Professor Ts Dr Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman FASc is a professor at the Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, UTM. His research focuses on the development of innovative ceramic and polymeric membrane technologies for fluid separation, particularly for pollutant removal from water and wastewater, desalination, fuel cell systems, and carbon capture. Malaysia’s abundant rain can mask growing water security challenges, especially in islands, remote areas, and parts of East Malaysia. Desalination offers a strategic backup, using technologies such as reverse osmosis, thermal methods, and next-generation membrane distillation developed at UTM’s AMTEC. By combining membrane science with renewable energy, desalination can strengthen water resilience without replacing surface water sources.
