KUCHING: Sarawak’s scientific community marked a major achievement as Ts Dr Lee Sue Han of Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus was named the 2025 Inspiring Women in Science Award winner in the Scientific Achievement Category, presented by Nature Awards and The Estée Lauder Companies.

Dr Lee is among the few Malaysians to receive the international honour, which recognises women who are advancing scientific excellence and driving innovation in their fields.

The award acknowledges her pioneering work in AI-powered plant biodiversity research, including advanced model architectures for plant species identification, data-scarce ecosystem monitoring and sustainable agriculture.

“This recognition affirms the global relevance of AI-driven biodiversity conservation and highlights how technology, ecology and sustainability can come together to drive meaningful change,” she said.

Dr Lee’s contributions include leading Malaysia’s participation in the Pl@ntNet Malaysia Flora Project, strengthening community-driven biodiversity documentation, and advancing AI applications in the international Pl@ntAgroEco consortium.

She also collaborates with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation to develop an AI-based plant identification system for public parks, enhancing biodiversity education and ecosystem monitoring.

Her achievement reinforces Swinburne Sarawak’s growing impact in AI innovation and environmental resilience, in line with the university’s commitment to research-led solutions supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. -UKASnews