Six SEGi University lecturers won over RM539,000 grant

Learning and innovation go hand in hand, this spurred our academics to improve themselves continuously. Educators don’t just teach, they are learning too! At SEGi, we believe that whatever you do today can improve all your tomorrow.

Recently, SEGi University & Colleges sent 12 applications for the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), and six of them won the FRGS grant, which amounted to over RM539,000.

The six winners are Ir Ts Dr Tengku Anita Raja Hussin, Ts. Dr Nor Faiza Abd Rahman, Datin Dr Ng Soo Boon, Dr Noryati Alias, Assoc Prof Dr Madhubala Bava Harji and Dineswary Nadarajan.

Ir Ts Dr Tengku Anita Raja Hussin, the head of department for Civil Engineering at SEGi University’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment & Information Technology, won the grant worth RM123,000 for her project titled “Characterisation of reclaimed wood dowelled half lap joint in preventing plug shear and promoting ductility.

Her proposed research is on reclaiming timber to produce products. It will help to increase the use of Malaysian natural products as the structural components within national and international industrial markets for reclaimed timber.

Together with her team, which consists of SEGi University Prof Ir Dr Chiang Choong Luin, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Senior Lecturer Dr A. B. M. Amrul Kaish, SEGi University lecturer Ts Dr Nor Jihan Abd Malek, and Universiti Teknologi MARA Associate Professor (fellow researcher) Ts Dr Rohana Hassan, they aimed for complete this research in two years.

Ir Ts Dr Tengku’s colleague, SEGi University’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment & Information Technology lecturer Ts Dr Nor Faiza Abd Rahman, bagged the RM128,400 grant. Her project on sediment transport for flood areas, titled “Transport Coefficient Algorithm for Sediment Yield Quantification in Dynamic Grid Environment”,  secured the grant for her team.

Her team is made up of SEGi University lecturer Su Vin Cent & Tai Vin Cent, Universiti Teknologi Mara senior lecturer Azlinda Saadon, University Teknologi Mara senior lecturer Dr Khairi Khalid, Associate Professor Dr Mohd Remy Rozainy Mohd Arif Zainol from Universiti Sains Malaysia and National Hydraulic Research Institute Malaysia Senior Lecturer Dr Mohd Aminur Rashid Mohd Amiruddin Arumugam.

Meanwhile, SEGi University’s Faculty of Education, Languages, Psychology & Music senior lecturer Datin Dr Ng Soo Boon secured the RM80,000 grant with her proposed project “Connecting Learning Spaces: Moving forward with Hybrid Learning Framework in Malaysian Primary School”.

Her “Connecting Learning Spaces: Moving forward with Hybrid Learning Framework in Malaysian Primary School”, researching how our primary schools deal with hybrid learning, clinched the deal.

Due to the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown forced Malaysian schools to integrate physical-classroom teaching with remote learning, operationally defined as hybrid learning. It motivated Datin Dr Ng to research how our primary schools deal with hybrid learning.

The expected outcome is a customised and efficient hybrid learning system for the reference of policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers, in line with UNESCO’s inclusive proposition of education for all (Goal 10) and quality education (Goal 4). This will result in a hybrid learning framework that ensures every learner has the right to education regardless of the moment of prosperity or disparity, which is in line with the Ministry Of Education’s (MOE) Blueprint 2013 – 2025.

At the same time, a colleague of Datin Dr Ng, a senior lecturer from the same faculty, Dr Noryati Alias, scored the RM76,000 grant. Her “Malaysian Gen Y Family Resiliency Index for Families Healthy Life and Well-Being” project involves social science research emphasising psychology sealed the deal for her and her team.

Dr Noryati’s teammate includes Prof Dr Datin Mariani Md Nor and Associate Prof Dr Lydia Foong Yoke Yean from SEGi University, Dr Rafidah Abd Karim from UiTM Tapah, Perak and Dr Norsafatul Anin Razak from University Malaya.

Her study supports the Sustainable Development Growth policy, SDG 3, ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being of people and SDG 11, making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable to build civilised and high-income nations.

Another colleague of Dr Noryati, Assoc  Prof Dr Madhubala Bava Harji, a programme leader from the same faculty, has received the RM63,000 grant for her project “Modelling a sustainable Home School Partnership for restoration of learning loss among B40 Primary School pupils”.

Together with her team, they will explore the factors for establishing a Home-School Partnership and examine principals’, teachers’, parents’, and pupils’ readiness to establish a Home-School Partnership. After that, they will also evaluate the new Home-School Partnership Framework. The project outcome will assist MOE in establishing a sustainable Home-School Partnership for restoring learning loss.

Her teammates are SEGi University Professor Dr Geetha Subramaniam, SEGi University programme leader Assoc Prof Dr Sheiladevi Sukumaran, Kolej University Tunku Abdul Rahman senior lecturer Dr See Kwee Teck and University Malaya senior lecturer Dr Simah Mamat.

The following recipient, Dineswary Nadarajan, a lecturer from SEGi University’s Faculty of Business, Accountancy & Law, has obtained the RM68,688 grant titled “Marine traffic flow and seaport efficiency using hybrid fuzzy data envelopment analysis utilising machine learning algorithm” for her team.

Her teammates consist of SEGi University senior lecturer Ilangovan Perumal, SEGi University lecturer Noor Ain Md Zeni, Universiti Malaya Assoc Prof Dr Noor Fadiya Mohd Noor and Universiti Taylor’s senior lecturer Paul Anthony Maria Das.

“My supervisor (Associate Professor Dr Noor Fadiya Mohd Noor) is a role model who always encourages me to venture into new ideas, which motivated me to study deep into this study. Not forgetting my husband, who initiated me to study marine traffic flow at Westport and would like to thank my team members for securing this FRGS grant,” said Dineswary.

The outcome of this research will expect more improvement as the number of ships increases to boost operational productivity and efficiency of the Westport even during the low season.

Congratulations to all grant winners; their dedication to education is outstanding!

SEGi’s commitment to bringing out #TheBestInYouMadePossible, with experienced and accomplished lecturers, sets us apart from everyone. Find out more at segi.edu.my  or click #WhySEGi.