Professor Datuk Dr. Halimaton Hamdan is attached at Faculty of Technology & Informatics Razak, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Chairperson of NanoMalaysia Institute for Innovative Technology (NanoMITe) Global Research Consortium and Council Member of Akademi Sains Malaysia. She received her Ph.D in Physical Chemistry from University of Cambridge UK in 1989, M. Sc degree from Marshall University, USA (1981) and B. Sc degree from Indiana University, USA (1979) and was UTM’s first woman Professor at 40. Prof. Hali has successfully promoted her research and innovative activities globally. She pioneered the Zeolites and Nanostructured Materials Research in Malaysia in 1990. 

Her invention, Maerogel; silica aerogel from rice husk, the lightest solid and best insulator known today was the product of 2008 (International Clean Energy Circle, UK). Maerogel is patented in Malaysia and 22 other countries worldwide and being developed at the pilot plant and pre-commercialisaion scale. In addition she owns 12 patents on zeolites and mesoporous materials technology. Her current research include synthesis and design of new generation hybrid, chiral, bifunctional and functionalized heterogeneous catalysts, drug delivery systems, nanostructured materials, aerogel nanofibers and functionalized silica nanosphere chain contributing to sustainable, green, renewable and waste-to-wealth technology. 

Prof. Hali was the Director responsible for the development of Ibnu Sina Institute for Fundamental Science Studies UTM (2000-2006). She established the Nanotechnology Initiatives and NanoMalaysia Bhd.  She chairs the Science Outlook 2015 and 2017. She is an advocate of STEM education and was a member of National Science Research Council (2010-2013) and National Science Council (2014-2017).

Her scientific research and scholastic work has received recognitions, including Petronas Inventors Award (1993), Seoul International Invention Fair (2002), National Intellectual Property Award (2006). IFIA Cup for Woman Inventor (2008) Int. Federation of Inventors Association, Great Women of Our Time Award (GWOT 2008) and Merdeka Award for S&T and Health in 2009. She is a fellow of ASM, IKM and MSA, active TRSM, President of Malaysia Nanotechnology Association (MNA) and Chairman of the Board of Trustee for Yayasan My-Prihatin and Independent Member of Merdeka Board of Trustees. Halimaton is now the Chairman of the Governing Board of International Science, Technology & Innovation Center for South-South Countries Cooperation under the auspices of UNESCO (ISTIC).