iJPCMR 2023 Abstract Book

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 50 Jadual 3. Luas guna tanah di bahagian pulau, Pulau Pinang dari tahun 1966 hingga 2015 Kelas Guna Tanah Luas Guna Tanah Mengikut Tahun (km2 ) 1966 1974 1984 1997 2008 2015 Pertanian 162.39 148.44 123.16 128.29 114.02 112.85 Binaan 39.95 47.04 60.04 80.22 94.59 93.57 Hutan 97.81 103.53 113.34 96.64 97.12 98.67 Badan Air 0.00 0.31 0.14 0.21 1.38 1.24 Tren suhu pada bahagian pulau, Pulau Pinang sejak tahun 1980 sehingga 2018 Rajah 4 menunjukkan purata Tmin Pulau Pinang dari tahun 1980 hingga 2018. Tmin meningkat daripada 23.67 ℃ pada tahun 1980 kepada 28.23 ℃ (2018). Purata Tmin tertinggi dicatatkan pada tahun 2014 dengan 28.27 ℃. Kemudian, purata Tmin terendah dicatatkan pada tahun 1985 iaitu 23.26 ℃. Peningkatan drastik dalam purata Tmin telah dikesan dari tahun 2007 (24.62 ℃) hingga 2008 (27.55 ℃), yang meningkat sebanyak 2.93 ℃. Sebaliknya, suhu maksimum (Tmax) juga menunjukkan tren meningkat yang ketara. Menurut Rajah 5, nilai purata Tmax tertinggi dicatatkan pada tahun 2002 (32.44 ℃) dan terendah pada tahun 1984 iaitu kira-kira 30.74 ℃. Kemudian, Tmean meningkat dengan ketara dari 1980 hingga 2018. Pada tahun 1980, purata Tmean ialah 26.96 ℃ dan ia meningkat kira-kira 5.28 ℃ dalam tempoh 38 tahun kepada 32.24 ℃ pada 2018. Kemudian, hujan tahunan juga menunjukkan trend peningkatan dari tahun 1980 hingga 2018 iaitu peningkatan 1 mm setahun (10mm/dekad). Jumlah hujan tahunan pada tahun 1980 ialah 2765.8 mm dan 2478 mm pada tahun 2018. Pemendakan tahunan terendah dicatatkan pada tahun 1997 iaitu 1516.8 mm manakala tertinggi pada tahun 1999 (3231.6 mm). Jadual 4. Tren hujan, suhu Tmax, Tmin dan Tmean Test Z Signific Q Hujan 0.15 1.095 Tmax 3.90 *** 0.019 Tmin 7.14 *** 0.120 Tmean 5.44 *** 0.030

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 51 Rajah 8 : Suhu permukaan tanah Pulau Pinang yang dianalisis pada tahun (a) 1984 hingga1997; (b) Suhu permukaan tanah 2008 dan (c) Suhu permukaan tanah 2015 Hubungan antara suhu dengan perkembangan kawasan bandar di bahagian pulai, Pulau Pinang Kawasan binaan bagi Pulau Pinang menunjukkan perkembangan pesat dari tahun 1966 hingga 2015. Kadar keseluruhan pengembangan bandar bagi Pulau Pinang dari tahun 1966 hingga 2015 adalah kira-kira 134.22%. Kemudian, suhu Pulau Pinang juga menunjukkan tren peningkatan yang ketara dari tahun 1980 hingga 2018. Berdasarkan kajian lepas, pembandaran merupakan salah satu faktor peningkatan suhu tempatan. Justeru, analisis korelasi telah dijalankan untuk mengenal pasti hubungan antara suhu dan pengembangan bandar. Jadual 5 menunjukkan hasil analisis korelasi bagi data guna tanah dan iklim (curahan hujan, Tmin, Tmax, dan Tmean). Oleh itu, boleh membuat kesimpulan bahawa terdapat hubungan yang kuat dan signifikan antara pengembangan bandar dan trend suhu jangka panjang namun terdapat faktor lain juga yang mengakibatkan peningkatan suhu di bahagian pulau. Hal ini dikatakan demikian kerana, sekiranya dilihat secara teliti pada dapatan kajian, didapati bahawa perkembangan

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 52 kawasan binaan menjadi perlahan sejak tahun 2008 hingga ke 2015, namun suhu Tmin, Tmax dan Tmean masih menunjukkan tren meningkat. Imej satelit pada Rajah 8, juga menunjukkan bahawa suhu yang dicatatkan pada tahun 2008 adalah rendah berbanding 2015. Oleh itu, boleh dikatakan bahawa walaupun pengembangan kawasan bandar mengakibatkan peningkatan suhu, namun terdapat faktor lain juga yang menyumbang kepada isu ini. Oleh itu, dapat dikatakan bahawa, kenaikan suhu di bahagian pulau, Pulau Pinang bukannya hanya disebabkan oleh perubahan guna tanah, malah terdapat juga sebab-sebab lain seperti faktor perubahan iklim dunia. Jadual 5. Analisis korelasi bagi guna tahan dan data Kelas Guna Tanah Pertanian Binaan Hutan Badan Air Hujan -0.40 0.39 -0.07 0.71 Tmax -0.41 0.68 -0.70 0.40 Tmin -0.74 0.91 -0.52 0.95 Tmean -0.60 0.86 0.92 0.61 KESIMPULAN Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis hubungan antara suhu dan pengembangan bandar di Pulau Pinang. Keputusan menunjukkan Pulau Pinang mengalami peluasan bandar yang drastik dari tahun 1966 hingga 2015. Keluasan kelas guna tanah dari tahun 1966 hingga 2015 ditunjukkan dalam Jadual 3. Kadar keseluruhan perluasan kawasan bandar bagi pulau, Pulau Pinang dari tahun 1966 hingga 2015 adalah 134.22%. Perbandaran yang pesat berlaku terutamanya di bahagian timur Pulau Pinang. Kawasan bandar diperluaskan secara drastik berbanding kelas guna tanah yang lain seperti tanah pertanian. Kemudian, aliran suhu keseluruhan (Tmin, Tmax dan Tmean ) bagi Pulau Pinang menunjukkan trend peningkatan yang ketara pada tahap keertian 0.001 dari tahun 1980 hingga 2018 kecuali hujan yang menunjukkan aliran meningkat tetapi tidak ketara. Tmax, Tmin dan Tmean meningkat dengan ketara pada kadar 0.19℃/dekad, 1.2℃/dekad dan 0.3℃/dekad, masing-masing. Berbanding dengan Tmax (0.19°C/dekad) dan Tmean (0.3°C/dekad), Tmin menunjukkan anjakan magnitud 1.2°C/dekad. Kemudian, terdapat hubungan kuat yang signifikan dicatakan antara perkembangan bandar dan tren suhu. Tmin dan Tmean telah meningkat dengan ketara pada kadar 1.2 ℃/dekad dan 0.3 ℃/dekad, masing-masing. Imej satelit yang diproses juga menunjukkan peningkatan suhu sejak tahun 1984 hingga 2015, namun masih terdapat sedikit penurunan dari segi suhu inimum dan maksimum pada tahun 2008.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 53 RUJUKAN 1. IPCC. (2018). Global Warming of 1.5 oC —. IPCC. https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ 2. Tan, K. C., Lim, H. S., MatJafri, M. Z., & Abdullah, K. (2010). Landsat data to evaluate urban expansion and determine land use/land cover changes in Penang Island, Malaysia. Environmental Earth Sciences, 60(7), 1509–1521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009- 0286-z 3. Tew, Y. L., Tan, M. L., Samat, N., & Yang, X. (2019). Urban expansion analysis using landsat images in Penang, malaysia. Sains Malaysiana, 48(11), 2307–2315. https://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2019-4811-02 4. Wang, Y., Ji, W., Yu, X., Xu, X., Jiang, D., Wang, Z., & Zhuang, D. (2014). The impact of urbanization on the annual average temperature of the past 60 years in Beijing. Advances in Meteorology, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/374987

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2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 56 A REVIEW AIR POLLUTION EFFECTS, CONTROL AND MITIGATION METHOD IN NIGERIA Adamu, Muhammad Kamaludeen1 , Izham bin Mohamad Yusoff2 [email protected] ABSTRACT Air pollution is one of the main environmental challenges and it is also related to anthropogenic climate change, it is mostly caused by emissions of house gases. This review is aimed at evaluating the causes, effects as well as scientific evidence on control measures, method to suggest possible solution on air pollution in the study area and the country at large for the agencies and stakeholders to explore in other to reduce the level of air pollution in the study area. The method explored includes literatures by other scholars, the major air pollutant emission in Nigeria are mostly vehicle emission, landfill gasses, mining and industrial activities. Pollutant such as Particulate Matter (PM) causes respiratory and lungs illness particularly to vulnerable person and other health related problems. Keyword: Air pollution, particulate matter, emission Gasses INTRODUCTION The term air pollution can be defined as the term that comprises a combination of multiple of components from of various sources. Air pollution is one of the main factors that lead to health problems especially in urban areas Particulate matter (PM) and other gaseous pollutants which include nitrogen monoxide (NO), ozone (O3), SO2 and CO (Salonen et al., 2018). There are basically two types of air pollution which are indoor and outdoor air pollution. Indoor pollution is defined as the existence of pollutants such as particulate matter, inflammable organic compounds, mineral, biological, physical and chemical factors in the indoor air mostly industrial and contested areas. Mainly, children are very vulnerable to environmental exposures since most of them are still growing up and they have low immune system (Rivas et al., 2018). One of the main causes that increase the level of contamination is due to the increase in the numbers of motor vehicle traffic and high number of industrialization, specifically in the urban area with less in the rural areas. It has been discovered that the main causes of air pollutants that affect the atmosphere include the emissions from the automobile, high number of generator usage and industrial activities, road, building construction and mining activities carried out in the environment. Furthermore, the main source of fine and ultrafine particles is mainly due to vehicles emissions which bring a harmful effect most especially on urban air quality and human health (Amato et al., 2018). The most concerning air pollutants include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, noise, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds such as benzene, polycyclic hydrocarbons and formaldehyde (Obanya et al., 2018). Furthermore, it is stated that air pollution is mostly influenced by socioeconomic features which have been proven to maintain a high correlation with air pollution. Several pollutants cause health related problems to humans, most especially to school pupils during their important development phases from infant to a certain age of their lives. According to Mohai et al., (2019), the location of schools was it is being sited can expose them to environmental related health issues. Exposing students to environmental prone areas will result to serious health problem such as breathing problems, cancers, allergies, respiratory disease and cardiovascular issues specifically when the pollutant exceed the permissible limits (Pu et al., 2017). According to Kurt et al., (2016), the most vulnerable to the effects of air pollution are mostly children and elderly people

