Professor Dr. Suzan Benedick
Fakulti Pertanian Lestari, UMS
Prof. Madya Dr. Suzan Benedick is an accomplished entomologist and conservation biologist with a distinguished academic and research career. She began her academic journey with a Diploma in Agriculture from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in 1995, followed by a BSc (Hons) in Conservation Biology from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) in 1999. She then pursued her MSc in Biological Sciences at Durham University, UK, graduating in 2001, and earned her PhD in Conservation Biology (Entomology) from the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, UMS in 2005. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of York, UK, Dr. Suzan joined the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture at UMS in 2007 as a lecturer and researcher in entomology. Her research collaborations span globally, involving partners from the UK, China, USA, Italy, Singapore, and other countries, resulting in numerous co-authored publications.
Currently, she serves as an Associate Professor at UMS. Within the university, she holds several key roles, including:
- Member of the Internal Assessment Panel for Academic Quality
- Member of the Cluster Committee for Research and Innovation
- Head of the Living Lab Research in Regenerative Agriculture and Biology (RagBio)
Her previous leadership roles include Deputy Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Deputy Dean for Research and Innovation, Postgraduate Coordinator, and Head of Academic Programmes. She also serves as the Academic Chairperson for the collaboration between Felda Global Ventures Sdn. Bhd. and UMS, actively engaging with industry partners and supervising postgraduate research focused on pest infestation and control in oil palm plantations across Sabah.
Dr. Suzan is a sought-after consultant in stingless bee rearing, working with organizations such as Earthworm Foundation, Persatuan Peladang, and Wilmar International to promote sustainable practices in Sabah.
Her scholarly impact is reflected in her current Scopus H-index of 22, with 2,612 citations from 2,274 documents. According to the AD Scientific Index 2025, she is ranked as the top scientist in UMS and the leading entomologist in Malaysia. Her publication record includes:
- 16 indexed journal articles
- 2 book chapters
- 4 policy books as lead author
- 32 indexed articles as co-author
She has led 23 research grants totaling RM1,711,128.50, including:
- 4 industrial grants (RM441,470)
- 13 UMS internal grants (RM40,519.50)
- 1 international grant (RM40,519.50)
- 5 national grants (RM852,139.00)
Additionally, she is a co-investigator in 7 grants amounting to RM710,406.00. Her mentorship has resulted in the graduation of two PhD students in 2023 and four Master’s students in Agricultural Science between 2016 and 2024.
