Johor Bahru, 8 August 2025 – The Institute of High Voltage and High Current (IVAT) and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), in collaboration with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society (DEIS) Malaysia Chapter and Malaysian High Voltage Network (MyHVnet), successfully hosted a one-day event entitled “Research Networking: Connect and Collaborate” on 7 August 2025.
The event began with welcoming remarks by the Director of UTM Research Management Centre, Prof. Dr. Zulkurnain Abdul Malek, who shared the university’s research ambitions and highlighted the importance of fostering a dynamic research ecosystem. The Director of IVAT, Ts. Dr. Zulkarnain Ahmad Noorden, then introduced the institute’s history, calibration and testing capabilities, and research activities. He also emphasised IVAT’s commitment to national and international collaborations.
The event featured distinguished speakers from China and Malaysia who shared their research works in high voltage engineering and related disciplines. First, Prof. Dr. Jiawei Zhang from Xi’an University of Technology, China, delivered an inspiring speech entitled “Smart Sensing Technology for Green Energy Systems”. He shared with the participants innovative sensing technology aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of renewable energy systems. Next, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Peng Wang from Sichuan University, China, made an insightful presentation entitled “Key Technologies of Electrical Insulation in Transportation Electrification”. He discussed on latest research intended for enhancing electric vehicles, electric aircrafts, and many other electrified transportation systems.
Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Zulkurnain Abdul Malek presented his research work entitled “Optimisation of Superconducting Pulsed Transformer for High-Performance Inductive Pulsed Power Supplies”. He highlighted the design of pulsed power transformers aimed at improving the efficiency of transformers in power applications. Assoc. Prof. Eur. Ing. Ir. Ts. Dr. Lau Kwan Yiew then shared his research work entitled “Materials Engineering for Next-Generation Electrical Insulation”, emphasising the importance of developing advanced electrical materials in high voltage insulation systems that embrace sustainable development agenda.
In the afternoon, participants had the opportunity to tour several research facilities within UTM, gaining exposure to the research capabilities of the university. The tour began at the high voltage laboratory, where the participants observed various high voltage equipment used for calibration, testing and research purposes. The participants then visited the electric vehicle laboratory that showcased ongoing research projects in electric vehicle powertrains, charging systems, and performance optimisation. This was followed by a tour to the electric vehicle charging facility with integrated photovoltaic systems. The tour ended at the battery energy storage facility aimed at efficient energy management.
The event allowed intensive knowledge exchange and interactive discussion among the speakers and the participants. By uniting research experience from China and Malaysia, the event brought the opportunities for international cooperation in the fields of high voltage engineering, advanced materials, and modern energy systems, paving the way for future research agenda that align with energy sustainability.
By Assoc. Prof. Eur. Ing. Ir. Ts. Dr. Lau Kwan Yiew, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.