Professor Dr Ahmad Ismail is an environmental biologist with expertise in the area of wildlife
and ecotoxicology. His research is mainly related to ecotoxicology of hazardous chemicals in coastal marine environment including toxicological responses in coastal vertebrates and invertebrates. To date, he has produced over 300 scientific papers which were published in local and international refereed journals (H-index = 26; citations = 2027; i10 index = 44). He has been invited on several occasions as a plenary speaker in Japan and the Southeast Asia region.
He has also applied his research results into practical use. Among them is the adaptability of
birds especially Milky Storks in Kuala Gula and Southern Pied Hornbills in Sungai Panjang of Sabak Bernam that has helped in increasing the numbers of birds. This was done through increasing the local public understanding and getting their support on breeding and release programme. His effort linking the Subang Jaya local authority (MPSJ) with UPM, has also resulted collaboration programme related to Air Hitam Forest Reserve, Green Town in Serdang, Compositing at Serdang Wet market and the MPSJ 3C (Children Creative Centre in Subang Jaya).
Professor Dr Ahmad had previously held several posts such as Deputy Dean of Faculty of
Agriculture and Food Science UPM Bintulu Campus, Deputy Director UPM Matriculation Centre, and Principal of Thirteenth College, UPM. He is involved in many committees at department, faculty and university level. He is a Senate Member of UPM, Committee Member for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) UPM, President of Academic Officer Association UPM and a Committee Member of Malaysian Academic Association Council (MAAC).
He has worked with many universities in Japan, England, Poland, Thailand, Indonesia,
Philippines and Vietnam on multilateral research collaborations on coastal marine sciences and biodiversity. He was instrumental in the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UPM and the Tokyo University and Kagoshima University and Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (LIPI), which has helped in developing many young scientists. At national levels, he also facilitated signing of MoU between the Pulau Banding Foundation (PBF) and UPM to actively conserve nature, promote biodiversity based research and provide environmental education to staff and students.