UTAR doctoral candidate Monisha Rajamohan was awarded the Best Poster (The Innovator) Award at the Malaysian Society for Microbiology Postgraduate Symposium 2025 (MSMPS2025), held on 18 August 2025 at Akademia Siber Teknopolis, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Organised under the theme Microbes as Catalysts for Sustainability, the symposium brought together 48 postgraduate researchers from nine local and three international universities to share advancements in microbiology aimed at driving environmental and industrial transformation.
Monisha, who is currently pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy (Science) at Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES), clinched the honour for her poster titled Comparative Study of Fe(III) Reduction in Kaolin Using Individual and Consortium of Indigenous Bacillus Species. Her research explores the use of bioleaching, a sustainable microbial technique, to improve the industrial quality of kaolin, a clay mineral whose usability is often compromised by iron impurities. By comparing the performance of a single strain of Bacillus cereus with a microbial consortium comprising B. cereus, B. megaterium, and B. aryabhattai, her study found that the consortium achieved a superior 13.1% improvement in whiteness and demonstrated more sustained Fe(III) reduction than the individual strain.
In recognition of her work, Monisha was presented with a certificate of achievement and a cash prize of RM150. “This recognition motivates me to continue exploring sustainable solutions through microbiology,” she shared. “I am truly honoured to receive this award and am deeply grateful to my supervisors, collaborators, and UTAR for their support and guidance throughout this journey,” Monisha added.
Her supervisor, Ir Dr Kuan Seng How, from the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, praised the research’s interdisciplinary impact. “I am proud of Monisha and her achievement. Her work on bioleaching demonstrates the transdisciplinary intersection of biotechnology, chemistry, and materials engineering. Her success would not have been possible without the support of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), and the immense expertise and infrastructure for academic research provided by the UTAR-UKM collaboration,” he said.
Monisha’s achievement reflects UTAR’s institutional emphasis on integrating sustainable research practices into postgraduate education. Her success also underscores the University’s capacity to nurture global research talent dedicated to solving pressing environmental and industrial challenges through scientific innovation.
Monisha with her awards
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