From Phnom Penh to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia: in the Pursuit of Knowledge
Ahmad Fauzi Fauzi, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, has been making waves in the scientific community with his groundbreaking research on membrane technology.
MSTF media reports
His work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Mustafa(pbuh) Prize in 2023 for his “Creation of nanomembranes for separation of oily wastewater, water treatment, dewatering from wastewater, creation of membranes for medical tissues for treatment.”
Fauzi was born in 1966 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He graduated with a B.Eng. in Petroleum Engineering and M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from UTM. He was, then, awarded the Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship to pursue his Ph.D. in Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom (UK), specializing in Membrane Technology, and completed his PhD study in less than three years in 1997.
Fauzi's passion for membrane technology started early on in his career. Beginning with a group of ten people over 15 years ago, he established what is now called the Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC) at UTM, with more than 100 members. This center is focused on research in the development of membrane technology for reverse osmosis, nanofiltration and ultrafiltration for water and wastewater treatment including desalination, membrane contactor, gas separation and development of nanofibers and carbon nanostructured materials for energy-related application. Owing to Fauzi’s academic excellence, dedication to research, administrative ability, and last but not least, his warm personality and concern for individuals, AMTEC has become one of the most important institutes in the world in terms of membrane studies.
As Fauzi stated during his Mustafa(pbuh) Prize acceptance speech, “Research, for me, has always been more than just a career; it's a deep-seated passion. It's the thrill of discovery, the pursuit of knowledge, and the relentless curiosity that keeps me inspired.” Therefore, Fauzi's relentless and enthusiastic work on membrane technology has revolutionized water and wastewater treatment, making it more efficient and environmentally friendly. His emphasis lies in applying the research output to the welfare of society. Prof. Fauzi and his team have successfully created Malaysia's first large-scale seawater desalination system in Kampung Pantai Senok, Bachok Kelantan. The primary goal of the desalination plant is to produce fresh water from seawater found in the coastal area. This plant can provide valuable insights and offer innovative solutions for environmental infrastructure to address water scarcity issues in Malaysia caused by climate change, natural disasters, and urbanization. Over the past 5 years, Prof. Fauzi has led a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team that has installed portable wastewater treatment systems in disaster areas to provide clean water to victims. These systems have been designed, built, and deployed to provide immediate relief by supplying fresh and safe drinking water.
His contributions to the field have earned him a place among the most cited researchers in Chemical Engineering by Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2016. But Fauzi's accomplishments don't stop there. Overall, He has won more than 130 awards both at the national and international level. Among the prestigious awards won are the Merdeka Award for the Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Category on 4th September 2014, three times Malaysia’s Rising Star Award (2016, 2017, 2018).
He is also the recipient of Innovative Action Plan for Human Capital Development Tertiary Level award in 2013 by The Ministry of Education. He has been awarded Malaysia Young Scientist Award in 2000; ASEAN Young Scientist Award in 2001; the National Intellectual Property Award twice in (Patent Category), 2009 and (Product Category), 2013; Two times National Innovation Award for (Waste to Wealth Category), 2009 and (Product Category), 2011. He also won the National Academic Award (Innovation and Product Commercialization Category) in August 2013 and Malaysian Toray Science and Technology Foundation Award, on 28 November 2013. Fauzi has also received the Prime Minister Initiative Award (PMI2) for Strategic Alliances and Partnership Project, a two-year research grant in collaboration with Imperial College, London, sponsored by The British Council.
Despite his busy schedule, Fauzi has published over 1000 papers in refereed journals and authored or co-authored six books. Fauzi is a true inspiration, not only for his groundbreaking research but also for his dedication to mentoring the next generation of scientists. He has supervised over 70 PhD and 50 Master's students, as well as 10 post-doctoral fellows. His dedication to research has secured research grants of over USD 15 million at national and international levels.
Fauzi also serves as Editor for a number of reputable journals and sits on the Editorial Board of numerous reputable international journals. Fauzi served as the Chief Editor of Water Treatment and Desalination and Emergent Materials; Engineering Editor for The Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering (AJSE); Advisory Board Members for Desalination, Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology and Journal of Membrane Science and Research; Editorial Board Members for Separation and Purification Technology, Journal of Membrane Water Treatment, Membranes and Jurnal Teknologi.
Fauzi's work in membrane technology has not only advanced scientific knowledge but has also had a direct impact on society. His research has led to the development of innovative solutions for water and wastewater treatment, addressing critical issues such as water scarcity and disaster relief. With his passion for research and dedication to improving the world, Fauzi is a true inspiration and a leading figure in the scientific community. His contributions will continue to have a lasting impact on environmental infrastructure and the welfare of society.
