FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & LEISURE MANAGEMENT
DATO' DR. OOI KEE BENG
Executive Director, Penang Institute
Adjunct Professor
Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng has been appointed as the Executive Director of Penang Institute since 2017. Prior to that appointment, he was the Deputy Director of ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore (2011-2017). He writes regular opinion pieces for regional and global mass media on Malaysian matters. He was Visiting Associate Professor at the City University of Hong Kong (2009-2012); Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore’s Department of Southeast Asian Studies; Honorary Chair for the Penang Study Cluster at Penang Institute; and Editor of Penang Institute’s Penang Monthly. He is the founder of Penang Monthly (Penang Institute) and ISEAS Perspective (ISEAS), of which he is now Managing Editor. He is also Series Editor for Trends in Southeast Asia (ISEAS). He is a renown expert in the study of nation-building in Asia and Malaysian politics. His scholarly works are numerous and his articles regularly appear in national and international media. His books have won the following awards: (1) Award of Excellence for Best writing published in book form or any aspect of Asia (non-fiction) at the Asian Publishing Convention Awards 2008, for The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time (ISEAS 2007); and (2) Top Academic Work awarded in 2008 by ASEAN Book Publishers Association (ABPA) to Continent, Coast, Ocean: Dynamics of Regionalism in Eastern Asia (ATMA & ISEAS, 2007), co-edited with Ding Choo Ming.
MR. ANAS ZUBEDY
Managing Director and Founder, Zubedy (M) Sdn Bhd
Adjunct Professor
Mr Anas Zubedy is currently the Managing Director and Founder of Zubedy (M) Sdn Bhd, but he is also well-known as a social activist who spends his time, energy, and resources in promoting unity through his corporate image advertisements, books, campaign, and events. He is expected to lead the Emerging Leaders Greenhouse Programme that makes the delivery of Bachelor of Social Science at Taylor’s University more distinctive.
MS. ALAKA SAHANI
Senior Journalist, The Indian Express (India)
Adjunct Professor
Ms Alaka Sahani is a Senior journalist with a nearly two-decade-long experience of working with some of the leading national newspapers of India. She is the winner of the National Film Award for Best Film Critic, 2013, with a deep understanding of cinema. She goes beyond the tried and tested templates to offer insights into the workings of cinema and theatre. She has work experience of more than 18 years as a journalist. She has served as the Associate Editor for the Indian Express since February 2007, heading the features section of The Indian Express, Mumbai. For over a decade, she has been writing extensively on cinema. She closely follows Indian mainstream and independent films as well as international cinema. She writes critical and analytical pieces on cinema, apart from interviewing film personalities. For the Sunday magazine of The Indian Express, EYE, she conducts in-depth interviews. She has also done several research-based long-form pieces for its cover. She has also contributed for the Arts page. Occasionally, she writes on theatre and books. She does interviews of playwrights and authors, apart from writing previews and reviews. Her accomplishments include (1) Winner of the Best Film Critic at the 61st Indian National Film Awards, 2014; (2) Odisha Youth Inspiration Award 2016; (3) Member of the Jury for the International Kids Film Festival of India. She also has published numerous newspaper articles and produced about five videos.
MS. RAYNUHA MAHADEVAN
Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist, Chancellor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre
Adjunct Lecturer
Ms Raynuha Mahadevan is currently a lecturer and clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at Chancellor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre. She specializes in psychotherapy for adults. She is expected to assist the programme development of Master in Clinical Psychology at Taylor’s University during her service as an Adjunct Lecturer.
MS. FAEZA HASNAN
Clinical Psychologist, Naluri Hidup Sdn Bhd
Adjunct Lecturer
Ms Faeza Hasnan is currently practising as a Clinical Psychologist at Naluri Hidup Sdn Bhd. She specializes in anxiety disorders and mood disorders. Faeza is expected to assist the programme development of Master in Clinical Psychology at Taylor’s University during her service as an Adjunct Lecturer.
PROFESSOR DR. JOSEPH VICTOR GONZALES
Head of Academic Studies in Dance and Postgraduate Programme Leader (Dance),
Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts
Visiting Professor
Prof Dr. Joseph is a versatile and prolific choreographer who has worked in all genres of dance, theater and musical theatre, with innumerable dance works that have been staged at local and international festivals, a dance advocate who constantly works for greater professionalism in the dance industry in Malaysia, a producer of several annual dance productions, author of Malaysia’s first books on contemporary dance, professional curator of local and international dance festivals, paper presenter and keynote speaker at conferences, and most importantly, a perennial student who is constantly driven to “seize the day”!
PROFESSOR DR. SHAHANUM MOHD SHAH
Professor, Universiti Teknologi MARA
Visiting Professor
Prof Dr Shahanum is currently working as Professor of Music Education at Universiti Teknologi MARA. She holds a Master of Music in Music Education, and PhD Degree with a major in Music Education and minors in Ethnomusicology and Administration from Indiana University, USA. Her research interests are primarily in the areas of music teaching and learning, the psychology of music, assessment in music and the Malay gamelan.
PROFESSOR DR. CHE WAN AHMAD ZAWAWI IBRAHIM
Professor, Sociology & Anthropology, Universiti Brunei Darussalam
Visiting Professor
Prof Dr Che Wan Ahmad Zawawi bin Ibrahim is a Prominent Professor in Anthropology & Sociology in Southeast Asia. His research interests are youth & popular culture in Brunei; Islamic cinema in Indonesia; Story-telling and Indigenous Society; Religious diversity governance and multiculturalism in Malaysia; Anthropology in Asia and Anthropology and Human Insecurities. He received his PhD from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He has worked at Monash University, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara Shah Alam and most recently at Universiti Brunei Darussalam from 2011 to 2019. He has won numerous research grants, wrote in top journals, and authored many books. He successfully obtained grants from Toyota Foundation; Institute of Southeast Asian Studies; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Award; Fellowship of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan; and Sumitomo Foundation. During the last 48 years, he has successfully conducted 25 research projects, authored 5 books, edited 9 books and 2 journal issues, written 29 chapters in books, 3 book reviews, 2 working papers, 32 journal articles (8 of those are indexed by Scopus) and had participated in 95 conferences as speakers, presenters, organizer, and moderators.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR. SIVAPALAN SELVADURAI
Associate Professor, National University of Malaysia (UKM)
Visiting Associate Professor
Assoc Prof Dr Sivapalan Selvadurai is currently an Associate Professor in the Development Science Programme, Centre for Research in Development, Social and Environment (SEEDS), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He specializes in Local economic development, entrepreneurship and gender relations. He is expected to assist the development of Social Science at Taylor’s University during his service as a Visiting Associate Professor.
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ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR. NOVEL ANAK LYDON
Associate Professor, National University of Malaysia (UKM)
Visiting Associate Professor
Assoc Prof Dr Novel Anak Lyndon is an associate Professor in Anthropology and Sociology Program, School of Development, Social and Environmental, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia since May 2014. He specializes in Community Development and Social Anthropology. His current research interests are poverty, issues in the palm oil industry, regional development in Sarawak, minority ethnic group in Sarawak, national cultural policy, unity and national integration and issues on the low-income group (B40). He has extensive industrial collaboration networks with local, national, regional and international institutions. He has received 43 internal and external grants such as FRGS, Sime Darby Foundation, MPOB, Air Asia, Prime Minister Department, GUP, AP (Projek Arus Perdana), ERGS, Geran Komuniti and GUP totalling RM 8,627,220. As the main researcher, he has received RM 429,000 for research works related to community development, research on Orang Asli and issues in the palm oil industry. Dr Novel held an administrative post as the Head of Graduate Program Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (2015-2018), Chief