HARD work has duly paid off for Malaysian postgraduate student Norul Hernani Abdul Latif at the University of Aberdeen Respiratory Group, who received the Outstanding Achievement in Public Engagement with Research in the Biomedical Sciences Award 2016 for her research work on second-hand smoke exposure monitoring.
The award, which is under the Principal’s Prize for Public Engagement, is recognition for her effort in engaging with the local and international community.
The Principal’s Prize is an annual award to recognise individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in the field of research-led public engagement.
Norul Hernani’s effective interaction with the communities outside academia for her research activities has made biomedical sciences information easily accessible to young generations, the elderly and their families across United Kingdom and Malaysia for the last two years.
“I am exceptionally honoured to receive this award.
“As a researcher, I hope to contribute my work on second-hand smoke exposure monitoring to help protect future generations in the community,” said Norul, who comes from Kuala Lumpur.
The standard for the competition was extremely high, with nearly twice the number of entries this year.
Judges of the award were both internal and external, representing the arts and humanities, social and natural sciences. There is only one winner as there are no runners-up for this category in contrast to what’s being offered in the Senior Researchers and Early Career Scientists categories.
Norul said her success proves that “being a scientist is fun, challenging and filled with lots of adventures!
“It really is worth it, for performing an endless series of experiments that you can finally share with the public, which will then eventually benefit mankind.”
Norul received a certificate and her prize from University of Aberdeen principal and vice-chancellor Professor Sir Ian Diamond during the May Festival Panel Discussion on “The Future of Aberdeen’s Past” at King’s College Conference Centre, Scotland.
The award is the latest she has won, following three other international awards in the course of her PhD work in the fields of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. She was the Best First Year Speaker at the University of Aberdeen Summer Symposium 2014 and won the Global Internship Award in conjunction with the 10th IOHA International Scientific Conference in London in Spring 2015.
Norul is currently conducting her research work in one of the largest international oil and gas companies in the world to monitor the Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) exposures on oil rigs around the North Sea of Scotland and will be completing her PhD, sponsored by the Ministry of Higher Education and International Islamic University Malaysia, next year.
• PRINCIPAL’S PRIZE
WHO: Norul Hernani Abdul Latif, Postgraduate Researcher / PhD Candidate
WHAT: Won the Outstanding Achievement in Public Engagement with Research in the Biomedical Sciences Award 2016.
WHERE University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland.