PENANG, 15 July 2016 – An international congress will gather some 300 scientists, researchers, government administrators, students and industrial partners from more than 40 countries to deliberate on issues pertaining to molluscan (animals with shells including snails, clams, octopuses and squids) studies.

The World Congress of Malacology 2016 (WCM 2016) is co-organised by the School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Unitas Malacologica (UM), will be held from July 18 to 24 at Hotel Jen, here.

WCM 2016 is the 19^th International Congress of Unitas Malacologica to be organised and this is the second time it has been held in Asia (the first time in Phuket, Thailand in 2010) and the first time hosted in Malaysia since it began in 1962.

Unitas Malacologica (UM) President (2013 – 2016) and also WCM 2016 Organising Chairperson, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aileen Tan Shau-Hwai said, she is very proud that USM was given the privilege to organise and host the prestigious congress that has graced the shores of Asia only for the second time in its 53 years history.

“Besides providing a platform to share information on the status and recent advances in molluscan studies, the congress was also aimed at promoting networking and collaboration among scientists, policy makers and young researchers involved in molluscan studies,” said Aileen, a lecturer and researcher at the USM School of Biological Sciences with more than 25 years of experience and expertise on molluscs research work.

She hoped that this congress will yield some positive outcomes that could further strengthen the networking among Asian malacologists and provide them with greater opportunities to develop linkages and cooperation to carry out high-impact R&D work and knowledge transfer that could benefit the Asian community especially in improving their livelihood as a whole.

“Furthermore, this is also a good opportunity for the Asian Molluscan scientists to start networking with their European counterpart,” she said when met recently.

The opening ceremony will be officiated by the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) Malaysia, Datuk Dr. Abu Bakar bin Mohamad Diah on July 19 at the same venue.

WCM 2016 will feature plenary sessions for keynote speeches, parallel sessions and poster sessions.

Text: Tan Ewe Hoe