The Merdeka Award Secretariat is pleased to announce that the closing date for applications for the
2013-2014 Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment has been extended to
Saturday, November 30, 2013.
This follows calls from institutions of higher learning as well as prospective applicants, who have requested for the extension to accommodate research and exam schedules. The extension will allow for more young Malaysians to submit their applications for this prestigious Grant.
The
Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment is a signature outreach programme of the Merdeka Award Trust. It is designed to identify and recognise outstanding young Malaysians, between the ages of 22 – 35, who personify the
Spirit of Merdeka, and those who, in their own way, demonstrate a commitment to excellence. The Grant provides them the opportunity to expand their network and to enhance research collaborations through a short-term attachment at selected, internationally-recognised host institutions.
The attachment creates opportunities for recipients to establish contact and working relationships with other experts in their fields, share knowledge and expertise, and upon their return, use these relationships and shared knowledge to further build on the body of work in his or her area of research.
Two recipients were awarded the Grant in its inaugural 2012-2013 cycle - Assistant Professor Dr Abhimanyu Veerakumarasivam and Dr Natrah Fatin Mohd Ikhsan.
Dr Abhimanyu holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Oncology) qualification from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Sciences) from University Putra Malaysia. He is currently an Assistant Professor as well as Director of Scientific Foundations of Medicine at the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine. He is planning to strengthen his research on the identification of molecular markers for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of bladder cancer through greater molecular understanding of the disease.
Dr Natrah holds a PhD in Applied Biological Sciences (Aquaculture) from the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at the University of Ghent, Belgium, and is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Aquaculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia. She plans to further her work on understanding molecular microbial ecology towards sustainable agriculture production.
For more information on the Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment, and to submit applications, please visit www.merdekaaward.my. Closing date for applications is November 30, 2013.