PhD, F.A.Sc.

Council Member, ASM

President, MNA

Director, GKSB

halimatonhamdan@gmail.com

Hali’s R&D: Nanostructured Materials:

http://www.zeomal.com

Biography

Prof. Hali has successfully promoted her research and innovative activities globally. She received her Ph.D in Physical Chemistry from University of Cambridge UK in 1989 and was UTM’s first woman Professor at 40. She received her M. Sc degree from Marshall University, USA (1981) and B. Sc degree from Indiana University, USA

(1979). She pioneered the Zeolites and Nanostructured Materials Research in Malaysia in 1990. To date, she owns 12 patents, led 25 research programmes and 80 projects. Hali’s work is focused on the chemistry of silica-based nanostructured materials, namely aerogel, zeolites and mesoporous materials, synthesized from rice husk waste. She developed the technology of one-step conversion of pure amorphous silica from rice husk. Her research is about sustainable, green and clean processes by molecular manipulation to synthesize new nanostructured materials, systems and complexes via heterogeneous catalytic reactions.

Prof. Hali has successfully demonstrated that in-depth understanding in the chemistry of elements and molecules is crucial, which may be further applied to manipulate structures and chemical properties of local natural resources and create novel, commercially viable nano materials with enhanced properties. Her scientific research and scholastic work has received recognitions, including the prestigious Merdeka Award 2009 for the Health, Science and Technology Category.

She has been an advocate of STEM education and is a member of the National Committee for 60:40 Science to Arts education at MOE (2012). Prof. Hali was an academic in UTM for 31 years (1981-2012). In 2010-2012, she was seconded to Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, to head the National Nanotechnology Directorate. She is a fellow of Academy Sciences Malaysia, Institut Kimia Malaysia and Malaysian Scientific Association, member of the National Science Research Council, NanoMalaysia Board, Malaysia Professor Council and president of Malaysia Nanotechnology Association. She was the Vice Chancellor of University Malaysia of Computer Science and Engineering (2012-2014).

Abstract 

              Title : Current status of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine research in Malaysia

Nanotechnology is basic scientific knowledge of the 21^st century; recognized having big potential to bring benefits to new emerging technology and attracting rapidly increasing investments from governments and from industries in many parts of the world. Nanotechnology not only enables further technical and scientific advancement of existing technologies, rather creates new technology and imposes drastic impact on industries, economy and society in the coming decades. It is the key building block for a variety of industries, products and services. This is where a technological cornerstone measured in a billionth of a metre has the potential to revolutionize industries and products worth hundreds of billions in terms of revenue. Advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology promise to have major impacts on people in the coming decades.

Among the expected breakthroughs are order of magnitude increase in device efficiency and emergence of new phenomena in physics, chemistry and medicine. Nanotechnology provides us the ability to manipulate matter at atomic and molecular scale leading to a wealth of innovative new technologies across a vast array of fields including agriculture, healthcare, information technology, energy production and utilization, homeland security and national defense, biotechnology, food and agriculture, aerospace, materials manufacturing and environmental improvement. Nanotechnology will transform and displace many of the products with better property, better functionality, energy saving, environmentally friendly and manufacturing processes.