PUEBLA, July 4 – As a rising researcher from the Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering (FKT) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Ts. Dr. Hasimawaty Mat Kiah specialises in Combustion, Fire, and Explosion Research Engineering. Currently, she is a postdoctoral fellow at Stellenbosch University (SU) in South Africa. She took the opportunity to explore potential global research collaborations during a prestigious program at Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP).
This global teaching program, which ran from June 9 to July 4, 2025, provided participants with the opportunity to experience diverse cultural perspectives and teaching methodologies. The program featured 60 professors from over 40 internationally renowned universities, representing diverse educational backgrounds. Ts. Dr. Hasimawaty was the first and only international professor to represent both UTM and SU, as well as two countries—Malaysia and South Africa—under this programme.
During a press conference organised by Exclusivas Puebla, which aimed to promote global academic experiences at UPAEP, Ts. Dr. Miss Hasimawaty highlighted significant research topics that could facilitate potential global collaborations between institutions. In response to a media inquiry about clean energy, she highlighted the growing industrial demand for it. She emphasised that integrating these topics into chemical engineering training provides more job opportunities and helps address the planet’s current needs.
Dr. Hasimawaty also mentioned that UTM is leading projects focused on biofuels derived from plants, the biotransformation of industrial waste into valuable products, and the innovation of sustainable materials. She emphasised the possibility of future joint projects between UTM and UPAEP, particularly in researching sustainable construction materials for modern buildings that are environmentally friendly and exhibit efficient fire retardant and fire resistance properties. These research areas could complement UPAEP’s studies in simulation and experimental validation.
The interview session was also attended by Dr. Juan Carlos Bello Florián from the Agrarian University Foundation of Colombia (UNIAGRARIA) and Dr. Mario Alberto López Mendoza, Director of the School of Industrial Chemical Engineering at UPAEP.
The UTM researcher initiated a meeting with Daniel Alberto Flores Alonso, the Director of Basic and Applied Research at the UPAEP Research Office, along with UPAEP researchers Dr. Mario Edgar Cordero Sanchez and Dr. Luis Gpe Zarate Lopez. The purpose of the meeting was to propose and discuss future joint research between the institutions in areas related to fire safety engineering and management, with a focus on excelling in both experimental and simulation work.
Additionally, a productive discussion was held with a researcher from UNIAGRARIA to explore joint research on the increasingly important topics of wildfires, including fuel management and defensible spaces. Ts. Dr. Miss Hasimawaty Mat Kiah strongly believes that these global connections and networking opportunities will enhance her knowledge and expertise, contributing to excellence in teaching and research on a worldwide scale.
By Ts. Dr. Miss Hasimawaty Mat Kiah, Department of Energy Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, UTM