Feeling anxious when being appointed as an External Expert for the Board of Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). An APEX university with higher ranking than UTM.
It’s truly a privilege to support the advancement of geospatial education and to collaborate with one of Malaysia’s leading academic institutions.
GEOSPATIAL INNOVATION: IGNITING SMART CITIES, ECO-SYNERGY, AND URBAN RESURGENCE
This book is expected to be available on October, 2025 by Springer.
This is a collaborative effort exploring how 3D City Modelling, digital twins, remote sensing, and AI can contribute to building smarter, more resilient, and sustainable cities.
Besides writing journal papers, I enjoy working on books and book chapters. One example is this chapter I wrote titled “An Overview of Advances in Geoinformatics Technologies: Facilities and Utilities Optimization and Management for Smart City Applications”.
I enjoy this kind of writing because it helps raise awareness and spark new ideas about what’s possible in our geospatial science field.
Today, I’m excited that I’ve been invited to give a talk about this chapter at the Global Summit on Advances in Recycling and Waste Management in Berlin, Germany, this September 29–30, 2025.
I’m happy to know that the book has contributed to the community. I hope the session will offer something valuable and inspiring to those attending!
INVITATION AS CHAIRMAN FOR TOWN PLANNING MPhil VIVA VOCE – MUHAMAD NOOR AIMAN BIN BANI
Congratulations to Muhamad Noor Aiman bin Bani for successfully completing his Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Viva Voce. The thesis topic is “Tahap Kebolehaksanaan Penilaian Impak Sosial (SIA) di Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan.”
The panel members involved in this session were:
• Chairman: Assoc. Prof. Ts. Gs. Sr. Dr. Muhamad Uznir Bin Ujang
• Assistant Chairman: Dr. Ak Mohd Rafiq bin Ak Matusin
• Internal Examiner: Ts. Dr. Gabriel Ling Hoh Teck
• External Examiner: Prof. Dr. Azizan bin Marzuki (Universiti Sains Malaysia – USM)
• Main Supervisor: TPr Ts. Dr. Gobi Krishna A/L Sinniah
Congratulations once again to the student, supervisor, and all committee members for making this session successful!
Sharing a small but meaningful success story. A paper by my former postgraduate student has been accepted for presentation.
He is the kind of person who truly shows what learning looks like: staying humble, staying curious, asking questions, welcoming suggestions, even asking for corrections when needed, and always ready to brainstorm and refine ideas together. Before the submission, we discussed, shared thoughts openly, and turned ideas into a real and solid piece of work.
And the result? You can see it yourself. A total knockout.
This reminds me that it is not just talent that makes a difference. It is attitude, hard work, and the willingness to grow that truly set people apart. Congratulations. This success is fully earned.
As for me, I have always believed in giving advice sincerely but never forcing it. I will say it once. Whether you choose to listen or not is entirely up to you. We are all responsible for our own paths. I do not gain or lose anything either way. For those who choose to listen and grow, the rewards are theirs to reap.
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!
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!
It’s an honour to be given a 45-minute keynote slot, an academic recognition that reflects trust from the international scientific community.
Unlike typical paper presentations, a keynote isn’t just about showing results. It’s about vision. Future directions. Inspiring researchers across disciplines.
Sharing how Geospatial Science matters, whether it’s for noise modelling, wind flow, water systems, or urban resilience. This keynote is my way of showing how 3D City Modelling and GeoAI can drive meaningful applications across sectors.
Just an abstract for today. The rest of the presentation notes will be drafted later.
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.
