02 Oktober 2020 - Pusat Pengajian Sains Komputer ingin mengucapkan syabas dan tahniah kepada Dr. Jasy Liew Suet Yan di atas penerimaan Skim Geran Penyelidikan Transdisiplinari (TRGS) . Semoga kejayaan ini memberi inspirasi kepada penyeleidik lain dalam memartabatkan penyelidikan Pusat Pengajian Sains Komputer dan USM.

PENANG, 24 November 2020 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) researchers once again showed their research prowess when they bagged 7 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Special Awards in the recently concluded International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX) 2020, held online for the first time due to the ongoing worldwide COVID-19 outbreak.

According to the Director of USM Centre for Innovation and Consultation, Professor Ts. Dr. Hanafi Ismail, this feat means that USM maintained a 100% victory, repeating last year’s achievement when all of its innovations/research products entered for the competition was awarded a medal.

“The victory this time is even sweeter as a majority of them won gold medals and two received special recognition awards, despite being under unfamiliar territory where the entire competition was conducted online for the first time.

"For this edition, participants were required to submit a video to demonstrate and explain their innovations, and this is enough to pose a challenge to our researchers, especially the younger researchers to deliver the best possible in terms of understanding and impact for online judging," said Hanafi.

He added that the videos will be made available on ITEX Online until March 2021, and the organiser will provide the platform for easy access and browsing to any potential industry player.

Online pre-judging of the ITEX Competition took place from 12 - 16 November, followed by the final judging session on 20 November by a selected panel of judges and the winners were announced in a virtual ceremony on 21 November on this platform.

Credit: USM News Portal

Judges came from various fields including industry partners, universities, research institutes, inventors, and the corporate sector.

It was reported that the online edition of ITEX this year became a new option in view of the worldwide travel restrictions due to the pandemic, and it has garnered a very good response from budding inventors from all over the world.

Inventors from 21 institutions of higher learning, 5 research institutions and one corporate organisation spanning 15 countries such as Australia, Canada, Croatia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam and Malaysia have gathered online to showcase close to 500 inventions on this platform.

The list of USM researchers and their innovations:

GOLD

1. Dr. Jong Hui Ying (School of Humanities) - Psycholinguistics Software Tool

2. Dr. Manmeet Kaur A/P Mahinderjit Singh (School of Computer Sciences) - App-Sensors Mobile Data Collector (AMoDAC)

3. Prof. Ir. Dr. Mariatti Jaafar (School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering) - Eco-CNT Ink

4. Prof. Ir. Dr. Srimala Sreekantan (School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering) - Microbuster

5. Prof. Dr. Wan Faisham Nu'man Wan Ismail (School of Medical Sciences) - Mobile USM Custom Fit Wrist Brace

6. Dr. Muhammad Hafiz Hanafi (School of Medical Sciences) - S-Lock

7. Dr. Mohd Hazwan Hussin (School of Chemical Sciences) - Ligno-X2: An Oil Palm Biomass Based Industrial Coolant

SILVER

1. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Salman Abu Mansor (School of Mechanical Engineering) - i-Test CAD

2. Dr. Zuraida Zainun (School of Health Sciences) - Bal Ex Quick Balance Skeleton Tracking

3. Dr. Mohd Sharizal Abdul Aziz (School of Mechanical Engineering) - i-Clever Smart Hand-Controlled for Disabled Driver

SPECIAL AWARDS

1. Homedec - Prof. Ir. Dr. Srimala Sreekantan: Microbuster

2. Best Women Invention - Dr. Muhammad Hafiz Hanafi: S-Lock

The International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX) is an annual exhibition which features the best innovations from Asia and beyond.

Initiated by the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS) in 1989 as MINDEX, today ITEX is the region’s leading exhibition to showcase new inventions, technologies and products, targeted at aspiring inventors from all walks of life to get recognised and to present their creations with the aim of securing investment, manufacturing and commercialisation prospects, and partners.

The exhibition features inventions across more than twenty categories relating to innovation or technology.

For the record, ITEX is Malaysia’s longest-running invention, innovation and technology exhibition.

PENANG, 24 October 2020 - Two undergraduates from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Computer Sciences were among the first batch of 14 students shortlisted to undergo the Artificial Intelligence Graduate Employability Training (Ai-GET) at the Skymind City Campus, here in Georgetown. PENANG, 24 October 2020 - Two undergraduates from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Computer Sciences were among the first batch of 14 students shortlisted to undergo the Artificial Intelligence Graduate Employability Training (Ai-GET) at the Skymind City Campus, here in Georgetown. 

