Monisha
In recognition of her scholarly excellence, Dr Hooi Chee Mei from the Faculty of Creative Industries at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) received the “Best Thesis Award” for her PhD research at the inaugural Teaching and Testing of English Language and Literature (TNTELT) Conference 2025 in Melaka last month.
Hooi’s award-winning thesis, titled “Writers’ Awareness, Linguistic Realisations and Readers’ Responses of Metadiscourse Features in Malaysian Business News”, examines the role of metadiscourse, or the textual and interpersonal features that enhance coherence and reader engagement, in shaping online business journalism.
Using a mixed-methods approach with news articles from The Star Online (TSOL) and Focus Malaysia, as well as responses from English major university students, her research offered new insights into making Malaysian business news more comprehensible and reader-friendly.
Reflecting on her achievement, Hooi said it was a surprise to her that even after completing her PhD more than four years ago, the research is still considered important by others today.
“I usually take part in various competitions and conferences to ensure that my research and innovation remain up to standard. Joining and presenting at the TNTELT Conference gave me great joy as I was able to learn from and understand the work of like-minded researchers.
Hooi
“At the same time, I wanted to test how far I could stretch my research skills and knowledge by presenting at the conference. It was indeed a rewarding experience,” she said in a press release dated Sept 3.
Her study found that both textual and interpersonal metadiscourse were widely used in the analysed news portals. It also revealed that readers, particularly students, responded more positively to news containing metadiscourse, citing improved clarity and engagement.
These findings highlight the broader implications of Hooi’s work for media literacy, journalism education, and public communication in the digital age.
Along with the award title, Hooi received an RM100 cash prize in recognition of her academic contribution to advance linguistic scholarship.
Separately, UTAR doctoral candidate Monisha Rajamohan was awarded the “Best Poster (The Innovator) Award” at the Malaysian Society for Microbiology Postgraduate Symposium 2025 held at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia on Aug 18.
Themed “Microbes as Catalysts for Sustainability”, the symposium brought together 48 postgraduate researchers from nine local and three international universities to share advancements in microbiology aimed at driving environmental and industrial transformation.
Monisha, who is pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy (Science) at the UTAR Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, clinched the honour for her poster titled “Comparative Study of Fe(III) Reduction in Kaolin Using Individual and Consortium of Indigenous Bacillus Species”.
Her research explores the use of bioleaching, a sustainable microbial technique, to improve the industrial quality of kaolin.
For her effort, Monisha was presented with a certificate and cash prize of RM150.
“This recognition motivates me to continue exploring sustainable solutions through microbiology,” she said.
Her supervisor, Dr Kuan Seng How from the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, praised the interdisciplinary impact of the research.
“I am proud of Monisha. Her work on bioleaching demonstrates the transdisciplinary intersection of biotechnology, chemistry, and materials engineering,” he said.
