Ts. Dr. Muhamad Askari

Born on December 15, 1977, in Sumedang, Indonesia, Muhamad Askari earned his Sarjana in Agrometeorology from Bogor Agricultural University (IPB University) between 1995 and 2000, focusing his thesis on carbon balance in forest harvesting. He advanced with a Master of Science in Agricultural Engineering from the same institution from 2004 to 2006, investigating infiltration in tropical soils. This foundation led him to pursue a PhD in Geoenvironmental Sciences at the University of Tsukuba, Japan, where he completed his PhD in 2010. His research examined soil-water movement under pine and oak trees. ? Early in his career, he served as a research assistant on JSPS-funded projects at Bogor Agricultural University and the University of Tsukuba, addressing watershed management and environmental changes in tropical regions. From 2000 to 2005, he served as a teaching assistant in the Department of Geophysics and Meteorology, IPB University, honing his skills in hydrological analysis and agricultural climatology. These roles built his expertise in ecohydrology, soil physics, and water resources, evidenced by early publications on infiltration models. ? Upon relocating to Malaysia, he joined Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2010 as a Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow, supervising over 25 undergraduate and postgraduate students and securing grants totaling over USD 60,000. He progressed through positions at Universiti Sains Malaysia as a Teaching Fellow (2018-2019) and Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta as an Assistant Professor (2021-2022). Currently, since December 2022, he has held the role of Senior Lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah's Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, coordinating the establishment of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science program in Smart Precision Farming. ? Askari boasts 12 Scopus-indexed journal articles, numerous conference papers, and intellectual property such as "Extreme Streamflow Analysis," as well as authorship of books such as Agricultural Climatology. His consultancy work, including IRBM plans and water management for plantations, has generated over RM 4 million in value, while his professional certifications affirm his status as a technologist. Awards such as the UMS Publication Award (2024) and his leadership on editorial boards underscore his enduring contributions to sustainable water and agricultural practices.