MALAYSIA must ensure that discoveries made in laboratories translate into products and solutions that benefit society, says Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s (UTM) Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Fauzi Ismail.
Speaking at the Merdeka Award Talk Series (campus edition) at UTM Skudai in Johor Baru, he said publishing papers and securing patents could no longer be the end goal.
Much more needs to be done to bring innovations to the marketplace, the former UTM vice-chancellor said.
He said young researchers should work closely with experienced mentors and industry players to understand how their research could address real-world operational problems and create measurable socioeconomic value.
“Developing something in a lab is just knowledge creation.
“To sell that idea, you must actively engage with industry and society and show them how your research directly solves their operational problems.”
Prof Ahmad Fauzi, who has published more than 1,600 papers, said the real value of research was its application.
“Publishing gets you cited, but industry application is what creates actual value.”
He said researchers needed to visit companies, attend local and international conferences and develop a genuine relationship with industry partners to build the credibility and trust necessary to secure investment.
“Industry partners know where to apply technology, while researchers bring the core knowledge.
“When you bridge that gap and build genuine credibility and trust with corporate partners, they will invest in you.”
Prof Ahmad Fauzi said Malaysia also needed to urgently strengthen research funding, interdisciplinary collaboration and public-private partnerships to support the lengthy process of turning discoveries into commercially viable technologies.
“Securing a patent is only the beginning of the innovation journey.
“Moving a discovery from fundamental research to upscaling, building a pilot plant and running pre-commercialisation demonstrations can cost 100% more than the initial research stage.”
He also said researchers could not be expected to finance the entire process themselves and called for seamless collaboration involving researchers, the community, industry and government.
The talk series, themed “From Lab to Life”, aims to encourage the next generation to look beyond academic achievements and ensure breakthrough research is translated into practical solutions that benefit society, strengthen the economy and inform public policy.
It is organised by the Merdeka Award Trust.
Panellist speakers alongside Prof Ahmad Fauzi, the 2014 Merdeka Award Recipient and 2023 Mustafa Prize Laureat, were National STEM Association president and founder Emeritus Prof Datuk Dr Noraini Idris, and 2023 Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment recipient Syaza Soraya Sauli.
The talk was moderated by UTM Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities manager Dr Abdullah Mohd Nawi.
The series of talks brings together Merdeka Award laureates and experts to share practical knowledge and experiences with students and researchers.
Prof Ahmad Fauzi said the Merdeka Award Trust was an important platform for exposing young Malaysians to knowledge rarely captured in textbooks or research papers.
He added that its decision to bring the talk series to regional campuses such as UTM, gave students a valuable opportunity to learn directly from experienced researchers and laureates.
