Actually, I am a person who consistently keeps myself busy. Since my secondary school days, I have sought out part-time positions during school holidays, initially to stay productive and earn extra pocket money for books and stationery. My diverse work history, spanning from secondary school through my undergraduate studies, includes roles as a sales assistant at Kedai Pakaian Hari-Hari and a headscarf boutique at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR), a server at Ruz Aladdin Restaurant, a staff member at Kinokuniya Bookstore (KLCC), and a Grader and Tutor at IIUM. Each of these roles taught me invaluable lessons in grit, financial independence, and the ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Those experiences also build my interpersonal communication and time management skills and taught me the importance of adaptability in any working environment.

Nevertheless, my formal academic career began as an Academic Trainee at IIUM. Under this fellowship, I served as a Teaching Assistant at IIUM while pursuing my Master’s degree at IIUM, eventually continuing my trajectory through to the completion of my Ph.D. at National University of Singapore (NUS) in June 2018. I officially commenced my duties as an academician in August 2018. I was appointed as an Assistant Professor within the Department of Chemical Engineering and Sustainability (formerly known as the Department of Biotechnology Engineering) under the Kulliyyah of Engineering (KOE), IIUM. As of April 2026, I have about eight years of experience in higher education, specializing in teaching and the research supervision of both postgraduate and final-year undergraduate students.

From 2018 to 2026, I have delivered a diverse range of courses across all academic levels. My teaching portfolio includes core departmental subjects such as Thermodynamics, Reaction Engineering, and Chemical Process Safety, alongside practical instruction in Thermal Science and Fluid Mechanics laboratories. Beyond my department, I have taught Kulliyyah-required courses, including Engineering Drawing (CAD) and Technology Entrepreneurship, as well as University-required modules centered on Sustainable Development and Usrah in Action. Furthermore, I have mentored numerous student groups through the Integrated Design Project (IDP). In this capacity, I guide students in the comprehensive design of chemical plants and processes, ensuring they master critical elements like mass and energy balances, reactor design, control systems, waste management, and process safety. I had also experiences supervising students for Seminar and Final Year Project (which will be described more under Research Portfolio). Passionate about shaping the engineers of tomorrow, I finds my greatest inspiration in the classroom. I firmly believes in the power of education to change lives and is dedicated to mentoring my students on the importance of grit, hard work, and lifelong learning. 

My primary research interest lies in Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials for catalysis, biosensing, environmental, energy, and biomedical applications. I am particularly driven by a fundamental understanding of nanomaterials at the molecular level, including their synthesis, surface chemistry, and catalytic mechanisms, functionalization, and the overall stability of these systems. Upon joining IIUM, the high cost of advanced surface characterization tools prompted me to strategically pivot my research direction. After several competitive grant cycles, I secured funding from the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) for a project focused on the valorization of agricultural waste into value-added products, such as adsorbents for dye removal. This marked the beginning of my research alignment with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). However, to maintain my core expertise in Nanotechnology, I have integrated metal nanoparticles into these waste-derived adsorbents to enhance their efficiency and lifespan. I have also expanded these concepts into Final Year Projects (FYP), guiding students through accessible yet impactful research in nanoemulsion synthesis for beverages and cosmeceutical applications, green synthesis of silver nanoparticles, and the development of antimicrobial agents based on gold and silver nanoclusters and nanoparticles. I also extended my research works in nanotechnology to the ecotoxicity evaluation of consumer products containing nanomaterials which focus on the effects of nanomaterials to the environment including plants and aquatic life rather than just human beings. 

From 2024 to 2025, I completed an industrial attachment at nanoSkunkWorkX Sdn. Bhd., a dynamic startup specializing in deep-tech nanomaterials for biosensing, semiconductors, and hydrogen production. During this period, I focused on the R&D of nanocomposites as catalysts for hydrogen production and gained technical insights into electrolyzer stack development and its internal layer architecture for green hydrogen synthesis. This was an eye-opening experience that allowed me to witness firsthand the R&D of high-value deep-tech product development, driven by commercial viability and investor interest. I continue my passion with deep-tech nanotechnology based R&D with the company through consultancy projects. 

