KOTA KINABALU: The first Malaysian to carry out long-term climate change research in Antarctica, Prof. Dr. Justin Sentian, has brought honor to Sabah.
According to the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Prof. Justin, a native of Ranau and a faculty member at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), has made Sabah proud by conducting a seven-month-long research expedition in Antarctica.
Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor congratulated Prof. Justin for his achievement as the first Malaysian scientist to conduct research in Antarctica, emphasizing the pride it brings to the state.
He also noted the special significance that the Sabah flag was flown alongside the Malaysian flag in Antarctica, adding to the significance of Prof. Justin’s achievement (24 Jan).
During a courtesy visit to the Chief Minister’s office, Prof. Justin, together with Prof. Dr. Mohammad Saffree Jeffree of UMS and Abd Shukor Jamaluddin, CEO of Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation, symbolically returned the Sabah flag that was presented to him by Hajiji before he left for Antarctica on March 10, 2023.
Prof. Justin, a member of the UMS Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, conducted his research from March 21 to Oct 27, 2023, making him the Malaysian scientist who spent the longest time in Antarctica, specifically at the Julio Escudero Station on King George Island.
Organized by Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation and the Antarctic Research Institute of Chile (INACH), Prof. Justin was provided with a RM150,000 special research grant for his project titled “Variation of Troposphere Ozone and Halocarbons in the Antarctic Peninsula in Conditions Extreme Weather”.
Throughout his expedition, Prof. Justin encountered numerous challenges, both mental and physical, due to the extreme weather conditions with air temperatures reaching -44°C and wind speeds of 120km/h triggering snow storms.
He expressed hope that the results of his research will have a significant impact on the understanding of ozone variations and hydrocarbon and halocarbon species in extreme weather conditions, contributing to the generation of new knowledge and a better understanding of climate change and ozone depletion.
Prof. Justin’s three-year study with INACH and the University of Santiago focuses on the role of halogenated reactive halocarbons in surface ozone chemistry and meteorological conditions in extreme winter weather.
Halocarbons, which he collected data on during his research, are greenhouse gases that can contribute to climate change and are responsible for the loss of stratospheric ozone in recent decades
Prof. Justin also gathered 197 gas samples from air, snow, sea ice, and sea water to study the content of halocarbon species such as bromocarbon.