Editor E-Bangi Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Press (2018-present), Head of Cluster for Civil Society in MPOB-UKM Endowment Chair (2014-present), Head of Geonative, School of Social Development and Environmental Studies (2014-2017), Head of Cluster for Social Transformation, Development and Environmental (2016-present). Chief Coordinator ISO for Anthropology and Sociology Program (2012-2015). After appointed as an Associate Professor, Dr Novel has a total of 140 publications consisting of (3 ISI WOS, 34 Scopus, 38 ERA, and 23 other indexes), 11 chapters in books and 32 proceedings (1 ISI WOS). He is also the corresponding author for most publications.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR KUIK CHEONG-CHWEE
Associate Professor, National University of Malaysia (UKM)
Visiting Associate Professor
Assoc Prof KUIK Cheng-Chwee is an associate professor in Strategic Studies and International Relations at the National University of Malaysia (UKM), and concurrently a non-resident Fellow at the Washington, DC-based Foreign Policy Institute (FPI). He is co-founder and co-convener of the East Asian International Relations (EAIR) Caucus, a research platform for exchange, engagement, and empowerment among foreign affairs professionals in Malaysia. Previously he was a postdoctoral research associate at the Princeton-Harvard “China and the World” Program (CWP) and a visiting research fellow at Oxford's Department of Politics and International Relations. Dr Kuik’s research concentrates on weaker states’ foreign and defence policies, alignment choices, regional multilateralism, East Asian security, China-ASEAN relations, and Malaysia’s external policy. His publications have appeared in peer-reviewed journals as well as edited books. Cheng-Chwee’s essay “The Essence of Hedging” was awarded the biennial 2009 Michael Leifer Memorial Prize by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies for the best article published in any of the three ISEAS journals. He is a co-editor (with Alice Ba and Sueo Sudo) of Institutionalizing East Asia (Routledge 2016). His current projects include hedging in international relations, ASEAN states’ responses to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (with Lee Jones), and the politics of China-related railroad projects in Southeast Asia (with David Lampton and Selina Ho). Cheng-Chwee serves on the editorial boards/ committee of Contemporary Southeast Asia, Australian Journal of International Affairs, Asian Perspective, and Routledge’s “IR Theory and Practice in Asia” Book Series. He holds an M.Litt. from the University of St. Andrews, and a PhD from the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
DATIN MARION FRANCENA A/P R.A. D'CRUZ
Founder, Five Arts Centre
Lecturer, Akademi Seni Budaya Dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA)
Visiting Senior Lecturer
One of the original founders of Five Arts Centre in 1984 alongside her late husband Krishen Jit and Chin San Sooi, Marion D'Cruz is a pioneering contemporary dancer-choreographer. Having graduated with a BA in Performing Arts and an MA in Dance from Universiti Sains Malaysia in the 1970s. She has studied classical, modern, and contemporary dance in Malaysia, Indonesia, London, and New York. In 1983 she formed Marion D'Cruz and Dancers, who have performed extensively both locally and internationally. Marion's focus has been to create a contemporary Malaysian identity in dance and to create works that speak of what she is passionate about and now teaches, produces, performs, and choreographs. At the 2006 Boh Cameronian Arts Awards, Marion was awarded the Cross-Cultural Champion of the Arts Award.
DR. NORZIZI BINTI ZULKAFLI
Head of Centre for Theatre Programme, Universiti Teknologi MARA
Visiting Senior Lecturer
Dr Norzizi Zulkafli is currently working as Head of Centre for Theatre Programme at Universiti Teknologi MARA. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Directing at Middlesex University and PhD Degree in Theatre from the University of Wollongong Australia. Her research interests are primarily in the areas of traditional theatre, Malay theatre Bangsawan, and stage analysis.
DR. MARLENNY BT DEENERWAN
Senior Lecturer, University of Malaya
Visiting Senior Lecturer
Dr Marlenny Deenerwan currently works as a Senior Lecturer at the Drama Department, University of Malaya. She does her research in Malaysian and Southeast Asian Theatre Performance, focusing on ritual, traditional and modern studies. Her most recent publication is 'Semarak Bangsawan: The Invigoration Project in Malaysia' published in Asian Theatre Journal 2017.