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 57 compared to adults so to low immune system. Children which are being exposed to air pollution at an early stage causes environmental allergies alongside elderly people Sunyer et al., (2015). Hence, immediate act is required to be carried out in order to safeguard the students from being exposed to air contamination hence a strategic approach or plan to decrease the air pollution must be put in place, students being exposed to air pollution should be isolated and monitor the situation causes and mitigation to be carried out and monitor the environmental pollution problems. Monitoring air quality is very necessary in order to curtail and control the air pollution problem. It has become very significant to measure and study air pollution in order to know the risk of exposing the students because most pollutant has different sources and different health related problems. Argunhan, Z., and Avci, A.S. (2018). Subsequent, it has been recognized that the Air Pollution Index (API) is one of the air pollution major instrument that used to record the interface between air pollution and human health Rahman et al., 2016. Air pollution refers to the distortion of the quality of air which brings along with it diverse effects on humans and the environment. It is a genuine natural issue that has created great effects, encompassing; ascends in respiratory illnesses, exacerbated well-being conditions for the aged, and activity delays because of poor perceptibility in developing nations, for example, air pollution in most urban communities has crumbled quickly in the course of the most recent three decades amid which the national economy began to grow. Fast industrialization, advancement of private vehicles, and fastgrowing development areas has added to an exponential increment in suspended particulates in the air. Urban air pollution is usually instigated by a widespread various types of emission discharge, which includes both commercial/residential, manufacturing, combustion from vehicles, and various complex mix of gaseous and particulate air contaminants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone (PM2.5) (defined as aerodynamic diameter particulate matter (PM2.5) air quality is a key concern to the entire world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (2018), it has being projected that about seven million people die each year as a result of air pollution associated diseases, above 80 percent of the populace of city areas live in places where air quality is on the rise above WHO due to over populated areas and high rate to vehicle emissions (2020) standard limits. As stated by Apte et al. (2018), worldwide and nationwide life expectation has been fallen due to aiSSr pollution. In addition to correlations with declined to life expectancy mostly, epidemiological study has recommend potential recommendations for various cardiovascular and pulmonary ailments, which comprises strokes, amongst a certain exposure to air pollutant wants and increased morbidity, mortality, and hospital admittances to ascertain the numbers of patient affected. The evaluation of long-term air detecting data and atmospheric PM2.5 classification will adds to upsurge the knowledge of the air quality and explain the causes of urban particulate pollution. High increase of concentration is the universal normative metric for measuring and tracking the level of particulate matter (PM). Based on the standard permissible by the standard regulatory body in both international and states level, national legislation level in several developing countries sets a certain fixed thresholds, limits, and/or target values for PM high concentrations (WHO, 2000; IARC, 2013). Scientist and researchers have made a lot of contributions and researches to provide solution to air pollution problem in the world to advocate for eco-friendly and public health enhancements. Numerous institutions such as New York City Community Air Survey (NYCCAS), Air Visual, and Air Matters, just to name a few have established into this field of community-based contribution study by increasing air quality toolkits for 'citizen-science' and AQI modeled using satellite to accessible pollution sources data, Using new, low-cost air pollution studies to improve community air pollution studies. The World EPAs (Environmental Protection Agencies) have made available air quality data presentation more than 15,000 stations in 2000 major cities from 132 countries. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Methodology The materials used are gotten from Google Scholar, Scopus, current relevant peer-reviewed articles and Google search engine for the purpose of this research, the paper is focused on study of air

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 58 pollutant in Nigeria. The main aim of review is to accurate evidence based information on the effects, control and to suggested mitigation methods on how to reduce air pollutant in Nigeria. Sources of Air pollution in Nigeria include; vehicular emissions, municipal solid wastes, industrial activities, mining activities and also landfill gasses. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Air pollution – both ambient and household – is estimated to cause 7 million deaths per year; 5.6 million deaths are from non-communicable diseases and 1.5 million from pneumonia. There is an urgent need to scale up the global response to prevent diseases and deaths. This would contribute to reaching the targets in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development related to Sustainable Development Goals 3 (on health), 7.2 (access to clean energy in the home), 11.6 (air quality in cities), 11.2 (access to sustainable transport), and 13 (on climate change), and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Effective interventions are feasible, effective and compatible with economic growth. There has been clear demonstration of the health, development and climate benefits from successful air pollution reduction in several parts of the world. Prompt action can achieve rapid improvement. Sufficient evidence exists to trigger high-level support and citizens’ demands for clean air. Global leaders, decision makers and citizens have access to sufficient information to take decisive action for creating clean and healthy air. No-one can say they did not know. Reduction in exposure to air pollution is especially important for protecting the health of children. More than half of all pneumonia deaths in children under five of age are caused by air pollution. Furthermore, this early life exposure is associated with an increased risk for many chronic diseases. Older people and individuals with preexisting cardiorespiratory conditions and diabetes are at particular risk. Finally, workers exposed to increased levels of air pollution are at high risk, and need to be protected by adequate measures. Actions to tackle air pollution and mitigate climate change can achieve combined, and therefore substantially greater, benefits compared with the cost of implementing them. Keeping climate warming to 1.5 o C is impossible without reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) such as methane, tropospheric ozone and black carbon. Climate change and air pollution are closely interlinked, so reducing these pollutants not only protects the climate but also promotes clean air. To reach this goal and resolve this health crisis, bold and prompt action is needed. In particular there is a need to avoid dirty fuels and technologies in transport and energy production; to stop uncontrolled burning of solid waste and agricultural waste; to reduce use of fertilizers in agriculture; and to promote clean technologies and fuels and green, clean cities. All countries and cities will need to achieve WHO air quality guidelines levels. The conference participants considered the scientific evidence on air pollution and health, and emphasized the following. Participants at the conference recognized the need for a world free of air pollution and recommended an aspirational goal of reducing the number of deaths from air pollution by two thirds by 2030. Engagement of the global health community, particularly the health authorities, is key to reducing the burden of disease from air pollution. This can be done by assessing the health and economic impacts of air pollution and by catalyzing actions that reduce air pollution in cooperation with other sectors where the policies affecting air quality are being defined. Addressing air pollution requires multi-sectorial efforts that build upon synergies between human health, climate change and growth priorities. Reducing air pollutants will lead to reductions in the concentrations of short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon, thus contributing to climate change mitigation. For ministries of finance, dealing with air pollution can create opportunities for increased revenues. For example, use of environmental fiscal instruments, and reduction of health care expenditures will increase revenue. According to UN Environment; 2018 these are some of the solution which includes; 1. Implementation solutions on how to burn less in any form. This includes open burning, and fuel burning in transport, cooking, heating and in other processes. 2. Strengthen action to protect the most vulnerable populations, especially children. Targeted action and initiatives are needed to identify and promote the implementation of interventions to create clean air, protect child development and prevent air pollution illnesses in childhood. These actions need to be taken in the home, streets, parks, clinics and schools. Examples

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 59 include the initiative “Inheriting a healthier future – clean air for child health and development”. 3. Greatly increase access to clean energy and technologies in Africa and other areas with populations in greatest need. 4. Support cities to improve urban air quality. Support for the creation of national urban policies, and strengthening of people’s demand and local capacity for adopting policies and investments that clean the air, protect health and climate action are urgently needed. 5. Enhance education on air pollution as a key factor for improving health and quality of life. Target audiences include children, doctors, patients and the general population. Medical societies can contribute to protecting people from the health effects of air pollution by including air quality in their educational programmes. 6. Strengthen universal health coverage, health systems and health workforce capacity to engage and implement actions that prevent air pollution-related diseases including at the primary health care level, in cooperation with other sectors, according to the national context and priorities. 7. Enhance joint action between the financial, health and environmental sectors, and other key sectors affecting air pollution to generate business plans and specific actions leading to improved air quality and mitigated climate change. 8. Develop and implement occupational safety and health regulations and measures to protect workers from occupational exposure to air pollution outdoors and indoors. u Scale up interventions to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through action to reduce air pollution. Track progress in prevention of NCDs linked to reduction in indoor and outdoor air pollution, documenting the linkages. 9. Recognize the urgent need to act and respond to the conference’s call for voluntary commitment. National and local governments, intergovernmental organizations and civil society, regional, national and local authorities need to engage in activities and policies to combat air pollution to protect citizens’ health, including through the Breathe Life campaign. 10. Continue the joint effort for harmonized air pollution monitoring. This to be done, for example, through supporting and strengthening the Global Platform on Air Pollution and Health as a mechanism to bring together international and national actors and scientists contributing to tracking and reporting progress on air pollution, its many health impacts and actions to prevent it. Establish and strengthen ground level air quality monitoring in Africa, Asia, the Pacific and South America, including locations close to sensitive groups (hospitals, schools, workplaces). 4. CONCLUSION In summary the need for more awareness, conferences and consultation should be employ in other to reduce the level of emissions from both vehicles and burning of fossil fuel in the society. REFERENCES Amato, F., Rivas, I., Viana, M., Moreno, T., Bouso, L., Reche, C., Querol, X., 2018. Sources of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations in primary schools. Science of the Total Environment, 490: 757–765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.05.051 Argunhan, Z., and Avci, A.S. (2018). Statistical Evaluation of Indoor Air Quality Parameters in Classrooms of a University. Advances in Meteorology, 2018: 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4391579 Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants. Air pollution measures for Asia and the Pacific. UN Environment; 2018 (http://www.ccacoalition.org/en/content/airpollution-measures-asia-and-pacific).

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 60 Kurt, O.K., Zhang, J., and Pinkerton, K.E. (2016). Pulmonary health effects of air pollution. Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine, 22: 138–143. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCP.0000000000000248 Mohai, Paul & Kweon, Byoung-Suk & Lee, Sangyun, and Ard, Kerry., 2019. Air Pollution Around Schools Is Linked To Poorer Student Health And Academic Performance. Health affairs (Project Hope), 30(5): 852-862. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0077 Obanya, H.E., Amaeze, N.H., Togunde, O., and Otitoloju, A.A., 2018. Air pollution monitoring around residential and transportation sector locations in Lagos Mainland. Journal of Health and Pollution, 8(19). https://doi.org/10.5696/2156-9614- 8.19.180903 Pu, H., Luo, K., Wang, P., Wang, S., and Kang, S. (2017). Spatial variation of air quality index and urban driving factors linkages: evidence from Chinese cities. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24(5): 4457–4468. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-8181-0 Rahman, N.H.A., Lee, M.H., Suhartono, and Latif, M.T., 2016. Evaluation performance of time series approach for forecasting air pollution index in Johor, Malaysia. Sains Malaysiana, 45(11): 1625–1633. Rivas, I., Querol, X., Wright, J., and Sunyer, J., 2018. How to protect school children from the neurodevelopmental harms of air pollution by interventions in the school environment in the urban context. Environment International, 121: 199–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.08.063 Salonen, H., Salthammer, T., and Morawska, L., 2018). Human exposure to ozone in school and office indoor environments. Environment International, 119: 503–514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.07.012 Sunyer, J., Esnaola, M., Alvarez-Pedrerol, M., Forns, J., Rivas, I., López-Vicente, M., and Querol, X. (2015). Association between traffic-related air pollution in schools and cognitive development in primary school children: a prospective cohort study. PLoS Medicine, 12(3): e1001792. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001792

