Mock VIVA of our PhD Student on a Sunday

Posted on July 27, 2025 ·

Today is my day off (Sunday), but I’ve set a few important tasks to accomplish. First on the list is to complete the marking for my METE1153 ODL course. I also have a mock PhD viva session scheduled with Tan, which I hope will be a valuable preparation for his actual defense. Additionally, I need to prepare for the RMC Strategic Planning meeting, which is scheduled for tomorrow. There are a few other tasks that I plan to tackle as well, depending on how much time I have left in the day.

Because of time limitations and my intention to attend the Pengajian Kitab after Subuh, I brought my laptop to the surau. While listening to the pengajian—specifically the Kitab Faridatul Faraid—I took the opportunity to continue my marking tasks simultaneously. It was a meaningful way to balance both spiritual enrichment and academic responsibilities.

Other tasks performed on this off-day:

  • Submit ICLCA2025 paper correction
  • Insert METE1153 student mark
  • Read/check Izwan’s draft thesis
  • Read/check Suhaila’s paper

#20242025 Day 027

#Sunday

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day, 2 Research, 6 Supervision Tagged With: , , , , ,

Marking METE1153 ODL Occupational Safety in Energy System

Posted on July 26, 2025 ·

Today is Saturday—an off-day—but official responsibilities still call. Knowing that next week will be packed with activities, I’ve decided to make full use of today to complete the marking for my final exam scripts for METE1153 ODL: Occupational Safety in Energy Systems. There are 28 students, and all their answer scripts are in PDF format, which means I have to do all the marking on my laptop—a task that is both time-consuming and mentally demanding.

In addition to that, I also need to start thinking about how to manage UTM’s FRGS (Fundamental Research Grant Scheme) proposals—an overwhelming total of 598 submissions. Of course, it’s not something I’m handling alone, but within my capacity and scope, I have to contribute as best as I can. We’re all hoping that UTM secures as many FRGS grants as possible. The application process itself has already been delayed since February this year due to persistent issues with the MyGRANTS portal, which had been inaccessible for months.

Despite it being a weekend, the work must go on.

Other tasks of the day include Service Marsya’s Axia’s and Major grocery shopping

#20242025 Day 026

#Saturday

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day, 10 Administrative, 2 Research, RMC Tagged With: , , , ,

Another episode, another long day, assisting them

Posted on July 22, 2025 ·

Today, I was called to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (SPRM) to assist with an ongoing investigation. The instruction to come here came 4 days ago, when I was accopanying my wife for a checkup in KPJ Abdul Samad.

As a result, I had to put aside all my office tasks for the day to fully cooperate with the inquiry. I arrived at the SPRM office at 9:40 a.m. and only left at 6:45 p.m. It was undeniably a long and exhausting day, but it was also a unique and eye-opening experience. Being involved, even peripherally, in such a process offered valuable insight into the procedures and seriousness of institutional investigations in our country.

Filed Under: 1 Activity 1 Day, 10 Administrative, RMC Tagged With: ,

Mesyuarat JK Pentadbiran RMC BIL. 10/2025

Posted on July 18, 2025 ·

Today, the Jawatankuasa Pengurusan RMC (JKP RMC) meeting was held from 9:00 AM to 12:40 PM.
As usual, various issues related to all divisions and RMC operations were discussed. Updates were presented by both the Project Management and Monitoring Division (PMMD) and the Finance Division (FD). Several important decisions were also made during the meeting.

After lunch, I managed to chair the NYR meeting briefly. One NYR student, who had completed one semester, informed us of his decision to withdraw from the program, having secured a decent job opportunity. Unfortunately, about 10–15 minutes into the meeting, I had to excuse myself due to an urgent matter.

Later in the afternoon, in preparation for the iMAP grant submission, I was required to provide comments on behalf of RMC regarding the research progress of five of our researchers.

Now I need to prepare and pack my back for tomorrow’s trip to Tadom Hill Resort, Banting for RMC Team Building.

#20242025 Day 018

#Friday

Filed Under: 1 Activity 1 Day, 10 Administrative, Meeting Tagged With: , , , ,

Learning Analytics Training

Posted on July 17, 2025 ·

Today was not too packed or hectic, Alhamdulillah.
In the morning, I attended a four-hour online training session on Learning Analytics, delivered by PM Dr. Nurbiha. Initially, I was fully engaged and learned a great deal. However, midway through, my focus was disrupted due to several urgent research management (RM) issues that required discussion with the top management.

At the same time, running in parallel with the training, there was also the MRUN monitoring session – a presentation session for Performance and Financial Report Monitoring under the MRUN Research Officer Grant Scheme (MROGS) – UTM.

After lunch, I joined a meeting to discuss eLPPT research input and output calculation, together with MJ, the RMC Director, and Deputy Director.

