BIOGRAPHY

Dr Tan Khang Wei is currently an Assistant Professor in Xiamen University Malaysia. Before this, he was a research fellow (BK21 PLUS) at Kyung Hee University (Korea) and leader of several projects, including a national competitive grant, i.e. ERGS from MOE, and an industry funded collaboration project worth RM385,000.00. He is enthusiastic about undergraduate and postgraduate research activities. His teaching experience covered several important subjects including Process Equipment Design, Chemical Process Simulation and Environmental Management. To ensure effective implementation of OBE, he had also developed and provided training for an OBE measurement tool at course-level, programme-level and student-level. To date, the tool had been successfully applied in 11 programmes across 5 different schools.  

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Nanocellulose, Nanoemulsion, Ultrasonic Cavitation

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

• Ph.D. (Chemical Engineering), Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham (Malaysia Campus), Malaysia (2011)

• M.Phil. (Chemical Engineering), Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham (Malaysia Campus), Malaysia (2008)

• B.Eng. (Hons) (Chemical Engineering), Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham (Malaysia Campus), Malaysia (2007)

WORKING EXPERIENCE  

• Research Fellow, Environmental Management & Systems Engineering Lab, Kyung Hee University, Korea (2018).

• Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University (2015-2017).

• Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University (2013-2015).

• Lecturer, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University (2011-2013).

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE / GRANTS

• Industry Grant, Principal Investigator, “Valorization of durian by-product into eco-friendly nanomaterials”, budget RM 385,000.00, July 2020 – Jun 2023.

• Xiamen University Malaysia Research Fund (XMUMRF), Principal Investigator, “Valorization of palm oil agro-waste into nanocellulose for enhanced palm phytonutrients based food fortification”, budget RM 60,000.00, Feb 2019 – Jan 2021.  

• Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS), Principal Investigator, “Ultrasound Assisted Isolation and Functionalization of Nanocrystalline Cellulose (NCC) from Oil Palm Biomass for Better Hydroquinone Delivery”, budget RM 130,000.00, Jun 2013 – Nov 2016.  

• CFF FoodPLUS programme, Co-Investigator, "Development of antioxidant rich dried fruit snack from kedondong using novel drying technique", budget RM 62,500.00, Feb 2015 – Jan 2018.  

• Toray (Japan) Foundation, Co-Investigator, "Enhanced laccase stability through nanodispersion for recalcitrant dye effluent treatment", budget RM 20,000.00, Mar 2016 – Dec 2016.

• Research Grant Scheme (RGS), Principal Investigator, “A Thoroughly Review of Second Generation Bio-Energy from Palm Oil Biomass via Pyrolysis Technology”, budget RM 111,000.00, Nov 2013 - Oct 2015.

• Research Grant Scheme, Co-Investigator, “Investigation of Potential Bioactivity of Kenaf Seed and Tiger Milk Mushroom (Lignosus Rhinoceros)”, budget RM 121,000.00, Sep 2013 – Aug 2015.

• Research Grant Scheme, Co-Investigator, “Investigation of Termitomyces Heimii and Lignosus Rhinoceros Extracts and Laccases for Bio-Bleaching and Quorum Sensing Inhibition”, budget RM 132, 000.00, Sep 2013 – Aug 2015.  

• Research Grant Scheme, Co-Investigator, “Willingness-To-Pay (WTP) and Time Trade-Off (TTO) for Periorbital Hyperigmentation Treatment”, budget RM 13,000.00, Jan 2014 – Jun 2015.

• Research Grant Scheme, Co-Investigator, “Fabrication of Smart Tubular Furnace with Auto Sensing and Control System to Assist Production of Second Generation Bio-Energy Gained from Palm Oil Biomass via Pyrolysis Technology”, budget RM 66,000.00, May 2014 – Apr 2016.

• Environmental & Sustainable Engineering Research Cluster Equipment Funding, Cluster Coordinator, budget RM 354,000.00, Oct 2013.  

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

• Mei Ling Foo, Chien Wei Ooi, Khang Wei Tan, Irene Mei Leng Chew* (2020) A Step Closer to Sustainable Industrial Production: Tailor the Properties of Nanocrystalline Cellulose from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 8, 104058.  

• Mei Ling Foo, Ca Rol Tan, Pei Dee Lim, Chien Wei Ooi, Khang Wei Tan*, Irene Mei Leng Chew* (2019) Surface-modified nanocrystalline cellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunch for effective binding of curcumin, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 138, 1064-1071.

• T. Joyce Tiong, Jin Kiat Chu, Li Yan Lim, Khang Wei Tan, Yeow Hong Yap, Umi Aisah Asli (2019) Computational and experimental study on acoustic pressure for ultrasonically formed oil-in-water emulsion, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry 56, 46-54.  

• KhangWei Tan, Sungku Heo, Mei Ling Foo, Irene Mei Leng Chew, Chang Kyoo Yoo* (2019) An insight into nanocellulose as soft condensed matter: Challenge and future prospective toward environmental sustainability, Science of the Total Environment 650, 1309-1326.  

• Bawaanii Shanmugarajah, Irene MeiLeng Chew, Thomas SheanYaw Choong, ChangKyoo Yoo, KhangWei Tan* (2018) Valorization of palm oil agro-waste into cellulose biosorbents for highly effective textile effluent remediation, Journal of Cleaner Production 210, 697-709.  

HONORS/AWARDS

• Promising Researcher Award (2016), The award recognizes young academic staff for research activities conducted in 2015. The recipient received a cash prize of RM 10,000.00.  

• Best Presenter Award (2016), International Conference on Informatics, Environment, Energy and Applications (IEEA 2016), “Nanocrystalline cellulose isolated from oil palm empty fruit bunch and its potential in cadmium metal removal”, Section 4 – Waste management and environmental engineering. 

• Bronze Medal (2015), International Engineering Invention & Innovation Exhibition (i-ENVEX 2015), “Comparison of biomass pre-treatments for a sustainable and economical production ethanol”.  

• Best New Lecturer Award (2014), Teaching Excellent Award. It is a university level, peer-nominated award presented for young academic staff with exceptional accomplishments in teaching, research, professional service and impact of outreach activities.  

• 1st Place (2014), Poster presentation, 21st MSMBB Annual Scientific Conference, “Development of optimum formulation of ternary emulsifier mixtures with improved physical stability and properties of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) Seed oil-in-water nanoemulsions”, Category - Future foods and sustainability category.

• Gold Medal (2014), International Engineering Invention & Innovation Exhibition (i-ENVEX 2014), “Immobilization of cellulase enzyme on functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes”.

• Gold Medal (2014), International Engineering Invention & Innovation Exhibition (i-ENVEX 2014), “Bio-product from palm oil sludge: A promising route for sustainable world”.

• Gold Medal (2014), Malaysia Invention & Design Society Special Award (MINDS, i-ENVEX 2014), “Bio-product from palm oil sludge: A promising route for sustainable world”.  

• Bronze Medal (2013), Novel Research and Innovation Competition (NRIC 2013), “Ultrasound Assisted Isolation of nanocrystalline Cellulose (NCC) from Oil Palm Biomass”.

• Finalist (2013), World Engineers Summit 2013 (WES 2013) Young Engineers Competition, “Nanocrystalline Cellulose (NCC) as Highly Sustainable Bio-Engineered Nanomaterial in Solving Energy, Water and Waste Crisis at Global Scale”