The award is presented by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) every year since 2007 to deserving young foreign researchers in recognition of their contribution to technological development for the improvement of the food security and environment in developing countries.
Ng, 34, who works at the FRIM Biotechnology Division Genetics Laboratory, was selected as one of three recipients of the award this year for his exemplary performance and innovative research achievements in the field of spatial structure and impact of logging on genetic diversity of selected tropical tree species.
At the commendation ceremony, held by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council of Japan and the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), the awardees took turns to present their respective research.
Rejoicing in Ng’s achievement, FRIM Director General Dato’ Dr Abd. Latif Mohmod described the conferment of this award as a form of recognition for the institute as well.
Ng joined FRIM in August 1999 after graduating from Universiti Malaysia Sabah with a degree in Conservation Biology, and he obtained his PhD in Forest Genetics from the University of Malaya in 2005.
A recipient of the Japanese ITTO Wellcome Fund Fellowship (2001) and Research Fellowship for Foreign Specialists (2002), Ng who also won the FRIM Best Thesis Award 2006 has published over 30 scientific papers in various journals and proceedings.
He has been actively involved as a co-researcher or project leader in 16 major research and development (R&D) projects. Ng is heading the genetic studies of Ramin Melawis (Gonystylus bancanus) in Malaysia for generating information on population genetic structure and establishment of DNA database to track smuggling activities.
