Ts.
Dr. Azizi Ali
Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS) UMT
+609 668 3905 (Office)
+6096692166 (Fax)
BIO
Ts. Dr. Azizi Ali is the Head of the Ocean Mapping Research Group at the Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). He currently serves as the Chief Research Officer, leading numerous research and consultancy projects focused on seafloor and habitat mapping in Malaysian waters.
He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Remote Sensing from UMT, where his research emphasized geostatistical analysis and optimized sampling techniques for physical oceanographic data, particularly in coastal management. He also earned a Master of Science in Computer Technology from UMT, specializing in developing integrated water quality monitoring and control systems. His academic foundation in electronic engineering began with a Bachelor’s and Diploma from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and a certificate from Kota Bharu Polytechnic.
Dr. Azizi’s expertise lies in underwater acoustic technology, including multibeam echosounder, side scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, and geospatial analysis techniques such as PCA, Factor Analysis, and Clustering. His work integrates artificial intelligence, underwater electronics, and remote sensing to support national environmental and marine resource planning. As the head of the Physical Oceanography and Geology Laboratory at INOS, he has led various national and consultancy projects related to marine habitat mapping, underwater object detection, and seabed classification. His technical strengths also include hydrodynamic modeling and the development of hardware/software for data acquisition and control systems.
Dr. Azizi’s contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the Silver Prizes at SIIF and ITEX 2012, and a Bronze Medal at the UMT Innovation Carnival in 2020. He is a registered Professional Technologist (Ts.) with MBOT and a Graduate Engineer with the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM).
His philosophy: “Enjoy the work and always keep learning—especially in the field of seafloor mapping.”
Journal article
Muhamed, K.R., Mustapa, B., Razali, R., Saiffuddin, A.H., Ideris, F., Minhat, F.I., Jeofry, M.H., Hamza, M.I., Ali, A., Rashid, A.A. and Kiawmas, A., 2025. The preliminary dating of the Bidong shipwreck, Malaysia. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, 54(1), pp.18-32.
Zainuddin, S.N.H., Safuan, C.D.M., Zakaria, J., Saengsupavanich, C., Ramli, M.Z., Ali, A., Bachok, Z., Shariful, F., Ariffin, A.S.T., Khalil, I. and Muslim, A.M., 2025. Impact of Storm Pabuk on a Monsoon Coral Beach: Bidong Island, Terengganu (Malaysia). Marine Geology, 481, p.107495.
Yong, B., Ismail, K., Ali, A. et al. Marine landscape mapping for ecologically relevant habitat suitability modelling. Earth Sci Inform 18, 180 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12145-024-01626-7.
Harris, M.F., Nadzri, M.I., Yusof, K.M.K.K., Razak, W.A.J.A., Shukri, M.H.M., Baharim, N.B., Ali, A. and Ariffin, E.H., 2024. Seasonal variability on cross-shore profile in meso-tidal settings due to lunar cycle effects in Kuala Terengganu Coast. Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences, 40(2), pp.981-993.
Abd Razak, W.A.J., Ramli, M.Z., Baharim, N.B., Shubri, S.M., Zakaria, J., Harris, M.F., Ali, A. and Ariffin, E.H., 2024. Storm surge induced by 2019 Tropical Storm Pabuk and impact on the shoreline in Kuala Nerus Terengganu, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 74, p.103536.
Ali, A., Chan, A.A., Repin, I.M., Ismail, M.N., Bachok, Z., Chong, W.S., Ismail, K. and Khalil, I., 2018. Quantification of coral reef benthos for coral health assessment in Labuan Marine Park, Malaysia. Journal of Sustainability Science and Management (Malaysia).
Mustapa, B., Razali, R., Muhamed, K.R., Ghani, B.S.A., Mohamed, M., Arbi, R., Ideris, F., Abd Ghani, K.A., Ali, A., Minhat, F.I. and Jeofry, M.H., 2023. Discovery and excavation of artifacts from the Bidong Shipwreck, Malaysia. Advances in Archaeological Practice, 11(2), pp.246-257.
Ali, A., Abdullah, M.R., Safuan, C.D.M., Afiq-Firdaus, A.M., Bachok, Z., Akhir, M.F.M., Latif, R., Muhamad, A., Seng, T.H., Roslee, A. and Ismail, K., 2022. Side-scan sonar coupled with scuba diving observation for enhanced monitoring of benthic artificial reefs along the coast of Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10(9), p.1309.
Zainol, Z., Akhir, M.F., Johari, A. and Ali, A., 2021. Water quality data in a shallow and narrow Setiu Lagoon. Data in Brief, 35, p.106866.
Zainol, Z., Ali, A., Din, M.S.C., Akhir, M.F., Bachok, Z. and Ali, A., 2019. Physical Characteristics and Nutrients Status off Pulau Besar, Malacca and Tanjung Tuan, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia: A Preliminary Study. Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 27(3).
