BIOGRAPHY

Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Parthiban Siwayanan received his engineering doctorate in Process Plant Management in 2015. Prior to joining academia in 2015, he spent 21 years with several R&D related organizations in various roles.    

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Scale-up Processes, Bio-Products, Spray Drying, Agglomeration & Process Safety  

• Expertise encompasses laboratory and pilot scale experimentation, new product development, scale-up development (design, erection, testing & commissioning of pilot plants), product testing/analysis, commercial-scale studies, process safety, technology transfer, market research, marketing, product/technology promotion activities & commercialization

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

• Registered Professional Engineer (Chemical) with Practising Certificate (PEPC), Board of Engineers, Malaysia (BEM)

• Corporate Member of Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM)  

• HRDF Certified Professional Trainer   

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

• B. Eng. (Hons.) Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (1994)

• Doctor of Engineering (Process Plant Management), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (2015)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/ACTIVITIES

• External Examiner for Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) Chemical Engineering Programme (December 2020 to November 2021)  

• Scientific Chair for Symposium on Biorefinery, Biomass and Waste Management,                              1st International Conference on Energy Materials (ICEM 2021), 5 – 8 November 2021.

• Scientific Committee, 32nd Symposium of Malaysian Chemical Engineers (SOMChE), July 15 – 16, 2021, Kuching, Sarawak

• External Evaluator for Yayasan UTP-FRG Projects, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (Nov. 2018 – Oct. 2023)

• Member of the National Advisory Committee, 8th International Conference of International Bioprocessing Association (an International Forum on Industrial Bioprocesses), May 1-5, 2019, Miri, Sarawak

• Industry Advisory Panel (IAP) for Chemical Engineering Programme, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) (2015 – 2017)

• Engineering Programme Senior Evaluation Panel, Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC), Board of Engineers, Malaysia (BEM) (2011 – present)

• Office Bearer, Chemical Engineering Technical Division, Institution of Engineers (IEM) (2006 –2007) Auditor, Commodity Award for Factory and Small & Medium Industries category, organized by Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Malaysia (2006)

• Chief Auditor, Palm Oil Industry Award: (Anugerah Industri Sawit – Best Oleochemical Company in Malaysia), organized by Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) (2005)

WORKING EXPERIENCE  

• Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering & Energy Sustainability, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) (2017 – 2018)

• Process Development (Academic) Cluster Leader, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) (2015 – 2017)

• Director, Spartek Powerhouse Sdn. Bhd. (2007 – 2016)

• Director of Technology, Pentamoden Sdn. Bhd. (2008 – 2017)

• Research Group Leader, Advanced Oleochemical Technology Division, Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) (2002 – 2007)

• Project Manager, InterMed Sdn. Bhd. (2001 – 2002)

• Project Engineer, InterMed Sdn. Bhd. (1996 – 2001)

• Research Officer, Palm Oil Research Institute of Malaysia (PORIM) (1994 – 1996)  

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE / GRANTS

• XMUMRF grant for “Exploring Phase Stability and Viscosity Behaviour of Phosphate-Free Concentrated Heavy-Duty Laundry Liquid Detergent” Project - 2019

• UTP STIRF grant for “One-Pot Synthesis of Epoxidized Moringa Oleifera Oil using in situ formed Performic Acid” Project - 2016

• Industrial grant from Fyllo (M) Sdn. Bhd. for “Conceptual Design and Techno-economic Analysis of Oil Palm Green Tea Powder Production” Project - 2016  

• Technofund grant from Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Malaysia (MOSTI) to setup a pilot spray dryer for the production of palm MES based low density detergent powder - 2008

• CRDF grant from MTDC for the operation of polyol pilot plant and pre-commercialization activities – 2001

• Completed 4 major R&D projects as principal researcher  

• Pilot Plant Production of Palm Based Surfactants  

• Scale-up Production of Crude and Refined Palm Based Dihydroxystearic Acid (DHSA)

• Pre-Marketing and Commercialization of Palm Based Anionic Surfactants  

• Pioneering New Technology in the Production of Light-Density and Micro-structured Hollow Detergent Powders using Palm Oil Based Surfactant  

• Commercialized 4 developed technologies:  

• Palm Based Polyols  

• Palm Based Monomer  

• Palm Based Polyurethane Products (Suspended Ceiling Panel & Flora Foam)

• Palm Methyl Ester Sulphonates (Anionic Surfactants for Detergent Production)          

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

• SIWAYANAN, P., RAMACHANDRAN, D., JAMALUDDIN, R. & AHMAD, S. (2020). Oil Spill Removal Using Kenaf Core Fibers as Biosorbent Material - IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering, Vol. 788.

• MAHENDRAN, S., SIWAYANAN, P., SHAFIE N. A., SUBBIAH, S. K. & AZEEM, B. (2019). Exploring the Potential Application of Palm Methyl Ester Sulfonate as an Interfacial Tension Reducing Surfactant for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery. – Key Engineering Materials, Vol. 797, pp. 402-410.

