM Shah Alam)

Co-Supervisor: Dr. Mohd Adly Bin Rosly (UiTM Perlis)

Minutes-Taker: Dr. Fazly Amir Mohd (UiTM Perlis)

Wishing Muhammad Naim all the best in his future research and career. May this milestone open more doors in the geospatial and health research fields!

#VivaSuccess #GeospatialHealth #GISForPublicHealth #UAVMapping #AcademicAchievement #UiTM #GISResearch

ANOTHER RESEARCH ARTICLE

ANOTHER RESEARCH ARTICLE

Got another journal article for 2025. It’s indexed in the Web of Science and even has a quartile ranking, which is quite decent.

Despite my daily workload and other responsibilities, I make it a priority to write and publish my own journal articles. Lately, I’ve noticed a trend where lecturers rely heavily on students to write journals, and worse, the lecturers end up as the main authors (first in the author name list). It should be the other way around, the students should rely on the supervisor for journal writing. 

It’s undeniable that lecturers’ responsibilities are demanding, but academic writing is something that should be done by lecturers themselves, no matter how busy we are.

This journal will take a while to be officially published, scheduled for July 2025, but it’s a strong start to the year. With two high-impact research publications in January 2025, I couldn’t be more grateful.

Stay tuned for the article in July!