Vilashini conducting fieldwork on the intersections of gender and mental health in Nabawan, Sabah. Photos: Dr Vilashini Somiah
Dr Vilashini Somiah, 41, had just wrapped up her classes at Universiti Malaya (UM) in Kuala Lumpur and was deep in conversation with one of her research assistants. It was all part and parcel of her packed schedule - now even fuller following her appointment as the first South-East Asia-based scholar elected Chair of the Southeast Asia Council (SEAC) under the Association for Asian Studies (AAS).
As a senior lecturer in the Gender Studies programme at the varsity's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, she balances her academic responsibilities with a growing role on the international stage.