Safuan, C.D.M., Ali, A., Zainol, Z., Ali, A., Akhir, M.F.M., Muslim, A.M. and Bachok, Z., 2018. A baseline assessment of coral reef in Malacca Straits, Malaysia. Ocean Science Journal, 53(2), pp.275-283.
Safuan, C.D.M., Ismail, K.H.A.I.R.A., Khalil, I.D.H.A.M., Ali, A.Z.I.Z.I., Chong, W.S., Chan, A.A., Ismail, M.N., Repin, I.M., Bachok, Z.A.I.N.U.D.I.N., Che Din, M.S. and Ismail, K., 2018. Quantification of coral reef benthos for coral health assessment in Labuan Marine Park, Malaysia. J. Sustain. Sci. Manag, 13(5), pp.101-112.
Muslim, A.M., Chong, W.S., Safuan, C.D.M., Khalil, I. and Hossain, M.S., 2019. Coral reef mapping of UAV: A comparison of sun glint correction methods. Remote Sensing, 11(20), p.2422.
Roseli, N.H., Akhir, M.F., Husain, M.L., Tangang, F. and Ali, A., 2015. Water mass characteristics and stratification at the shallow Sunda Shelf of southern South China Sea. Open Journal of Marine Science, 5(04), p.455.
Conference Papers
Books Publications
Grants
Private Grants
- Head of Technical – Wave and Current Data Collection in Kerteh and Paka Waters, Terengganu
Project Leader * DMZ Marine Sdn. Bhd. * 2025 * RM36,000 - Head of Technical – Hydraulic Modelling, Wave & Current Measurements, Water & Sediment Sampling at Kuala Langat
Project Leader * Zby Sdn. Bhd. * 2024 * RM80,000 - Head of Technical – Wave and Current Mapping, Pulau Pinang
Project Leader * DMZ Marine Sdn. Bhd. * 2024 * RM18,000 - Head of Technical – Hydrography Survey (Single Beam), Sub-Bottom Profiler Survey and Soil Investigation at Kuala Nerus, Terengganu
Project Leader * OceanHydro Sdn. Bhd. * 2023 * RM89,000 - Head of Technical – Single Beam Echosounder Survey, Sarawak Rivers
Project Leader * GeoHydrocean Sdn. Bhd. * 2023 * RM22,000 - Head of Technical – Side Scan Sonar Survey, Melaka (Heritage Impact Assessment)
Project Leader * GeoHydrocean Sdn. Bhd. * 2023 * RM15,000 - Head of Technical – Validation Bathymetry, Kenyir Lake
Project Leader * Scater Sdn. Bhd. * 2021 * RM49,000 - Head of Technical – Wave and Current Mapping, Nenasi, Pahang
Project Leader * DMZ Marine Sdn. Bhd. * 2021 * RM36,000 - Head of Technical – Side Scan Sonar Survey for Underwater Pipe
Project Leader * Sumai Engineering Sdn. Bhd. * 2021 * RM10,000 - Head of Technical – Wave and Current Mapping at Melaka and Sungai Renggi
Project Leader * DZS Marine Sdn. Bhd. * 2021 * RM42,500 - Head of Technical – Seabed Classification, Tioman Island
Project Leader * GeoHydrocean Sdn. Bhd. * 2021 * RM10,000 - Head of Technical – Tide Gauge Installation, Kerteh Port
Project Leader * (Private Client) * 2021 * RM10,000 - Head of Technical – Wave and Current, Pekan Pahang
Project Leader * DZS Marine Sdn. Bhd. * 2022 * RM36,500 - Head of Technical – Multibeam Survey, Kijal, Terengganu
Project Leader * Hidrokinetik Sdn. Bhd. * 2022 * RM49,000 - Head of Technical – Wave and Current Survey, Sabak Bernam, Selangor
Project Leader * Hidrokinetik Sdn. Bhd. * 2022 * RM45,000 - Head of Technical – Wave & Ocean Current, Tide, Total Suspended Solids and Grab Sampling
Project Leader * Jurukur Jiturunding Sdn. Bhd. * 2022 * RM30,000 - Head of Technical – Sub-Bottom Profiler Data Collection, Kerteh Kemaman
Project Leader * GeoHydrocean Services Sdn. Bhd. * 2020 * RM23,000 - Head of Technical – Bathymetry Mapping, Kemaman River
Project Leader * Jurukur Roshdi Enterprise * 2020 * RM43,000 - Head of Technical – Bathymetry Mapping, Kerteh Port
Project Leader * Petronas CariGali * 2020 * RM63,000 - Head of Technical – Sub-Bottom Profiler Data Collection, Sg. Udang, Melaka
Project Leader * GeoHydrocean Services Sdn. Bhd. * 2019 * RM9,000 - Head of Technical – Mapping of Kuala Terengganu Bridge
Project Leader * Sumai Engineering Sdn. Bhd. * 2019 * RM13,500 - Head of Technical – Mapping of Kuala Terengganu Bridge
Project Leader * Epic Engineering Sdn. Bhd. * 2019 * RM9,000 - Head of Technical – Shipwreck Mapping, Pulau Tanggol
Project Leader * UMT Central Lab * 2019 * RM20,000 - Head of Technical – Multibeam Survey for Substrate Classification, Pulau Pinang
Project Leader * GeoHydrocean Services Sdn. Bhd. * 2017–2018 * RM40,000 - Head of Technical – Multibeam Survey, Pintu Gedung, Pelabuhan Klang
Project Leader * GeoHydrocean Services Sdn. Bhd. * 2017–2018 * RM50,000 - Head of Technical – Seabed Mapping, Tok Bali, Kelantan
Project Leader * GeoHydrocean Services Sdn. Bhd. * 2017–2018 * RM10,000
Governments/Inter-Governments Grants