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2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 62 BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYIS OF VIDEO-BASED FEEDBACK IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A 2003-2022 SPAN ANALYSIS Arathai Din Eak and Nagaletchimee Annamalai School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Gelugor, Pulau Pinang E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected] ABSTRACT Video-based feedback offers a unique approach characterised by a conversational narrative and instructor-screen captures, enriching students' learning experiences and strengthening instructor-student connections. This innovative methodology has the potential to revolutionize feedback practices in higher education, yet its full advantages remain largely unexplored. This study conducts a bibliographic analysis to examine video-based feedback in higher education from 2003 to 2022. Data was meticulously curated from the Dimensions database. A total of 25,747 publications were retrieved initially, however only 2003 publications were ultimately selected for final analysis after the refinement of the keyword search to ensure its relevance to the subject matter. VOSviewer was used for bibliographic coupling, keyword co-occurrence, clustering, and co-citation analysis of countries. The analysis reveals consistent and substantial growth in video-based feedback research, with 2022 marking a peak of 286 publications, underlining its increasing scholarly significance. Leading contributors include the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, with China emerging as a leader among Asian countries, highlighting the global reach of this research domain. Video-based feedback in higher education is in a nascent stage, reflecting its dynamic nature, driven by online learning adoption Keywords: Video-based feedback; higher education; bibliometric analysis; VOSviewer INTRODUCTION Feedback plays an indispensable role in higher education, standing as a foundational element for effective learning (Brown, 2019; Henderson et al., 2019; Maslova et al., 2022). It acts as a guiding beacon within students’ academic journey, offering invaluable insights into their performance. As underscored by Parr and Timperley (2010), this educational foundation actively connects the chasm between a student's desired proficiency and their present abilities. Saadat et al. (2016) further emphasied that whether it originates from educators, peers, or technology-driven sources, feedback's ultimate objective is to facilitate selfregulated learning. This recognition highlights its pivotal role in fostering independent learning skills. This perspective is supported by the scholarly viewpoints of Ramaprasad (1983) and Bardach et al. (2021). Indisputably, high-quality feedback emerges as a potent catalyst for driving student achievement, shining an attention on its pivotal function in enhancing the holistic learning experience (Brown & Knight, 2012; Carless & Boud, 2018; Hattie & Timperley, 2007; Winstone & Carless, 2019). Despite its inevitable significance, the

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 63 mechanisms underlying feedback, particularly text-based feedback, frequently fall short within the context of higher education. They often suffer from perceptions of impersonality, a lack of granularity, and an air of ambiguity (Crook et al., 2012; Douglas et al., 2016; Hyland & Hyland, 2019; Winstone & Carless, 2019). This inopportune shortfall is consistently highlighted by student experience surveys, which consistently assign suboptimal ratings to the feedback process (National Student Survey, 2022). Insufficient support and guidance pertaining to assignment feedback can potentially lead to disengagement and a pervasive sense of neglect among students, echoing concerns raised by Ucar and Kumtepe (2021) as well as Taskiran and Yazici (2021). This underscores the need for a more comprehensive and effective feedback mechanism within the realm of higher education. In response to the formidable challenges faced in the realm of feedback practices, the integration of technology-enhanced feedback strategies has emerged as a promising solution (Bissell, 2017; Henderson & Phillips, 2014; Kim, 2018). In the context of higher education, the use of technology-mediated video feedback has gained significant momentum (Ari & Arslan-Ari, 2022; Harper et al., 2018; Istenič, 2021; Lowenthal et al., 2022; Marshall et al., 2020; Wilkie & Liefeith, 2022; Yiğit & Seferoğlu, 2023). These new feedback strategies, such as screencasting and video conferencing, have become increasingly important due to advancements in technology. They employ a multimodal approach, incorporating audio, video, and text elements to provide students with a comprehensive and intricately detailed feedback experience (Bradley et al., 2021; Fish & Lumadue, 2010). This innovative methodology holds the potential to transform the landscape of feedback mechanisms within higher education. Given the evolving role of technology in education, a comprehensive understanding of the impact of video feedback has become imperative. As technology-mediated feedback gains prominence, it is essential to explore its influence on student learning experiences. With this context in mind, the present study endeavours to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis specifically focusing on the utilisation of video-based feedback in higher education. This study aims to address the dearth of research employing bibliographic mapping techniques in investigating the growth and trends of video feedback research, evaluating publication productivity across different countries, identifying collaboration patterns, pinpointing research gaps, and paving the way for future research endeavours in this domain. Research questions addressed in this study are as follows: RQ1: How has the publication trend for video feedback in higher education evolved from 2003 to 2022? RQ2: Which countries are the top contributors to research on video feedback in higher education?

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 64 MATERIALS AND METHODS Bibliometrics stands as a robust statistical approach for quantitatively dissecting publications within a specific domain through scientific methodologies (Chen et al., 2018; Pawar, 2020). It encompasses not only basic descriptive statistics like publication counts, types, and distribution over time but also intricate techniques such as document co-citation analysis, collaboration patterns, and research constituents, as demonstrated by (Andrés, 2009; Donthu et al., 2021). At its core, bibliometric analysis grapples with extensive datasets, often comprising hundreds to thousands of documents. It hinges on objective measures such as citation and publication count, alongside the occurrences of keywords and thematic content. This method excels in scrutinising well-established fields and unravelling the evolution of scholarly knowledge. Its significance lies in its capacity to provide a panoramic view of a domain, pinpoint knowledge gaps, spawn novel research ideas, and contextualise researchers' contributions. Thus, bibliometric analysis stands as an instrumental tool in propelling scientific progress (Andrés, 2009; Donthu et al., 2021). For the bibliographic analysis conducted in this study, the Dimensions database was the chosen repository. Dimensions offers unrestricted access to publications and citations, supplemented by rich contextual information, for personal and non-commercial utilization. This dynamic platform undergoes daily updates and continuous expansion. Its repository boasts an extensive collection, comprising over 134 million publications, 6 million grants, 12 million datasets, 933,000 policy documents, 759,000 clinical trials, 151 million patents, and more (Digital Science & Research Solutions Inc, 2023). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION RQ1: How has the publication trend for video feedback in higher education evolved from 2003 to 2022?

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 65 RQ2: Which countries are the top contributors to research on video feedback in higher education? Table 1. Publications and citations related to video feedback in higher education top 20 No. Country Publications Citations Total Link Strength 1 United States 495 11600 123802 2 Germany 200 5268 76354 3 United Kingdom 183 7270 59600 4 Canada 131 3205 49810 5 Italy 122 3312 44862 6 France 102 4551 37404 7 China 134 2443 35457 8 Switzerland 70 3337 34655 9 Netherlands 77 3622 32366 10 Japan 99 1218 30961

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 66 11 Australia 75 2458 25173 12 Spain 71 3422 19036 13 Denmark 42 901 16574 14 South Korea 81 1600 15036 15 Israel 28 715 12602 16 Belgium 32 1114 12471 17 Sweden 47 1160 11663 18 Ireland 20 365 9616 19 Saudi Arabia 25 475 8323 20 Slovenia 15 341 7704 4. CONCLUSION This study presents a bibliometric analysis of publications related to video-based feedback in higher education, from 2003 to 2022. The analysis offers valuable insights into the research landscape of this domain. One important trend is that the number of publications has consistently grown since 2011, which can be attributed to several key factors. Technological advancements have made it easier to integrate video-based feedback into educational practices, providing innovative feedback delivery methods. Moreover, video-based feedback has proven to be effective in enhancing student learning, particularly in online and blended learning contexts, further underscoring the importance of this approach in digital education. The analysis also highlights the global nature of research contributions, with leading countries including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and China, indicating the widespread interest in video-based feedback. However, despite its increasing scholarly significance, video-based feedback in higher education is still in its infancy stage, reflecting its dynamic and evolving nature, driven by the growing adoption of online learning. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT NIL

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 67 REFERENCES 1. Alexander, B., Ashford-Rowe, K., Barajas-Murph, N., Dobbin, G., Knott, J., McCormack, M., Pomerantz, J., Seilhamer, R., & Weber, N. (2019). Horizon report 2019 higher education edition. Retrieved September 6, 2023, from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/208644/ 2. Alharbi, W. (2017). E-feedback as a scaffolding teaching strategy in the online language classroom. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 46(2), 239-251 https://doi.org/10.1177/004723951769796 3. Ali, A. (2016). Effectiveness of Using Screencast Feedback on EFL Student’ Writing and Perception. English Language Teaching, 9, 106-121: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/elt.v9n8p106 4. Andrés, A. (2009). Measuring academic research: How to undertake a bibliometric study. Elsevier. 5. Anson, C. M. (2018). She really took the time”: Students’ opinions of screen-capture response to their writing in online courses. Writing in online courses: How the online environment shapes writing practices, 21-45. 6. Anson, C. M., Dannels, D. P., Laboy, J. I., & Carneiro, L. (2016). Students’ perceptions of oral screencast responses to their writing: Exploring digitally mediated identities. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 30(3), 378-411. DOI: 10.1177/1050651916636424 7. Ardito, L., Scuotto, V., Del Giudice, M., & Petruzzelli, A. M. (2019). A bibliometric analysis of research on Big Data analytics for business and management. Management Decision, 57(8), 1993-2009. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-07-2018-0754 8. Ari, F., & Arslan-Ari, I. (2022). Examining nontraditional graduate students' experiences with video feedback in a fully online course. The Internet and Higher Education, 55, 100858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2022.100858 9. Arruda, H., Silva, E. R., Lessa, M., Proença Jr, D., & Bartholo, R. (2022). VOSviewer and bibliometrix. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, 110(3), 392. 10.5195/jmla.2022.1434 10. Babula, T., & Kay, R. (2021). Exploring Student Perceptions of Video-Based Feedback in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Higher Education Theory & Practice, 21(4).