Both students, Muhammad Amal Syahmi Sabudin, 24, and Siti Farah Haida Raklan Alhadad, 24, are fully sponsored by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and are currently following the 20-day training programme specifically designed by Skymind Holdings Berhad which started on 12 October 2020.  

According to Skymind Holdings Berhad content specialist, Yu Yuen Hern, Ai-GET is conducted for the first time with the aim of upskilling graduates from all over the nation into AI-ready talent, hence ensuring a continuous supply of highly-skilled AI talents for the ever demanding job market. 
“Essentially, the programme is separated into three phases: 15-day face-to-face training (12-26 October), 4-day intensive tutoring (30 October, 2-4 November) and 1-day certification examination (12 November).

“Throughout the 15-day face-to-face training, all trainees are exposed to the following topics: Machine Learning and Deep Learning; Deep Learning 4java; Hyperparameter Tuning; Convolutional Neural Networks and Recurrent Neural Networks; Image Processing and Image Classification; Object Detection, Segmentation and Facial Recognition with Deep Learning,” he explained.  

Yu added that at the end of the training, the trainees will be required to complete a capstone project related to computer vision in order to demonstrate their ability to apply the knowledge and skills learned throughout the training. 
“The post-training intensive tutoring is geared to prepare the candidates towards a certification exam at the end of the programme,” he said.  

The USM Media and Public Relations Centre (MPRC) caught up with Muhammad Amal Syahmi and Siti Farah Haida recently to ask how each of them are coping with the training programme so far, what are some of their expectations, and so forth. 

The following are excerpts from the email interview: 

MPRC: How did it feel when you came to know that you have been selected as one of the trainees in the Ai-GET programme?  

Amal Syahmi: It was a mix of excitement, joy and relief all rolled into one to have been selected as one of the fourteen finalists to join this Artificial Intelligence (AI) programme. The selection process was very competitive, and I am thankful that I managed to get through it. A big thank you to Skymind and MARA for providing me this opportunity to join this awesome programme.

Siti Farah: I am very grateful to be selected as one of the participants in this training programme. I would like to thank USM and my School (School of Computer Sciences) for providing me the initial information about the programme. 

MPRC: What are some new skills or knowledge that you have picked up during the 15-day face-to-face training?  

Amal Syahmi: All the knowledge and skills that I learnt in the training are new to me. I majored in Distributed System and Security and did some part-time jobs on mobile app development. It never crossed my mind before to learn AI, Deep Learning and Computer Vision, but I am beginning to fall in love with these fields.

Siti Farah: Originally my major is in Distributed System and Security. Thus, this training programme in AI is an entirely new field to me. In those 15 days, I learned a lot about the fundamentals of Machine Learning and Deep Learning. We were also taught the basics on how to create and evaluate models for Image Classification, Object Detection and Image Segmentation. I also did a group project on Object Detection during this programme. It was pretty exciting. 

MPRC: What do you expect to gain from the training? How far do you think the training programme will give you an edge in the job market?   

Amal Syahmi: No doubt the knowledge and skills that I learnt in this programme will improve my employability as they are very useful and have high demands in the current industries. It has given me some added-value knowledge to what I have learnt in my degree programme. Deep Learning enables a machine to learn by itself with minimum human intervention. It will give a lot of benefits for doing predictions and analytics.

Siti Farah: I hope to apply what I had learnt when I start working. Currently, AI technology is a very new field in Malaysia. So, this training programme does provide a lot of opportunities for graduates, especially those specialising in computer sciences to be employed as AI engineers. As it is a very new and highly advanced technology, I am sure there is a high demand for AI experts in Malaysia.  

MPRC: Now that you have graduated, what is your future plan? Do you intend to further your studies or find a job first?  

Amal Syahmi: I would prefer to gain some real-world experiences from a working environment first for several years before I go back to my studies. 

Siti Sarah: I plan to work first to gain some working experience and widen my knowledge especially on the realities of work. It would also allow me to pursue my ambition as a computer science specialist.

Text: Tan Ewe Hoe/Photo: Courtesy of Skymind 

Credit : USM News Portal 

5 Oktober 2020 - Pusat Pengajian Sains Komputer pada hari ini meraikan seramai tujuh (7) orang penerima Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang (APC) Tahun 2019 yang telah menjalankan tugas dengan baik dan menunjukkan prestasi yang cemerlang sepanjang tahun 2019.

Penerima APC 2019 di Pusat Pengajian Sains Komputer adalah seperti berikut:

1. Prof. Madya Dr. Zurinahni Zainol
2. Ts. Dr. Mohd Najwadi Yusoff
3. Dr. Ahmad Sufril Azlan Mohamed
4. Dr. Jasy Liew Suet Yan
5. Dr. Manmeet Kaur Mahinderjit Singh
6. Puan Halizah Abdul Razak
7. Encik Jasmi Chek Isa

Pusat pengajian mengucapkan syabas dan tahniah kepada semua penerima APC 2019. Semoga sumbangan dan perkhidmatan yang cemerlang terus dipertingkatkan demi kecemerlangan Pusat Pengajian Sains Komputer dan USM.

PENANG, July 2020 – The third day of June marked the day Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) community showered a gorgeous lady named Rosni Abdullah@Mustafa with much gratitude for her endless efforts serving the university in the field of computer science.

After more than three decades well-spent contributing to the university, the former Dean of School of Computer Sciences USM humbly retired from her position.

It was not a short journey for Professor Dr. Rosni Abdullah@Mustafa, to spend 33 years uplifting computer science in USM. Despite not having a smooth-sailing journey with much hurdles met throughout her service in USM, this true-blue Penangite has put in all her efforts to garden young souls with her knowledge and expertise in computer science.

All thanks to this respected lady, USM made its mark in the nation and world with its successful alumni specialising in computer and information technology in both academics and researches.

As the eldest child from 10 siblings, Rosni was raised well in Bagan Ajam, Butterworth. Started schooling in Kolej Tunku Kurshiah (TKC) in Seremban (1975-1979), Rosni furthered her studies in the degree of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics (1980-1984) in Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA.

With her thirst for knowledge, Rosni continued her Masters in Computer Science in Western Michigan University (1984-1986). Loughborough University in United Kingdom became her last alma mater when she got herself enrolled in a PhD in Computer Science for 5 years (1993-1997).

The USM Media and Public Relations Centre (MPRC) was lucky enough to have a short interview with Rosni so that we could carve out a short read-up here right for you about her story and experience in USM.

The following is the essence of our interview with Professor Dr. Rosni Abdullah@Mustafa.
 

The Untold Journey from the Little Spark of Passion

First and foremost, we would like to extend our utmost gratitude and congratulations to Prof. for your tireless commitments serving USM for 33 years. Could you share with us the starting point of your career after the completion of your Ph.D?

Thank you for your well wishes. I am grateful for USM’s initiative to conduct an interview with me. The significant part of my life that paved my journey to date started with me being inspired by my father who was an educator. My father was a Mathematics teacher and he would do tuition classes after school. That was the time I saw the passion and determination in him for managing the tuition classes. Somehow, this sparked the interest in me to be just like him as an educator but hopefully at the tertiary education level. My father was my role model at that time.

I was actually offered the USM fellowship scheme to pursue my Ph.D towards the end of my Master’s in USA. However, I rejected the opportunity after deciding to get a working experience first in Malaysia. Luck-struck, I immediately applied for the open position of Lecturer of Computer Sciences in USM once I returned to Malaysia.

I was beyond grateful to hold the position and started serving in the Computer Sciences Department of the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences since 1987. Four years into teaching and I started realising that my Master’s qualification was insufficient to educate university students.

My stepping stone to my Ph.D programme was when I attended the ‘Supercomputers’ conference in Kuala Lumpur in 1991. I was motivated to pursue ‘Parallel Algorithms’ due to the lack of algorithm development back then as compared to the rapid development of hardware in supercomputers. In December 1992, I started my Ph.D programme in Loughborough University, UK; a 5-year stint before returning to USM in May 1997.

One of the greatest blessings I have in life is my husband who had been very supportive then to quit his job and moved to UK together with our three children. His sacrifices motivated me so much to hurry the completion of my Ph.D so that he will be able to return to Malaysia to pursue his own career ambitions.

When People Say, ‘You Can’t Do It!’, Prove Them Wrong

Could Prof. share with us if you have experienced any discrimination for choosing Computer Science just because you are a female venturing into a new field three decades ago?

Undoubtedly, yes. There was once in an introductory session with a group of seniors when I was laughed at for sharing my interest to try pursuing a degree in Computer Science. They claimed that females can never do computer science because the field was a very tough one back then. I decided to prove them wrong, that females can succeed in Computer Science. However, my scholarship sponsor, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) did not allow me to change my course from Mathematics to Computer Science. This hurdle made me brave myself to go for a double-degree study, which was Applied Mathematics and Computer Science.

On another occasion, during my interview for the lecturer’s post at USM, I was asked a rather peculiar question, “Am I able to handle the students who are all physically bigger than me?” Well my answer was, "Sir, you should not judge a book by its cover. Even if you put a big fat guy in the class, do you think he can control the students?" The entire panel of interviewers burst into laughter, perhaps thinking that it was a rather amusing answer. Eventually I got the lecturing post, and I am very thankful for that. 

Recognised Awards and Achievements that Made Everyone Go ‘Wow!’

