Zaini Ujang
Encyclopedia
Zaini Ujang is a Malaysian professor of environmental engineering and vice-chancellor of the Technological University of Malaysia
. Ujang, noted as an expert in drinking water management and safety, was described by New Straits Times
daily as “a Malaysian water icon” in 2004. BERNAMA
, the Malaysian national news agency, in an interview in 2006, introduced him as an “environmental ideologue”.
Zaini received his B.Eng. (Chem.) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and MSc and PhD in environmental engineering from Newcastle, UK. He started his academic career at UTM in 1988, and well-known as an exemplary-multi-tasking academic and opinion leader, particularly in research and development, postgraduate studies and policy formulation. His academic experience portfolio encompasses strategic and corporate leadership, institutional restructuring and research profiling. He was also the “back room boy” for various national initiatives in higher education in the late 1990s during his tenure as Special Officer to the Minister of Education with special tasking on higher education policy, particularly on corporatization of public universities, formulation of private universities and academic R&D strategic portfolio.
His professional
expertise covers water and waste water engineering, integrated ecosystem management, industrial ecology
, as well as corporate environmental strategy. He is an international academic figure in water and environmental engineering, and is regularly invited to deliver keynote address, to provide expert advice as visiting professor and consultant, and to serve many advisory bodies and prestigious committees. He was elected Vice President, International Water Association(IWA, 2004-6, London), and serves as Deputy President, Malaysia Water Association (2007-9). Prior to being IWA Vice President, he served on the IWA Strategic Council (2000–2004) and was Chair of the IWA Specialist Group on Developing Countries (2004–2008), a member of the IWA Publication Committee (2000–2004) and chair of four IWA conferences. He has recently been appointed Congress President of IWA Global Development Conference 2012. Zaini is a Fellow to the Institution of Chemical Engineers (UK), as well as a Chartered Engineer (Engineering Council, UK), a Chartered Scientist (UK Science Council), a Chartered Water & Environmental Manager (CIWEM, UK) and a Professional Engineer (chemical engineer, Board of Engineers, Malaysia). His vast expertise and experience qualify him to be appointed as Founder-Member, National Commission on Water Services (SPAN, http://www.span.gov.my) since its establishment in Feb 2007, to regulate water services industry in Malaysia.
He was the sole recipient of the prestigious Malaysia Water Award 2004 (Research), the Outstanding Young Malaysian Award 2004 (Academic Leadership) and Anugerah Melayu Cemerlang (Akademik) 2006, presented by the Malaysian Prime Minister. He was nominated for the prestigious Langkawai Award 2006/7/8 to mark his significant contribution to environmental management and education. He was conferred Darjah Dato Setia Negeri Sembilan (2007), Darjah Setia Negeri Sembilan (2005) and Pingat Pekerti Terpilih (1998) by DYMM Yang Dipertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan for his outstanding contribution to society and academia at national and international level.
Zaini is also instrumental in outsourcing research
and innovation funds, from both local and international agencies. Besides the of Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations (MOSTI), he has strong research affiliation with the Netherlands Tropical Research Foundation (WOTRO), the European Commission, the Swedish International Development Corporation (SIDA), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the Rockefeller Foundation and leading universities in Europe, Japan, Australia, Switzerland and the United States. He was the Chairman of the IWA Conference & Exhibition on Water & Wastewater Management for Developing Countries (October 2001 and 2007), and IWA Conference on Environmental Biotechnology (Dec 2003), and served as a member of many local and international technical committees, including World Water Congresses 2000/2/4/6/8.
He has registered about 20 intellectual properties jointly owned with his former students, and has commercialized six research products i.e. (a) StormWater Filter (b) software for waste water treatment plant design advisor (WASDA), (c) hybrid membrane bioreactor (d) river bank infiltration system (e) software on environmental health risk assessment (RISKAS) and (f) software on integrated solid waste management plan (ISWAM). He is in the process to commercialize a software on the cost estimation of water and waste water facilities (COWAS) and granule
production for activated sludge processes.
Straits, water pricing with Singapore, and technical assistance to developing countries. He was the principal consultant for the master plan development of river rehabilitation in the city of Johor Bahru, and formulation of the national master plan for the implementation of cleaner production practices. He also involved as principal consultant in preparing the master plan for lake eutrophication management in Malaysia, and contributed to the development of scientific laboratories and pilot plants of environmental bioengineering and biotechnology, including membrane bioreactors, constructed wetlands and sequencing batch reactors. In 2005, he was appointed chairman of the technical committee to advise the State Government of Negeri Sembilan to overcome the water crisis in Seremban.
UTM
UTM is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below* Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement, using propagation of ultrasound waves to determine the thickness of metals...
. Ujang, noted as an expert in drinking water management and safety, was described by New Straits Times
New Straits Times
The New Straits Times is an English-language newspaper published in Malaysia. It is Malaysia's oldest newspaper still in print , having been founded as The Straits Times in 1845, and was reestablished as the "New Straits Times" in 1965. The paper served as Malaysia's only broadsheet format English...
daily as “a Malaysian water icon” in 2004. BERNAMA
BERNAMA
BERNAMA is a news agency of the government of Malaysia. It is an autonomous body placed under the Information, Culture and Communications Ministry. It was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1967 and started work on 26 May 1968....
, the Malaysian national news agency, in an interview in 2006, introduced him as an “environmental ideologue”.
