Curtin Malaysia and MET Malaysia to collaborate on research and development of technical expertise

Miri – 8 July 2022 – Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) and the Meteorological Department of Malaysia (MET Malaysia) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier this week for collaboration in research and development of technical expertise.

Signing on behalf of MET Malaysia at a signing ceremony held at the Curtin Malaysia campus in Miri was MET Malaysia Director-General Muhammad Helmi bin Abdullah, while Curtin Malaysia’s Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Professor Simon Leunig signed for the university.

Also present were Senior Director of MET Malaysia’s Meteorological Instrumentation and Atmospheric Science Centre, Ambun Dindang, and Principal Assistant Director of the Sarawak Meteorological Office, Siniarovina Urban Sinyaw; Curtin Malaysia’s Chief Operating Officer Ir. Pieter Pottas, Dean of Research and Development Prof. Ramasamy Nagarajan, and Dean of Faculty of Engineering and Science Prof. Tuong-Thuy Vu.

Prof. Leunig said the signing of the MOU was a significant milestone for Curtin Malaysia and MET Malaysia, strengthening a relationship started some years ago and taking their collaboration to a whole new level. He said Curtin Malaysia had much to gain from the collaboration as MET Malaysia has extensive practical experience in meteorology, climatology and geophysics, while serving the national security, well-being and sustainable socio-economic development needs of the country.

“This invaluable experience of over 70 years can be leveraged with Curtin Malaysia’s strengths in research and development, including the increasingly advanced research facilities at our campus. We can also tap into a wealth of knowledge and expertise at our main campus in Australia and at our partner universities,” he said.

Prof. Leunig highlighted that Curtin has significant strengths in the Earth and Marine Sciences, ranking 40th in the world in the 2022 QS World University Rankings by Subject. Its researchers and scientists in Australia and Malaysia are making significant strides in meeting society’s future challenges around climate and environmental change, and the sustainable extraction of critical resources such as water, and minerals for new and emerging technologies.

“As a campus with facilities befitting Curtin’s largest global campus and education and research hub in ASEAN, Curtin Malaysia is well equipped for the planned research activities, and indeed, we are very excited about this MOU,” he said.

The MoU facilitates the sharing of data from MET Malaysia’s automatic weather station (AWS) at the Curtin Malaysia campus for research purposes; the exchange of knowledge and sharing of technical expertise through jointly-organised training workshops and conferences; joint applications for research grants and joint publications; and other projects of mutual interest.

Muhammad Helmi, meanwhile, said one of MET Malaysia’s principal functions was the collecting and sharing of weather data using a range of technologies at its over 400 automatic and manned weather stations nationwide. In Miri, weather monitoring will be enhanced with the installation of a new weather radar atop Canada Hill, and all these sources of data can be very useful for the joint research envisioned by the two establishments.

He said meteorology is not an exact science as there are many variables in the study of weather, and therefore much more research is needed to meet the challenges MET Malaysia faces as a meteorological agency. MET Malaysia is already collaborating with a number of universities in Malaysia and abroad in meteorology and oceanography research, and welcomes the research collaboration with Curtin Malaysia.

For more information on Curtin Malaysia and the courses it offers, visit its website at https:// www.curtin.edu.my or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn or Tik-Tok.

Information on MET Malaysia can be found at https://www.met.gov.my/.

Muhammad Helmi and Prof Leunig exchanging copies of the MoU.

Representatives of Curtin Malaysia and MET Malaysia pose for group photo.

Curtin staff and MET Malaysia delegation at the weather station on campus.