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2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 69 CRAFTING SHORT STORIES USING COMPUTATIONAL THINKING CONCEPTS Arulselvi Uthayakumaran1 , Nagaletchimee Annamalai2 , 1 School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia 1 Centre of Modern Languages, University Malaysia Pahang Sultan Al-Abdullah 2 School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia ABSTRACT Creative writing expresses emotions, thoughts, and the crafting of characters and stories beyond imagination. Words and thoughts in today's world are further enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI), leaving limited room for creative expressions and writing, especially for undergraduate engineering students. While most of the said group of students enjoy the conundrums of coding and developing software, a handful of students were found to have a profound interest in creative writing. However, many need help developing authentic short stories, relying on AI and the internet. Therefore, a preliminary study is designed by integrating computational thinking concepts in a creative writing classroom among 25 students over five weeks, focusing on producing an authentic short story. The study is conducted in a face-to-face immersive environment to document students' experiences using brainstorming and story mapping activities that integrate computational thinking concepts such as decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithm. A qualitative approach was streamlined to the 5-week learning activities to explore students' experience in producing a short story by integrating computational thinking concepts. After five weeks of applying the computational thinking concepts, students produced a short story with a deeper understanding of characters, the connection between events that occur in the plot and a more precise, succinct plot. Keywords: creative writing; creativity; computational thinking; engineering; short story INTRODUCTION As a society, we have evolved from an Industrial Age to a Knowledge Age and now to an Innovation Age. As a result of the transformative effects of digital technologies, many jobs are disappearing, and new jobs are being created (Ritter et al, 2020). According to a report published in 2017 by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is estimated that our future generation of workers will change jobs more than ten times before reaching the age of 50. To ensure that graduates have the expected communication skills, colleges and universities offer technical writing and professional communication courses tailored to the needs of their engineering students or include writing and communication classes as an integral part of technical and professional coursework. In contrast, students progress through the engineering curriculum. Engineering students are trained and accustomed to producing informationfocused content, such as reports, presentations, proposals, and procedures (Moran, 2008). To

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 70 create documents in these genres, one must comprehensively understand problem-solving processes to produce compelling reports. A problem-solving process is framed as a rhetorical problem that needs to be resolved during the composing process. These steps are inquiry (asking questions about the topic/genre), prewriting (imagining writing possibilities), planning (deciding how to proceed with writing), drafting (creating the product), and revision (improving the product) (Nelson, 2022). Similarly, in creative writing, there are at least four steps involved in the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. It is known as a recursive process (Nelson, 2022). Writing has a recursive nature similar to the cyclical engineering process, and both are intended to produce real-world products. This makes it challenging to integrate them authentically into classroom settings because it requires a higher level of mastery in writing. In a writing class, when a student is on different levels of writing mastery, it might impede the production of a written invention. Due to the complexity of managing this situation, the writing and engineering processes are typically implemented sequentially. According to Moran (2008), technical and creative writers in engineering use different communication approaches and goals to communicate with readers. The distinct difference between engineering and creative writing is the type of content. In engineering, the transfer of technical content is purposeful and targeted to address issues and summaries of operations. In creative writing, highly creative information products provide entertainment or stimulation for the reader to provide insight into human experiences (Puente & Wilson, 2018). Human experiences are used in creative writing to solve problems for the story's characters or the author. Characters in stories have to overcome a series of obstacles. If the problems occur in the real world, then the solutions must also be applicable in the real world. However, a solution that mimics a real-world solution is required if the problem is fictional. By navigating fictional characters through difficult times, whether emotionally or financially, writers can gain insight into how to deal with those problems in the real world (McDaniel College Writing Center, 2017). Enriching creative writing skills among engineering students can be aligned with a problem-solving concept used in Computer Science(CS). As defined by Wing (2006), computational thinking (CT) involves formulating a problem and expressing its solution so that a computer - either human or machine - can perform the tasks effectively. According to Wing (2008), CT lies at the intersection of mathematical, engineering, and scientific thinking. Despite this, many aspects of computer science can be learned with or without a computer, particularly the principles of computational thinking. Unlike traditional computational thinking activities, "unplugged" activities do not require unique technology and allow students to jump immediately into conceptual learning without grappling with a programming language's complex syntax. Furthermore, unplugged activities provide students with numerous learning opportunities, unrestrained by a computer screen. As computational thinking principles can be applied to any subject, content area, or grade level, educators from multidisciplinary areas are experimenting with the integration of unplugged activities in class activities. Computational thinking (CT) provides a series of steps to create artefacts. In this study, the artefacts in question are literary works produced by students using the CT framework. In "unplugged" activities, tangible materials, such as blocks, pencils and paper, are used rather than computers. Four distinguished concepts in computational thinking theory are used in the

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 71 study: (1)decomposition, (2) pattern recognition, (3)abstraction, and (4) algorithm (Weigend et al., 2019) To engage students in a creative writing process, this research explores the potential of computational thinking (CT) activities in scaffolding engineering students' creative writing skills in producing literary works. Subsequently, the emerging patterns and connections in integrating computational thinking activities are studied. Finally, students' experiences and reflections are analysed to explain how computational thinking activities have helped them write creatively. This study is conducted in a technical engineering university where creative writing courses are offered as an elective. MATERIALS AND METHODS The proposed methodology for this study will involve a qualitative approach, utilising semistructured interviews with undergraduate engineering students enrolled in a creative writing course Phase 1: Recruitment and Selection of Participants: Participants will be recruited from creative writing courses at a technical university Phase 2: Data Collection: Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with participants to gather in-depth information about their experiences in using computational thinking in creative writing. Interviews will be conducted privately and audio-recorded with the participant's consent. Phase 3: Data Analysis: Transcripts of the interviews will be analysed using thematic analysis, while classroom observation will be used to triangulate the data collected. The 5- week journal will be analysed using document analysis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The results found that most undergraduate engineering students found integrating computational thinking concepts into creative writing skills enriching and useful. Using “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson as a scaffolding activity allowed students to identify central themes, establish connections between events and create authentic, believable characters in developing their own short stories. Some undergraduate engineering students faced difficulties relating to the concepts introduced due to limited creative writing skills. The results showed that the computational thinking concept could be used in creating short stories by adapting the operational definitions for creative writing. Figure 1 exhibits students' experiences after applying computational thinking concepts in writing short stories

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 72 Figure 1. Student’s experiences after applying computational thinking concepts in writing short stories 4. CONCLUSION This study is determined to identify students' experiences and reception of using computational thinking concepts in developing short stories. Predominantly, most students found the computational thinking concept to be a good framework for developing story plots and events in the stories. Using computational thinking concepts also reduced students' reliance on the internet, giving more. emphasis on the creation of authentic and creative short stories. However, there are a few recommendations for this study. Future studies can focus on creating a creative writing module that integrates computational thinking concepts. Also, a section on creative writing skills should be included to supplement computational thinking concepts to boost the confidence of undergraduate engineering students in developing short stories. REFERENCES 1. Ritter, S. M., Gu, X., Crijns, M., & Biekens, P. (2020). Fostering students’ creative thinking skills by means of a one-year creativity training program. PLoS One, 15(3), e0229773If the reference is a book; 2. Puente, K., & Wilson, J. C. (2018). Writing workshop in the elementary classroom: A practical guide for teachers. Rowman & Littlefield. 3. J. M. Wing, “Computational thinking and thinking about computing,” Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London, vol. 366, pp. 3717- 3725, July 2008. 4. Weigend, M., VANÍČEK, J., Pluhár, Z., & Pesek, I. (2019). Computational thinking education through creative unplugged activities. Olympiads in Informatics, 13, 171-192. 5. Wing, J. M. (2006). Computational thinking. Communications of the ACM, 49(3), 33-35. 0 1 2 3 4 5 Improved Story Structure Application of Learned Material Use of Five Senses Vocabulary Enhancement Brainstorming and Efficiency Character Development Problem Solving and Iterative Process Identification of Story Structure Organizational Assistance Plot Development and Structure Learning and Application Awareness of Weaknesses Students experiences after applying computational thinking concepts in writing short stories

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 73 6. Nelson, B. S., Petersen, D. B., & Rai, A. (2022). The effects of a multi-tiered system of language support on oral narrative language, writing, and reading comprehension in India. Language and Education, 36(1), 74-94. 7. Moran, T. (2008, July). Strong words: The creative writing of engineers. In 2008 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (pp. 1-10). IEEE.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 74 DESIGN OF DOUBLE BOOST CONVERTER WITH SELF-DRIVE SYNCHRONOUS RECTIFICATION M.N. Mamat, S. Kaharuddin, M.N. Abdullah, D. Ishak Universiti Sains Malaysia [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] ABSTRACT - A modified boost converter with self-drive synchronous rectification is proposed in this paper. The main advantage of the proposed design is its ability to boost the voltage gain up to 20 times than the traditional converter, which is very suitable for higher output applications. Furthermore, the proposed design maintains its simple switching strategy as the traditional topology. The simulation results clearly show that the output voltage is successfully stepped-up to 120 V from 12 V input supply with a minimal peak-to-peak ripple of 90 mVp-p. Keywords: DC-DC converter; double boost; high gain; synchronous rectification INTRODUCTION At present, modern applications powered by renewable energy sources (RES) are common due to their use of clean energy and their ability to easily integrate with conventional systems that use fossil fuels as their energy source. By default, RES have low voltage inputs and must be amplified to a higher voltage level to enable the operation of many high-power modern applications. The process of increasing the low input voltage to the required high output voltage by a DC-DC converter is called step-up conversion. There are many researches being conducted to investigate the step-up converter topology and, in general, they can be divided into two main families, namely the non-isolated and isolated topology [1][2]. The ratio of its output voltage to its input voltage is called “voltage gain” and can be classified into three categories: standard (less than 10), high gain (between 10 and 20) and super gain (more than 20). Traditional converters such as boost, buck-boost and SEPIC are ideal for standard gain design and have been extensively used in the DC-DC converter technology. However, for high-performance applications, they are not preferable because they have to use extreme duty cycles (over 0.9) in operation. This leads to higher conduction losses, lower efficiency and higher component stresses. One of the solutions is to use the modified or expanded version of the traditional boost converter [3]-[6]. By utilizing this method, the output voltage can be greatly increased while simultaneously addressing the drawbacks mentioned earlier. This study aims to design and investigate a modified version of the conventional boost converter, which is chosen for its straightforward structure, low complexity, and minimal number of components. The switching component will be constructed using MOSFETs with low onresistance to minimize losses. Similarly, the rectification component will also employ MOSFETs, but with the addition of a self-drive mechanism to simplify the rectification control. The use of low on-resistance MOSFETs is expected to reduce conduction and switching losses, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the proposed design compared to designs that use diodes for rectification. Figure 1 illustrates the proposed design, which

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 75 incorporates MOSFETs for both the switching and rectification components. The design is based on the traditional boost converter with an added feature of synchronous rectification. It involves two boost converters operating in series to double the voltage gain. This allows for higher output voltage generation with a single control scheme to maintain simplicity. The self-drive rectification is employed to minimize conduction losses, with the control signal derived directly from the main topology. Figure 1. Proposed double boost converter with self-drive synchronous rectification DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED TOPOLOGY The proposed topology consists of two boost inductors (L1 and L2) with comparable inductance value, three switching MOSFETs (M1, M2 and M3), two synchronous rectification MOSFETs (M4 and M5) and one smoothing capacitor (Co) to filter and regulate the final output waveform. During operation, there are two available modes: one during energy transfer to L1 and L2, and another during discharging process from L1 and L2 to the load. Figures 2 and 3 show the equivalent circuits for these modes. Figure 2. Mode 1 operation of the proposed converter Figure 3. Mode 2 operation of the proposed converter When M1, M2 and M3 are in ON state (mode 1) as depicted in Figure 2, energy will be stored to L1 and L2 from the input source, Vi. During this time no energy will be transferred to Co

