With the emerging of online mapping starting from the year 2005, I can see the trend recently shifted to online data sources. With this crowd sourcing data now everybody can have their satellite images and other geospatial data for free and available online.
I’m starting to put my interest into this approach. I’m currently developing a system with the integration of these online data sources for local government agency (see snapshots below). This is 100% hard-coded program (it means no subscription to any commercial software ^.^).
Yes, it depends on the end user requirement and needs (accuracy issues, internet connectivity & others). But well, you need to decide then. Buy your own satellite images or view it without any cost?
If you’ve picked the first option, you have to rethink again if the systems is for mobile applications. Right?
As for today I would like to show you one trick on how making your PhD defense look great. This is good and in some way it can boost your confidence in the defense. I did it, and I got good remarks from the examiners. One of it was “Uznir, I would like to give you credits for your excellent outputs. Not many students can produce as what you did in 3 years”. Doesn’t it feel good when that is the first thing that your examiners tell you in Q&A session? 🙂
What I did was, apart from my thesis, I compiled my list of publications during my PhD study. It looks like I have another thesis in my hand.
This 100++ pages is a compilation of academic publications that consists of 3 International Journals, 1 Patent Filing, 1 Chapter (Springer Book), 3 International Conferences and 1 Academic Poster
I mentioned to the examiners that there are at least 1 publication for each chapter in the thesis. This is to say indirectly to the examiners that all of my chapters have been reviewed by the scientific committee and experts from around the globe.
If you can do this, it means that your contents, your ideas, your methods, and your results are widely approved and accepted by the other experts. Your examiners may be one of the expert colleague. They will think, “hey, my friend approved this student work. So should I”.. 🙂
On the last day of the XXV FIG Congress that officiated by Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, I’ve managed to present a research paper in Planning and Managing Urbanization session. My topic was “An Approach of Instigating 3D City Model in Urban Air Pollution Modeling for Sustainable Urban Development in Malaysia“.
With several facts revealed, the delegates said its informative and they sees the incoming problems. Especially this slide:
I wish this can be a kick start for a better sustainable future, for future generations.
One of the most important element in my Computer Programming III (Advanced Programming) course is conducting a hands on programming for the students. In the picture, is the real coding experience for the students in the lab.
Although lectures are much much more simpler than the lab, but in some sense, I need to give them the real experience during the lab. To prepare a “working code”, reading their code “essay(s)”, answering practical questions (i.e. why is it not working?) is I can say like squeezing your brain in order to identify student’s way of thinking and how to mold them to the correct way.
To prepare a one hour lecture require more than two hours of preparation. Lab? Is more than that. Usually, there are 2 hours of lecture and practical (lab) per week per course.
A little bit different post this time. I’ve remembered an interesting song title “Biar Ku Menjadi Lilin” (Let Me Be The Candle) by Pelangi (Rainbow). An evergreen 1985 song that is written from a heart of a teacher (academician) for their students. If you able to be this candle, you indeed have a noble heart my dear fellow teachers.
Biar Ku Menjadi Lilin (B.Melayu)
Biarku menjadi lilin Memberikan cahaya Terangi sekeliling dengan diri terbakar Tak siapa yang sedar Disaat kegelapan rela aku berkorban Demi satu harapanBiar masa berlari Dan kau terus mendaki Aku tenang disini dengan sabar menanti Tanpa dendam dan benci Andainya kau terjatuh terluka dan tersungkur Kurawat biar sembuh
Aku tak kan bertanya Apakah nanti balasannya Setiap pengorbanan setiap pemberian Demi satu ikatan
Keikhlasan dihati Walaupun kau ragui Pada suatu masa dan suatu ketika Akan ketara jua
Biarku menjadi lilin Memberikan cahaya Saat kau kesepian saat kau kegelapan Kurela menerangkan
Aku senang begini dapat terus berbakti Dengan cara sendiri
Let Me Be The Candle (English)
Let me be the candle Providing the light Light around by themselves burning No one aware of The moment of darkness I’m willing to sacrifice For a hopeLet the time goes And you rising up through I am calmly herein patiently waiting Without bitterness and hatred In the event you stumbled and hurt Let me treat till cure
I will not ask What will be the reward Each sacrifice, each provision Only for a bond
Sincerity of the hearts Even if you doubt At some time in one time It would substantially seen
Let me be the candle Providing the light When you’re lonely when you’re in the darkness I’m willingly be your light
I’m happy to be able to continue to serve In my own way
I’m hosting a research meeting between two well established research universities in Malaysia. The meeting starts from November 21st to November 24th, 2014. The main idea is to discuss, evaluate, and collaborate in research activities.
