Malaysian Biomedical Engineer Proves Women's Strength in Tech

In the male-dominated field of engineering, Prof. Madya Ir. Dr. Asnida Abdul Wahab stands out as a beacon of achievement. She currently directs the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), proving that women can excel and make significant impacts in the industry.

Born in Penang on January 29, 1984, Dr. Asnida's journey began in a modest family where she started working at age nine to support their small business. Her academic prowess earned her a sponsorship from Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) to study electrical and electronic engineering at the University of Bristol in the UK. There, she not only excelled academically but also received the Queen Golden Jubilee Voluntary Award in 2007 for her community service.

Her path was not without hardship. The death of her father during her first year in the UK served as a powerful motivator to persevere. After graduating, she began her career at Maxis Communication Berhad before pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at UTM. Balancing her role as a senior engineer's wife and mother of four, Dr. Asnida faced significant challenges, especially when appointed Director in 2022 shortly after the birth of her fourth child. She also commuted between Johor and Penang to care for her mother, who passed away from cancer in 2023.

"These challenges are not obstacles, but opportunities to become stronger and better," Dr. Asnida told Utusan Malaysia. "I believe women can achieve success if we prioritize wisely and have the support of family and employers." As a researcher, she focuses on medical imaging, assistive devices, and AI in biomedicine. Her innovative project, TeddyTherapy, designed to assist children with autism, earned a gold medal at INATEX 2024. She is also a recognized Subject Matter Expert for the Ministry of Health and a visiting professor at Universitas Andalas in Indonesia.

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These challenges are not obstacles, but opportunities to become stronger and better. I believe, women can achieve success if we prioritize wisely and have the support of family and employers.