PROF. DATO' DR. SEE CHING MEY

See Ching Mey (Susie), a Professor at USM’s School of Educational Studies, was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Industry and Community Network in February 2011.

Professor See received her B.A (Hons) in 1979, the Diploma in Education in 1980, and the Master in Education in 1987, all from Universiti Malaya. She was awarded the PhD from Ohio State University, USA, in 1996. Her short stint in the U.S. earned her life memberships in three American honour societies: The Honour Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Chi Sigma Iota (Counselling Academic and Professional Honour Society), and Phi Delta Kappa (Professional Fraternity in Education).

Her career as a lecturer at USM began at the School of Educational Studies in 1988. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2002 and to full Professor in 2006. She has served as Chairman of the Special Education Programme for the Bachelor of Education in the School of Educational Studies (January 2004 – March 2007), Programme Chairman for three uniformed bodies (St. John Ambulance, