FOR the first time in the history of the Mustafa Prize, a Malaysian scientist Datuk Prof Ahmad Fauzi Ismail earned himself the prestigious prize.
Fauzi, a vice chancellor in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), is a leading researcher in the area of membrane technology.
Fauzi said during the prize-giving ceremony that he has a deep-seated passion for research though is an academician.
“Research, for me, has always been more than just a career. It is the thrill of discovery, the pursuit of knowledge, and the relentless curiosity that keeps me inspired,” he said in Isfahan – where the awarding ceremony was hosted.
The award highlighted his groundbreaking work in the development of membrane technology applications to solve environmental and industrial problems. He has incorporated nanotechnology in the development of membranes and has invented nanomaterials to absorb unwanted materials.
Membrane technology research has diverse applications in various sectors as water desalination, wastewater treatment, greenhouse gas removal, and palm oil refining.
He said the main idea behind membrane technology is removing impurities. It a physical technique that filters unwanted materials and is able to remove many different-sized micros to nano contaminants via specific membranes having various filtration characteristics.
According to him, the history of membrane technology dates back to 1748
He said the first generation of membranes are electrolysis procedures, dialysis technology and reverse osmosis.
“The technology has grown steadily and among the few advanced types of technologies seen today are organic, inorganic membranes, and nanostructured materials.”
He said: “Nanotechnology plays a crucial role in enhancing technics of membrane technology because it determines the absorption and diffusion capability of the materials used.”
He said his research team is currently working on some nanomaterials that have better absorption capacity.
“We are currently developing membranes to solve problems in sectors such as water desalination, oil and gas industries applications in agriculture. My dream is to expand my expertise to biomedical research. I hope to invent a material to improve hemodialysis treatment and help kidney patients. The more efficient and advanced the membranes are, all the better for the patient outcome.”
He also pointed out his team has developed a membrane for water desalination which produces 500,000 litres of drinking water per day from seawater.
“We are also developing membranes for fuel cells. I am working closely with Petronas to create membranes for the removal of carbon dioxide from oil and gas operations.”
“I believe the future is very bright for membrane technology and its associated industries,” said Fauzi.
Among his outstanding contribution to UTM is establishing the Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), in 1990.
Today, AMTEC is a regional referral centre for advanced membrane technology and applications.
Fauzi has won more than 130 awards both at the national and international levels. Few notable awards are, the World Academy of Sciences Prize in 2020 and the Merdeka Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement in 2014.
