R&D Colloquium 2015

Following the success of the first and second R&D Colloquium in May and October 2014 respectively, the Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research (IPSR) organised its third R&D Colloquium at UTAR Perak Campus on 13 June 2015.

Aimed to provide continuous updates on research outcomes to the research centres, faculties, IPSR and Vice President’s Office for Research Development and Commercialisation (RDC), the R&D Colloquium 2015 also served as a platform to foster regular networking among the 27 UTAR research centres and to establish cross research co-operation as well as to enhance bidding for local and international research funding.

Themed ‘Sustainable Development and Green Growth’ and ‘Health Care and Technology’, the R&D Colloquium was truly a mutual assent and served as an important platform for the research participants to interact, present and share their research work. It saw more than 120 participants comprising local and foreign researchers from UTAR research centres, lecturers, staff and postgraduate students. 

Group photo of the participants

Delivering his welcome remarks at the opening of the colloquium, UTAR Vice President (RDC) Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei explained the role of R&D and its contribution towards the university’s progress. He added, “Today’s R&D Colloquium is continued to strengthen and nurture interactions among researchers from various research centres in UTAR and to establish research collaboration and reinforce cross disciplinary research. It also engages researchers and postgraduate students towards multi-disciplinary academic research in order to form a knowledge-based community with advanced research culture and quality.” 

Prof Lee delivering his welcome address

There were two parallel sessions with a total of 22 presentations at the R&D Colloquium 2015. The topics included sustainable healthcare system and lifestyle, relationship between corporate governance, sustainability disclosure and financial performance as well as disaster management.

Among the highlights were Dr Wang Chan Chin’s presentation on ‘Recent Flood Disaster in Malaysia and Collaboration with Local NGOs in Disaster Risk Reduction’, Surita Mogan and her team’s presentation on ‘Research on Endometriosis in Malaysia’, Chan Ling Meng’s presentation on ‘Conceptual Framework of Moral Emotion among Human Resource Managers in Malaysia’, Dr Shaheed Ahmed’s presentation on ‘Health Screening in Kajang’ and Dr Ng Choon Aun’s presentation on ‘Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) Treatment Using Anaerobic Activated Sludge Processes.’ 

Dr Shaheed presenting his research paper 

Surita Mogan explaining about endometriosis 

N. Suberamaniam, a lecturer at the Centre for Foundation Studies, enthused, “I enjoy attending the colloquium as it was intellectually satisfying. The topics presented were new and useful for new researchers especially on the topic of heath screening for retirees. I personally think further studies are needed in the area of ‘Plight of the Male Retirees’ as it is a new and current issue in the society. He added, “Apart from that, the study on flood in Pahang and Kelantan is also an important topic and I learnt a lot from the overall colloquium.” 

Another lecturer from the Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Afi Roshezry bin Abu Bakar, said, “Attending the colloquium helps me to gain more knowledge from diverse fields which were basically new and different from my field. It also serves as a good platform to network with other researchers and lecturers from different faculties.”

As a progressive university, UTAR regularly holds conferences and colloquium as platforms for researchers to share their research findings and network for more collaborative opportunities.