JOHOR BAHRU: The Merdeka Award Trust and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) hosted the 2026 Merdeka Award Talk Series (Campus Edition) here recently to explore translating research into real-world impact.
Held under the theme “From Lab to Life: Turning Research into Real-World Impact”, the event drew over 100 students, young researchers and faculty members, according to a statement.
The Merdeka Award Trust (MAT) said the Campus Edition was designed to address the challenge of transforming academic research into tangible societal and economic benefits.
The panel discussion, moderated by Dr Abdullah Mohd Nawi, manager of External and Global Engagement at UTM’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, featured Prof. Datuk Ir. Ts. Dr. Ahmad Fauzi Ismail, an authority in membrane technology; Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr. Noraini Idris, a curriculum specialist and STEM education advocate; and Syaza Soraya Sauli, an emerging researcher.
Panellists shared their career journeys, offering insight into navigating the funding landscape, overcoming experimental setbacks and sustaining long-term research projects, the statement said.
Following the panel and an audience Q&A session, participants attended a masterclass titled “Mission-Oriented Research: Practical Tips for Proposal Development”, conducted by Nitia Samuel, chief Strategy Officer of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), which covered strategies for framing research problems and structuring competitive grant proposals.
MAT said the Talk Series would continue engaging communities and cultivating next-generation leadership nationwide throughout the year.
