Curtin Sarawak’s Dr. Goi Chai Lee wins four Curtin R&D awards

Miri – 3 December 2010 – Dr. Goi Chai Lee, a senior lecturer at Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak)’s School of Business, who is also the school’s Postgraduate Coordinator (Higher Degree by Research), has won a string of research and development (R&D) awards from Curtin University.

Dr. Goi won Curtin’s coveted R&D Awards for Highest Research Performance, Highest Research Performance (Publications), Early Career Researcher Highest Research Performance, and Early Career Researcher Highest Research Performance (Publications), which is a significant achievement not only for him, but for Curtin Sarawak as well as it is the first time a Curtin Sarawak academician has won all four awards.

This also happens to be the second time Dr. Goi has won the R&D Award for Highest Research Performance (Publications), which he won in 2008.

Dr. Goi received his awards at an awards ceremony at the Office of Research & Development at Curtin’s main Bentley Campus in Perth, Western Australia, yesterday. The Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Curtin Sarawak, Professor Ian Kerr, also attended the ceremony.

“I would like to thank everyone in Curtin Sarawak, particularly in the School of Business, for their support and encouragement. Receiving these latest awards encourages me to work harder and achieve more in my research,” said an elated Dr. Goi, who joined Curtin Sarawak in 2005.

Dean of the School of Business, Shamsul Kamariah Abdullah, said Dr. Goi’s latest awards are another milestone for the School of Business.

“Dr. Goi is one of our most active researchers. His research interests are very relevant to today’s business environment, particularly here in Malaysia, and his research findings can be of great interest and benefit to academia, industry and government,” remarked Shamsul Kamariah.

According to her, they address the critical issue of business sustainability in keeping with the School of Business’ over-arching business sustainability research theme.

“Our school has streamlined its research into clusters focusing on the areas of business sustainability in small-medium enterprises, corporate governance and sustainability reporting, and higher education towards sustainability,” she said.

She added that the focus areas are not intended to be specific nor confined to a particular discipline. Academics at the School of Business are also researching other areas such as entrepreneurship, eco-tourism and banking.

Dr. Goi holds a diploma and advanced diploma in computer studies from the National Computing Centre in the United Kingdom, as well as Bachelor of Computer Science and Master of Information Technology Management degrees from the University of Wollongong in Australia, a PhD in Management from the Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia, and a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching from Curtin University.

Other awards Dr. Goi has won include the Sarawak Convention Bureau’s Anak Sarawak Appreciation Award in 2009.

He has written a good number of publications, refereed journals, research papers and conference papers on his own and in collaboration with other researchers on various subjects such as the use of information technology in accounting, perception on market mix, and the development and adoption of the Internet and ICT in Malaysia.

Award winner Dr. Goi Chai Lee.