The experiences in your education and career journey are certainly worth sharing. Now, could Prof. please share with us your accomplishments throughout your service in USM as a motivation for the present and future staff to succeed in their respective fields?

Well, I have published more than 100 journals and scientific materials which can be the main references in my field, including several international publications. Throughout my journey to contribute to USM, I am very blessed to be recognised and awarded with various accolades for academics, researches and administration including:

               1. Academic Staff Higher Education Scheme (ASHES), Nov 1993 – April 1997
               2. Excellence Service Award 1994
               3. Excellence Service Award 2003
               4. Excellence Service Award 2010
               5. Honorary Industry Award, Academic Category 2015
               6. Excellence Service Award 2017

The Principles: Inspire Them, Engage Them, Empower Them

What are the principles that Prof. upholds in your duty and to be a good leader?

Always do your best, properly delegate and leverage the strength of each staff and aid them to improve their weaknesses and of course, to work together in a productive and harmonious working environment. ‘Inspire Them, Engage Them, Empower Them.’

The Secret Idol

Who is the greatest icon in your life that made you to be so highly-inspired to succeed in life?

Since young, my role model was my father. However, as I grew, I observed successful leaders around me and they became my inspirations.

The Sweetest Memories Etched Forever

What are the sweetest and unforgettable events that Prof. would like to share with us along with your contribution and service in the School of Computer Sciences and National Advanced IPv6 Centre?

To be honest, there were too many unforgettable events to share but these are a few that will cross my mind when good memories are mentioned:

Dear Prof., what is the legacy of your academic knowledge and expertise that you think would benefit future generations that will continue to serve in USM?

My main research field is Parallel Computing, mainly on Parallel Algorithms. This field is quite ahead in 1997 when I completed my Ph.D.

In 2000, I started exploring Parallel Algorithms to process biological data and began multidisciplinary researches. At the same time, I ventured into industrial relations and obtained a sponsorship grant from Intel for parallel processing. Also, I collaborated with Intel to organise a multicore-programming training programme for researchers from the higher education institutions.

That was also the time Intel contributed the Intel Multicore Lab to USM. In 2013, Intel offered a collaboration opportunity for Intel Galileo and Intel Edison training programmes to expose the Internet of Things (IOT) to all Computer Science students through the Computer Science curriculum, final-year projects and researches in both Master’s and Ph.D programmes.

Thus, I was exposed to many Intel Makers activities and the participations prompted me to commence the Makers@USM activities in late 2016. These activities were formalised in USM on 1 March 2017. The idea obtained strong support from USM and the proposal was presented to the Ministry of Higher Education. With that, Unimaker emerged in 2018 as the Makers’ activity in Malaysia’s higher education institutions.

The zenith of Unimaker USM was USM topped the first and second prizes in the inaugural Unimaker Competition 2018.

The two main basics by Rosni:

1. Multidisciplinary Research, which should lead to multidisciplinary teaching. When I ventured into exploring the use of parallel algorithms for biological data, some people said I was crazy. Today, I have graduated 24 Ph.D students and 3 Master’s by research, where 15 of the Ph.D and 2 of the Master’s are in the area of Computational Biology.

I was one of the researchers involved in the Newton-Ungku Omar Grant with researchers from UNIMAS to explore Deep Learning in astronomy. The grant was with astronomy experts from Manchester University, UK. I have also led a team of multi-disciplinary staff to secure a LRGS MRUN grant entitled ‘High Performance Big Data Analytics Platform for Optimizing Oil Palm Yield via Breeding by Design’ with collaboration between UTM, UM, UKM, UPM and Felda Global Ventures (FGV). The grant was approved in mid-March 2020.

2. Research impact from collaboration with the industries, and activities from Makers@USM and Unimaker.

Prof., how do you manage your time to be committed in both your career and family?

Coping between family and career is indeed a challenge especially for the females. My principle is family is always first, but not to the extent of neglecting my work responsibilities. I am always grateful to be blessed with a supportive and caring husband who is always there to assist me in managing family matters.

The Inspiration that Ignites Fire in Young Souls

Last but not least, could Prof. share a few words to motivate all USMians to continue serving the university with full commitment and love?

No one is perfect. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Identify them. Work hard through the strengths to contribute to USM and improve the weaknesses. Always be ready to learn and explore new things. Share your knowledge and experience among the staff and work as a family to advance USM to a greater level. With utmost importance, enjoy your work and be sure of your life goals. Thank you.

Credit : USM News Portal https://news.usm.my/index.php/english-news/6648-a-humble-retirement-for-rosni-abdullah-mustafa-after-33-years-of-tireless-service-in-computer-science-2