2 Research | Ir. Ts. Dr. Zaki Yamani Zakaria Official Page

Journal Review Complete – YES!

Posted on July 24, 2016 ·

For those who are not aware of the endless job scope of a lecturer / academician / researcher / consultant etc, we have one interesting yet challenging task. It is journal review. Since we are an expert in certain specific field of research, there will be time where we will be invited to review manuscripts that are submitted to certain journals. I have been doing this activity of journal review since I was a Ph.D student. But after Ph.D, I received more and more invitation to review journal manuscript. But wait… The number of journal that I review are not as much as our professors have to review. Roughly, I am reviewing around 5 to 10 journals a year (since 2013). I am expecting to receive more and more invitation. However, that’s nothing compared to professors who review more than 100 journal manuscript per year.

Is it tough?

Depends.

Sometimes, when we are hectic, we hardly have time to read and comprehend the content of the manuscript to be reviewed. However, when we have some piece of extra time to spend reading this manuscript, we can complete the review faster. There were moments where I managed to complete a review in 1 day. There are also moments where I took 3-4 weeks to complete a review. There was 1 review that I remembered not completing it at all.

Reward?

This is not a paid job. It is just for us to help and contribute to review and help to decide if a manuscript is worth publishing or not. However, it is required and counted in our KPI (Key Performance Index) or KAI (Key Amal Index)… as UTM called it now. The more we reviews we make, the more points get counted for our performance evaluation every each end of the year. Another way of looking at it, is the journal editors recognizes our expertise and credibility, and due to that, they invited us to review the manuscript. So, although it is not a paid task or project, academicians like me still do the review for the reasons above.

180 degree opposite opinion

I know some colleagues who does not like the idea. Why you are doing this and not getting paid? Why you are letting them manipulating your intellectuality? Why are you giving them a service for free? “Them” here refers to the publisher of the journals. I am not against my colleague’s idea NOR I am backing up this big journal publisher. At the moment, I am just doing what I am suppose to do as an academician and researcher. I am trying to do the best that I can for the best of the scientific advancement of knowledge. Somehow, I feel that experts like us should be rewarded and not let to do a free service.

What do you think?

I would like to see your opinions and the comment section below 🙂

Filed Under: 2 Research Tagged With: Journal, manuscript, research, Review

UTM Inter Departmental Soccer Tournament

Posted on July 23, 2016 ·

This is surprisingly my 1st soccer game in a space of 4 years. Previously I played for the faculty, but since I experienced some pain in my knees (in 2012), I have to relaxed and considered stop playing. But, yesterday…haha… it was a comeback. I anticipated to play for 10 minutes, but it ended I played for 45 minutes. Need to work on my stamina.

Filed Under: 2 Research Tagged With: chemical engineering, Football, Futball, Game, JDT, Soccer, Tournament, UTM

Modern Biodiesel Production Technologies: New Biodiesel Processor

Posted on July 22, 2016 ·

As a researcher who is into this bio-energy / biodiesel thingy, I cannot stop from noticing this. Check out the video below. Unlike companies which manufacture biodiesel production equipment (biodiesel processor) based on outdated, tank technologies, which have been used for over a century, this company uses the high-frequency magnetic impulse cavitation principle.

Filed Under: 13 Videos, 2 Research Tagged With: Biodiesel, Bioenergy, Biomass

My Website Stat as of Today

Posted on July 21, 2016 ·

I am keeping this record for future references. I just want to record the vital stats that I am currently analyzing which are the backlink I am getting from Google Site Search box. I will check the stats end of this year and make a similar post like this. Perhaps will do a bit of espionage analytical research on the website performances.

Filed Under: 2 Research

My Google Scholar Stat Info (20th July 2016)

Posted on July 20, 2016 ·

Every academicians / researchers in a university all over the world will have their own Google Scholar Account by this era. I’m included. Like other comrades, I am striving hard to contribute as much as I can to the scientific community, especially those that dwell within the regions of Chemical Engineering. My Google Scholar stat info as per shown below (If you are interested to see, just click the image below to enlarge it). This is for my personal record to see, to assess, to evaluate, to reflect later in future, how I am performing as an academician / researcher. For record, I uploaded Figure 1 and Figure 2.

Figure 1: My Google Scholar Stats (updated till 20th July 2016)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Summary of my Google Scholar Stat (20th July 2016) :

Citation – 112

h-index – 4

i10-index – 3

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Summary of my Google Scholar Stat 6 months ago (31th December 2015) (ref):

Citation – 84

h-index – 3

i10-index – 3

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Figure 2: My Google Scholar Stats (updated till 31th December 2015)

My 2 cents

As a new lecturer it is not easy to straight away jump and show colourful glaring Google Scholar Stat. There are so much to do such as prepare/write/submit research proposal to get research grants, get some students (good students), supervise and monitor research, write and publish in reputable journal, participate in conferences, perhaps write 1 or 2 book chapters etc. The impact of all this hardwork will only be materialize in the next few years. Well, I just completed my Ph.D in 2013 , struggled to secure some research grants in 2014 and managed to have some good students in 2015. So, now is the time to work smart and hard. I hope my Google Scholar stats will be more decorative in the coming 2017. InsyaAllah

Filed Under: 2 Research, 3 Writing Tagged With: chemical engineering, chemical engineering research, h-index, h10-index, university, UTM

Kawal Harapan

Posted on June 30, 2016 ·

Yang dinamakan “employee” atau pekerja itu adalah seseorang yang bekerja (makan gaji) untuk seseorang atau sesebuah syarikat. Saya merupakan seorang pekerja yang berkhidmat dalam sebuah universiti yang berstatus hebat. Di sini ada banyak pekerja. Ada pensyarah, ada professor, ada teknisyen, ada pentadbir, ada tukang cuci, ada tukang baik pulih itu ini dan bermacam-macam pekerjaan lagi. Sudah ada lebih 5 angka pekerja-pekerja yang bekerja makan gaji di UTM sehingga kini. Saya simpulkan begitu daripada nombor kad pekerja yang sudah menjangkau 5 angka.

Tidak dapat dinafikan seorang pekerja telah diberikan tanggungjawap-tanggungjawap tertentu untuk digalas. Ini merupakan amanah yang diberikan.

Artikel ini ditulis pada 30 June 2016. Akan saya sambung kelak. Saya ada kerja-kerja lain yang perlu dibuat sekarang.

Stay tune 🙂

Filed Under: 2 Research

Koperasi Surau Bestari – My Tiny Contribution

Posted on May 29, 2016 ·

As a lecturer, our tasks not only dwell around teaching and research. We have more than that to offer. But it is not the place here for me to elaborate on the task of a lecturer. What I am currently doing so far is sharing my mind, energy and expertise to help the marketing of our newly Koperasi Surau Bestari. I am one of the “Ahli Lembaga Koperasi” of the koperasi.

About Koperasi Surau Bestari…

It is a great intention to increase the economy for the Surau as well as to be a ONE STOP CENTER for selling and marketing guaranteed HALAL products. We are promoting the concept of Halalan Toyyiban – Bersih dan Suci – 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. Please read more at the website itself = http://altaqwa.com.my/.

I have helped to develop the (a) Website (b) Facebook Page and (c) Instagram. I am in the process of adding in contents to it.

I may need your help to market this.

How?

Very simple, Just visit the Facebook Page and/or Instagram and LIKE / Follow. As simple as that.