Professor Madya Dr. Connie Shin @ Connie Cassy Ompok

Associate Professor Dr. Connie Shin @ Connie Cassy Ompok is a dedicated researcher and Malaysia Qualifications Agency (MQA) auditor who serves as the Head of the Rural Education Research Unit at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Holding a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, her career evolved from teaching in rural classrooms to serving at the Teacher Training Institute (IPGM) and co-founding UMS’s Early Childhood Education Programme. Her broad research portfolio encompasses curriculum development, instructional design, cultural studies, educational management, and early-grade STEM integration—particularly through real-world geometry projects and the National STEM Movement's Mentor-Mentee initiative. Recognized with prestigious awards such as Gold Medals at PEREKA, CRI, and the Malaysia Technology Expo, Dr. Connie combines award-winning innovation with cross-cultural insights from Japanese early childhood education and upcoming parental-engagement humanitarian modules to build inclusive, holistic, and IR4.0-ready learning frameworks for young children.