Ts. Dr. Elia Godoong

Dr. Elia is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Tropical Forestry, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Before this, she served at the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, UMS, and was previously affiliated with the Centre for Sustainable Society Engagement (CSSE), UMS, where she progressed from Deputy Director to Director, concluding her tenure in October 2024.

She obtained her Ph.D. in Natural Science from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies. Her academic background is rooted in forest conservation ecology, with specialized expertise in habitat utilization modeling using Geographic

Information Systems (GIS)andRemote Sensing. She is a certifiedProfessional Technologistunder the Malaysian Board of Technologists (MBOT) and is affiliated with the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), Malaysian Scientific Association (MSA), and the Institute of Foresters Malaysia (IRIM).

Dr. Elia’s research and professional practice are deeply grounded in sustainability science, with a strong focus on resilient forest management, high conservation value forests (HCVF), restoration ecology, and carbon sequestration. She integrates geospatial technologies and long-term ecological data to support ecosystem health, biodiversity conservation, and adaptive land-use strategies. Her leadership in establishing Permanent Sample Plots (PSPs) in collaboration with Yayasan Sabah and other partners reflects her commitment to science-based, scalable conservation solutions.

Her work also centers on strengthening the social dimensions of sustainability through community-based natural resource management, cultural and Indigenous knowledge integration, and inclusive planning processes that recognize the value of local stewardship. She has led various environmental consultancy projects—including social baseline studies, riparian assessments, and ecological mapping—that prioritize ecological integrity alongside human well-being.

Her ongoing contributions to River Riparian Health Assessments, Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM), and HCVF assessments reflect a holistic approach to sustainability, linking watershed protection, ecosystem services, and community livelihoods. She is known for bridging academic research with actionable strategies that inform conservation policy and support landscape-scale resilience.

Dr. Elia advocates for ethical, inclusive, and ecologically responsible conservation practices, drawing on cross-sector collaboration and systems thinking to address complex environmental challenges. Her work contributes to advancing integrated sustainability approaches that balance environmental protection with social equity and long-term ecological function.

Internationally, she was appointed as a Technical Expert for the ASEAN Heritage Park field evaluations and served as a reviewer for the ASEAN Heritage Parks Operations Manual. Nationally, she serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME)under the National Water Sector Transformation 2040 (WST2040), led by ASM, and has contributed to national sustainability planning through the KAMI@Malaysia Family Unity Plan. She also participated in the Carrying Capacity Study for Sipadan Island, focusing on vegetation-based impact assessment.

In addition to her academic and consulting roles, Dr. Elia is a respected speaker on biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, climate resilience, and sustainable landscape governance. Most recently, she was appointed as a research and conservation expert for Mengalum Island under Borneo Sea Wonder Tours & Travel Sdn. Bhd., contributing to the conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems in ecologically sensitive areas.