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 76 and load. When M1 and M2 are in OFF state (mode 2) as shown in Figure 3, L1 and L2 will be connected in series and the initial stored energy will be transferred to the load while simultaneously charging Co to its maximum capacity. Periodically, in mode 1, stored energy in Co will be discharged to the load to maintain a continuous and regulated output voltage. The equation to determine the voltage gain, ML1 and ML2 is expresses in (1) where Vo is the output voltage, Vi is the input voltage and D is the duty cycle. Sectional Voltage Gain, 1 = 2 = 1 1− (1) Total voltage gain, M is the combination of ML1 and ML2 resulting in (2). Total Modified Voltage Gain, = 1 + 2 = = 2 1− (2) The critical inductance for L1 and L2 is determined using (3) where R is the corresponding load resistance, and T is the switching period. Critical Inductor Value, = 2 ∗ (1 − )2 (3) The voltage ripple at the smoothing capacitor is given by (4) where ∆Vo is the ripple voltage, Co is the output capacitance, and f is the switching frequency. Voltage Ripple Percentage, ∆ = = (4) Equations (1) and (2) are utilized to calculate the appropriate duty cycle, D, required to increase the output voltage, Vo, from the input voltage, Vi. Equation (3) is employed to accurately determine the minimum inductances, L1 and L2, necessary to maintain continuous conduction mode in the converter. Equation (4) is used to calculate the minimum output capacitance, Co, for effective filtering and output regulation. The electrical characteristics of the proposed design, which are presented in Table 1, are used to simulate the performance of the design. It is expected that the output voltage will be increased by a factor of 10 from the 12 V input voltage, with a switching frequency of 50 kHz, in order to achieve the desired high gain level. Table 1. Electrical characteristics of the proposed converter design Parameter Value Parameter Value Input voltage, Vi 12 V Output voltage, Vo 120 V Duty Cycle, D 0.8 Switching frequency, f 50 kHz Inductance, L1 and L2 20 µH Capacitance, Co 15 µF Voltage gain, M 10 ∆Vo/Vo 2%

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 77 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a comparison between the proposed converter and two conventional step-up converters, boost and SEPIC. Figure 4 shows the comparison of the output voltage versus duty cycle where the proposed design consistently achieves a higher output voltage at the same duty cycle. Figure 5 shows the capability of the proposed design to achieve a gain of 10 at a duty cycle of 0.8, and it can be further increased to a gain of 20 at a duty cycle of 0.9. Figure 4. Comparison of the output voltage versus duty cycle between proposed and traditional converters Figure 5. Comparison of the voltage gain versus duty cycle between proposed and traditional converters In order to confirm the functionality and effectiveness of the suggested design, Simulink software is employed, utilizing all the electrical parameters listed in Table 1. The regulated output voltage is illustrated in Figure 6, demonstrating the successful generation of 120 V from a 12 V input supply. Figure 7 displays a minimal peak-to-peak output ripple of 90 mVpp, which represents a ripple percentage of less than 0.1%. These graphs clearly exhibit the superior performance of the proposed design in comparison to the traditional converter, particularly at low duty cycle, as well as its ability to construct an exceptional high gain stepup DC-DC converter at high duty cycle. Figure 6. Regulated output voltage of the design Figure 7. Peak to peak ripple of the output voltage 0 100 200 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 Output Voltage, Vo (V) Duty Cycle,D Output Voltage vs Duty Cycle Boost SEPIC Proposed 0 10 20 Voltage Gain, M 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 Duty Cycle,D Voltage Gain vs Duty Cycle Boost SEPIC Proposed

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 78 4. CONCLUSION A modified boost topology with capability to work as a high gain DC-DC converter is presented in this paper. By employing a simple switching strategy similar to a traditional boost converter, the modified design is able to perform as a high gain step-up converter when the duty cycle reaches 0.8. Simulation results also demonstrate that the proposed design can amplify the voltage gain by up to 20 times, making it advantageous for high voltage applications. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This work was supported by a Universiti Sains Malaysia, Short-Term Grant with Project No: 304/PELECT/6315796. REFERENCES [1] Y. Koc, Y. Birbir, and H. Bodur, “Non-isolated high step-up DC/DC converters – An overview,” Alexandria Eng. J., vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 1091–1132, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.aej.2021.06.071. [2] F. Mumtaz, N. Zaihar Yahaya, S. Tanzim Meraj, B. Singh, R. Kannan, and O. Ibrahim, “Review on non- isolated DC-DC converters and their control techniques for renewable energy applications,” Ain Shams Eng. J., 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.asej.2021.03.022. [3] M. L. Alghaythi, R. M. O’Connell, N. E. Islam, M. M. S. Khan, and J. M. Guerrero, “A High Step-Up Interleaved DC-DC Converter with Voltage Multiplier and Coupled Inductors for Renewable Energy Systems,” IEEE Access, vol. 8, pp. 123165–123174, 2020, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3007137. [4] M. Z. Malik, A. Farooq, A. Ali, and G. Chen, “A DC-DC boost converter with extended voltage gain,” MATEC Web Conf., vol. 40, pp. 6–10, 2016, doi: 10.1051/matecconf/20164007001. [5] J. F. J. Van Rensburg, M. J. Case, and D. V. Nicolae, “Double-boost DC to DC converter,” IECON Proc. (Industrial Electron. Conf., no. 0, pp. 707–711, 2008, doi: 10.1109/IECON.2008.4758040. [6] A. S. Jana, C. H. Lin, T. H. Kao, and C. H. Chang, “A High Gain Modified Quadratic Boost DC-DC Converter with Voltage Stress Half of Output Voltage,” Appl. Sci., vol. 12, no. 10, 2022, doi: 10.3390/app12104914.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 79 EFFECT CARBONIZATION TEMPERATURE ON COCONUT FIBRE FOR APPLICATION MICROWAVE ABSORBERS Mohamad Zul Aqiman Bin Shukeri1 ,Nor Zakiah Binti Yahaya1*, Mohd Nazri Mahmud2 , Mohd Fadzil Ain2 and Liyana Zahid3 1 School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia 2 School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Seberang Perai Selatan, Nibong Tebal,14300 USM, Penang, Malaysia 3 Advanced Communication Engineering (ACE), Centre of Excellence, Faculty of Electronic Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Perlis, Kangar, Arau, Perlis 02600, Malaysia E-mail addresses: [email protected] (Nor Zakiah Binti Yahaya) [email protected] (Mohamad Zul Aqiman bin Shukeri) *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Microwave absorbing materials have grown in importance in electronics, communication, and modern warfare. Porous activated carbon has the potential to be a highly effective microwave absorber. The current study describes the preparation of porous activated carbon (AC) from coconut husks using hydrochloric acid and carbonization at200°C,250°C, 300°C and 350°C. As a result, AC was to produce three thicknesses (1 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm) loading in the paraffin matrix. Then, the effect of dielectric and microwave properties on various thicknesses of AC/NiO and AC polymer composites was investigated using a PNA-X Network Analyzer. The carbon content and porosity effect of samples were also investigated using XRD and FESEM. Pore sizes and surface areas of AC350 composites are larger than those of another AC temperature . The microwave absorption performance of the AC composite carbonised at 200 °C with a thickness of 6.0 mm was excellent, with a minimum RL peak value of -14 dB at 6.4 GHz. Finally, this study demonstrates that a coconut husk polymer composite has a high microwave absorption potential. Keywords: Coconut Husk; Coconut Shells; Activated Carbon; Polymer Composite; Microwave Absorber; Porous Structure.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 80 INTRODUCTION Radio communication, broadcasting, television, radar, navigation, electronic countermeasure, remote sensing, and radio astronomy have greatly benefited civilization due to rapid advances in electronic technology(Deng et al., 2022; Z. H. Zeng et al., 2022) . Electromagnetic waves or radiation from electrical appliances can interact with or harm human health(Z. Zeng et al., 2020; Zhang et al., 2022). Electromagnetic wave (EM) absorption materials that efficiently absorb and attenuate EM are needed(Pattanayak et al., 2021; Soleimani et al., 2022; Wu et al., 2022). Carbon and its derivatives, typical dielectric loss materials, are being considered for EMW absorbing materials due to their low density, chemical stability, and high conductivity (Chitraningrum et al., 2022; Khoshnood Motlagh et al., 2022; G. Li et al., 2012; W. Li et al., 2022; Mahmoodi et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2021; Wu et al., 2018; Zhao et al., 2019a). The development of low-cost, easily obtainable benign EM absorbing materials with good absorption performance is urgent(Zhao et al., 2019b). MATERIALS & METHOD Coconut husks were gathered from a local market near Universiti Sains Malaysia, located in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. All the chemical reagents utilized were of analytical grade. These included 37 % Hydrochloric acid (diluted to 1.0 M) all sourced from Chemist chemicals in Malaysia. PREPARATION OF ACTIVATED CARBON This study used chemically activated coconut fibres due to their benefits. A highly developed process generates activated carbon from raw husks. This work requires paraffin wax and thermal co precipitation. Cleaning coconut fibres with distilled water removed pollutants. Samples were oven-dried at 110°C for 90 minutes. A 200°C furnace carbonised the dry sample in a crucible boat for 1 hour. After carbonization, all samples were submerged in 1:1 1.0 M HCl for 24 hours. Washing and filtering activated carbon samples using filter paper followed. The pH of samples was neutralised with distilled water. To activate, heat it at 110°C for 24 hours. Chemical synthesis and activation reaction are temperature dependent. Coconut fibre was carbonised at 200°C throughout preparation. Ordered samples were label AC200. In the same preparation process , the dried materials were carbonized at 250°C, 300°C and 350°C respectively and labelled as AC250,AC300 and AC350 respectively. XRD was used to examine the composites' phase crystallinity. The scanning range was 0° to 80° with 0.02° min1 step size. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) examined sample morphology. 90 wt% of the samples were embedded in a paraffin matrix and moulded into rectangular shapes measuring 1.0 cm by 2.3 cm with thicknesses of 0.1 cm, 0.4 cm, and 0.6 cm to fit the rectangular waveguide. Using a Keysite E5071C vector network analyzer, the samples' electromagnetic characteristics (reflection and transmission) were examined in the X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz). Measured electromagnetic scattering characteristics are complicated permittivity and permeability. The biosolids and four microwave susceptor materials' dielectric characteristics were examined using an Agilent network analyzer (PNA 8357B) with a dielectric probe (Agilent 85070E Dielectric Probe kit 200 MHz to 50 GHz, Performance Probe 85070-60010) a. Inventor Professional 2015 (AutoDesk Co., USA) and XFdtd 7.5.1.3.r43518 (Remcom Co., USA) were used for numerical simulations.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 81 RESULT & DISCUSSION Surface Morphology Figure 1: FESEM characterization of (A) AC 200 (B) AC 250 (C) AC 300 (D) AC 350 According to the findings, there appears to be a connection between temperature and porosity in the sample that may be described as a positive association. From the sample of (A) – (D) shows a develop of pores structure of activated carbon. This indicates that a higher temperature, the porosity of the sample increased(Yusuf et al., 2022). The increase in porosity can be attributed to the elevation of the activation temperature, which leads to a greater release of volatile substances. The impact of activation temperature extends beyond the surface area of activated carbon. Figure 2: Dielectric Constants of AC (A) AC 200 (B) AC 250 (C) AC 300 (D) AC 350 In Figures 2 (A) – 2 (D) shown loss factor values of all samples exhibit a decreasing trend as the frequency increases. it can be observed that the dielectric constant and loss factor values of all samples exhibit a decreasing trend as the frequency increases. This behaviour can be attributed to the normal frequency dispersion phenomenon, where the polarization lag is

