The Team

Jayasyaliny Jayaraj is a Project Officer at Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC), in Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia. She is also a science journalist with The Petri Dish, the first and only science newspaper in Malaysia. She has a degree in Resource Biotechnology from University Malaysia Sarawak and a Master of Science in Plant Genomics and Bioinformatics from Monash University Malaysia.

She has strong passion for both science communication and journalism. She aspires to make science interesting and accessible for the public.

She is a resource person for science communication and science journalism workshop organised by MABIC. She also does science outreach at schools; design activities related to science for school students to cultivate an interest and appreciation of science among students.

THE TEAM

Maha

Dr Mahaletchumy Arujanan

Executive Director

Mahaletchumy Arujanan is the Global Coordinator of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA) and the Executive Director of Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC). She is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Petri Dish ­– the first science newspaper in Malaysia. She also serves as a Public participation and outreach strategy development specialist for UN FAO, Sri Lanka, Biosafety Programme; and Adjunct Lecturer at Monash University Malaysia and AIMST University.

She has a PhD in science communication and Masters in Biotechnology from University of Malaya and a degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology from Universiti Putra Malaysia. Maha is listed as the world’s 100 most influential people in biotechnology by Scientific American Worldview 2015. She is also listed in the honorific list of Women in Biotechnology Law and Regulation as part of Biotechnology Law Report 2015 published by Mary Ann Liebert Inc, among 23 other women scientists and lawyers. Maha won the 2010 Third World Academy of Science Regional Prize for Public Understanding of Science for East, Southeast Asia and Pacific Region. Maha developed the 1st science communication training module for scientists in Malaysia and runs training workshops and established the Asian Short Course on Agribiotechnology, Biosafety Regulations and Communication with a pilot course in Aug 2018. She has published chapters, papers and articles on science/biotech communication and biotechnology development. She sits on the Selangor Bio advisory Council to provide advice on biotechnology development in the state; a member of the National Ad-hoc Biosafety Committee; Industry Advisory Panel for seven universities, and served on the National Bioethics Council. Maha is listed as a speaker on the Economic Bureau Biotechnology Outreach Fund under the US State Department Economic Bureau Agriculture Policy Office.  Maha is also on the advisory board for Farming Future Bangladesh and Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation for women.