#20242025 Day 017

#Thursday

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day, 10 Administrative, 2 Research, Meeting, Training Tagged With: , , ,

Attended Bengkel MyCite 2025 at USIM

Posted on July 16, 2025 ·

Date: 16th July 2025
Venue: Seminar Room, Level 4, Library, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
Participants: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zaki Yamani Zakaria, Dr. Nurzal Effiyana, and Wan Akmal Izzati (AJEE Journal Manager)
Driver: Mr. Hussin (UTM Driver)

We began our journey as early as 5:30 a.m., heading to USIM to participate in the MyCite Workshop 2025. Our main objective was to gain insights and guidance on the requirements and evaluation process for journal acceptance into MyCite, with the ultimate goal of paving the way for ASEAN Journal of Engineering Education (AJEE)’s future inclusion in Scopus.

The session, although slightly altered from its original plan, proved highly valuable. The workshop was initially scheduled to be conducted by Prof. Dato’ Roslan Abd Shukor, Chairman of the MyCite Technical Evaluation Committee. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, he was replaced at the last minute by Prof. Dr. Abrizah Abdullah from Universiti Malaya, who is also a member of the MyCite Technical Committee. Her sharing was informative and clarifying, especially for me, as this was my first time attending a MyCite-related workshop.

Prof. Dr. Abrizah Abdullah explaining the MyCite evaluation process
It’s funny that I forgot to snap a photo of any USIM signage, but I managed to snap this photo at level 3 of the USIM library, which is quite a unique setup.

I must acknowledge the excellent groundwork done by our journal manager, Izzati, who has diligently ensured that the AJEE aligns with most of the critical indexing criteria. This puts us in a stronger position as we prepare for MyCite’s 2025 evaluation cycle.

Overall, the trip was productive and meaningful. We return with renewed clarity and motivation to fulfill the remaining requirements for AJEE’s inclusion into MyCite, an essential step toward our broader ambition of gaining recognition under Scopus.

✅ Other Tasks Completed Today:

  1. Finalized and submitted a full paper to ReCASE 2025, targeted for publication in the Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis (BCREC).
  2. Managed miscellaneous RMC-related tasks remotely, including emails and follow-ups.

#20242025 Day 016

#Wednesday

Filed Under: 1 Activity 1 Day, 10 Administrative, 2 Research, 4 Publication, Workshop Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Sharing Session with RC and RG from Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA) on Research Grant Opportunities

Posted on July 15, 2025 ·

Date: 15 July 2025 | Time: 2:30 PM | Venue: BMU, Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA), UTM

I was invited by the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA), UTM to deliver a sharing session on available research grants during their Research Centre (RC) and Research Group (RG) meeting. The aim was to provide exposure to RC and RG leaders on potential funding avenues that can support their research initiatives.

Although initially requested to speak about UTM internal grants only, I broadened the session to cover:

  • National grants (e.g., FRGS, PRGS, TRGS, etc.),
  • International funding schemes, and
  • UTM’s internal research grants, including preliminary insights into the 2025 internal grant planning, which is informed by MOHE’s allocated budget.

The session, originally allocated 30 minutes, extended to about 45 minutes due to active engagement and questions from attendees. I shared the PDF version of my slides with participants for future reference and further reading.

Follow-up Invitation

The next day, I was contacted by Prof. Safuan from FKA, who requested that I deliver a similar presentation to a group of new academic staff (under 5 years of service). Insha’Allah, I have agreed to support this initiative, as it aligns well with efforts to strengthen the awareness and readiness of early-career researchers in securing grants.

✅ Other Activities on the Same Day

9:00 AM – 12:30 PM: Attended and actively participated in the Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Dana (JKPD) meeting.

#20242025 Day 015

#Tuesday

Filed Under: 1 Activity 1 Day, 10 Administrative, 2 Research, Meeting, Speaker Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Debriefing Meeting – PMMD and FD

Posted on July 14, 2025 ·
Examiners’ Report form for Qualifying Assessment to PhD

The last Debriefing Meeting I chaired was held in March 2025, during which Dr. Wan Hairul served as our Senior Research Manager (SRM). However, his tenure at the Research Management Centre (RMC) was short-lived, lasting only 40 days. Subsequently, Nur Fatimah Marwar took over the responsibilities. In line with recent organizational restructuring, we no longer use the title SRM; the role has since evolved into two separate leadership functions—Head of Profund Unit and Head of Promans Unit.

Now, four months later, we convened the next Debriefing Meeting, which marks a renewed commitment to holding these sessions regularly every month, InsyaAllah. Despite current manpower limitations, the Project Management and Monitoring Division (PMMD) continues to strive toward operational stability and effectiveness.

The Debriefing Meeting serves as a critical platform to:

-Discuss and resolve pressing issues faced by both PMMD and the Finance Department (FD).

-Align and synchronize work processes, particularly in areas of overlapping responsibilities, such as grant activation, fund disbursement, and reporting mechanisms.

Meeting Highlights – 8 July 2025:

  • Time: 2:30 PM – 4:50 PM
  • Venue: RMC’s BM1
  • Chaired by: Myself

This session proved to be particularly challenging and complex, with numerous issues tabled for discussion. Notably:

  • Two key issues require separate follow-up meetings due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders and the need for cross-unit consensus before a decision can be made.
  • Several other matters, however, were successfully deliberated and resolved, Alhamdulillah.

Despite the hurdles, the collaborative spirit between PMMD and FD was evident, and all parties demonstrated a shared commitment to improving workflows and service delivery.

As we move forward, these meetings will be instrumental in fostering a more responsive, accountable, and integrated research management ecosystem at UTM. Regular debriefings will not only improve efficiency but also enhance transparency and mutual understanding across divisions.

Other tasks of the day:

  • Endorsing several End Reports (ER)
  • Completing the Examiners Report form for Qualifying Assessment to PhD (MJIIT), for Engineering Education research —> Refer image above.
  • Brief meeting with my SPACE FYP student – Pik.
  • Dealt with various RMC issues (as usual).

#20242025 Day 014

#Monday

Filed Under: 1 Activity 1 Day, 10 Administrative, 2 Research, Meeting, Project Monitoring Tagged With: , , , ,

Invigilating Final Exam for METE1153 ODL: Occupational Safety for Energy System

Posted on July 13, 2025 ·

It’s a peaceful and fulfilling Sunday, a day off in the calendar. My day began with attending the Pengajian Kitab (Kitab Faridatul Faraid) at my local surau after Subuh. I returned home shortly after 8:00 a.m., mentally preparing for the final examination of METE1153 – Occupational Safety in Energy Systems, which I am conducting for the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) cohort.

This semester, 28 students are enrolled in the course, spread across various parts of Malaysia, with one student even based in Europe. I initiated our Webex session at 8:35 a.m., and to my pleasant surprise, half the students were already present, waiting patiently and punctually for the session to begin.

By 8:45 a.m., I conducted a short briefing on the final exam procedures, ensuring clarity and alignment with the students. Since everyone was ready and there were no pending issues, we agreed to start the exam slightly earlier at 8:55 a.m., with a scheduled end time at 11:55 a.m.

Delivering ODL for METE1153 this time has been both rewarding and challenging. One major challenge was the fact that both the students and I are still relatively new to the ODL format. In addition, my hectic academic and administrative schedule added complexity to planning and execution.

However, there is much to be grateful for. I now have a clearer vision of what needs to be improved. With the help of:

Past trainings I’ve attended,

  • Feedback and support from the METE course coordinator,
  • Comments from students, and
  • My own reflections from two years of teaching experience in ODL,

…I am confident that I am better equipped to deliver an improved ODL experience in the next cycle. InsyaAllah, the next offering of this course will be a significantly enhanced version.

So, stay tuned. Better things are on the horizon.

#20242025 Day 013

#Sunday

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day Tagged With: , , , ,

Weekend Commitment: Supporting a SPACE Final Year Project Student

Posted on July 12, 2025 ·

Weekends are typically seen as a time for rest and personal renewal, especially for most employees. However, for academicians and lecturers, weekends can often be just another extension of our academic responsibilities. While Saturday and Sunday are officially non-working days, it is not uncommon for teaching-related duties to spill over into the weekend due to packed schedules on weekdays.

Today was one such instance. I had to carefully balance my time between personal, family, and social commitments in order to accommodate a mock presentation session for one of my Final Year Project (FYP) students from the SPACE program, UTM’s part-time undergraduate program for working adults.

Given my full-day commitments, I informed my student, who is currently working at a major oil refinery in Pasir Gudang, that we would conduct the mock session later at night, after I returned from attending the Maulidur Rasul Kuliah at Masjid Taman Pulai Indah. We began the mock presentation at 10:25 p.m. and concluded by 11:00 p.m. I listened attentively to his presentation and provided detailed, constructive feedback focused on both the content and delivery aspects. I advised him to revise the slides and submit the improved version to me by tomorrow for final review. I sincerely hope that the revised presentation will reflect significant improvement—InsyaAllah.

Earlier in the day, I also attended a wedding ceremony in Pasir Gudang, following an invitation from a former colleague at Mewaholeh Industries Sdn Bhd, my previous workplace. It was a meaningful social occasion that allowed me to reconnect with old friends, former students, and fellow professionals.

Days like today remind me that while weekends are meant for rest, they can also offer valuable opportunities for mentoring, reflection, and nurturing long-term academic relationships, especially with committed students who juggle work and study in parallel.

#20242025 Day 012

#Saturday

Filed Under: 1 Academic, 1 Activity 1 Day, 11 Personal, 2 Research, 5 Consultancy, 6 Supervision Tagged With: , , ,
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