The reason I’m conducting this meeting is that I think it is a good practice for expanding the cutting edge research not only with industries but between universities. And this should be put in practice for other universities to established collaborations since I like to say this, that “the knowledge is free for all”!
I laughed when I heard that this government university “i” in Malaysia (Non-research University) put a requirement for their lecturers promotion is to publish a paper in publication with ISBN. What? That is so so sooo easy. Meanwhile, Research Universities (RU) lecturers need to publish papers (yes, more than one paper!) in Impact Factor / High Impact Factor Journals and Indexed International Conferences. This is to say, it is much much much much harder than publish a paper in an ISBN books.
Well, not to put blame on that “i” university. It’s their top management decision. However, just to highlight, the “i” university and other Research Universities (RU) in Malaysia are using the same lecturer salary scheme. Means, they will receive the same or the exact amount of monthly salary and allowances. This is biased for RU lecturers.
Just to ponder, two men were given a task, a task of bringing a rucksack to a 500 meter destination spot. Men “A” need to transport it by climbing a 500m hill. Meanwhile, Men “B” need to bring the same size rucksack to a 500m downhill destination. Both of them later are treated (or paid) equally.
I don’t know, but this is the reality (at this moment, I hope there will be a light at the end of the tunnel). Perhaps, a suggestion from me, for RU lecturers, to appreciate them with their hard work in making Malaysia “academically visible“, give them, let say more allowance++ apart from their current monthly salary and allowance. Or maybe, a better lecturer scheme than the existing practice. What say you? 🙂
“ISBN? Really? Are you kidding me? You really made my day.”
During 2014 Hari Raya holiday in Malaysia, the numbers of vehicle escalates up to 1.6 millions per day. A normal 3 hours trip turned to 8 hours due to heavy traffic happened nationwide.
As a geospatialist, I’m not surprised about this phenomenon. It can be predicted. However, an app called Waze (available in App Store) that is widely used by Malaysian during that holiday that shocked me.
Source: Waze App
Waze is basically a geospatial application developed based on the concept of Public Participatory Geographical Information System (P-GIS). I can see that almost 95% data contributed by the public are accurate.
These information provided in Waze can assists drivers to navigate using the most optimum route (avoiding heavy traffic and etc). My hat’s off to you, the Waze team in developing a thumbs up apps!
Nevertheless, a P-GIS will only work if “P” (the public) contribute for the apps. Hopefully, Waze development team can sustain in the market. I will definitely promote Waze
I received a call from the postgraduate coordinator. He asked me a favor, invited me to be as one of the panels in evaluating 12 PhD students proposal (yes twelve!). I spent one day, listening, evaluating, finalizing, formalizing their research. I can say that its not an easy task, but with the knowledge I gain when I did my research, I can share some experience whether the research is up-to-the-level required. And I feel happy that I can use my experience to help the students.
“A PhD, to know where its significance to the body of knowledge“.
One of the student from Nigeria presented his PhD research.
A group of HfT Stuttgart University, Germany and together with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) postgraduate students make a visit to Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM). Two lecturers involved in this visit which is my colleague (UTM International staff) and me myself, as the representative from UTM. The warm welcome by UTeM was made by Prof Dr. Nanna Suryana, The director of UTeM International Office with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Khanapi Abd Ghani, the Dean of Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, UTeM. I like the view of the new UTeM main campus located near to Ayer Keroh PLUS highway exit.
Cruising the expressway – Destination, UTeM Malacca
UTeM Hang Tuah Campus Entrance
We are not expecting this, an escort by the UTeM personnel
