Three Utm Scholars Recognised For Excellence In Innovation And Teaching

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 (Bernama) -- Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) continued its outstanding performance at the 15th National Academic Awards (AAN) organised by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) when three of its academic members were recognised  through two awards today.

The three are Ts Dr Mariani Abdul Hamid, who won the Innovation and Commercialisation of Products Award; Associate Professor Dr Adibah Abdul Latif, who received the Teaching Award for the Applied Literature and Applied Social Sciences category; and Dr Norliza Mohd Isa, who received the Teaching Award for the Applied Science category.

Winning the award through the DERMAGS Intensive Brightening Serum, a mangosteen-based cosmetic product, Mariani said that nearly seven years of research efforts have paid off as she was recognised as the best innovator.

"Alhamdulillah, in 2014 we launched DERMAGS, and now, this product has been in the market for eight years... we have gone through several ups and downs, but Alhamdulillah, through product marketing, we have created ten millionaires. They are distributors, agents, stockists, and so forth.

"We have also provided returns to UTM in the form of royalties, technology licencing, endowments, research contracts, and more, amounting to over RM700,000 for the university. So, I think that is a very proud achievement for us," she said when met after the award presentation ceremony here.

Meanwhile, Adibah, who has been directly involved in various teaching and education plans and policies at the university and national levels, said that the recognition she received is a motivation for her to continue contributing to the field she has ventured in.

"What I received today is the result of the efforts of many, especially my family and UTM itself... I have been with UTM as a lecturer since 2003, so it's been 20 years. Of course, to reach this level and achieve this award is something I never thought of.

I believe any educator, when they teach, they never think of returns. So, with this award, it's not a reward, but probably a motivation, an appreciation for educators to feel that they are significant in our community or society," she said.

Working at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at UTM, Adibah focuses on educational assessment, which requires her to master curriculum aspects, teaching delivery, and improvement processes. She has implemented various innovations in the teaching context to enhance students' knowledge acquisition and development.

Norliza, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, UTM, hopes that the award will serve as a motivation to continue to strive to provide the best for the benefit of her students.

Her effort has been guided by the AQWAM (Attitude, emotional Quotient, teamWork, Adaptability and comMunication skill) values, the key to her success in implementing 21st-century learning innovations in the teaching context at UTM.

The three award recipients received a prize of RM50,000 each, along with a trophy and a certificate.

Among the UTM academic members who have previously received awards from AAN include UTM vice-chancellor, Prof Datuk Ir Ts Dr Ahmad Fauzi Ismail (AAN 7th edition), Prof Ts Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan (AAN 14th edition), Prof Dr Mohamad Roji Sarmidi (AAN 11th edition), Assoc Prof Fatimah Puteh (AAN 9th edition), and Assoc Prof Ir Hayati Abdullah (AAN 5th edition).

UTM, through UTM CDEX, continues to encourage its academic members to excel in advancing academia, especially in the context of teaching and learning (PdP) and research.

-- BERNAMA