JOHOR BAHRU, 25 June 2026 – A research team led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fong Wan Heng from the Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), has won the Silver Award at the International Innovation Competition in Education, held as part of the International Innovative Science and Mathematics Education Festival (FIISME 2026).
The award was presented for the team’s innovative project entitled “DNA2Graph: Interactive k-mer Graph Reduction for DNA Sequence Visualization.” The innovation provides an interactive approach to representing and simplifying DNA sequence information through graph-based visualization, supporting more effective exploration and understanding of complex biological sequence data.
Led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fong Wan Heng, the multidisciplinary team comprised Dr. Ahmad Firdaus Yosman from the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence, UTM, together with PhD students Chua Kee Yeong, Goh Hung Lik, and Ting Yu Jing.
The achievement demonstrates the value of interdisciplinary collaboration between science and artificial intelligence in developing innovative approaches to scientific visualization and education. It also reflects UTM’s commitment to integrating research, digital technologies and innovative educational solutions to address emerging needs in science and technology.
FIISME 2026, organised by the Persatuan Pendidikan Sains dan Matematik Johor (PPSMJ), was held from 24–25 June 2026 and provided a platform for researchers, educators and innovators to showcase innovative approaches in science and mathematics education.
The Faculty of Science, UTM congratulates Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fong Wan Heng and the entire DNA2Graph team on this achievement and wishes them continued success in advancing the innovation and expanding its impact in research and education.
