The Research and Postgraduate Centre congratulates Lin Wei, Li Yixian, Asst. Prof. ChM. Dr. Lai Sin Yuan from the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Goh Chien Yong from the Department of Mathematics on winning the Silver Award at the Innovate, Write & Publish: An International Research Challenge (IWP-IRC2026) for their research article.

Organized by Semarak Ilmu Research and Consultation, this event aims to bring together scholars, researchers, and professionals from around the world to share their latest work through submitted manuscripts, fostering intellectual exchange and building valuable academic connections. Participants came from prestigious universities in Malaysia and other countries, including China, Indonesia, Yemen, Bangladesh, Iraq, the United Kingdom, and Nigeria.

Lin Wei, the first author, is an alumnus of the Bachelor's programme in New Energy Science and Engineering (NESE) and is currently pursuing postgraduate studies at Xiamen University. Li Yixian, the co-author, is a second-year undergraduate majoring in NESE.

The team developed a “waste-to-wealth” strategy to address environmental challenges associated with Malaysia’s expanding biodiesel industry. Their work focuses on converting glycerol, a major biodiesel by-product, into clean hydrogen fuel using photocatalysis—a process that uses light to drive chemical reactions. To enhance efficiency, the study integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) with a Genetic Algorithm to optimise key variables such as glycerol concentration, reaction time, light intensity, pH, and catalyst dosage. This approach significantly improves hydrogen production while demonstrating the potential of repurposing industrial waste into sustainable energy.

This research offers a practical and scalable solution for transforming industrial by-products into renewable fuel, contributing to environmental sustainability and the circular economy. The work was supported by the Xiamen University Malaysia Research Fund (XMUMRF/2025-C15/IENG/0077).

Dr. Lai Sin Yuan's research focuses on green chemistry, materials science, photocatalysis, biomass, biofuels, and machine learning, with an emphasis on sustainable development. She is currently seeking motivated Master's students to join her research team. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact her at sinyuan.lai@xmu.edu.my.