USM PENANG, 14 September 2021 -- A lecturer from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professor Dr. Lee Hooi Ling has been selected as one of the recipients of the 2021 Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholars Award.

According to Hooi Ling, it is a programme that awards 10 qualified applicants (anticipated) who are selected by a U.S.-ASEAN selection committee, which includes one participant from each of the 10 ASEAN member states.

“I am expected to go for research attachment at the University of New Mexico and Sandia National Laboratories in 2022,” she said.

USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan congratulated Hooi Ling on this prestigious achievement and in carrying the USM name, and shall support her research attachment plan.

The Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholar Program is open to university faculty, foreign ministry or other government officials, and professional staff of private sector, think tanks and other NGOs in ASEAN member states.

Selected U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholars will travel to the United States for three to four months during the first half of 2022, where they will carry out scholarly and professional research on priority issues regarding U.S.-ASEAN relationships and ASEAN.

Projects selected are those that are regional in scope and/or have clear implications for the entire ASEAN region. Nominations are accepted from all ASEAN member states.

In FY 2021, Fulbright Visiting Scholars may apply to conduct research that supports broad ASEAN initiatives, such as support for regional economic integration, expansion of  maritime cooperation, promotion of opportunities for women, and addressing transnational challenges (for example, regional collaboration on issues such as curbing human trafficking, countering violent extremism, preventing wildlife trafficking, countering violent extremism, and promoting sustainable fishing).

Fields of study include but are not limited to: Education, Financial Market Integration, Food Technology, Information Sciences, Journalism, Law, Public Administration, Public/Global Health, Statistics, Trade and Investment, Trade Facilitation.

These programs and topics should reflect priority areas of the ASEAN Secretariat and the U.S. Mission to ASEAN, and may also reflect priorities and relevance to Malaysia.

Moreover, Hooi Ling, having an expertise in Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Green Chemistry and Surface Science, has also been chosen to receive the American Chemical Society (ACS) 2021 Outreach Volunteer of the Year (VOTY) award.

Text: Hafiz Meah Ghouse Meah/Poster Artwork: Ebrahim Abdul Manan