Prof MA Hannan, a Bangladeshi researcher living in Malaysia, is listed among the world's most influential scientists, by UK-based analytics company "Clarivate".

Hannan, an expert professor in electrical engineering at Universiti Tenaga Malaysia (UNITEN), achieved recognition based on the publication of his significant research in the field of renewable energy engineering.

Researchers from 69 countries received such recognition. Prof Hannan is the only researcher to receive it from Malaysia this year, UNITEN said in a statement today.

Prof MA Hannan was also listed in the top 1% of citations for 11 years from January 2011 to December 2021.  He has consistently published 255 articles in the Web of Science index with a total of 7,911 citations, which helped him to achieve such recognition, said the statement.

MA Hannan is the son of late Mohammad Hossain and Halima Hossain of Bohola village of Biral upazila of Dinajpur. He graduated in electrical and electronic engineering from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology in 1990 and completed his MSc and PhD degrees from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

He has over 28 years of industry and academic experience. Besides, he is the author and co-author of over 400 articles published in international journals and conference proceedings.

His research interests include the development of intelligent systems in electrical and renewables, integrated power and energy translational research to achieve efficient, sustainable, and low-carbon technologies for future energy needs, and sustainability towards achieving net-zero targets in energy and power sectors.

Prof Hannan is also involved in transforming academic and industrial research technologies into teaching and learning processes to ensure appropriate learning methods in higher education.  

In response to the recognition, Prof MA Hannan said, "This recognition will certainly give me and my university much more recognition as well as an important boost in morale, and hopefully make my home institution and country proud".

The writer is an expatriate journalist living in Malaysia.