Sr. Ts. Dr. Radzuan Sa’ari received his Certificate in Land Surveying in 1990 and Diploma in Land Surveying in 1994 from Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO). He then completed a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Land Surveying from FGHT, UTM in 1997. In 2002, he obtained a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Land Surveying from FGHT, UTM. He later earned his PhD in Civil Engineering from UTM in 2016, focusing on the application of Digital Close-Range Photogrammetry, Image Processing, and Analysis in structural deformation.
He began his academic career at UTM as a Research Assistant in 1997 at FGHT. He was appointed as a Tutor and later as a Lecturer at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, UTM in 1999 and 2002, respectively. Since 2017, he has been serving as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UTM. He has also served as Coordinator of the Surveying Unit, Engineering Surveying Course Coordinator, and Survey Camp Course Coordinator since 2012. He is a member of the Geotechnical Research Group (GRG) and Hydraulic & Hydrology Research Group (HHRG) , Faculty of Civil Engineering, UTM. Additionally, he is a member of the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM), a Graduate Member of the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT), and a Professional Technologist (Ts.) under MBOT.
His research interests include surveying and mapping applications in civil engineering, particularly in Engineering Surveying, Hydrographic Surveying, GPS Surveying, Digital Close-Range Photogrammetry, Aerial Photogrammetry using drones, and Digital Image Processing. He has been involved in numerous research and consultancy projects related to geomatics and civil engineering.
Prior to his academic career, Sr. Ts. Dr. Radzuan Sa’ari worked at Hisham Isa GeoTeam Sdn. Bhd. (formerly Jurukur Malinja Sdn. Bhd.) as an Assistant Land Surveyor and Assistant Hydrographic Surveyor from 1991 to 1992. He was involved in major civil engineering projects, including the proposed road alignment for the Pergau Dam Project in Jeli, Kelantan, and the Petronas gas pipeline installation from Plentong, Johor to Senoko Power Station, Singapore. From 1992 to 1993, he worked as a freelance hydrographic surveyor, participating in offshore construction and surveying projects across Southeast Asia with Stolt Comex Seaway S.A. (Singapore) and PT Komaritim (Indonesia).
From 1993 to 1994, he served as a Hydrographic Surveyor at Stolt Comex Seaway S.A., Survey Division, based in Loyang Offshore, Singapore. His work included rig positioning, seismic surveys, pipeline and platform inspections using ROV, gas pipeline installation surveys, VSP surveys, hookup operations, and pre- and post-dredging surveys across Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
He has been involved in more than 42 research projects, totaling approximately RM2.6 million, serving primarily as a project member and once as a project leader. His research areas include engineering surveying, hydrographic surveying, and photogrammetry. Most funding was secured through UTM’s GUP and MOSTI’s FRGS grants, along with participation in contract, international, and local grants—reflecting recognition of his expertise in solving industry-related problems.
He has published 90 works, including 28 indexed publications (SCOPUS and ISI), 58 technical papers (conferences, proceedings, and reports), 4 book chapters and 1 original book. He has also served as a referee for several conferences and journals, including ICWR, GEOTROPIKA, ICSIE, IConCEES, and the Journal of Sustainability Science and Management.
He has been invited as a speaker for various academic and professional events, including the SKA Future Ready Engineering Education (FREE) Sharing Session and the Forensic Civil Engineering Seminar (ForCES’19 and ForCES’ 22). His topics include project-based learning implementation, structural monitoring surveying techniques, and UAV applications. He also serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Reading Malaysia. He is an inventor and co-inventor of multiple intellectual properties, including 22 copyrights and 4 licensed works.
At FKA, UTM, he teaches Engineering Surveying, Engineering Surveying Practical, Research Methodology, and Integrated Design Project (IDP1). As Survey Camp Coordinator, he integrates Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Collaborative Learning approaches, allowing students to apply real-world engineering surveying skills in diverse project settings.
Problem-Solving plays a central role in the Survey Camp through a “field-to-finish” concept. Students present their findings collaboratively, while teaching activities are also translated into engineering education research. His team has published several papers and received awards, including Gold (I-PHEX 2017), Silver (NALI 2018), Gold (TLIF 2019) and Gold (INATEX 2025).
As a supervisor, he has guided over 20 undergraduate final-year projects. At the postgraduate level, he has co-supervised multiple PhD and Master’s students, including several award-winning graduates. He also serves as an evaluator and external examiner for postgraduate programs.
He is actively involved in consultancy projects in engineering surveying, hydrography, and photogrammetry, collaborating with various industry clients such as Malakoff, BAKAJ, SAJ, MMHE, NAHRIM, Johor Port and others. Notable projects include the Second Penang Bridge, NCVI Study, Tsunami Modeling, and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).
He has held several administrative roles, including Head of Survey Unit (2011–2014) and Coordinator of Surveying (2016–2025), Coordinator of Geomatic Laboratory (2025 – present) and has contributed to academic committees and institutional development. He successfully secured approximately RM2.6 million in funding for Geomatic Laboratory development via RMK budget.
He has upgraded the Survey Unit laboratory with advanced equipment and developed innovative systems such as the Laboratory Equipment Loan System, Fieldwork Data Verification System, and Generic Skills Peer Assessment (GESPA).
He is also active in community service, contributing to projects involving Orang Asli communities, renewable energy, and educational infrastructure. Additionally, he has participated in organizational and sports activities within UTM.
In terms of recognition, he received the Vice Chancellor Award (2019) and multiple Excellence Service Awards at both faculty and university levels. Moving forward, he remains committed to contributing to academic excellence in line with UTM’s vision of becoming a globally leading university.
