Prof. Zaini Ujang is a professional environmental engineer cum scientist who integrates studies on water ecology with engineering systems towards pollution control and sustainability, especially with reference to river rehabilitation in developing countries. His interest in the field leads him to collaborate with leading scholars worldwide, particularly in membrane bioreactor, granulation process and biofouling control.
At present he is leading the oldest technical university in Malaysia and South East Asia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He also sits on various boards, such as the Chemical Companies of Malaysia (CCM), Institute of Sultan Iskandar for Urban Habitat and High Rise Buildings, private universities Multimedia Technology Enhancement Operations Sdn Bhd (METEOR) and Chair of Proton Technology Advisory Council, a leading car manufacturer in South East Asia. For his remarkable contribution to the nation, he became the first recipient of the prestigious Malaysia Merdeka Award 2009 for the category of Outstanding Scholastic Achievement.
Zaini obtained his B.Eng. (Chem. Eng.) from UTM, and MSc and PhD in environmental engineering from University of Newcastle, UK. He is also an alumni of the Harvard Business School (AMP 177), a Fellow of the Academy of Science Malaysia, Senior Advisor to the Prince Khalid bin Sultan Chair on Water Research, King Saud University, Chairman of the Environmental Quality Council, Malaysia and Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers, UK. He has registered more than 20 intellectual property rights, published more than 250 technical papers and 27 books.