- Head of Technical – Marine Habitat Mapping and Biodiversity Inventory, Pulau Perhentian (Phase 2)
Project Leader * Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2025 * RM200,000 - Head of Technical – Sonar Mapping Survey, Kemaman Port
Project Leader * NAHRIM * 2024 * RM22,000 - Head of Technical – Single Beam Survey, Pulau Pangkor
Project Leader * Sea Turtle Research Group * 2024 * RM17,000 - Head of Technical – Multibeam Survey Report, Perhentian Reefs
Project Leader * SEAFDEC, Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2024 * RM18,000 - Head of Technical – Marine Habitat Mapping and Biodiversity Inventory, Pulau Perhentian (Phase 1)
Project Leader * Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2024 * RM250,000 - Head of Technical – Mapping & Zonation of Taman Laut Negeri Melaka (Pulau Undan, Pulau Nangka, Pulau Dodo)
Project Leader * Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2023 * RM200,000 - Head of Technical – Multibeam Survey, Pulau Tenggol Marine Park
Project Leader * Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2023 * RM200,000 - Head of Technical – Single Beam Bathymetry Survey, Pulau Kapas
Project Leader * Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2022 * RM180,000 - Head of Technical – Wreck Scanning at Perhentian and Pulau Susu Dara (Multibeam)
Project Leader * SEAFDEC / Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2022 * RM70,000 - Head of Technical – Large Scale Coral Reef Ecosystem Mapping, Pulau Tioman (Machine Learning & Trait-Based)
Project Leader * FRGS * 2011 * RM113,200 - Head of Researcher – Oceanography Study of Melaka and Negeri Sembilan Waters
Project Leader * Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2017–2018 * RM64,900 - Head of Researcher – Marine Ecosystem Mapping, Taman Laut Labuan
Project Leader * Jabatan Taman Laut Malaysia * 2017–2018 * RM259,000 - Head of Researcher – Artificial Reef Mapping (Phase 1), Pantai Barat, Peninsular Malaysia
Project Leader * Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2017 * RM50,000 - Head of Researcher – Artificial Reef Mapping, Kedah Waters
Project Leader * Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2018 * RM60,000 - Chief Researcher – Optimization of Physical Field Measurement Distribution (Global Interpolation Technique)
Project Leader * E-Science Grant * 2012–2014 * RM245,000 - Head of Researcher – Fish Aggregating Device (Unjam) Mapping, East Coast Malaysia
Project Leader * LKIM * 2007 * RM50,000 - Head of Researcher – Preliminary Study of Fish Aggregating Device (Unjam), Pulau Pinang
Project Leader * LKIM * 2007 * RM50,000 - Head of Researcher – Artificial Reef Mapping, Labuan Waters
Project Leader * Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia * 2019 * RM40,000 - Head of Researcher – Side-Scan Survey & Detection of Historical Shipwrecks, Kudat, Sabah
Project Leader * Jabatan Muzium Sabah * 2006 * RM35,000
Professional Activities
Team Leader – Ocean Mapping Research Group, UMT (2019 – Present)
Committee Member – UMT Excellence Talent & Young Talent Awards (2024 – 2025)
Committee Member – UMT Technical Centre Committee (2025 – 2027)
Committee Member – INOS Management Committee (2023 – 2026)
Committee Member – National Research Vessel (NRV) Construction Committee (2025 – 2027)
Professional Technologist (Ts.) – Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT) (2017 – Present)
Graduate Engineer – Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) (2017 – Present)
Awards & Distinctions
Silver Prize – Seoul International Invention Fair (SIIF) (2012) International
Silver Prize – 23rd International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX) (Year not specified) International
Bronze Medal – UMT Innovation Carnival (2020) Local
Excellence Service Certificate (Sijil Perkhidmatan Cemerlang) – Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Excellent Service Award (Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang, APC) – Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (2020)
Supervision Activities
- Teaching staff for ‘Kursus Oseanografi’ for Hidrografi Officer of TLDM series 5 (2011) , 28 August to 20 September 2012.
- Teaching staff for ‘Kursus Oseanografi Lanjutan’ for Hidrografi Officer of TLDM (2015) , 23 November to 15 December 2015.
- Physical Oceanography Course for Unit Foresik PDRM, 2017.
- Teaching For Kerja lapangan Marine Geoscience 2023
- Teaching For Kerja lapangan Marine Geoscience 2024