• BASIT, A., SIWAYANAN, P., KUSHAARI, K., LAU, K. K. and AZEEM, B. (2018). An Investigation on Dissolutive Wetting of Porous Urea Surface - Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol. 96(12), pp. 2690-2699.

• BASIT, A., KUSHAARI, K., SIWAYANAN, P. and AZEEM, B. (2018). Effect of Process Parameters on Droplet Spreading Behaviour over Porous Surface - Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol. 96(1), pp. 352-359.

• CHEE, L. P., ALWI, S. R. W., LIM, J. S. and SIWAYANAN, P. (2017). Production Decision Support System: Real Life Emulsion Plant Case Study - Chemical Engineering Transactions, Vol. 56.  

• SIWAYANAN, P., ABU BAKAR, N., AZIZ, R. and CHELLIAPAN, S. (2015). Exploring Malaysian Household Consumers Acceptance towards Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Powders - Asian Social Science, Vol. 11(9), pp. 125-137.

• SIWAYANAN, P., AZIZ, R., ABU BAKAR, N., Ya, H., JOKIMAN, R. and CHELLIAPAN, S. (2014). Characterization of Phosphate-Free Detergent Powders Incorporated with Palm C16 Methyl Ester Sulphonate (C16MES) and Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonic Acid (LABSA). Journal of Surfactants and Detergents, Vol. 17(5), pp. 871 – 880.

• SIWAYANAN, P., AZIZ, R., ABU BAKAR, N., YA, H., JOKIMAN, R. and CHELLIAPAN, S. (2014). Detergency Stability and Particle Characterization of Spray Dried Phosphate-Free Detergent Powders Incorporated with Palm C16 Methyl Ester Sulphonate (C16MES). Journal of Oleo Science, Vol. 63(6), pp. 585 – 592.  

• PARTHIBAN SIWAYANAN, ROILA AWANG, SALMIAH AHMAD AND NORIN ZAMIAH KASSIM SHAARI. Opened-Cell, Low-Density Polyurethane Foam from Palm Based Dihydroxystearic Acid. Malaysia Patent (MY 137783) and Singapore Patent (SG 110085) (2005).

• SALMIAH AHMAD, PARTHIBAN SIWAYANAN, and DIETER WIESE. Polyurethane Foams from Palm Oil and Palm Oil Products. Malaysia Patent (MY 114189), Singapore Patent (SG 55223) and Indonesia Patent (P962884) (1999).  

• SALMIAH AHMAD, PARTHIBAN SIWAYANAN, OOI TIAN LYE, ROHANA ALI, AZMAN RAFIEI, ZUHAIRI ZAINUDDIN, DIETER WIESE, CHUA MENG CHOO (1995). Palm Oil Based Polyurethane Foams. Polymer and Other Advanced Materials. Emerging Technologies and Business Opportunities. Plenum Press., New York, pp. 687 – 699.

HONORS/AWARDS

• Champion at Green Technovation Challenge – “Removal of Marine Oil Spill Using Kenaf Core Fibers & Its Utilization as Fuel Briquettes” - 2019

• Best Lecturer Evaluation Score Award, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS - 2017

• Best Professional Affiliation Award, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS - 2017

• FYP Project - Bronze Award at the 39th Edition of Science & Engineering Design Exhibition (Sedex 39), organized by Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS - 2017

• FYP Project - Bronze Award at the 37th Edition of Science & Engineering Design Exhibition (Sedex 37), organized by Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS - 2016

• Recipient of UTM Best Postgraduate Student Award - 2015  

• Silver Medal at 34th International Exhibition of Invention (New Techniques and Products), Geneva for “Alpha-Sulphonated Methyl Ester from Palm Oil” - 2006

• MPOB Best Publication “Assessment of Aquatic Effects of Palm Based Alpha-Sulphonated Methyl Esters (SME) - 2006

• Bronze Medal at ITEX’2005 - The Use of Dihydroxystearic Acid (DHSA) as Coating Material in Colour Cosmetics and Gelling Properties in Deodorant Stick Applications - 2005

• Bronze Medal at Pameran Rekacipta, Penyelidikan & Inovasi UPM (Malaysia), Palm Based Crystallized Dihydroxystearic Acid (DHSA) Powder for Cosmetic Industries - 2005

• Korean KIPA Award for Commending Excellent Effort to Create Invention – “Surfactants from Palm Oil with Special Emphasis on Alpha-Sulphonated Methyl Ester” - 2004

• MPOB Gold Award, 2003 & ITEX’2004 (Malaysia) - Surfactants from Palm Oil with Special Emphasis on Alpha-Sulphonated Methyl Ester

• Silver Medal at ITEX 1999 (Malaysia) – Palm Based Polyurethane Foams - 1999