Academic and Social Significance of research and study

Teaching

• Pioneered, generated and maintained intensive computer usage, including multimedia applications in ecology and entomology concepts and processes obtained from localized researches; thus infusing novel, interactive, and creative teaching and learning methodology. This novel technology has been effective for students, farm managers, and farmers leading to increased productivity.
• Invigorated usage of Statistical Analysis, including application in Ecology subjects and Ecology-related subjects in the curriculum, thus promoting analytical and critical thinking by students.
• Successfully introduced and maintained usage of STATSGRAPHICS & SPSS packages for interactive online statistical analyses and syntheses, for undergraduate, graduate and professional staffs teaching.
• Intensify utilization of database referencing, which expedites data mining.
• Introduced system's thinking, in undergraduate and graduate teaching; hence inculcating strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Insisted at undergraduate and graduate levels, a proper understanding of sampling theory; thus producing biological graduates with strong quantitative ecological foundation.

Research

• Intensified Research Priority Areas (IRPA) Programme Leader & Project leader; thus executing leadership roles in integrating ecological concepts and applications in ecosystem researches.
• Intensively involved in vetting & evaluating faculty, university, and national IRPA research programmes.
• Focus on Sampling for Arthropod Population Management, thus ensuring judicious error control procedures in pest management decisions.
• Day & night sampling for 22 categories of paddy arthropods; revealed that most insects are up to 3 times more in numbers during the night than during the day, thus enabling enhancement of accuracy and precision through sampling corrections for all daytime samplings.
• Optimum size sampling (OSS) curves for 22 categories of arthropods of paddy were established, hence ensuring optimal pest management decisions.
• Completed Integrated Management Sampling plans for 11 categories of arthropods of rice; therefore ensuring incorporation and implementation of sound ecological concepts and guidelines in rice integrated pest management.
• Extensive research linkages, within Malaysia & outside Malaysia, hence continuously expediting regional and global dissemination of research knowledge, and dialogues.
• Completed successfully as major supervisory capacity in producing 3 Doctorates, 8 Masters & 200 Honours students (programme); thus contributing substantially to building of scientific capacity and capability, especially in terms of human resource requirement of Malaysia.
• One Honours project on ecological entomology is the Faculty's 1997 submission for Malaysian Plant Protection Society's (MAPPS) Gold Award for Research.
• Three Honours project on ecological entomology and one on ecological multimedia won Gold Award at Faculty level & best project at Dept. level.
• Pioneered, generated and maintained intensive computer usage in all facets of academic life; thus ensuring Information Communication Technology (ICT) integration in all aspects of knowledge capture and dissemination.
• Publications; 36 in journals, 71 as proceedings, 21 technical publications, 1 original book, 4 translated books, 4 practical class books, 3 major articles in 3 books, and many (>60) ecology-based consultation reports (e.g. Ecosystem Management Researches on Putrajaya Wetlands, Agro-Ecosystem Management of Rice Estate at Seberang Perak, Perak, and Ecological Investment Consultation for Isolectra Sdn. Bhd.).

Extension & Expertise Assignments

• Representing Malaysia in Advisory Committee of The Environmental Fellowship Programme & United States - Asia Environmental Partnership Programme.
• Major Committees in The Malaysian Examination Council.
• External Assignee of The National Linguistic Body (DBP).
• Protem Chairman & Foundation President of the Ecological Association of Malaysia (Persatuan Ekologi Malaysia)(6 years).
• Advisory and Consultative Capacity to Various Committees and Government Bodies in Ecological Matters & Issues.
• Advisory and Consultative Capacity & Assignments through being a member of the Excellent Research Group, Biological Control Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, AND The Malaysian National Biological Control Centre (c/- MARDI).
• Continuing as Resource Expertise for Malaysian Plant Protection Society's Courses on Pesticide Application Technology & Crop Loss Assessment.
• Panel of referees for scientific and journal publications for Malaysian Agricultural Research & Development Institute (MARDI), MAPPS, and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
• Editorial Board of MAPPS Journal of Plant Protection in The Tropics.
• Established and maintain linkages with many scientists, some are world reknown, worldwide.

