Meet 2 Malaysian Female Associate Professors at UK’s Oxford University

We have not one but two women who are making us super proud at the prestigious Oxford University #cueconfettis

Indeed, we were elated when news spread about Malaysia’s first Associate Professor at Oxford University, Dr. Masliza Mahmood.

Dr. Masliza, a member of the Steering Committee of the British Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (BSCMR) Heart Failure Research Task Force, has earned many awards for her research on hypertension.

According to Oxford’s Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Dr Masliza’s research focuses on the use of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and spectroscopy techniques for early detection of cardiac abnormalities as well as to find novel treatment for patients with cardiomyopathy, heart failure, aortic valve disease, and diabetes mellitus.

It’s certainly not an easy feat, and news about Masliza’s achievement went viral instantly.

From Parit Raja, Batu Pahat to Oxford, UK. PIC:@MASLIZAMAHMOD

Pictured here with fellow colleague Dr. Rahal Yusoff. PIC:@MASLIZAMAHMOD

On 11th July, Bernama named her as the “first Malaysian woman at UK’s Oxford University to be promoted as Associate Professor, which led to many official figures in Malaysia congratulating her on her achievement including an Instagram post from Malaysia’s Istana Negara in which the Agong, Malaysia’s king, expressed pride over Masliza.

“She is indeed a brilliant cardiologist and despite difficulties and challenges, her perseverance and deep passion in clinical research made her an outstanding academic cardiologist,” Malaysia’s Health General-Director, Noor Hisham Abdullah wrote in a Facebook post.

To our suprise, Masliza highlighted one thing via her Facebook post that the title of first Malaysian to do so had already been claimed! #classy

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3635687256445647&set=a.712611702086565&type=3

So, who is the first Malaysian Female Oxford Associate Professor highlighted by Dr. Masliza?

Dr. Cheah is the head of the Department of Bioethics and Engagement at the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), and is currently based in Thailand where she works with vulnerable members of society such as pregnant women, children, and migrants, among others. She became an Associate Professor of Bioethics and Engagement in 2016, but has been with Oxford since 2005.

She has a passion for ethics and fine arts, and has even led a project raising awareness of malaria and supporting malaria elimination among rural villages. The icing to the cake is when the “Village Drama Against Malaria” led by Dr. Cheah went on to win an award for University Public Engagement with Research Award by the Nuffield Department of Medicine. #wowda

It’s really delightful to see how Dr. Cheah manages to combine science and arts in her life. Absolutely inspiring!

Dr Phaik Yeong Cheah, an Associate Professor of Oxford University is based in Bangkok at the Wellcome Programme.