Associate Professor Dr. Japareng Lalung

"Turn what you have into what you love."

Expertise: 

1. Antarctica
2. Environmental Microbiology
3. Water
4. Cyanobacteria
5. Education for Sustainable Development

Associate Professor Dr. Japareng Lalung is an environmental scientist and environmental microbiologist at the School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), with multidisciplinary expertise spanning water quality, environmental microbiology, cyanobacteria and microalgae, microbial biotechnology, pollution remediation, microplastics, and polar science. He holds a degree from Universiti Malaya, an MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Environmental Microbiology from the University of Leeds. His research combines molecular, microbiological, biochemical and environmental approaches to understand how microorganisms interact with pollutants and extreme environments, with particular interests in phosphorus cycling, plastic biodegradation, cyanobacterial ecology, emerging contaminants and the adaptive mechanisms of Antarctic microorganisms. His involvement in Antarctic research includes two scientific expeditions conducted in collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey, giving him direct field experience in one of the world’s most extreme and environmentally significant ecosystems.

Beyond research and teaching, Dr. Japareng is actively involved in sustainability leadership, international collaboration and science communication. As Coordinator of the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Penang at USM, he promotes Education for Sustainable Development through partnerships with schools, universities, communities and international RCE networks. His academic work extends from supervising and mentoring students to developing research collaborations across Asia, Europe and the polar research community, publishing in environmental and microbiological sciences, reviewing scholarly work, and contributing to national and international scientific programmes. A distinctive feature of his professional profile is his ability to connect fundamental environmental science with practical societal needs, translating research on water, microorganisms, pollution and planetary environmental change into education, community engagement and sustainability initiatives. His career therefore reflects an integrated commitment to scientific discovery, international cooperation, environmental stewardship and the development of future generations of scientists and sustainability practitioners.