Honors and Awards

• Excellent Research Award, Faculty of Science & Environmental Studies UPM, 7^th Malaysia Five-Year Plan. Intensified Research Priority Area (IRPA) Research Programme. (1996 – 2000).

• Professorship in Ecological Entomology, 1 September 1998.

• Excellent Academic Service, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 1995/1996, 1996/1997, 2000/2001.

• INTERNATIONAL EDITOR FOR TROPICAL AGROECOSYSTEMS, of the internationally prestigious electronic journal, CONSERVATION ECOLOGY (since 1998)(Chief Editor; Eminent Scholar C.S. Holling).

• THE ASIA FOUNDATION ENVIRONMENTAL FELLOWSHIP, United States - Asia ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (US-AEP), Advisory Group Meeting, September 26-29, 1994, Bangkok, Thailand. (Representing Malaysia).

• Environmental Fellowship Research Affiliation Study Award U.S.A., May through July 1993/1994, Asia Foundation, Texas A&M University, Texas (W.L. Sterling & L.T. Wilson), & Clemson University, South Carolina (B.M. Shepard), and University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, U.S.A. (notable Eminent Ecological Management Scientists; C.S. Holling & T.H. Odum, L. Gunderson, J.W. Jones & J.C. Allen). Major focus of research hands-on affiliation was "Spatial & Temporal Characterizations of Ecological Resources in Ecosystems Management."
• Fullbright Scholar 1988-1989; Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis. (Associate Researcher: Prof. Dr. L.T. Wilson). Research focus was "Distribution & Feeding Dynamics of Arthropods in Integrated Pest Management."

• Commonwealth London Times Visiting Research Fellowship 1987/88; International Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, India & International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi & Mbita Point, Kenya. Research affiliation focus was "Agroecosystem Management through Low Input Pest Management".

• London Times Visiting Research Fellowship 1987/88; International Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, India. & International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi & Mbita Point, Kenya. Research affiliation focus was "Agroecosystem Management through Low Input Pest Management."
• UNESCO Travelling Award to the XI International Congress of Plant Protection, Manila and to the International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Phillippines, 1987. The major presentation made was Sampling Protocols in Agroecosystem Management.

• Australian Government Award as Malaysian delegate to the Australian Entomology of Stored Products Study Program (three months' course), Canberrra 1981. The major topic of discussion was "Management of Man-made Stored-products Ecosystem".

• Participatory-Delegate 5th Congress Language Council of Experts Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia (MABBIM). Discussion & Definitions of Coordinated scientific & biostatistic terminologies.

• Research Studentship Award, XII International Congress of Entomology, Australian National University, Canberrra, Australia, 1975. Award for research project presentation made entitled "Management of Arthropods of Soil Subsurface Ecosystem".

• Colombo Plan Awards as scholarships for B. Sc. (Hons.)(1972) & M. Sc. (1975) in Applied Ecological Entomology, Australia. Research projects on Ecological distributions and feeding dynamics of arthropods in agroecosystems.

• First Class Honours (1972), Department of Zoology, University of New England, Australia. 

• Best Overall Zoology Student (1968/69), Department of Zoology, University of New England, Australia.

• Colombo Plan Awards as scholarships for B. Sc. (Hons.)(1972) & M. Sc.(1975) in Applied Ecological Entomology, Australia. Research projects on Ecological distributions and feeding dynamics of arthropods in agroecosystems.

Accolades

• Invitations to present Rainforest Academy and Rainforest Knowledge Industry Concepts and Value-Propositions at various Federal Ministries, State Governments, Institutions, Conferences, Policy Makers, and The Economic Action Council of Malaysia (2001, 2002).

•  Invitation to be Central Committee for setting up of National Fundamental Research Centre at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, to expedite development of Science Nobel Laureate programmes for Malaysia (2000, 2001).

•  Invitation to be in the Main Organising Committee & Convenor for Ecology and Multimedia Sections, of the 4^th Asia Pacific Conference of Entomology (4^th APCE)(entitled “Entomology for a Dynamic and Borderless World”) at Kuala Lumpur, cum speech writer (assisting the Organising Chairman) for The Honourable Minister of Science & Technology Malaysia (2001).

•  Invitation to be In the Main Technical Committee and Chief Editor in the Publication Panel, for The Agriculture and Exposition Congress (AGEX ’99) (“Pushing New Frontiers in Asian Agriculture”) (1999).

