MOH PAK YAN MOH
Dr. Pak Yan Moh is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and Director of the Centre for Environmental Services and Research (BorneoSphere). With more than two decades of academic and professional experience, his work integrates environmental chemistry, water quality science, advanced materials, water treatment, accredited laboratory practices, technological innovation, and community engagement, with a particular emphasis on sustainable water security in Sabah.
He obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Chemistry from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. His doctoral research on the crystallisation and molecular-scale growth of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) established a foundation in materials and physical chemistry, which he later extended to environmental applications, including adsorption, photocatalysis, advanced oxidation processes, contaminant removal, and electrochemical desalination.
At UMS, Dr. Moh has led and contributed to research on river, groundwater, and marine water quality, wastewater analysis, water-treatment technologies, and environmental monitoring. As the Head of the Water Research Unit and through his experience as Laboratory Manager and Authorized Signatory of the UMS Water Analysis Laboratory, he has been closely involved in chemical testing, analytical quality assurance, and laboratory accreditation. His experience with ISO/IEC 17025 systems underpins a principle central to his work: sound water-management decisions require reliable, traceable, and scientifically defensible data. A defining feature of his career is sustained engagement with real-world water issues in Sabah.
His experience includes post-earthquake water-quality assessment in Kundasang and Ranau, community-based monitoring of the Moyog River, assessment of the Inanam River, groundwater studies on Sabah’s islands, sewage and wastewater analysis, and research associated with a mini water-treatment system for Kg. Mengkapon, Pitas. He also served as the Principal Investigator for the UMS project “Fusing Science into Indigenous Practices for Sustainable Water Resources Management: Ridge to Reef Approach” under the Integrated Water Research Synergy Consortium (IWaRes), integrating water-quality science with community engagement, conservation awareness, knowledge-attitude-perception studies, and the Tagal system.
His current Industry Matching Programme (IMaP) project, “Development of Advanced Filtration Techniques for High-Quality Drinking Water Production and Commercialization” extends this translational approach from water-resource understanding to technology deployment. Explicitly aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, the project develops and optimises a groundwater treatment and drinking-water production system using advanced filtration and membrane technologies, multistage treatment, online water-quality monitoring, pilot-scale testing, and quality assurance. Implemented through UMS-industry collaboration, the project also functions as a living laboratory for research, student training, technology optimisation, and commercialisation.
Dr. Moh has authored and co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed journal and review articles, as well as book chapters and other scholarly outputs. He is a Fellow of the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry (IKM), the Institute’s highest grade of membership, an HRD-Corp Accredited Trainer, and a member of the Science Panel for Borneo under the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
As the Director of BorneoSphere, he brings together environmental research, analytical services, innovation, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement within a broader institutional platform. His keynote address reflects this professional trajectory: science provides the evidence to understand water systems, innovation translates knowledge into practical solutions, and community engagement strengthens relevance, stewardship, and sustainability. Through this integrated perspective, he advocates a resilient and sustainable water future founded on reliable science, responsible innovation, and inclusive partnerships.