KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 – Two postgraduate students from the Forensic Science programme, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), brought pride to the university after winning the prestigious Best Oral Presenter Award and Best Poster Presenter Award at the UKM X FSSM Forensic Science Conference 1.0 2026, held at Auditorium Siswa, Pusanika UKM.

The conference was jointly organised by the Forensic Science Club, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and the Forensic Science Society Malaysia (FSSM), attracting more than 100 participants and visitors from various universities and forensic backgrounds across Malaysia.

A total of 11 poster presenters and seven oral presenters participated in the conference, representing institutions such as UTM, UKM, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Management and Science University (MSU), and others. The event provided an important platform for students and researchers to share innovative forensic science research through poster and oral presentations.

More significantly, The Honorable Deputy Commissioner of Police (Retired), Dato’ Dr. Yew Chong Hooi, President of the Forensic Science Society Malaysia (FSSM), announced that all award winners would receive a fully sponsored participation opportunity for an upcoming FSSM forensic conference later this year.

The announcement motivated participants to deliver their very best presentations in hopes of gaining exposure and networking opportunities with leading forensic experts from diverse professional backgrounds, including the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Department of Chemistry Malaysia, forensic analysts, and academic researchers.

UTM was represented by three postgraduate forensic science students accompanied by their lecturer and supporter, Dr. Aida Rasyidah Azman.

The Best Poster Presenter Award was won by Nur Afrina Azhar, supervised by Dr. Mohamad Afiq Mohamed Huri, through her research entitled “Discrimination of Gunshot Residue (GSR) from Similar Non-GSR Particles Using Stereomicroscopy, Polarised Light Microscopy, ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy, and Chemometric Analysis”.

Her study focused on improving the identification of gunshot residue particles that are often difficult to distinguish from common industrial dust such as brake dust, fireworks debris, welding dust, and grinder dust. By combining microscopy techniques with ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemometric analysis, the research proposed a more reliable and non-destructive workflow for forensic laboratories, particularly in settings with limited resources. The study also aimed to strengthen the evidential value of gunshot residue interpretation in court proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Best Oral Presenter Award was secured by Nik Ihtisyam Majdah Nik Razi, supervised by Ts. Dr. Naji Arafat Mahat, through the presentation entitled “Evaluation of an Optimised Nanobio-Based Reagent (NBR-1) for Visualising Latent Fingermarks on Non-Porous Substrates in Aquatic Environments”.

The presentation captivated the audience through a dramatic storytelling approach, highlighting how fingerprint evidence can disappear when exposed to water. The study introduced an environmentally friendly nanobio-based reagent known as NBR-1, designed to visualise latent fingermarks on wet non-porous surfaces.

The research demonstrated that NBR-1 achieved comparable performance to conventional Small Particle Reagent (SPR) while offering improved environmental sustainability and reduced toxicity concerns, supporting its future potential for forensic applications.

Another UTM representative, Norhafizah Jaafar, supervised by Dr. Aida Rasyidah Azman, also presented her poster entitled “Optimisation of Eco-Friendly Biowaste-Derived Dragon Fruit Peel Fluorescent Powder for Visualising Latent Fingerprint on Porous and Non-Porous Substrates.” Her research highlighted the innovative utilisation of agricultural biowaste for sustainable forensic fingerprint development.

The conference itself was made even more inspiring as it was successfully organised primarily by undergraduate students from UKM, demonstrating strong leadership and passion among the younger generation of forensic scientists. UKM was selected as the host university for this year’s edition, while MSU is expected to host the conference next year.

The success achieved by UTM students in this conference reflects the university’s continuous commitment towards advancing forensic science research, innovation, and academic excellence at both national and international levels. The event also highlighted the growing public interest in the uniqueness and significance of forensic science as a multidisciplinary field that bridges science, technology, law, and criminal investigation.