NAKHON RATCHASIMA, February – The Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ION2), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), has reinforced its international research network through the 2026 Mobility Program at the Synchrotron Light Research Institute (SLRI), held from 27 January to 9 February 2026. SLRI, a public organization under Thailand’s Ministry of Science and Technology, operates the Siam Photon Laboratory, the country’s first synchrotron facility.

The delegation was led by Associate Professor Dr. Yap Wing Fen, together with Ts. Dr. Mohd Hafizuddin Ab Ghani, ION2 Mobility Coordinator, and five postgraduate students from diverse research backgrounds. The program continues the long-standing UPM–SLRI collaboration established in 2019, providing participants with direct access to advanced synchrotron-based analytical facilities.

During the two-week attachment, students conducted sample characterization using high-end techniques including X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS). The program supported research from three key ION2 laboratories—Nanomaterials Synthesis and Characterization (NSCL), Nanomaterials Processing and Technology (NPTL), and Functional Nanomaterials Devices (FNDL)—promoting cross-disciplinary knowledge exchange.

The initiative secured in-kind contributions from SLRI valued at approximately RM38,000, covering analytical costs. Supported by ION2 Trust Funds, i-PUTRA, UPM’s Student Affairs Division, and partial self-funding, the program significantly enhanced students’ technical competencies, global exposure, and research output.

The success of this mobility initiative underscores ION2’s commitment to cultivating globally competitive researchers and advancing high-impact nanotechnology research through strategic international collaboration.

Reported by,
Ts. Dr. Mohd Hafizuddin Ab Ghani
Research Officer

Date of Input: 24/02/2026 | Updated: 27/02/2026 | roslina_ar