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 82 exacerbated by the changes in the electric field at higher frequency losses(Qiao et al., 2021). Figure 3:Reflection Loss of AC (A) AC 200 (B) AC 250 (C) AC 300 (D) AC 350 The microwave absorption properties of the samples exhibited enhancement with increasing sample thickness. From fig 3 (A) – (D) show a thickness of 4, 6 mm a below that -10 dB that satisfied. This indicates a significant decrease in absorption, with values below -10 dB, so demonstrating a strong absorption capability. Nevertheless, upon comparing the absorption values of various thicknesses, it becomes evident that a variation of 1 mm does not exert a substantial influence on the efficacy, as the absorption value consistently remains above -10 dB. CONCLUSIONS The microwave absorption of the coconut fibre samples was studied. The sample was prepared via chemical activation with HCI and carbonized at 350°C. The resulting AC350 showed distinct porosity and large surface area having the highest pore size and largest surface area. The MAP was studied with CST studio software. The variation in the thickness was found to regulate the S-parameter of absorbers. AC carbonized at 350°C showed excellent microwave absorption performance with a minimum RL peak value of −14 dB at 6 GHz with a 6.0 mm thickness. The good absorption performance of AC at 350°C can be attributed to good conduction loss and interfacial polarization. The numerous numbers of pores also induce multiple reflections of microwave through high conductivity. Therefore, it can conclude that coconut fibre sample can be a good candidate for effective absorption of EM wave at X band frequency. REFERENCES 1. Chitraningrum, N., Marlina, R., Arundina, R. Y., Suryani Togatorop, E. R., Sulistyaningsih, Arisesa, H., Budiman, I., Daud, P., & Hamzah, M. (2022). Microwave absorption properties of porous activated carbon-based palm oil empty fruit bunch. AIP Advances, 12(11), 35083–35093. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0128960 2. Deng, G., Yang, Y., Zhou, Q., Lei, Y., Yue, L., & Yang, T. (2022). Lightweight and broadband electromagnetic wave absorbing foamed cement-based composites

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 83 incorporated with hybrid dielectric fibers. Construction and Building Materials, 327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.126931 3. Khoshnood Motlagh, E., Asasian-Kolur, N., & Sharifian, S. (2022). A comparative study on rice husk and rice straw as bioresources for production of carbonaceous adsorbent and silica. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 12(12), 5729–5738. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-020-01145-7 4. Li, G., Xie, T., Yang, S., Jin, J., & Jiang, J. (2012). Microwave absorption enhancement of porous carbon fibers compared with carbon nanofibers. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116(16), 9196–9201. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp300050u 5. Li, W., Guo, F., Zhao, Y., Liu, Y., & Du, Y. (2022). Facile Synthesis of Metal Oxide Decorated Carbonized Bamboo Fibers with Wideband Microwave Absorption. ACS Omega. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.2c04767 6. Mahmoodi, M., Aslibeiki, B., Peymanfar, R., & Naghshara, H. (2022). Oleaster seedderived activated carbon/ferrite nanocomposite for microwave absorption in the X-band range. Frontiers in Materials, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2022.1088196 7. Pattanayak, S. S., Laskar, S. H., & Sahoo, S. (2021). Microwave absorption study of dried banana leaves-based single-layer microwave absorber. International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies, 13(2), 154–163. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1759078720000707 8. Qiao, J., Zhang, X., Liu, C., Lyu, L., Yang, Y., Wang, Z., Wu, L., Liu, W., Wang, F., & Liu, J. (2021). Non-Magnetic Bimetallic MOF Derived Porous Carbon-Wrapped TiO2/ZrTiO4 Composites for Efficient Electromagnetic Wave Absorption. Nano-Micro Letters, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-021-00606-6 9. Soleimani, H., Yusuf, J. Y., Soleimani, H., Chuan, L. K., & Sabet, M. (2022). Banana-peel derived activated carbon for microwave absorption at X-band frequency. Synthesis and Sintering, 2(3), 120–124. https://doi.org/10.53063/synsint.2022.2389 10. Wang, B., Wu, Q., Fu, Y., & Liu, T. (2021). A review on carbon/magnetic metal composites for microwave absorption. Journal of Materials Science and Technology, 86, 91–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2020.12.078 11. Wu, Z., Meng, Z., Yao, C., Deng, Y., Zhang, G., & Wang, Y. (2022). Rice husk derived hierarchical porous carbon with lightweight and efficient microwave absorption. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 275(September 2021), 125246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2021.125246 12. Wu, Z., Tian, K., Huang, T., Hu, W., Xie, F., Wang, J., Su, M., & Li, L. (2018). Hierarchically Porous Carbons Derived from Biomasses with Excellent Microwave Absorption Performance. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 10(13), 11108–11115. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.7b17264 13. Yusuf, J. Y., Soleimani, H., Yahya, N., Sanusi, Y. K., Kozlowski, G., Öchsner, A., Adebayo, L. L., Wahaab, F. A., Sikiru, S., & Balogun, B. B. (2022). Electromagnetic wave absorption of coconut fiber-derived porous activated carbon. Boletin de La Sociedad Espanola de Ceramica y Vidrio, 61(5), 417–427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bsecv.2021.02.003 14. Zeng, Z. H., Wu, N., Wei, J. J., Yang, Y. F., Wu, T. T., Li, B., Hauser, S. B., Yang, W. D., Liu, J. R., & Zhao, S. Y. (2022). Porous and Ultra Flexible Crosslinked MXene/Polyimide Composites for Multifunctional Electromagnetic Interference Shielding. Nano-Micro Letters, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-022-00800-0

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 84 15. Zeng, Z., Jiang, F., Yue, Y., Han, D., Lin, L., Zhao, S., Zhao, Y. B., Pan, Z., Li, C., Nyström, G., & Wang, J. (2020). Flexible and Ultrathin Waterproof Cellular Membranes Based on High-Conjunction Metal-Wrapped Polymer Nanofibers for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding. Advanced Materials, 32(19). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201908496 16. Zhang, R., Qiao, J., Zhang, X., Yang, Y., Zheng, S., Li, B., Liu, W., Liu, J., & Zeng, Z. (2022). Biomass-derived porous carbon for microwave absorption. Materials Chemistry and Physics, 289(February), 126437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2022.126437 17. Zhao, H., Cheng, Y., Liu, W., Yang, L., Zhang, B., Wang, L. P., Ji, G., & Xu, Z. J. (2019a). Biomass-Derived Porous Carbon-Based Nanostructures for Microwave Absorption. Nano-Micro Letters, 11(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-019-0255-3 18. Zhao, H., Cheng, Y., Liu, W., Yang, L., Zhang, B., Wang, L. P., Ji, G., & Xu, Z. J. (2019b). Biomass-Derived Porous Carbon-Based Nanostructures for Microwave Absorption. In Nano-Micro Letters (Vol. 11, Issue 1). SpringerOpen. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820- 019-0255-3

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2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 86 INDIGENOUS WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN DIGITAL PLATFORMS: AN INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSIS Tangina Afrin1 , Khauthar Binti Ismail2 , Salmi Binti Mohd Isa3 1School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, [email protected] 2 School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, [email protected] 3 Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, [email protected] ABSTRACT Digital platforms have provided enormous opportunities for all to participate in online marketplaces. But the presence of indigenous women entrepreneurs on online platforms is significantly lower compared to non-indigenous women entrepreneurs. It indicates that the social infrastructure of these online platforms is predominantly overloaded by the representation of dominant norms and underrepresentation of indigenous women. Thus, the aim of this study is to explore deeply the experiences and challenges faced by these indigenous women in utilizing digital platforms, considering the intersectionality of their race, class, and gender identities. It is a qualitative study employing an inductive approach to theory development. Taking a case study approach, focus will be given on a large online platform incorporating more than 350 indigenous women entrepreneurs. Data will be collected through interviews, both virtual and situational. Online observation will also be used as a method to collect data. Thematic analysis will be employed as the data analysis technique, enabling the identification of recurring patterns, themes, and concepts within the interview data. This study will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of marginalized entrepreneurs who face continual challenges due to their intersectional identities. It will also highlight the potential for subtle forms of social change through digital platforms, expanding the theoretical frameworks through which we conceptualize agency, empowerment, and inclusivity in entrepreneurship. By understanding the strategies employed by indigenous women entrepreneurs to navigate and challenge dominant norms, policymakers and organizations can develop tailored resources, mentorship programs, and capacity-building initiatives to enhance their agency and entrepreneurial success. Moreover, the insights gained from this research can contribute to the creation of more inclusive and equitable digital marketplaces. Keywords: indigenous; women; online platforms; entrepreneurship; intersectionality; agency.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 87 INTRODUCTION The existing literature on agency and entrepreneurship has predominantly focused on elite or wealthy entrepreneurs [8], overlooking the experiences of marginalized individuals who face compounded challenges due to their intersecting race, class, and gender identities [6]. Indigenous women entrepreneurs, in particular, have been marginalized in mainstream discourse, with their struggles and perspectives largely absent from academic research. Additionally, there is a notable scarcity of literature exploring the agency and empowerment of indigenous women entrepreneurs within the context of Bangladesh, further underscoring the need for focused investigation [9]. While previous ethnicity studies have highlighted the significance of social movements in driving social change, they often emphasize extreme approaches in the form of radicalism, resurgence and revolution, neglecting the potential for subtle strategies employed by indigenous women entrepreneurs. These women possess agency and employ available resources, such as the digital space, as a bricolage [10] for upward social mobility [14]. However, this alternative perspective has been largely ignored in mainstream literature, limiting our understanding of how indigenous women entrepreneurs capitalize online ecosystem. Furthermore, the potential of digital spaces as liberating platforms for indigenous women entrepreneurs remains largely unrecognized. Online marketplaces offer avenues for these women to challenge dominant norms and create more inclusive and moral markets. However, there is a dearth of research exploring how indigenous women navigate the social infrastructure of online marketplaces [1] where dominant norms are mostly reproduced at the expense of collective exclusion [7]. There is little recognition how these women entrepreneurs assert agency and contribute to the establishment of counter-narratives in online spaces that foster social change. This gap in the literature calls for an investigation into how indigenous women entrepreneurs utilize digital platforms to establish their own narratives and contribute to more inclusive market practices. In light of these gaps and overlooked perspectives, this research project seeks to explore the agency and empowerment of indigenous women entrepreneurs through digital platforms. By delving into their experiences, this study aims to highlight how these women, as culturebearers of their communities [11], promote counter-narratives against dominant cultural norms within the digital landscape. By shedding light on their struggles and successes, this research contributes to the broader discourse on ethnicity studies and the pursuit of social justice [13].

