Text by Dian Pasquinal Kaur
When Dr Mahaletchumy Arujanan began championing science communication more than 20 years ago, few people understood what it meant, let alone considered it a viable career. Today, as misinformation spreads faster than facts and public trust in expertise continues to erode, the field has never been more important.
“I believed strongly that science should not remain confined within laboratories, journals or academic conferences,” she says. “It must reach people in ways that are relevant, understandable and meaningful to their lives.” That belief would ultimately transform her from a trained microbiologist and biotechnologist into one of the region’s leading advocates for public engagement with science.
A turning point came during a United Nations convention, where she witnessed scientists, policymakers, regulators, activists and industry leaders discussing the same issues while speaking entirely different languages — not linguistically, but ideologically.
Despite sharing the same room, they were divided by competing priorities, fears and perceptions. The experience fundamentally changed her understanding of what science communication could be. “It is not merely about simplifying science for the general public,” she explains.
“Its bigger purpose is to bridge divides between science and policy, between evidence and perception, and between different cultures, ideologies and interests.” That realisation shaped the course of her career.
When Science Meets Society
Today, Dr Maha serves as Executive Director of the Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC), Country Director for the World Agriculture Forum, an adjunct lecturer, adviser, board member and international advocate. Along the way, she became the first Malaysian to receive formal academic training in science communication and was recognised among Scientific American’s 100 Most Influential People in Biotechnology.
Beyond Malaysia, she has spent years building platforms that connect science with society on a broader scale. She established the Science Communication Advisory Committee under COMSTECH to strengthen science communication across Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, founded the Asian Short Course on Agribiotechnology, Biosafety and Communication for scientists, regulators and industry leaders, and co-founded the Science Media Centre Malaysia to bridge the gap between researchers and the media.
Yet ask her what drives her today and she does not talk about awards. She talks about unfinished work. “We are living in an era where misinformation spreads rapidly, trust in experts is increasingly questioned, and social media often shapes public opinion more strongly than evidence-based institutions,” she says.
Purpose Beyond The Laboratory
For Dr Maha, science communication is ultimately about democratising knowledge. Over the years, she has built platforms that make science more visible and accessible. One of the most significant was The Petri Dish, Malaysia’s first science newspaper, which she founded in 2011.
For more than a decade, it gave local scientists a platform, showcased Malaysian research and inspired students to pursue STEM careers. Although the print publication ceased in 2025 due to financial constraints, she is determined to transform The Petri Dish into an ASEAN-wide science portal that fosters collaboration, talent development and technology transfer while encouraging greater regional cooperation.
“Leadership is not about having authority or recognition. It is about staying committed to your purpose even when the path is uncertain” — Dr Mahaletchumy Arujanan
That project sits alongside a growing list of ambitions. After all these years, she says, her most important work remains unfinished. Among the initiatives she is now pursuing are the Malaysian Science Communicators Association (MySciComm), a stronger collective voice for Malaysia’s biotechnology industry through MyBIO, and a publishing platform that encourages schoolchildren to document and share their innovations. But building something new has never been easy.
Throughout her journey, Dr Maha has experienced retrenchment, financial uncertainty, job insecurity and periods when she worked without a salary. Science communication itself was often dismissed as secondary to what many considered “real science”.
“There were moments when I had to build initiatives from almost nothing,” she recalls. “But those experiences reinforced a lesson that continues to guide my leadership philosophy. “Leadership is not about having authority or recognition. It is about staying committed to your purpose even when the path is uncertain.”
Inspiring The Next Generation
For all the progress she has witnessed throughout her career, one challenge remains stubbornly unresolved: keeping women in STEM long enough to lead. She points to the persistent “leaky pipeline” phenomenon, where women enter the field but gradually disappear from leadership positions because of structural barriers and caregiving responsibilities.
“We need better support systems so women don’t feel forced to leave the workforce,” she says. For her, the solution extends beyond maternity leave and childcare. She argues for a more holistic support system that recognises the realities many women face, particularly those balancing careers while caring for both children and ageing parents.
“I still feel there is so much more to accomplish and so much more to learn.” That mindset extends to her role as a mother. As she reflects on a career spent building institutions, shaping conversations and creating opportunities for others, one motivation stands above all else. “The love for my family and my country,” she says.
She wants to see Malaysia become a developed nation within her lifetime and hopes her work will create opportunities for future generations. She also hopes her own journey will inspire her daughters, Komalah and Deepa, to dream even bigger.
“I have to be their beacon and set a standard for them to surpass,” she says with a smile. “No pressure.” Despite her many accomplishments, Dr Maha remains focused on what comes next: the institutions she hopes to build, the young communicators she hopes to nurture and the conversations she believes Asia still needs to have. After all, creating conversations is what she does best.
