Excellence in research
PROF Dominic Foo, professor of process design and integration in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus ( UNMC), received the Top Research Scientists Malaysia ( TRSM) award on Aug 15.
The Academy of Sciences Malaysia award aims to recognise and showcase the accomplishments of Malaysian researchers as role models of excellence in the discipline, its ambassadors and leaders, driving the nation’s science, technology and innovation agenda.
One key reason Prof Foo won the award is his world- leading research in chemical engineering process design and integration. Also equally important is his willingness to give back to the next generation of engineers coming through the ranks at UNMC.
Apart from his research, he is very engaged with the postgraduate researchers that he supervises, as well as the undergraduates he teaches.
Prof Foo says, “I am passionate about working with young people to help them succeed in their careers.
“I spend time with them to provide career guidance and also mentor new researchers and academics in planning their research career.”
“We are honoured to have one of our researchers win this prestigious award,” says Prof Graham Kendall, chief executive officer and provost of UNMC.
“This award reflects our position as a leading research university, in Malaysia and globally. The quality of the research we produce is groundbreaking and has a positive impact to society at large,” adds Prof Kendall.
The award was presented by Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, the Sultan of Perak on the first day of the International Conference on Science for Peace in Kuala Lumpur.
“I am very honoured to receive this award from Sultan Nazrin Shah, whom I highly respect and who is a friend of the university,” shares Prof Foo.
“I feel very blessed as a Malaysian graduate completing my studies from an undergraduate level to a postgraduate level in Malaysia. Also, all my research work is based in Malaysia. I would also like to acknowledge all my research collaborators throughout Asia, Europe, Africa and North America for their support,” he adds.
Prof Foo is an active member of professional engineering bodies in Malaysia and the United Kingdom. He has published three books and more than 110 papers in international refereed journals and has completed more than 170 conference presentations.
He is also the editor- in- chief for Process Integration and Optimisation for Sustainability ( Springer), and subject editor for Process Safety & Environmental Protection ( Elsevier), among others.
No stranger to major accolades, in 2009 he won the Innovator of the Year Award of IChemE ( Institute of Chemical Engineers).
Shortly afterwards, he was recognised with the Young Engineer Award 2010 from the Institution of Engineers Malaysia.
In 2012, Junior Chamber International lauded him the Outstanding Young Malaysian Award, while in 2013, he received the Award for Outstanding Asian Researcher and Engineer from the Society of Chemical Engineers Japan ( SCEJ).
In 2014, he was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Achievement Award by The University of Nottingham.
ASM has embarked on the TRSM initiative since 2010 to identify and recognise leading Malaysian scientists who are pushing the boundaries of research and development to generate new knowledge, make discoveries, create value- added opportunities and translate their research into meaningful and impactful outcomes that would significantly contribute to the socioeconomic transformation of the nation.
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