This one is for you dad, says recipient
How I wish I could share this moment with him, says researcher
KUALA LUMPUR: Although the pain of not being at his dad’s funeral six years ago remains, Dr Lee Tian Khoon is hopeful he is still proud of his latest achievement.
The 32-year-old researcher from Renggam, Johor, is one of three recipients of the prestigious Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment this year.
The grant allows recipients to pursue a short-term attachment for their research.
“When my mum informed me about my dad’s passing, I was in the middle of a three-month research attachment in South Korea.
“I was devastated and in a dilemma. But my mom told me to focus on my academic work.
“How I wish I could share this moment with him now.
“But I’m hopeful that he will be happy and proud of what I am today,” said Dr Lee after receiving the certificate at a ceremony here yesterday.
The grant certificates were presented by Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, who is also the royal patron of the Merdeka Trust Award.
Dr Lee is undertaking a post-doctoral study at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Fuel Cell Institute.
With the grant, he will embark on a research attachment at Oxford University in Britain, focusing on converting rubber material for advanced energy conversion and storage.
“The goal of my research is to further increase the economic value of rubber. The success of this study will widen the application of rubber as a source of renewable energy,” he added.
Another recipient Aishah Ismail, 29, is set to research on identifying stroke biomarker through examining the eyes and ocular blood flow for early signs of stroke.
The PhD candidate at Universiti Teknologi Petronas’ Centre of Intelligent Signal and Imaging Research said that the eyes were key organs that acted as the window to the brain and allow for non-invasive visualisation.
“Along with this, changes in blood flow in our eyes indicate changes in blood flow in our brain.
“Our vision may also be affected by brain disease or injuries as the retina and optic nerve are part of the central nervous system,” she said.
Dr Ong Wee Jun, who is an Asst Prof at Xiamen University Malaysia’s School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, will be focusing on solar energy conversion and stor- age to address energy security and environmental issues.
“My research will develop a renewable energy device for largescale application that allows for a shift from a chemical industry powered by fossil fuels to one powered by the sun.
“This will lead to Malaysia’s movement towards adopting green technology by employing next-generation nanomaterials to attain sustainable development,” said the 29-year-old.
Merdeka Award Trust founding member and CEO and president of Petronas Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin called on the recipients to make best use of the opportunity to engage with the world’s finest experts and collect valuable insights in their fields of research.
“The grant aims to encourage and cultivate young talents, providing inspiration to broaden their expertise,” he said.
To date, a total of 14 young Malaysians have received the grant with 11 of them having completed their international attachments.
Launched in 2012, the grant is given to qualified Malaysians, aged between 22 and 35.