Malaysian Society for Computed Tomography and Imaging Technology-MyCT

The Supervisor Students Seek Is Not Necessarily the Most Popular
(17/2026)

In academia, an important question often arises:

Why do some lecturers consistently attract high-quality Master’s and PhD students, while others struggle to recruit students despite having strong expertise?

The answer often lies not merely in the research topic, but in the trust built by the supervisor.

Good students are usually very careful when making their choice. They observe, ask, assess, and compare before deciding who will guide their academic journey.

1. It Often Begins Earlier Than We Think

Many postgraduate students who remain in a research group for years actually begin their journey during their final year project.

That is where they first observe how a supervisor works:
• whether the supervisor is approachable
• whether instructions are clear
• whether their efforts are appreciated

When that early experience is positive, confidence begins to grow.

Sometimes, a well-guided final year project student returns as a Master’s student, and later continues to a PhD.

2. A Supervisor’s Name Travels Through Students’ Stories

In a university, a supervisor’s reputation is not built by position alone.

It is built through the stories carried by students.

Former students often share:
• how they were guided
• how feedback was given
• how support was provided during difficult moments

From there, a supervisor’s name begins to circulate.

New students often ask their seniors:

“What kind of supervisor is this person?”

And that answer often shapes their decision.

3. Students Prefer Supervisors Who Provide Direction

Students do not only want a topic.

They want to see direction.

Supervisors who can clearly show:
• research direction
• publication potential
• conference opportunities
• research networking

will naturally attract stronger students.

They want to feel that the years they invest will have future value.

4. Team Strength Is a Major Attraction

Sometimes students choose not because of one individual, but because of the ecosystem.

When they see:
• seniors helping juniors
• a culture of discussion
• collaborative writing
• an active laboratory environment

they feel more confident to join.

Healthy research always contains an element of teamwork.

5. Collaborating with Excellent Supervisors Opens Pathways

For lecturers who are still building their name, working together with experienced supervisors is a wise strategy.

Through such collaboration:
• work standards improve
• student confidence increases
• networking opportunities expand widely

Students see that they are entering a strong and reliable system.

6. In the End, Students Choose People, Not Just Topics

Research topics may change.

But the relationship with a supervisor lasts for years.

That is why students ultimately choose people:
• who can be trusted
• who are consistent
• who help them grow

⸻

Good students do not arrive by coincidence.

They come to supervisors who build trust little by little.

From one student who is guided well, others will come.

From one quality supervision experience, a lasting reputation is born.

Thank you to all who have been under my supervision — Final Year Project, Master’s and PhD students. Your excellence has contributed greatly to my academic journey. May Allah ease the path for all of us. Aamiin 🤲✨

RAR
14/3/2026
24 Ramadhan
(Al-Fatihah for my late mother, Arwah Che Tom Binti Puteh)

RESEARCH KPIs WITHOUT BURNOUT: A SMARTER WAY TO COLLABORATE

In today’s academic ecosystem, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have become the compass that directs research productivity. Publications, grants, citations, postgraduate supervision, industry linkages—these are no longer optional milestones; they are institutional expectations. Yet, when KPIs are pursued without strategy or collaboration, they often lead to exhaustion instead of excellence.

Burnout in research does not happen overnight. It begins subtly—late-night revisions, overlapping deadlines, endless proposal resubmissions, administrative burdens, and the silent pressure to “publish more.” Over time, passion turns into pressure. Creativity becomes compliance. Performance becomes survival.

But KPIs are not the enemy. Poor systems are.

1. From Individual Burden to Collective Intelligence

One of the smartest shifts an academic community can make is moving from isolated performance to collaborative productivity. Research was never meant to be a solo sport. Even transformative breakthroughs—from the structure of DNA to artificial intelligence—were built by teams, not individuals.

Instead of asking, “How can I hit my KPI?” we should ask, “How can we design a system where everyone wins?”

Collaboration reduces duplication, distributes workload, and multiplies expertise. A senior researcher provides direction and experience. A mid-career academic drives momentum and networks. A young researcher injects fresh methods and energy. When roles are clearly structured, KPIs become shared targets rather than personal stressors.

2. Smart KPI Design: Quality Over Quantity

Burnout often stems from chasing numbers without strategic alignment. Publishing five scattered papers in unrelated journals may satisfy short-term metrics, but it weakens long-term research identity.

A smarter way is thematic concentration:
• Build a research niche.
• Develop a structured publication pipeline.
• Convert one major project into multiple outputs (journal article, conference paper, policy brief, intellectual property).

This approach ensures sustainability. One strong research grant can generate postgraduate theses, indexed publications, industrial collaboration, and student training—all aligned under a single strategic direction.

KPIs should compound, not compete.

3. Process Discipline Reduces Pressure

Many academics are overwhelmed not because of research volume, but because of poor workflow systems. Structured weekly research blocks, shared databases, writing sprints, and milestone tracking can significantly reduce mental overload.

