USM Lecturers Ranked Among World's Most Cited Researchers

Three Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) lecturers in various fields of engineering have made the institution proud for being listed among the Most Cited Researchers in the latest Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities 2016 by Subjects.

The three top academicians are Professor Dr Bassim H. Hameed and Professor Dr Lee Keat Teong from the USM School of Chemical Engineering, and Professor Dr Hanafi Ismail from the USM School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering.

Bassim was cited as being top in the field of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Science and Engineering, Hanafi is in the field of Chemical Engineering and Lee in the field of Energy Science and Engineering.

Bassim said he was both proud and honoured to have been recognised for his research work in Chemical Engineering and Environmental Science and Engineering by the Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic World University Rankings.

Prior to this, he was listed by Thomson Reuters as among the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds and also the Highly Cited Researcher for 2015 and 2014 in the field of Engineering.

“I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation (MOSTI) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) for granting me research funds to make my research possible at USM,” said Bassim, who hails from Iraq.

“I also want to acknowledge the excellent works and contributions of all my Postdoctoral Fellows, postgraduate students, researchers, international collaborators and the members of my Reaction Engineering & Adsorption (READ) research group who showed tremendous commitment throughout my 17 years with USM.”

Giving his advice to USM’s young researchers, Bassim said: “They need to be focused in conducting good research that is relevant to global issues such as environment, energy, climate change, water security etc., and avoid conducting research solely because of their personal interest.

“They should also publish their results in the top ISI-indexed journals in their fields.”

Meanwhile, Hanafi said that with the available facilities at the Science and Engineering Research Centre (SERC) on USM’s Engineering Campus in Nibong Tebal and the cohort of young lecturers currently in service there, USM hopes to produce more world-class researchers.

“The young lecturers should always be positive and to persevere in their efforts. As in any situation, they need to make teaching in research as their core business and also be ready to cooperate with others in their research,” he said.

Lee, who is director of the USM Research Creativity and Management Office (RCMO) and also director of the USM International Collaborations Office, said that it has always been his objective to share his research findings with other researchers in his field around the world, with the hope that it will contribute to the advancement of science within his field of expertise.

“To the young researchers, find a niche that you are passionate about, and work all out to develop yourself to be recognised as an expert in that niche; do not let intermediate stumbling block or failures to discourage you,” he said.

“Continue to persevere and one day you will be duly recognised by your peers.”

Professor Dr Phua Kia Kien, director of the USM Institutional Development Division, called this ranking result a great accomplishment for USM as three out of four researchers from Malaysian universities who were listed came from USM.

“This is especially when the Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic World University Rankings is considered among the most prestigious in the ranking system for academics and research output,” he said, adding that USM’s academicians have been producing world-class impactful research that have contributed to the development of the institution and the nation.

Original Article :
http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/09/170001/usm-lecturers-ranked-among-worlds-most-cited-researchers