Hemamalini Rawindran – Life Cycle Analysis Award – Best Researcher Award
Dr. Hemamalini Rawindran distinguished academic and researcher in the field Life Cycle Analysis. As a Research Officer at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS in 2023, she was primarily engaged in a project funded by Yayasan UTP focused on analyzing the nutritional values of protein-rich microalgae-palm kernel expeller bio-composite feeds. Additionally, she conducted Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies pertaining to membrane utilization for remediating microalgal wastewater and the upcycling of microplastics in marine environments.
Transitioning to her role as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia from September 2023 to the present, she has been actively involved in a HiCoE project grant. Her responsibilities include the development of a solid matrix polymer inclusion membrane, where she is tasked with creating a mathematical model to evaluate electrodriven ion flux into the membrane. Moreover, she conducts sustainable metric analyses on the polymer inclusion membrane and assesses ion migration using a dual casting solution approach. In addition to her research duties, she is also involved in reviewing technical papers and converting findings into coherent paragraphs for publication.
Educations📚📚📚
She holds a PhD in Science by Research (Grade A) from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, completed between 2020 and 2023, which was funded by the prestigious HiCoE grant focusing on the thermochemical conversion of biomass. During her doctoral studies, she notably contributed to the development of a novel attached microalgal system and spent three months on a Fellowship under AMTEC at UTM. She demonstrated remarkable productivity by authoring 7 papers and co-authoring 20 papers. Additionally, she supervised 7 Final Year Project (FYP) students, resulting in 3 Q1 and 1 Q2 publications. Furthermore, she actively participated in educational activities, conducting laboratory sessions and tutorials for undergraduate (UG) students. She also provided assistance to UG students in virtual reality and augmented reality STEM-based classes, showcasing her commitment to fostering learning environments. Her academic excellence was recognized with the High Achiever Award and Graduate on Time (GOT) award.
Prior to her doctoral studies, she completed her Master’s in Science by Research (Grade B) at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS from 2016 to 2019. This program, funded by a PETRONAS Research grant, focused on the elimination of surfactants in produced water from Enhanced Oil Recovery. During this time, she authored 2 papers and gained valuable experience through conducting laboratory and tutorial sessions for foundation students. She also spent one year on attachment at AMTEC, UTM, focusing on membrane development.
Her academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Biology from Tunku Abdul Rahman College / Campbell University, USA, which she completed from 2011 to 2014. Her Final Year Project (FYP) explored the effect of carbonated beverages on human tooth density, and she graduated with Second Upper Class honors.
Research Colloborations
She has actively engaged in various collaborations with prestigious institutions such as the University of Tasmania (UTas), Australia, Petronas Research Sdn Bhd, Aston University, UK, and AMTEC at UTM. Notably, her collaborative efforts have led to significant contributions in several areas.
One of her notable achievements includes the development of a polymer inclusion membrane using a dual-solution casting approach, aimed at enhancing membrane technology. Additionally, she conducted a comprehensive review on the environmental sustainability aspects, focusing on the greenness of polymer inclusion membranes.
Moreover, she demonstrated her commitment to sustainability by repurposing spent coffee grounds for cultivating attached microalgae, as highlighted in Aston University’s bulletin. This innovative approach garnered attention for its eco-friendly application.
Her research findings have been published in high-impact journals, including a notable publication in a Q1 journal with an Impact Factor (IF) of 15.9 (RSER) in 2017-2018, focusing on the development of PVDF-TiO2 membrane for treating oil and gas surfactant-rich wastewater. Additionally, her work during a three-month fellowship in 2021 resulted in publications in two journals: one with a Q2 IF of 2.6 (Molecular Biotechnology) and another with a Q1 IF of 8.9 (Environmental Research), focusing on the development of a PET membrane from waste drinking bottles for treating microalgal harvested wastewater.
Furthermore, she successfully completed a mini-project funded by Petronas Research Sdn Bhd (PRSB), where she developed a membrane validation method for Petronas surfactants using HPLC. This endeavor resulted in the development of a membrane capable of treating surfactant-rich produced water with an impressive 98% rejection rate, as published in a Q1 journal with an IF of 11.1 (JCP).
Throughout her collaborations and individual projects, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and dedication to advancing sustainable membrane technologies and addressing environmental challenges in various industrial sectors.