Speakers

Prof. Emerita Datuk Dr. Asma binti Ismail is the Immediate Past President of the  Academy of Sciences Malaysia and National Science, Technology and Innovation  Advisor. She is currently the Ibnu Sina Chair for Medicine at IIUM and the Consultative and Anti-Corruption Panel for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

Prof. Emerita Datuk Dr. Asma binti Ismail holds a BSc (Biology) from the University  of Nevada, Reno, USA, M.A. (Microbiology) from Indiana University, USA and a  Ph.D (Cellular and Molecular Biology) from University of Nevada, Reno, USA. She  also received her Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Glasgow,  Honorary Degree Doctor of the University, Keele University and Honorary Doctorate  in Literature from Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (KUFS).

Besides being the first female Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia  (USIM) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Prof. Emerita Datuk Dr. Asma binti  Ismail is also Malaysia’s first female Director-General of Higher Education, first female President of Academy of Sciences Malaysia, first female to be appointed as  the Chairperson of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and the first woman  to be the National Science Advisor to the country. In addition, she was elected to the  Academy of Sciences Malaysia in 2003, The Academy of Sciences for the  Developing World (TWAS) in 2010, The Islamic World Academy of Sciences in 2016, and was elected as an Honorary Member of the Iranian Academy of Medical  Sciences in 2017.

Prof. Emerita Datuk Dr. Asma binti Ismail’s contribution to higher education and  science development ecosystem are internationally recognised. She has initiated scientific discoveries which have led to the attainment of 16 patents that are  commercialised worldwide, and the rapid diagnostic test for typhoid called TYPHIDOT, advocated by WHO. She had also obtained numerous awards and  recognitions (more than 270) for her achievements at National and International  levels. At the moment, she has shared her knowledge via more than 130 papers,  more than 540 invited talks and more than 80 keynotes at national and global levels.

Prof. Emerita Datuk Dr. Asma binti Ismail has been elected as a member of several  international boards including the Board of Governors for Commonwealth of  Learning (COL) based in Vancouver, Canada, member of the Directing Board and  Executive Committee for Islamic Citation Center based in Shiraz, Iran for the OIC,  Member of the College of Fellows, Keele University and as a Governing Advisory Board Member for Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan. She has been  appointed as Co-Chair, for the Inter Academy Partnership Board comprising of 158 science academies world-wide in 2022 and elected as a member of the International Science Council Standing Committee for Science Planning in 2022 and Chair of the  membership for IAP.

At the national level she serves as a board member for CREST (Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology) Center to move STI based  companies in the country since 2017, board member of IIUM Holdings Sdn. Bhd, member of the National Science Council chaired by the Prime Minister, High-Tech  Nation Council chaired by the Minister of MOSTI (Ministry of Science, Technology  and Innovation), member of the National Action Council on Shared Prosperity Vision  under the Distinguished Educator category and independent board of Trustee for  Merdeka Award Trust.

She has also been a part of the selection panel for various international awards and recognitions such as TWAS membership (Medical and Health Sciences) and the  Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Prize for Women’s contribution to development.  She was also part of the jury panel for the Merdeka Award, Rhodes Scholarship to  select Malaysians to Oxford University, the Loreal Women in Science Award, the  Anugerah Akademik Negara (National Academic Award), MOHE Entrepreneurial  Award (MEA) and Best Managed Companies, Asia by Deloitte.

Prof. Emerita Datuk Dr. Asma binti Ismail was also awarded as “Tokoh Srikandi”  National Award (Academic) in 2018, and “Tokoh Maulidul Rasul” (national level) in  2019, “Tokoh Akademik Negara “ or National Academic Laureate in 2022 and was  named in Jan ,2023 by Forbes Asia magazine as among the 50 women over 50 from  Asia Pacific that had reached new heights in contributing to the field of higher  education, research and innovation as well as policy in the Science,Technology,  Inovation and Economy locally and abroad and for inspiring the next generation Prof. Emerita Datuk Dr. Asma binti Ismail’s contributions to Malaysia’s higher  education system include the establishment of the prestigious National Academic  Award (Anugerah Akademik Negara), the establishment of Research Universities in Malaysia and in developing and implementing The Malaysian Education Blueprint  (Higher Education) 2013 to 2025.