Think of research like an engineered system: input, process, output. When the process is chaotic, the output suffers. But when workflows are optimized, performance improves without increasing stress.

Small habits matter:
• Protect uninterrupted writing time.
• Use collaborative platforms efficiently.
• Set realistic timelines.
• Learn to say no to misaligned projects.

Strategic refusal is a productivity tool.

4. Psychological Sustainability

Burnout is not only physical fatigue—it is emotional depletion. Recognition, mentorship, and trust culture play critical roles in sustaining motivation. Leaders must move beyond monitoring KPIs and start nurturing people.

A research group that celebrates small wins—proposal submission, data collection completion, journal revision acceptance—creates momentum. Progress fuels resilience.

Moreover, rest is not weakness. Recovery enhances cognition, creativity, and long-term output. Sustainable researchers outperform exhausted ones.

5. Leadership Matters

Institutional leaders must design KPIs that encourage collaboration rather than competition. Reward co-authorship. Value interdisciplinary projects. Recognize team-based grants. Provide administrative support that frees researchers to focus on high-value work.

When systems reward teamwork, burnout decreases naturally.

The Smarter Way Forward

KPIs are not meant to suffocate innovation; they are meant to guide it. The real transformation happens when we stop treating research as an individual race and start building it as a coordinated ecosystem.

High performance and well-being are not opposites. They are outcomes of good systems.

Research excellence without burnout is possible—but only when collaboration becomes strategy, process becomes discipline, and leadership becomes human-centered.

In the end, success in research is not about how much we produce in one year. It is about how consistently we can create impact over decades.

RAR
25/2/2026

Assalamualaikum,

Alhamdulillah, 10 papers have been published in Volume 9, Issue 1 (2026).

Please find the link below and feel free to share it with colleagues and relevant contacts:

Vol. 9 No. 1 (2026): Volume 9, Issue 1 (2026) | Journal of Tomography System and Sensor Application Mainkan slot online di STM88 dan nikmati peluang menang yang lebih besar! Temukan berbagai permainan dengan RTP terbaik dan raih jackpot besar.

The Quiet Power of Mentorship in Academia

1️⃣
The role of a mentor at the early stage of an academic career is highly significant in shaping a lecturer’s professional direction and the strength of their personal values.

2️⃣
Effective guidance does not necessarily come in the form of direct instruction; rather, it is demonstrated through example, work discipline, and consistent integrity.

3️⃣
Achievement in academia is the result of a long-term process that demands perseverance, accountability, and sustained commitment.

4️⃣
The influence of a credible and respected mentor can cultivate aspirations and self-awareness that serve as a compass throughout one’s career journey.

5️⃣
The continuity of a mentorship culture is a professional trust that must be safeguarded to ensure the preservation of values, knowledge, and sincerity within higher education.

Establishment of a Research Group

(May 2026)

There are five (5) key principles that must be given due attention. These principles are grounded in the establishment of PROTOM-i (Process Tomography Research Group), at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

1. Right intention is the foundation of a sustainable research group

A research group should not be built solely around KPIs, status, or titles, but on sincere intentions to help others, develop people, and share knowledge. When intentions are genuine, the journey becomes lighter and the outcomes more meaningful and impactful.

2. True strength comes from togetherness, not individual brilliance

PROTOM-i demonstrates that a culture of mutual support, collaborative writing, and collective thinking builds members’ confidence and leads to achievements far greater than isolated individual efforts.

3. Effective leadership is facilitative, not directive

The role of a research group leader is to open pathways, guide, and ensure no member is left behind—not merely to set targets. Such leadership nurtures psychological safety, trust, and long-term commitment.

4. Thoughtful discipline strengthens a values-driven work culture

Practices such as regular meetings, KPI monitoring, and transparent “report cards” should be implemented with the intention of reflection and improvement, not punishment. Discipline accompanied by empathy enables members to plan progress calmly and maturely.

5. True success is measured by the people we develop

The most meaningful achievements are not merely grants, journal publications, or recognition, but when the members and students we mentor are able to go further—emerging as leaders, scholars, and contributors to the academic community.

DEVELOPMENT OF A WIRE MESH TOMOGRAPHY SYSTEM FOR TWO-
PHASE GAS-LIQUID COLUMN

This project focuses on the development of a wire-mesh tomography system for gas–liquid two-phase flow measurement.

Conventional soft-field tomography
techniques often suffer from non-uniform spatial resolution and require computationally intensive image reconstruction algorithms which limit processing speed and increase system complexity.

The objective of this study is to develop a
practical wire-mesh tomography system with uniform spatial resolution and reduced
computational requirements for effective gas–liquid phase visualisation.

To achieve this, a 16 × 16 wire-mesh sensor with a uniform spatial resolution of 3 mm was developed together with a conductance-based image reconstruction approach that allows direct mapping of measured data to tomographic images.

