A leading chemical engineer at the University of Nottingham Malaysia has been named among the 2018 Top Research Scientists Malaysia (TRSM). The Prime Minister of Malaysia presented the prestigious award at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on 1 November.
Professor Denny Ng, from the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering is to receive the TRSM Award for his significant contributions on scientific research development and as role model of excellence.
Professor Ng is Founding Director of Centre of Sustainable Palm Oil Research (CESPOR) and formerly Head of Business Engagement and Innovation Services (UNM).
His areas of specialisation include energy management, resource conservation via process integration techniques, synthesis and analysis of biomass processing and integrated bio refineries, as well as energy planning for greenhouse gas emission reduction.
For the last decade he has been investigating how to reuse and recycle biomass and palm oil mill effluent. The main aim is to eliminate all solid and liquid waste in the palm oil mill, resulting in zero discharge, and transform them into useful products.
Professor Ng is the second staff member from UNM – alongside Professor Dominic Foo (2016) - and one of only 133 academics nationally to be recognised with TRSM.
“It is my honour to be recognised as one of TRSMs by Academy of Sciences Malaysia. This is an important recognition by the nation on my contribution to the industry as well as society,” said Professor Ng.
“As one of the top 100 universities in the world and a leading research university, our research impacts the lives of many around us, including the local economy near our Malaysia Campus in Semenyih. Our researchers are among the best in Malaysia, indeed the world, and I am fortunate to work with so many talented individuals. We are very proud of Denny’s achievement in receiving this prestigious award in recognition of the world class research that he continues to deliver,” said University of Nottingham Malaysia Provost and CEO Professor Graham Kendall.
Among his many accolades, Professor Ng has also won the Ten Outstanding Young Malaysian Award 2017, Young Engineer Award 2015 (Institution of Engineers, Malaysia); and the Global IChemE Young Chemical Engineer of the Year 2012.
With more than 150 papers to his name, Professor Ng is well-published and well-cited and has presented more than 180 papers at various conferences. He also serves as reviewer for more than 50 peer review journals.
Professor Ng has also applied his R&D output in industrial consultation projects. To date, he has received more than RM 2 million from government and industries to develop and commercialise his research.
The Academy of Sciences Malaysia’s TRSM Award acknowledges outstanding achievements and performance by Malaysian researchers as role models of science excellence, mentors to the next generation of scientists and leaders to forge the Science, Technology and Innovation agenda of Malaysia.
The award was presented by Guest of Honour, YAB Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia and ASM Honorary Fellow at the ceremony which was held on 1 November 2018.
About the award
Academy of Science Malaysia (ASM) has embarked on the Top Research Scientists Malaysia (TRSM) initiative since 2010 to identify and recognise leading Malaysian research scientists who are actively 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 socio-economic transformation of the nation. The output of this initiative is a TRSM profile that would provide a centralized point of reference on leading scientists in Malaysia along with information on their research areas. The convention of the best minds in the country would create a hub for knowledge dissemination that can spur the growth of STI in Malaysia.
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For media enquiries please contact, Josephine Dionisappu, PR & Communications Manager on Josephine.dionisappu@nottingham.edu.my.
(Article image caption: Group photo with Prime MInister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, also seen is Professor Denny Ng (sixth from left at the back row). Photo credits: Akademi Sains Malaysia.
(Thumbnail image caption: Professor Denny Ng at Centre of Sustainable Palm Oil Research (CESPOR).
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Posted on 2nd November 2018