Zaini received his B.Eng. (Chem.) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and MSc and PhD in environmental engineering from Newcastle, UK. He started his academic career at UTM in 1988, and well-known as an exemplary-multi-tasking academic and opinion leader, particularly in research and development, postgraduate studies and policy formulation. His academic experience portfolio encompasses strategic and corporate leadership, institutional restructuring and research profiling. He was also the “back room boy” for various national initiatives in higher education in the late 1990s during his tenure as Special Officer to the Minister of Education with special tasking on higher education policy, particularly on corporatization of public universities, formulation of private universities and academic R&D strategic portfolio.
His professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
expertise covers water and waste water engineering, integrated ecosystem management, industrial ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, as well as corporate environmental strategy. He is an international academic figure in water and environmental engineering, and is regularly invited to deliver keynote address, to provide expert advice as visiting professor and consultant, and to serve many advisory bodies and prestigious committees. He was elected Vice President, International Water Association(IWA, 2004-6, London), and serves as Deputy President, Malaysia Water Association (2007-9). Prior to being IWA Vice President, he served on the IWA Strategic Council (2000–2004) and was Chair of the IWA Specialist Group on Developing Countries (2004–2008), a member of the IWA Publication Committee (2000–2004) and chair of four IWA conferences. He has recently been appointed Congress President of IWA Global Development Conference 2012. Zaini is a Fellow to the Institution of Chemical Engineers (UK), as well as a Chartered Engineer (Engineering Council, UK), a Chartered Scientist (UK Science Council), a Chartered Water & Environmental Manager (CIWEM, UK) and a Professional Engineer (chemical engineer, Board of Engineers, Malaysia). His vast expertise and experience qualify him to be appointed as Founder-Member, National Commission on Water Services (SPAN, http://www.span.gov.my) since its establishment in Feb 2007, to regulate water services industry in Malaysia.
He was the sole recipient of the prestigious Malaysia Water Award 2004 (Research), the Outstanding Young Malaysian Award 2004 (Academic Leadership) and Anugerah Melayu Cemerlang (Akademik) 2006, presented by the Malaysian Prime Minister. He was nominated for the prestigious Langkawai Award 2006/7/8 to mark his significant contribution to environmental management and education. He was conferred Darjah Dato Setia Negeri Sembilan (2007), Darjah Setia Negeri Sembilan (2005) and Pingat Pekerti Terpilih (1998) by DYMM Yang Dipertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan for his outstanding contribution to society and academia at national and international level.
Career
Zaini has been UTM Vice-Chancellor since October 2008. Prior to the appointment, he served as UTM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) since March 2007, as well as the Dean of UTM Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering (July 2006 - March 2007) (the first alumni to head the faculty). His outstanding professional and leadersip skills were also demonstrated during his tenure as Director, UTM Institute of Environmental & Water Resource Management (IPASA) (2001–2006). He has extensive experience in formulating and implementing strategies towards positioning UTM as Malaysia’s premier university in engineering and technology and as a Research University. He drives initiatives to position UTM as an academic research and innovation hub. He chaired the UTM Environmental Technology Focus Group (2002-6), a research alliance of professors on environmental engineering and applied sciences. The Group is widely recognised in promoting high quality research and innovation, and in 2005, won a special award for significant achievement in R&D. He has headed the ICT committee of Malaysian Higher Education Institutions, since 2007. His management style is widely appreciated by all who work with him including his former teachers and seniors, especially for his participatory commitment and team building approach and his role as a strategic planner, team player and academic mentor.Zaini is also instrumental in outsourcing research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
and innovation funds, from both local and international agencies. Besides the of Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations (MOSTI), he has strong research affiliation with the Netherlands Tropical Research Foundation (WOTRO), the European Commission, the Swedish International Development Corporation (SIDA), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the Rockefeller Foundation and leading universities in Europe, Japan, Australia, Switzerland and the United States. He was the Chairman of the IWA Conference & Exhibition on Water & Wastewater Management for Developing Countries (October 2001 and 2007), and IWA Conference on Environmental Biotechnology (Dec 2003), and served as a member of many local and international technical committees, including World Water Congresses 2000/2/4/6/8.
He has registered about 20 intellectual properties jointly owned with his former students, and has commercialized six research products i.e. (a) StormWater Filter (b) software for waste water treatment plant design advisor (WASDA), (c) hybrid membrane bioreactor (d) river bank infiltration system (e) software on environmental health risk assessment (RISKAS) and (f) software on integrated solid waste management plan (ISWAM). He is in the process to commercialize a software on the cost estimation of water and waste water facilities (COWAS) and granule
Granule
Granule is a generic term used for a small particle or grain. The generic term is employed in a variety of specific contexts.* Granule , visible structures in the photosphere of the Sun arising from activity in the Sun's convective zone...
production for activated sludge processes.
Publications
Zaini has published more than 200 technical papers, 14 books, chapters, monographs and technical reports on environmental engineering, and more than 1000 articles on environment and higher education. He co-authored a textbook with Mogens Henze on Municipal Wastewater Management for Developing Countries (IWAP, London, 2006), and co-edited WEMS series on Environmental Biotechnology. He joined the editorial board of Water Science & Technology in 2007 and became an editor for the Water and Environmental Management Series in 2003.Advisory services
Zaini's work as a technical consultant included arbitration with Singapore on the reclamation of the JohorJohor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
Straits, water pricing with Singapore, and technical assistance to developing countries. He was the principal consultant for the master plan development of river rehabilitation in the city of Johor Bahru, and formulation of the national master plan for the implementation of cleaner production practices. He also involved as principal consultant in preparing the master plan for lake eutrophication management in Malaysia, and contributed to the development of scientific laboratories and pilot plants of environmental bioengineering and biotechnology, including membrane bioreactors, constructed wetlands and sequencing batch reactors. In 2005, he was appointed chairman of the technical committee to advise the State Government of Negeri Sembilan to overcome the water crisis in Seremban.
