Rate My Professor Akmal Jusoh

Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh is a Senior Lecturer in Biodiversity and Conservation in the School of Science at Monash University Malaysia. She earned her BSc in Environmental Science, MSc in Environmental Quality and Conservation, and PhD in Entomology from Universiti Putra Malaysia, supplemented by PhD training in Biology at the University of Turku, Finland, through an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. Her career includes roles as a Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore, where she contributed to biodiversity research and natural heritage history, managing projects such as the digital repatriation of Singapore's animal specimens and the Wallace-Singapore digital imaging project. Earlier, as Senior Programme Officer for WWF-Malaysia's Peninsular Malaysia Terrestrial Conservation Programme from 2015 to 2017, she led efforts to protect the Setiu Wetlands in Terengganu.

Jusoh's research focuses on the integrative taxonomy, systematics, ecology, and conservation of fireflies, particularly the Luciolinae subfamily in Southeast Asia and the Australopacific region, as well as the history of natural heritage and tropical biodiversity conservation. Notable publications include "Firefly tourism: Advancing a global phenomenon toward a brighter future" (2021), "The Luciolinae of S. E. Asia and the Australopacific region: A revisionary checklist (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) including description of three new genera and 13 new species" (2019), "The firefly genus Pteroptyx Olivier revisited (Coleoptera Lampyridae: Luciolinae)" (2018), "DNA-based species delimitation reveals cryptic and incipient species in synchronous flashing fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) of Southeast Asia" (2020), and "Molecular systematics of the firefly genus Luciola (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae) with the description of a new species from Singapore" (2021). She has produced 29 research outputs, including articles, book chapters, reviews, and an edited book. Actively engaged in the field, she co-chairs the IUCN Species Survival Commission Firefly Specialist Group since 2022 and serves as Honorary Secretary of the Fireflyers International Network from 2025 to 2028. Jusoh is an Associate Editor for the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology and an Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation. Her contributions have earned her recognition as a 2025 Explorers Club 50 honoree, 2025 PVC’s Commendation for Excellence in Research - Early Career Researcher of the Year, and 2024 PVC's Commendation for Excellence in Education. She teaches courses in tropical ecology, global conservation, and human ecology and biodiversity, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to life on land, climate action, and sustainable cities.