Malaysian Antarctic Scientific Expedition 2016
A scientific expedition to Antarctica will be held from 22nd January to 8th February 2016 involving a team of eight researchers from six local universities. The researchers will be sailing approximately 4,000 kilometres and exploring eight sampling locations in Antarctica including King George Island, Greenwich Island, Deception Island, Davis Coast, Danco Coast, Graham/Loubet Coast, Adelaide Island, and Barry Island throughout their 22 days expedition. The team will leave for Buenos Aires, Argentina on 13 January 2016 and board a connecting flight to Ushuaia. Their expedition will commence at Ushuaia on 18 January 2016 and the team will board the chartered yatch, Australis.
Yayasan Penyelidikan Antartika Sultan Mizan (YPASM) is the coordinator of this expedition in collaboration of National Antarctic Research Centre (NARC), University of Malaya.
Did you know, we can track the location of ‘Australis’ by simply clicking this link : http://ocean-expeditions.com/where-are-the-yachts/
Sampling route of the Malaysian Antarctic Scientific Expedition 2016 (Photo courtesy of The Star)
The team will board the Australis for the expedition. (Photo courtesy of Ocean Expeditions)
The Team Members:
Head of Expedition
Dr. Mohamad Huzaimy Jusoh, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
Dr. Huzaimy is Head of Applied Electromagnetic Research Group and also Head of Centre of Communication Engineering Studies, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, UiTM. He will be collecting data of a project entitled ‘Exploration and Characterization of Earth’s Electromagnetism and Conductivity Due to Space Weather Perturbation at Polar and Equatorial Regions’. This research is in collaboration with International Centre for Space Weather Science and Education (ICSWSE), Kyushu University Japan.
Dr. Wan Mohd Rauhan Wan Hussin, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)
Dr. Rauhan is a marine ecologist from School of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. He will be conducting sampling activities for the project: ‘Biodiversity and ecosystem functions of benthic communities in West Antarctic Peninsula’. This is Dr. Rauhan’s second trip to Antarctica as he had spent 7 weeks at King Sejong Research Station, South Korea’s research base from December 2013 to January 2014 to conduct a research project with the Korean scientists.
Dr Mohd Shahrul Mohd Nadzir, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
Dr. Mohd Shahrul is a senior lecturer at School of Environmental and Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Science and Technology and also Head of Centre for Tropical Climate Change System, Institute of Climate Change, UKM. His research is related to atmospheric science entitled ‘The use of first portable Gas Chromatography GC with electron capture detector (ECD) in the determination of Very Short Live Halocarbons (VSLH) in the atmosphere and coastal water of Antarctic’. This is a joint research between Dr. Shahrul and a team of researchers from University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Dr. Goh Thian Lai, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
Another researcher from UKM, Dr. Goh which also a lecturer from School of Environmental and Natural Resources Science, Faculty of Science and Technology is an expert in Geology. Dr. Goh is going to take samples of rock and soil from several stations in Antarctica for his research entitled ‘Geomechanical behaviour of rock material at Antarctical Peninsula’.
Dr. Emienour Muzalina Mustafa, Universiti Malaya (UM)
Dr. Emie is biologist and Post Doctoral Research Fellow from Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES), UM. Her research interest is Aquatic Toxicology and Bioremediation. Dr. Emie’s research is entitled ‘Use of Oxidative Stress Enzymes in Algae as Biomarkers for Monitoring Stress in the Polar Regions’. Dr. Emie will collect water and algae samples from various locations, and preserving it before she can bring back the samples for analysis.
Dr. Foong Swee Yeok, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
Dr. Foong is a Senior Lecturer and a biologist conducting research on pollen from School of Biological Sciences, USM. Dr. Foong’s project for this expedition is: ‘Transportation of Pollen and Surface Pollen Distribution in the Antarctic’.
Mr. Muhamad Hilal Mohd Zainudin, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
Mr. Muhamad Hilal is a post-graduate student from Centre of Marine and Coastal Studies (CeMACS), USM. Hilal will be conducting a research entitled ‘Effect of Environmental Changes on Antarctic and Tropical Microalgal Community’. He has started collecting and analysing samples of seawater, soil and microalgae around Malaysian coastal waters for the past few months and he would need the same type of samples from Antarctica to complete his research.
Ms. Aniqah Zulfa Abdul Latif, International Medical University (IMU)
Another post-graduate student in this expedition is Ms. Aniqah from Institute of Post Graduate Studies, IMU. She will be conducting her research, ‘Assessing the effects of UV radiation on cell proliferation, oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activities of Chlorella isolates from different latitudes’. She will collect samples of soil, sediment, seawater and freshwater from the sampling points identified in the expedition.