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 88 MATERIALS AND METHODS This research takes a subjectivist stance with regard to its ontological, epistemological and axiological assumptions. The study and its corresponding research methods are aligned to a postmodernist philosophy. Building upon this, an inductive approach to theory development will be employed, allowing for the emergence of new insights and theories from the data collected. To investigate the research questions and delve into the experiences of indigenous women entrepreneurs, a qualitative research design will be implemented. Specifically, a case study approach will be utilized [4], focusing on Sabangee, a large online platform incorporating more than 350 indigenous women entrepreneurs. Case study method is suitable to explore the phenomenon of interest in specific contexts [5] and helps uncover the complexity of processes taking place. Data collection will primarily involve interviews, both virtual and situational [12, 15], with entrepreneurs who are actively involved in the Sabangee platform. By engaging directly with the participants, valuable insights can be gained regarding their agency, empowerment, and the unique challenges they encounter within the digital marketplace. Online observation will also be used as a method to collect data (I have already observed the organizational activities of the case online for over a year). Finally, thematic analysis will be employed as the data analysis technique, enabling the identification of recurring patterns, themes, and concepts within the interview data [3]. This approach allows for a systematic and rigorous analysis, ensuring that important insights and findings are extracted from the collected data [2]. The data can be analyzed using NVivo. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The planned research project aims to uncover the underrepresented perspectives of indigenous women entrepreneurs. The objectives are to explore the experiences and challenges faced by indigenous women entrepreneurs, considering the intersectionality of their race, class, and gender identities; to investigate how indigenous women entrepreneurs utilize digital platforms as spaces for agency and empowerment, by exploring their strategies for navigating and challenging dominant norms to establish counter-narratives; and to understand the potential of digital spaces as platforms for social change, particularly in terms of creating more inclusive and moral markets. This is a work-in-progress, and literature review is currently underway. 4. CONCLUSION From the theoretical perspective, this research proposal holds significant implications for the field of ethnicity and digital studies. There is currently a lack of understanding as to how

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 89 digital platforms can be leveraged by indigenous women entrepreneurs for their emancipation and empowerment. This study aims to fill that void. By incorporating a postmodernist philosophy and employing an intersectional lens, this research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of marginalized entrepreneurs who face continual challenges due to their intersectional identities. The study uncovers their nuanced experiences and broadens our understanding of the diverse pathways to entrepreneurship and social mobility. It also highlights the potential for subtle forms of social change through digital platforms, expanding the theoretical frameworks through which we conceptualize agency, empowerment, and inclusivity in entrepreneurship. From the practical perspective, this research proposal holds important implications for policymakers, organizations, and initiatives aimed at supporting indigenous women entrepreneurs and fostering inclusive economic development. The findings of this study can inform the design and implementation of targeted interventions to address the specific challenges faced by these entrepreneurs within the digital platform ecosystem. By understanding the strategies employed by indigenous women entrepreneurs to navigate and challenge dominant norms, policymakers and organizations can develop tailored resources, mentorship programs, and capacity-building initiatives to enhance their agency and entrepreneurial success. Moreover, the insights gained from this research can contribute to the creation of more inclusive and equitable digital marketplaces. Given the current knowledge gaps regarding the emancipatory role of indigenous women entrepreneurs in digital spaces and its applied implications, the proposed study is both of theoretical and practical significance. The project may potentially contribute to literatures of entrepreneurship, ethnicity and digital studies. 5. REFERENCES 1. Aspers, P., Darr, A.: The social infrastructure of online marketplaces: Trade, work and the interplay of decided and emergent orders. Br. J. Sociol. 73, 4, 822–838 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.12965. 2. Braun, V. et al.: ‘A starting point for your journey, not a map’: Nikki Hayfield in conversation with Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke about thematic analysis. Qual. Res. Psychol. 19, 2, 424–445 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2019.1670765. 3. Braun, V., Clarke, V.: Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual. Res. Psychol. 3, 2, 77–101 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa. 4. Eisenhardt, K.M.: Building Theories from Case Study Research. Acad. Manage. Rev. 14, 4, 532–550 (1989). https://doi.org/10.2307/258557. 5. Eisenhardt, K.M., Graebner, M.E.: Theory Building From Cases: Opportunities And

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 90 Challenges. Acad. Manage. J. 50, 1, 25–32 (2007). https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2007.24160888. 6. Hamilton, L.T. et al.: Hegemonic Femininities and Intersectional Domination. Sociol. Theory. 37, 4, 315–341 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1177/0735275119888248. 7. Hanson, K.R.: Collective Exclusion: How White Heterosexual Dating App Norms Reproduce Status Quo Hookup Culture. Sociol. Inq. 92, S1, 894–918 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1111/soin.12426. 8. Keister, L.A. et al.: Gender in the Elite. Annu. Rev. Sociol. 48, 1, 149–169 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-020321-031544. 9. Khanum, R. et al.: Empowering tribal women through entrepreneurship in Sylhet region of Bangladesh. GeoJournal. 87, 4, 3387–3402 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708- 020-10361-7. 10. Lévi-Strauss, C.: The Savage Mind. University of Chicago Press (1966). 11. Massa, F.G.: Change-maker and Culture-bearer: Entrepreneurs as Evangelists and Shepherds of Culture. In: Lockwood, C. and Soublière, J.-F. (eds.) Advances in Cultural Entrepreneurship. pp. 17–35 Emerald Publishing Limited (2022). https://doi.org/10.1108/S0733-558X20220000080002. 12. Owens, L.L.: An Implausible Virtual Interview: Conversations with a Professional Research Subject. Sociol. Methodol. 52, 2, 121–140 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1177/00811750221106777. 13. Romero, M.: Sociology Engaged in Social Justice. Am. Sociol. Rev. 85, 1, 1–30 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1177/0003122419893677. 14. Sepúlveda, D.: Upward Social Mobility in Chile: The Negotiation of Class and Ethnic Identities. Sociology. 00380385221099402 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1177/00380385221099402. 15. Vassenden, A., Mangset, M.: Social Encounters and the Worlds Beyond: Putting Situationalism to Work for Qualitative Interviews. Sociol. Methods Res. 00491241221082609 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1177/00491241221082609.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 91 THRESHOLD EFFECT OF BOARD SIZE ON LIQUIDITY RISK IN THE DUAL BANKING SYSTEM Ahmad Mustakim Mohamad1 , Norhanishah Mohamad Yunus1 , Fazelina Sahul Hamid2 1School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, [email protected] 2 University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom ABSTRACT We analyse the threshold effect of corporate governance on credit risk of conventional and Islamic banks by examining the main aspects of the board of directors (BOD), namely the board size. A well-governed bank takes the amount of risk that maximizes shareholder wealth subject to constraints imposed by laws and regulators. The idea of good corporate governance practises is paramount since ownership and management of banks are separated. Good corporate governance is imperative and it is even more so in the banking industry, especially for Islamic banks due to their additional risk. Islamic banks are not equally exposed to external shock since the central principles of Islamic banks are fundamentally different from conventional banks. Smaller boards are preferable since it has lower monitoring costs, but it is still inconclusive what is the optimum board size. Using a sample of 126 banks from multiple countries having both Islamic and conventional banks, we compare and elucidate if there exists a threshold point in effect of board size on credit risk to see if there are any significant difference between the banks and propose recommendations for improvements. Our results shows that the threshold value of board size is 5 members. This suggests that having larger board and more frequent meetings do not necessarily correspond to better and effective monitoring since it incurs larger monitoring costs and induce free-rider problems which diminish firm value. Keywords: Banking, Board Characteristics, Risks 1. INTRODUCTION The effectiveness of the management team, ownership structure and other corporate governance systems in determining appropriate risk-taking is a critical issue in a modern commercial bank. Studying the banking sector is relevant given its prominent role in modern economies. The banking sector is particularly important in economies where banks play a central role in the financial system. Good governance means that the shareholders get the most benefit from their ownership of the firm. A well-governed bank takes the appropriate amount of risk that maximizes shareholder wealth, subject to constraints imposed by laws and regulators. However, the risks inherent in the instruments of Islamic banks are not well comprehended

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 92 since they are similar to the instruments of conventional banking but without any usurious elements. Hence, Islamic banks need to manage both risks: (i) risks that are sustained by conventional banks and (ii) risks that exclusive to Islamic banks attributed to the compliance with shariah law. Furthermore, Islamic banks are deprived from accessing some instruments mostly used by the conventional banks in their risk management strategies since it is prohibited by shariah law. For example, when there is a liquidity shortage, Islamic banks are incapable to borrow from the markets since there is no inter-Islamic bank money market and there is a fiqh restriction on the securitization of the existing assets of Islamic banks, which are predominantly debt in nature (Hassan & Lewis, 2007). With different principle in business, it is argued that conventional and Islamic banks are exposed to different risks especially so for Islamic banks because they are restricted from certain funding sources such as the wholesale capital market and prohibited from venturing into certain business. For example, Abedifar, Molyneux, and Tarazi (2013) suggest that Islamic banks have lower credit risk and insolvency risk than conventional banks, while Hassan, Khan, and Paltrinieri (2019) suggest that Islamic banks have lower liquidity risk which translate to better stability. In another study, Safiullah and Shamsuddin (2018) argue that Islamic banks face higher liquidity risk, lower credit risk and lower insolvency risk but they are similar to conventional banks in terms of operational risk. However, these findings might be measure specific in some cases. Kabir, Worthington, and Gupta (2015) find that Islamic banks have lower credit risk when measured with distance-to-default but higher credit risk using the Z-score and non-performing loan ratio. Overall, the literature seems to indicate that small Islamic banks may be less risky than similar sized conventional banks (Abedifar, Ebrahim, Molyneux, & Tarazi, 2015). Moreover, most studies examining the effect of corporate governance mechanisms and risk have assessed that the relationship between these variables are linear. For example, Pathan (2009) finds that board size has a negative linear relationship with bank risk and suggests that a small bank board is associated with more bank risk-taking whereas Loh and Sok-Gee (2017) find that board size has a significant positive relationship with total risk-taking of the banks. In addition, Battaglia and Gallo (2017) find that banks with higher number of independent directors had a lower probability of default during the financial crisis. However, some studies also suggest the possibility that there might exist an upper limit on the effect of corporate governance or that the relationship is non-linear which is an interesting avenue to explore (Almutairi & Quttainah, 2017). Moreover, there is a lack of studies looking at the non-linear relationship between governance and risk-taking especially in the case of conventional and Islamic banking. Therefore, this research will explore the characteristics of corporate governance and risk-taking between conventional and Islamic banks by incorporating more variables into the studies. In addition, this study will ascertain the nonlinear relationship between corporate governance and risk. Understanding of the limiting effect of the corporate governance mechanisms can provide better information on how corporate governance for banks should be implemented in managing risk-taking behaviour of the banks.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 93 METHODOLOGY We aim to explore the relationship between board size and liquidity risk using the Dynamic Panel Threshold Regression (DPTR) analysis and examine the existence of governance threshold at which the effect of governance variables changes its effect size and direction. Specifically, we follow the method expounded by Seo and Shin (2016) and Seo, Kim, and Kim (2019). Empirical Model The objectives of this study is to examine the threshold effect between board size (as the independent variables) on liquidity risk. The board characteristics that we are interested in is the number of BOD members (B_Size) where we will set it as the threshold variable (qit). Therefore, we can examine whether there exist a threshold for the variable and what are its effect in the lower regime (qit ≤ γ) and upper regime (qit > γ). With that, we specify our empirical model estimation for liquidity risk as follow: = (β1−1 + β2_ + β3_ + β4 ln _ + β54 + β6 + β7__ + β8__ + β9_ℎ + β9 + β11_ + μ + ε) 1{ ≤ γ} ({1}−1 + {2}_ + {3}_ + {4} ln _ + {5}4 + {6} + + {7}__ + {8}__ + {9}_ℎ + {10} + {11}_ + μ + ε) 1{ > γ} where Yit is the liquidity risk proxy (Loan_to_Depo), credit risk (LLR), B_Size and B_Meet are the independent governance variable, while ln_TA, Big4, Lev, Cos_to_Income, Cap_Asset_ratio, GDP_growth, Inf, and Country_Gov are the control variables. βi and λi represent the coefficients of all independent variables in the lower and upper regimes respectively. 1{·} is an indicator function, qit the threshold variable, µi are the bank fixed effects and εit is the error term. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 94 Table 1: Estimation results of threshold effect of board size on liquidity risk (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Panel A: Full Sample Loan_to_Depo VARIABLES Lower Regime Upper Regime Difference Lag_y 0.501*** (0.0757) 0.953*** (0.059) 0.452*** (0.0455) B_Size 3.389 (3.424) - 1.039*** (0.390) -4.428 (3.462) B_Meet -0.190 (0.215) -0.437* (0.262) -0.246 (0.449) ln_TA - 19.85*** (5.803) - 21.43*** (2.516) -1.573 (6.341) Big4 -11.82 (9.333) 5.357*** (1.704) 17.18* (9.763) Lev - 4.417*** (0.793) 0.006 (0.127) 4.423*** (0.764) Cost_to_Income - 0.191*** (0.0382) 0.121 (0.086) 0.312*** (0.0999) Cap_Asset_ratio -0.611** (0.272) 1.364*** (0.108) 1.975*** (0.281) GDP_growth 1.730 (1.802) 0.232 (0.256) -1.499 (1.856) Inf 4.231*** (1.124) -0.281** (0.141) -4.512*** (1.134) Country_Gov 111.6*** (19.97) 8.648 (6.271) -103.0*** (18.30) constant -43.88 (149.3) Threshold value (γ) 5*** (0.650) Bootstrap (pvalue) 0.000 Observations 567 Number of Banks 81 Standard errors in parentheses. *** p<0.01, ** p<0.05, * p<0.1 In Table 1, the threshold effect of board size is estimated at 5 members. Looking at the coefficients of the governance variables (board size and board meet), board size has a positive effect in the lower regime and a negative effect in the upper regime. Meanwhile, board meet has a negative effect in both regimes. However, the effects are significant only in the upper