The system architecture includes a custom electronic circuit designed for high frequency signal operation at 19.2 MHz and data transmission to a personal computer via RS232 communication. A graphical user interface (GUI) was developed using Python to
process, analyse and visualise conductivity data with planned integration to Raspberry
Pi 400 platform.

The sensor design utilises 244 effective sensing points out of a possible 256, optimising electrode spacing while maintaining sufficient spatial coverage.

To evaluate system performance, different water level conditions of 0%, 16%, 44%, 72% and 90% were analysed. Each condition was assessed using 30
consecutive measurement frames to ensure temporal stability.

The results demonstrate that the proposed wire-mesh tomography system can generate clear and consistent
tomographic images with reduced computational complexity compared to
conventional methods.

The developed approach provides a cost-effective and scalable solution for two-phase flow monitoring and offers strong potential for applications in industrial processes, environmental monitoring and educational research involving multiphase flow systems.

NB. Can be extended to be a Ph. D Researxh Proposal. Contact. [email protected]

We are pleased to announce the launch of Intelligent Systems and Sustainable Energy (ISSE), a new Platinum Open Access journal published by the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA).

*About ISSE*
An international journal providing a platform for publishing research and developments in:
- Intelligent systems
- Sustainable and renewable energy

Aligned with:
- Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT)
- United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

*Key Journal Information*
🗒️Publication Frequency: Biannual issues (January and July)
📚Types of Articles Accepted:
- Full Research Articles
- Review Articles
- Rapid Communication Articles
- Case Reports
💰Article Processing Charges (APC): Fully waived (until further notice)
🔓Platinum Open Access (all articles freely accessible worldwide)

*Scope Areas (including but not limited to)*
💡Intelligent Systems:
- Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics
- Internet of Things (IoT), Control Systems
- Smart Materials, Wireless Communication
⚡Sustainable Energy:
- Power Electronics, Renewable Energy
- Smart Grid, Energy Storage
🧩Interdisciplinary Integration:
- Industry 4.0, Green ICT
- Smart Cities, Digital Transformation

*Why Publish with ISSE*
- Zero publication fees (APC fully waived)
- Free professional editing service for all accepted manuscripts
- Flexible submission: Any manuscript format accepted
- Year-round submissions (no fixed deadlines)
- Targeted indexing in Google Scholar, Scopus, MyCite and Other relevant indexing databases

We cordially invite submissions from the global research community and encourage you to share this announcement with colleagues, collaborators, and postgraduate researchers.

Please refer to the attached poster or visit the journal website for author guidelines and submission details.

🌐 Website: https://journal.ump.edu.my/isse
📧 Email: [email protected]

journal.ump.edu.my

Assalamualaikum and Good Day everyone,

We are seeking a motivated and talented Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) to join our research team at the Department of Control and Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

The successful candidate will contribute to a research project focused on the design and development of a low-cost Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) estimation system. The project involves integrating sensor technologies with machine learning techniques to create a cost-effective solution for water quality monitoring.

The requirements are as outlined in the attached poster. Interested candidates are invited to submit their full CV and academic transcript to [email protected] (Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Herman Wahid) at their earliest convenience.

MYCT publishes the Journal of Tomography System and Sensor Application (TSSA).

Everyone is invited to submit articles to this journal.

About the Journal

Journal of Tomography System & Sensor Application (TSSA) is a multidisciplinary, open access and peer-reviewed journal covering the fundamental and applied research aspects on tomography sensor science and technology in all fields of science, engineering, and medicine. Topics include tomography for process industry & biomedical engineering, non-destructive test, medical imaging, lab-on-chip systems, sensor networks, cybersecurity and IoT, emerging sensor technologies and applications, sensor system: signals, processing and interfaces, sensor data processing and Artificial Intelligence, microfluidics and biosensors, sensor materials, fabrication and packaging, sensor in industrial practices, modelling and simulation and others.

Journal of Tomography System and Sensor Application Journal of Tomography System & Sensor Application (TSSA) is a multidisciplinary, open access and peer-reviewed journal covering the fundamental and applied research aspects on tomography sensor science and technology in all fields of science, engineering, and medicine. Topics include tomography for....

We are pleased to announce the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of MyCT. This important gathering will provide an opportunity to review the past year’s achievements, discuss plans for the future, and address key organizational matters.

Details of the AGM:
📅 Date: 4 February 2025
🕒 Time: 10-11.00 pagi
📍 Venue: Online Platform- https://meet.google.com/msc-nbxq-hvh

Agenda Highlights:

1) Welcome and Opening Remarks by President
2) Presentation of the Report Activity by Secretary
3) Financial Report by Treasurer
4) Election of Board Members
5) Strategic Plans for the Upcoming Year
6) Open Forum for Questions and Feedback
All members are encouraged to attend and actively participate in this milestone event.

We look forward to seeing you there!

meet.google.com