Page 17 - Pulse@UM Issue 4/2019

our people, our story

Research (HIR) Grants, I headed a research systems and practices that have been put in
group on Helicobacter pylori, together with place by the Public Services Commission.
Professor Dr Goh Khean Lee. We worked in
collaboration with Australian Nobel Laurate, Again, trained as a scientist, I never say there
Professor Barry Marshall. International is no solution for everything. As the saying
collaborations were established amongst goes, “If one route fails, there are nine other
researchers in the USA, France, Japan and routes available”, the only determining factor
India. This collaboration has resulted in is that we must have the energy and resilience
approximately 120 paper publications and to follow it through come what may. I am a
contributed significantly to the scientific disciplinarian and am known as someone who
achievement of the Faculty of Medicine. does not take flack. Staff often find it difficult
to work with me, because I expect discipline
Today, following retirement I continue to work and delivery on time; if not earlier because I
with a keen interest in both medical education walk the talk. There is no shortcut in life!
and microbiological research. My aim is to
contribute as much as I can to the University To my younger colleagues who are not
and society. Over three decades facing interested in academia, I would want them to
various challenges, it does not stop me from question themselves as to why they joined
moving forward to help and nurture the young academia. My advice is not to take up space
scientists/academicians. just for the sake of being in a university.
Your time here is for you to teach, learn to
The many challenges faced are mainly in the collaborate and innovate. To the University,
university bureaucracy. It must be realised that you are here to administer the business of
the administration must work together with academia, thus academics. We have to walk
the academicians, understanding the needs of hand in hand to put things in place; and you
the academicians while putting something in need to be our voice to our paymasters, to be
place. To produce innovative individuals, one open-minded, more flexible and try to initiate
needs to have a creative mind that has the favourable changes over time.
breadth to think and develop. Often the role of
academia to produce such persons has greatly Professor Jamunarani served at UM from 6
been dampened by unsuitable management March 1989 till 2 November 2018.

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