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 95 regime where this suggests that bigger board size and higher frequency of meetings will lead to less liquidity risk. Specifically, a 10% increase in board size and board meet will reduce liquidity risk by 10.39% and 4.37% respectively in the upper regime. This result is consistent with the findings of Pathan (2009) where bigger board might lead to more agency problems in the form of free-rider directors who neglect their duties and leave the management to the executives that manage the bank resources without taking unnecessary risks (Lee, Isa, Ahmad, & Bacha, 2020). 4. CONCLUSION This finding suggest that bigger board might not necessarily lead to higher risk. Taking good risk is the main aim of any business and even more so in the banking industry. It would also be beneficial to look at the threshold effect of board size on other types of risk to fully understand the effect of good governance on risk-taking. REFERENCES Abedifar, P., Ebrahim, S. M., Molyneux, P., & Tarazi, A. (2015). Islamic banking and finance: Recent empirical literature and directions for future research. Journal of Economic Surveys, 29(4), 637–670. Abedifar, P., Molyneux, P., & Tarazi, A. (2013). Risk in islamic banking. Review of Finance, 17(6), 2035–2096. Almutairi, A. R., & Quttainah, M. A. (2017). Corporate governance: Evidence from Islamic banks. Social Responsibility Journal, 13(3), 601–624. Battaglia, F., & Gallo, A. (2017). Strong boards, ownership concentration and EU banks’ systemic risk-taking: Evidence from the financial crisis. Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 46, 128–146. Hassan, M. K., Khan, A., & Paltrinieri, A. (2019). Liquidity risk, credit risk and stability in Islamic and conventional banks. Research in International Business and Finance, 48(October 2018), 17–31. Hassan, M. K., & Lewis, M. K. (Eds.). (2007). Handbook of Islamic Banking. Edward Elgar Publishing. Kabir, M. N.,Worthington, A., & Gupta, R. (2015). Comparative credit risk in Islamic and conventional bank. Pacific Basin Finance Journal, 34, 327–353. Lee, S. P., Isa, M., Ahmad, R., & Bacha, O. I. (2020). Governance and risk-taking in conventional and Islamic banks. Managerial Finance, 47(5), 703–722. Loh, L., & Sok-Gee, C. (2017). Bank risk taking behaviour in Malaysia: Role of board and

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 96 ownership structure. Asian Academy of Management Journal of Accounting and Finance, 13(2), 1–26. Pathan, S. (2009). Strong boards, CEO power and bank risk-taking. Journal of Banking and Finance, 33(7), 1340–1350. Safiullah, M., & Shamsuddin, A. (2018). Risk in Islamic banking and corporate governance. Pacific Basin Finance Journal, 47(August 2017), 129–149. Seo, M. H., Kim, S., & Kim, Y. J. (2019). Estimation of dynamic panel threshold model using Stata. Stata Journal, 19(3), 685–697. Seo, M. H., & Shin, Y. (2016). Dynamic panels with threshold effect and endogeneity. Journal of Econometrics, 195(2), 169–186.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 97 PAN-EUROPEAN WATER SECTOR PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKING Mike Bronner1 , See Kok Fong2 1 Economics Programme, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, [email protected] 2 Economics Programme, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, [email protected] ABSTRACT This study presents a performance benchmarking evaluation of the public water sector in Europe. In this study, a dynamic network data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach based on the slacks-based measure (SBM) is adopted to assess country-level water sector efficiency using data from Eurostat for the eight-year period from 2013 to 2020 for a sample consisting of 26 European countries. The water sector can be separated into a water provision component and a wastewater treatment component. An evaluation technique for the component, period, and component-period efficiencies, alongside overall water sector efficiency, is specified. In comparison to the conventional ‘black-box’ model generally applied in previous studies, the proposed approach provides more detailed and comprehensive information on water sector dynamics. Furthermore, a statistical analysis is performed to explore potential determinants affecting water sector efficiency. Keywords: Europe; water sector; performance benchmarking; dynamic network DEA; efficiency determinants

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 98 1.0 INTRODUCTION Efficiency analysis-based benchmarking is an important tool for conducting comparative water sector operational practice and policy-making performance evaluation, as well as for related research [1], [2]. Such assessment can be help identify best operational water sector practices [1], [3], lead to improved water distribution efficiency [4], enhance wastewater treatment operations [5] and underpin effective regulation [1], [6]. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is particularly amenable to measuring the efficiency of water sector production processes – including water supply and wastewater treatment services [5], [7], [8], and conventional DEA has been used widely to analyse water sector, including sewage services, performance [9]. However, the interaction between the two linked subsystems and the effects of carryovers has been mostly ignored in previous studies. Analogous to previous work concerning China [10] and Germany [11], this study contributes to the literature by considering the interaction between subsystems and the effects of carryovers which has been mostly ignored in previous studies. As noted by Tone and Tsutsui [12], carryovers play the role of intertemporal transition elements. More precisely, a dynamic network DEA approach is used to decompose the ‘black-box’ structure and comprehensively assess country-level water sector efficiency in Europe using data from Eurostat for the eight-year period from 2013 to 2020 for a sample consisting of 26 European countries, and explore corresponding determinants of water provision and wastewater treatment efficiency. A key limitation to benchmarking is the confounding effect of exogenous factors, which may not be factored in to benchmarking methodologies, and frequent attempts have been made to refine, optimise and validate benchmarking techniques for the water sector to provide evidence on factors that influence efficiency [1]. Various exogenous factors can affect water sector performance [13]. In this study, a statistical analysis is performed to explore potential determinants affecting water sector efficiency. To our knowledge, this work presents the first pan-European study in the field. Therefore, the methodology and empirical application of this research are of great interest for scholars as well as regulators and managers. 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS To assess water sector efficiency, it is essential to adequately depict the pertaining operational process(es). A water sector is a network system which can be divided into two separate subsystems: a water provision subsystem and a wastewater treatment subsystem. To this effect, we adapt the slacks-based measure (SBM) framework proposed by Tone and Tsutsui [14]. The inputs in this part relate to capital and labour, and the outputs and links to water supply, revenue and sludge production.

2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 99 In addition, selected country-level factors may play a role in conditioning performance, and we seek to gauge the influence of such contextual variables on water sector efficiency. For this purpose, a procedure proposed by Simar and Wilson [15] based on truncated regression with bootstrapping is adopted. The sample includes a total of 26 countries comprising 22 European Union (EU) members and four non-EU members. The study timeframe covers the eight-year period from 2013 to 2020. The dataset is based on data collected and retrieved from Eurostat (the statistical office of the EU) and the International Benchmarking Network (IBNET). 3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The annual efficiency scores for the public water division, wastewater division and overall water sector for the European Union and non-member countries sampled, as well as the relationship between potential determinants and efficiency, are presented and discussed. 4. CONCLUSION This study presents a performance benchmarking evaluation of the public water sector in Europe. In this study, a dynamic network data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach based on the slacks-based measure (SBM) is adopted to assess country-level water sector efficiency using data from Eurostat for the eight-year period from 2013 to 2020 for a sample consisting of 26 European countries. The water sector can be separated into a water provision component and a wastewater treatment component. An evaluation technique for the component, period, and component-period efficiencies, alongside overall water sector efficiency, is specified. In comparison to the conventional ‘black-box’ model generally applied in previous studies, the proposed approach provides more detailed and comprehensive information on water sector dynamics. Furthermore, a statistical analysis is performed to explore potential determinants affecting water sector efficiency. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am very grateful to my PhD supervisor Dr See Kok Fong, Associate Professor, for his invaluable support and continuous encouragement. Dr See is also the co-author of this paper. REFERENCES [1] N. L. Walker, A. Norton, I. Harris, A. P. Williams, and D. Styles, “Economic and environmental efficiency of UK and Ireland water companies: Influence of exogenous factors and rurality,” J. Environ. Manage., vol. 241, pp. 363–373, Jul. 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.03.093. [2] C. lo Storto, “Efficiency, conflicting goals and trade-offs: A nonparametric analysis of the water and wastewater service industry in Italy,” Sustain., vol. 10, no. 4, 2018, doi: 10.3390/su10040919. [3] M. Molinos-Senante and R. Sala-Garrido, “Cross-national comparison of efficiency for water utilities: a metafrontier approach,” Clean Technol. Environ. Policy, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 1611–1619, 2016, doi: 10.1007/s10098-016-1133-z.