Where Have the Science Students Gone?
OMG! Is this Spiky Dark Red Fruit a Gac Fruit, the Superfruit from Heaven?
Professor Ts Dr Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman FASc is a professor at the Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, UTM, Chair of the Frontier Materials Research Alliance, and Acting Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at UTM. He obtained his PhD in chemical engineering from Imperial College London in 2011. His research focuses on the development of innovative ceramic and polymeric membrane technologies for fluid separation, particularly for pollutant removal from water and wastewater, desalination, fuel cell systems, and carbon capture. Through his spin-off company, Filt Us Sdn. Bhd., he actively translates membrane research into practical solutions, thereby advancing Malaysia’s membrane and desalination initiatives.
In addition, Professor Hafiz is deeply committed to education and mentorship. His interests span sustainable water treatment, next-generation desalination technologies, and high-performance membranes for clean energy and environmental protection.
The talk, “When Rain Isn’t Enough, Should Malaysia Tap the Sea?”, explores how Malaysia can enhance its water security by responsibly turning seawater into fresh water. Although the country enjoys abundant rainfall and rivers, many islands, remote villages, and coastal communities still face unreliable supplies and stressed groundwater. Drawing on research at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, the talk explains how modern desalination technologies, especially innovative membrane distillation systems powered by solar and waste heat, can provide sustainable, locally tailored solutions. By converting a tiny fraction of the surrounding oceans into clean, affordable water, Malaysia can build a resilient “safety net” for its most vulnerable communities while protecting the environment and preparing for a more uncertain future.
His contributions have been recognised through numerous awards and recognition, including the Fellow of Academy of Science Malaysia (2025), National Academic Awards Promising Academician Award (2022), Top Research Scientists Malaysia (TRSM) (2019), and repeated inclusion in the Stanford University list of the world’s top 2% scientists (2019–2024), alongside multiple innovation and highly cited researcher awards.