I also have a research project focusing on community engagement, for which I developed a Creative Reading and Education based on Storytelling Project (CREES-P) for underprivileged kids. This project was first created during the Covid-19 Movement Control Order (MCO) and was based on my passion for art and oratory skills. For the university-required course, Usrah in Action, I offered and executed this project for the students. We managed to run the project twice; once with underprivileged kids and another time with preschool students. The project introduces an interesting way to enjoy reading activities through the incorporation of a moderator, peer reading, and some art and hands-on activities related to the stories. 

Throughout my journey as an academician, I have held several management roles at the Departmental level, including Advisor for the Chemical Engineering Students Association (CHESTA), Alumni Coordinator, and Professional Engineer Coordinator. At the University level, I served as the Head of the Academic, Promotion, and Training at the IIUM World Debate and Oratory Centre (IWON). In my early career, I was quite active in the American Chemical Society (ACS) Malaysia Chapter, serving as a committee member for some activities. I also participated actively in programs organized by the National Nanotechnology Centre (NNC) Malaysia and love to attend many academic gathering and networking outside IIUM. However, after becoming pregnant with my third child and getting into industrial consultancy projects, I slowed down slightly in this area of my job scopes due to time constraints. Although I do enjoy these activities, I must admit that my primary passions lie in the teaching and research. Being a person with many goals in the teaching and research, I prefer to keep my other roles to a minimum. Among all positions that I have, I maintain and focus on IWON due to my passion in debate and oratory skill development.

I started my pre-school education at Tabika Perpaduan (near Sungai Klang) in Kampung Bumiputera Kuala Lumpur in 1992. Then, I had my formal primary school education at Sekolah Kebangsaan Polis Depot, Kuala Lumpur just for a few months, before moving to Sekolah Kebangsaan Datok Keramat 1 (SKDK 1), Kuala Lumpur. The main reason was SKDK 1 was closer to my home at that time. I completed my primary education in SKDK 1 with straights A (5A) for Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) in 1998. I truly cherished my time at SKDK 1. Even now, I fondly remember the moments my friends and I shared Roti Canai Bom at Pasar Datok Keramat just before our UPSR examinations. Another highlight was the time we spent painting a mural on the gate wall near the canteen, a small but it was a memorable mark we left on our school. 

After that I pursued my secondary school study at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Puteri Ampang (SMKPA), Kuala Lumpur. It is a girls' school and I enjoyed my art, Bahasa Melayu public speaking and debate activities in the school. Fortunately, I obtained straights A for Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination, and entered a boarding school, Sekolah Menengah Sains Muar (SAMURA), Johore for upper secondary school education. I completed my study at SAMURA with flying colours, 11 A (9 A1 and 2 A2) in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and became the Overall Best Student for my batch. Then, I continued my study in Form 6 at Sekolah Menengah Seri Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, just for a few months before accepting the offer to enter Foundation study in Biological Science at Matriculation Centre of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Petaling Jaya. Coming from a B40 background, and with parents who held Permanent Resident status at that time, I faced significant challenges in securing a place in a top-tier university programme, despite being born in Malaysia and holding Malaysian citizenship. However, after appealing to IIUM for its foundation studies, I was given a chance that changed the course of my life. To this day, I remain deeply grateful to IIUM for that life-changing opportunity. The difficulties I faced in accessing higher education also reflected my family’s broader struggles. My parents worked tirelessly to obtain Malaysian citizenship, enduring nearly 12 years of applications and continuous appeals. Alhamdulillah, their perseverance was rewarded when my father was finally granted citizenship, opening the door to better educational opportunities for my sisters. 

