Biography
Preamble
I obtained the Bachelor of Science, majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois in 1984. In 1986 I completed the Master of Science in Chemistry (Physical Chemistry) from the same university. My first appointment was as a teaching assistant while pursuing my Masters at Western Illinois University. My first appointment in Malaysia, was in early 1987, where I worked as an English Language teacher to students who were bound to the United States, Australia and UK under the MARA scholarship. I later worked as a Chemist at Department of Chemistry, Malaysia for two weeks before securing a position as a lecturer, teaching at the State University of New York (SUNY-ITM) Program in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia for about 2 years. My academic career in UTM started on Dec 1st 1990. I was appointed as a lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and obtained my confirmation a year later on December 1st 1991. In 2004, I was awarded a Ph.D in Environmental Engineering from University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, specializing in cement-based hazardous waste treatment. In May 2007, I was promoted as a Senior Lecturer and in 2010 as an Associate Professor.
Teaching
My first appointment as a teaching assistant at Western Illinois University, United States, required me to work in the chemistry laboratory as well as at the Chemistry Help Center. Later, as an English Language teacher, my task was to ensure that the MARA-sponsored students could communicate proficiently in English in less than 6 months i.e. before they go abroad for their studies. My career at the SUNY/ITM preparatory program saw me teaching engineering students doing their 1st and 2nd year university here in Malaysia before going abroad, to the United States. I not only taught General Chemistry I, and General Chemistry II but was also entrusted to developing the General Chemistry laboratory.
Upon appointed as a lecturer at UTM Faculty of Science, I have been teaching since the first month of my service way back in 1990. I was initially assigned to teach General Chemistry to Engineering majors. I have vast experience in teaching General Chemistry to Science and Education Majors in the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Education respectively and Engineering majors from the various Engineering faculties at UTM since we service this subject to other faculties. Later I was assigned to handle the Physical Chemistry I course, tutorials and lectures to second year Chemistry Majors and Education Majors. Besides lectures, I also supervised the General Chemistry as well as the Physical Chemistry practicals. Since then Physical Chemistry has become part and parcel of my teaching career.
After the completion of my Doctorate degree, besides Physical Chemistry 1, I was also assigned to teach Industrial Chemical Process and an elective course, Surface and Colloid Chemistry to undergraduate Chemistry students. I was also given the task to teach Surface and Colloid Chemistry for Masters students. All these courses are under the Physical Chemistry Panel. I was also entrusted to teach yet another elective course, Corrosion Chemistry, under the Physical Chemistry panel. I am very fortunate to be entrusted to teaching different courses under the Physical Chemistry panel.
In teaching, I make the effort to ensure that I am being understood by my students. I reflect myself by observing the students response and try to vary my teaching methods as deemed appropriate. I also prepare modules and lecture notes and make them available through UTM e-learning webpage as necessary. I include real-life scenario in my teaching as examples so that the student can relate between theories and practical and give my students assignments to better enhance the learning process and to emphasize group learning. The experiences that I have accumulated through my interdisciplinary research and consultancy work have helped me tremendously in my teaching.
Another important responsibility as a lecturer is students’ supervision. To date, I have supervised more than 50 undergraduate final year projects. I undertook the supervision of postgraduates after obtaining my Ph. D in 2004. Currently, I am supervising PhD student and Masters students in Chemistry. Due to my expertise in cement-based materials and Physical Chemistry, particularly in sorption studies, I not only co supervised students from the Faculty of Science, but also from the Faculty of Bioscience and Bioengineering and Faculty of Civil Engineering (Environmental). To date I have actively co supervised more than 10 Masters students from the above-mentioned faculties. Currently I am co supervising 3 Ph. D students, one in Environmental Engineering and two in Biology. Students, both undergraduates and postgraduates from Civil Engineering (Structural) also seek my advice when it comes to the chemistry of cement due to my research background in cement-based material. In return, it also help me keep abreast in development of concrete and cement-based materials. Currently, my 2 postgraduates students are working on developing bricks and mineral admixture using waste materials.
Besides supervision, I have also been appointed in the panel of examiners for both undergraduate and postgraduate (masters and PhD) students in my department. Besides that I also serve as an academic advisor to Bachelor of Science Industrial Chemistry since 2004.
Research
I strongly believe that research is the second nature of an academician after teaching. Hence, I have committed myself to research activities in UTM since the completion of my PhD. Initially, when I joined UTM I was interested in air pollution studies and joined the Air Pollution group at the department. My interest and enthusiasm in air pollution took me to Japan under the Japanese Society for Promotion of Science Program (JSPS) where I presented the group findings on the air quality at Pasir Gudang at the Institute of Atomic Energy, Uji campus. I was introduced to PIXE method of analyses and had the opportunity to analyse the High Volume samples brought from Pasir Gudang using PIXE.
Over the years, my area of interest shifted to waste management and development of advance material. Though my Doctorate degree concentrated in cement-based hazardous waste treatment I have since ventured into biological treatment methods and is actively involved in research activities in biological wastewater treatment. My expertise in cement-based material and physical chemistry has undoubtedly found its importance in the development of biological methods for wastewater treatment.
Our research group, which comprise of chemist, microbiologists and environmental engineer worked in the development of cement-based macro-composite which are used as support for immobilization of microbes for the affordable and yet efficient treatment for textile dyeing wastewater and effluent from petrochemical industry.
Being a Physical chemist I also use my expertise to conduct research in sorption and kinetic studies as well as the development and application of nano materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We have successfully developed a catalyst for the synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes from electric arc furnace slag, a waste from the steel industry. I was also member of several research grants, which focused on nano materials. In the Fuel cell research group, of which I was a member I was given the responsibility to study the hydrogen sorption properties of CNTs….(under construction..)
I have been part of the research group for the Johor state water company, Syarikat Air Johor Holdings (SAJH) Sdn. Bhd. involving three different projects. One of the studies which started in 2006 aimed at solving the problem related to acidic raw water at at the Bekuk water intake in Batu Pahat, Johor. The lab scale study has been completed and the project is currently (since January 2011) at the pilot plant stage. The second project aimed at improving the procedure of coagulation process at SAJH water treatment plant using statistical method. Our group has also been entrusted by SAJH to identify the high pH problem in their water network in Nusa Jaya area and suggest mitigating measures. In this project, we have discovered that the high pH recorded in the water network is attributed to the leaching of the mortar lining in the distribution pipes and the low flow rate. We are currently preparing to set up up a carbonation system to increase the pH of the water.
My contribution in research received several awards at local and international levels. In year 2005, the Fuel Cell research group was awarded Gold medal in the IPTA exhibition in 2005 Besides that, the preparation of tungsten carbide for hard metal application has won the group a bronze medal in the Malaysian Technology Expo, MTE Expo in 2006. In 2008, the biotechnology research group has been awarded a Silver Medal at the 10th Industrial and Technological Exhibition (INATEK 2008). The group was awarded Gold medal in October 2008 at the British Invention Show and in early 2009, a bronze medal was awarded at the Malaysian Technology Expo (MTe 2009) in Kuala Lumpur. (under construction…)
Ever since receiving my Doctorate in 2004, I have conducted interdisciplinary research. I found that I have been able to contribute significantly in research collaborations. My background in chemistry, specifically Physical Chemistry and my doctorate background in Cement-based waste treatment has helped tremendously in conducting the research. Working with group members from different background broadened up my research perspective.