Malaysian Palm Oil Board's Director General Biography

Dr. Choo Yuen May, Director General, Malaysian Palm Oil Board

Dr. Choo has undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Waikato in New Zealand and holds a doctorate in Chemistry from the University of Malaysia. She is a researcher and inventor of note with a focus on renewable energy and bioenergy, specifically related to palm oil. She is responsible for the development of new, efficient and green processes within the palm oil industry, including the production and evaluation of palm biofuel and B5 processed palm/oil and petroleum blends. She has researched the chemistry of palm oil components and created the processes for the production of red palm oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil and a number of palm oil by-products.

Her work in developing petroleum / palm oil blends is of particular interest and supports the Malaysian government’s initiative that, starting in 2007 all diesel sold in Malaysia must contain 5% palm oil.

She is currently the Director of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board which was established on 1st May 2000 with the objective of promoting, developing and advancing the Malaysian palm oil industry. The Malaysian Palm Oil Board is responsible for providing the scientific and technological support to the Malaysian palm oil industry, which could soon make significant inroads into the global biofuel market. Oil palm is regarded as the most cost effective vegetable oil crop with average yields of 3.5 to 5.0 tons of palm oil per hectare, per year. Thus, it offers great potential as environment-friendly alternative fuel source, and it is estimated that Malaysia will be a net importer of petroleum by 2010 as a result of its use of palm oil blends in fuel.

Name:    CHOO Yuen May, Dr

Qualification/Educ.:  B.Sc.;  M.Sc.(Hon) Waikato, New Zealand; Ph.D.Malaya; A.M.I.C.

Expertise/Specialization:  

Chemistry and technology of palm-based products and minor components in particular oleochemicals and carotenes

Experience:  

1980-1982 Lecturer, University Sains Malaysia

1982- Research Officer, PORIM

1993- Research Group Leader, Processing Group, PORIM

2004- Director, Engineering and Processing Division, MPOB

2010- Director General, MPOB

Membership/Affiliation:

1. Council Member, Malaysian Invention & Design Society(MINDS)

2. Chairperson, LADYMINDS

3. Associate Member, Malaysian Institute of Chemistry

4. Council Member, Malaysian Oil Science and Technology Association (MOSTA)

5. Member, Nutrition Society of Malaysia

Honours/Awards:

1. Malaysia National Young Scientist Award 1989

2. MINDS and PORIM Research and Excellent Service Awards 1989,1990, 1992, 1993, 1994

3. International Federation of Inventors Association (IFIA) Cup for Outstanding Malaysian Women Inventor/National Women Inventor Award 1993

4. WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Gold Medal for Best Women Inventor at 22nd International Exhibition of Inventions, Geneva, Switzerland, April 1994

5. Gold Medal and four Gold Award Certificates at 22nd International Exhibition of Inventions, Geneva, Switzerland for production of monoglycerides, alkyl esters, carotene-enriched red palm oil and palm carotene concentrate

Official Address:

MPOB,

No 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bangi,

43000 Kajang, Selangor,

Malaysia

Telephone: +603-89259155/775

Fax(Off): +603-89259446

E-Mail: choo@mpob.gov.my

WebSite: http://mpob.gov.my

Leisure Interests: Reading, Music, Swimming 

Malaysian Palm Oil Board