My deep involvement in Bahasa Melayu debate remained a defining passion throughout my higher studies at university. This commitment became the primary catalyst for my decision to switch my degree programme from a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology to a Bachelor of Engineering in Biochemical-Biotechnology upon entering the IIUM Gombak campus. At that time, the university's debate club was centered in Gombak, and my desire to remain active in the debating circuit outweighed the requirement to move to the Kuantan campus for the Science program. This choice proved to be a pivotal turning point in my academic journey. Despite the shift from a pure science (with a hope to convert to medical programme initially) to an engineering background, I felt a profound sense of gratitude and satisfaction with my chosen path. I would say, this happened due to divine intervention. Hehehe. 😊 By strategically managing credit transfers, I successfully graduated on time in 2010, earning the Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Biochemical-Biotechnology from IIUM with First Class Honors and became the Best Student (Academic) for Bachelor of Engineering (Biochemical-Biotechnology) during the 26th IIUM Convocation Ceremony 2010. During my Bachelor Degree, I did a research on the "Optimization of Citric Acid Production in Solid State Fermentation Using Artificial Neural Network (ANN)” for my Final Year Project (FYP). I was also an active student. Other than participating in Bahasa Melayu debate activities, I was also active in Biotechnology Engineering Students Association (BESTA) and Engineering Exhibitions, organized by Engineering Students Society (Enginius). 

After completing my undergraduate studies, I found that securing a position in the biotechnology field was quite challenging. However, a timely on-campus interview led to an offer as an Engineer at CTRM SI Sdn. Bhd. I served in that role for a few months before a pivotal opportunity arose; I was offered and accepted a position as an Academic Trainee (AT) at IIUM, which redirected my career toward academia. As an IIUM AT, I continued my study by pursuing Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Biotechnology Engineering in the same university and graduated in 2013. My research project was about “Enzymatic Transesterification of Sludge Palm Oil (SPO) into Biodiesel”. My Master’s journey was a significant period of my life, both academically and personally. I got married during this time and delivered my first child while writing my thesis. While it was a struggle to navigate both roles simultaneously, I am proud of how I managed to persevere and cross the finish line. 

As a part of the Academic Trainee requirement, I then did my doctorate study (Ph.D.) at Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS) in July 2014. My Ph.D. project was about “Engineering Atomically Precise Ligand-protected Gold Nanocluster for Catalytic Application.” During my Ph.D., I got the opportunity to be a Teaching Assistant and Research Engineer for few months. After 4 years of doing Ph.D., I finally obtained my Ph.D. degree in 2018. I had published several research articles in high impact journals throughout my journey as a research student. However, the true value of my Ph.D. went far beyond publications. I was incredibly fortunate to be supervised by two distinguished Professors, Prof. Xie Jianping (Main Supervisor) and Prof. Yan Ning (Co-supervisor), whose guidance was instrumental to my growth. Learning from them and my colleagues in the BioNanoMetals and Green Catalysis research groups provided me with a wealth of knowledge that transcended research. Ultimately, my time at NUS remains deeply memorable because it taught me invaluable lessons not only in academia but in the resilience and perspective needed for life itself. 

At my core, I am a simple person, deeply grounded by the people I love. I am a wife to my university sweetheart, a mother of three, a daughter to my aging parents, and a sister to six siblings. While many perceive me as a workaholic, my family remains my true north.

As a woman in academia, juggling family life with the rigors of research is never easy. There are days when the pace of my career feels so hectic that I fear I am leaving them behind, or that they are struggling to keep up with my momentum. Yet, I constantly remind myself that nothing can replace them. They are my ultimate happiness, and they are the reason I intentionally hit 'pause' to focus on what truly matters.

I am incredibly fortunate to have such a supportive family, even if my professional targets occasionally seem too complex to be understood by them. People often ask what those targets are, and the truth is: I simply love to create. I don't just juggle family and work; I juggle a wide array of passions. Beyond the lecture hall, I am a digital explorer, learning to build websites, writing Python code for new applications, creating digital art and diving into visual arts. While I am drawn to the vibrant energy of oratory, I equally crave the quietude when reading and writing research article and opinions surrounding current issues and human behavior. 

Despite my talkative and friendly nature, I deeply value silence. I need those quiet moments for deep thinking and life planning. In fact, my most productive 'me time' happens during my one-to-two-hour commute between IIUM and my home in Negeri Sembilan. In the solitude of my car, often accompanied by AI tools, I process my thoughts and plan my next steps. That long drive isn't just a journey, it is my space for daily reflection. I have come to realize that ... I also love long driving.