The IFSA Advisory Council

The Advisory Council plays an important role in the long-term strategy and operations of the Institution. Since its founding members of the Advisory Council have helped shaped and guide our organisation through their personal experience, expertise and network.

Tan Sri Dato' Dr. Lin See-Yan

Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim, FASc (Academy of Sciences Malaysia ex-officio)

Dr. Maxime Feraille
​(French Embassy ex-officio)

Prof. Datuk Dr. Halimaton Hamdan, FASc

An economist by training and was with Bank Negara Malaysia for 34 years, 14 of them as Deputy Governor. Currently Tan Sri Lin is the Pro -Chancellor of Sunway University.

He sits on the board of several Bursa Malaysia listed companies and Monash University Malaysia, as well as a trustee in several foundations including the Jeffrey Cheah and Tun Ismail Foundations and also serves as a member of the Harvard Graduate Alumni Council.

A chemical engineer by training, from the University of Newcastle, Dr Ahmad had served as key person to many eminent organizations including PORIM, MPOC, TPM and SIRIM for over 35 years.

​He was formerly the CEO of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia until his retirement in 2014.He is an avid writer and has his own column in the News Strait Times.

Dr. Maxime Feraille is presently Attaché for Science and Higher Education at the Embassy of France in Malaysia and co­Director of the Malaysia France University Centre.

​His background is in the field of fundamental and applied physics. After a Master's degree on the Concepts of Fundamental Physics from University Paris XI – Paris South ­Orsay (2005), he defended a PhD about integrated electronics devices (2009).

A Cambridge graduate, Prof. Halimaton was tenured at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia for 30 years until her retirement in 2012.

She is a Merdeka Award laureate for Health, Science & Technology (2009) for her “outstanding contribution in the development and application of Maerogel as a commercially viable multi-purpose material.” She is currently a boardmember of the National Nanotechnology Directorate.

Prof. Dr. Ishwar Parhar

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Teh Geok Bee, AssocFASc

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Uma Devi Palanisamy

A graduate of the National University of Singapore. Prof. Ishwar returned to Malaysia in 2006 after working at the Rockefeller University, New York and Nippon Medical School, Tokyo for 30 years.

He is a Professor in Neuroscience and the Founding Director of the Brain Research Institute at Monash University Malaysia.

A Cambridge graduate, Dr. Teh heads the Centre for Postgraduate Studies and Research at Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

She is also the Honorary Assistant Treasurer for Institut Kimia Malaysia (2013-2015) and the Secretary-General of the Malaysian Scientific Association (2006-2014).

A Cambridge graduate, Prof. Uma is currently tenured at Jeffrey Cheah School of Medical and Health Science’s biomedical science department.

Prior to joining Monash, Dr. Palanisamy was in SIRIM for a period of 17 years, where she has carried out extensive work to aid natural product research in Malaysia.