•  Invitation by The United Nations FAO through the Malaysian Biological Control Council, to initiate ecological professional enhancement programmes, for foreign scientists (1997, 1998).

•  Invitation for International Membership in The American Association for The Advancement of Science (1996).

•  Invitation for citation and elaboration in "Leaders in Achievement", International Biographical Center, Cambridge, England (1995, 1996).

•  Citation on notable contribution from the Director General of United States-Asia Environmental Partnership Program (1995).

•  Citation from The Director of Environmental Fellowship Program, U.S.A., on constructive inputs and well-written suggestions and reports to improve the programme(1994/95).

•  Speech-writing assignments (requested) for a number of significant VIPs, including Honourable Ministers, at various national-impacting functions (1990 through 1994).

•  Request letter from Dr Ken Brook, Division of Plant Industry, CSIRO, Australia, to incorporate my data on Heliothis spp. larval feeding rate and feeding preference into the Australian cotton crop integrated pest management model, entitled SIRATAC (1985).

•  Citation from a  principal research scientist, Dr R.L. Davidson, once the Leader of The Pastoral Research Group, Division of Entomology, CSIRO, Australia, on excellent research progress (1978).

•  Citation from Associate Professor E.T. Giles, Department of Zoology, University of New England, Australia, on good concise research paper publications (1976).

•  Citation from a very senior principal research scientist, Dr Phil Carne, once the Deputy Director of Division of Entomology, CSIRO, Australia, on high research integrity and capability (1972).

• Citation for best overall zoology student, University of New England, Australia, (1968).

Pinnacles

• Successfully operationalised leadership roles in implementing programs and activities culminating in Malaysian Governments’ official sanctioning of formation of the Rainforest Academy UPM, on 9^th July 2002.

• Directorship of Rainforest Academy UPM  (Appointment 1 September 2002).

• Succesfully executed leadership assignments in blueprint mapping and notioning, and extensive digital and hardcopy documenting programmes, for championing and promoting the Rainforest Knowledge Industry at the university, national and international levels.

• Excellent Research Award, Faculty of Science & Environmental Studies UPM, 7^th Malaysia Five-Year Plan. Intensified Research Priority Area (IRPA) Research Programme. (1996 – 2000).

• Professorship in Ecological Entomology (Appointment 1 September 1998).

• Appointed Board of Editors, of the prestigious fully-Web-based international journal, Conservation Ecology. (1998 till present).

• Laying a strong foundation for the nationally and internationally impacting Ecological Association of Malaysia, through being the Founding President. (1992-1995).

• The successful leadership role initiating and enhancing teamwork commitment towards various innovations and achievements then of the entire Department of Biology when I was the Head.

• Successful leadership role in research integration defining new ecosystem knowledge and novel interpretations of various ecosystem parameters, especially spatial attributes, for formulating arthropod pest management decision.

• In the preparation of The National Biodiversity Blueprint, my significant contribution was the proper sampling protocol for monitoring & surveillance purposes.

• Panel of referees for scientific and journal publications.

• Editorial Board of the Journal of Plant Protection in the Tropics.

• Preparation of a number of ecology-issues speeches for various VIPs including ministers at various significant national-impacting functions.

• Commonwealth London Times Award (1987/1988).

• Fulbright Award (1988/1989).

• Headship of the Dept. of Biology, UPM (1987-1988).

• Environmental Fellowship Award (1994).

• Excellent Academic Performance 1995/96, 1996/97, 2000/2001 Biology Dept., UPM.

• Colombo Plan Award (1968-1973).

• Overall Best Zoology Student First Year Student, University of New England, Australia (1968).

• Completed Preparation of the English language version of a lifetime research results' book manuscript; "Tropical Agro-ecosystem Analysis: Arthropod Population Interactions and Management". Writing on the Malay language version is in progress.

• Selected for UN, FAO advisory/training assignment of foreign scientists on monitoring/surveillance & forecasting technology for IPM implementation on crop agro-ecosystem.

• Consistency in maintenance of recognizable quality academic achievement since primary schooling era, epitomized through significant Awards such as Best Student Achievement, Colombo Plan Scholarship, Fulbright and Environmental Fellowships.