Suguna Migeemanathan

Suguna Migeemanathan serves as a Lecturer and Industrial Placement Coordinator at UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College's School of Hospitality, Tourism, and Culinary Arts since 2014. Previously, she worked as a Tutor and Research Assistant at University Science Malaysia's School of Industrial Technology from September 2013 to April 2014. Her academic journey includes pursuing a PhD in Food Technology (Molecular Gastronomic) at University Sains Malaysia while holding a Master's in Food Technology (Food Microbiology) from the same institution.

Her research spans food safety, molecular gastronomy, and product development with strong industry connections to major hotel brands including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and InterContinental. Her publication record shows consistent output in food microbiology and hospitality management, with recent focus shifting toward innovative food product development. The analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a strategic evolution from fundamental food safety research toward applied product development and commercialization, particularly evident in her 2021-2023 works on fish-based products.

• Best Researcher Award 2023 – Highly Commendable
• Gold medal for 'Best Product Development' in PIID 2021
• Double Gold Award in ISIC III 2021
• Certified Hospitality Trainer (CHT) through AHLEI

As Industrial Placement Coordinator, she has successfully placed students internationally across multiple continents and secured MOUs with leading hospitality brands. Her research is supported by internal grants including the current UOW Internal Grant (2023-2025) for 'Nutrilele – Fish Fingers product commercialization,' demonstrating her ability to translate academic research into marketable products. She actively contributes to industry development through judging competitions, creating motivational content during the pandemic, and writing on community engagement in the Apucen Bulletin 2021.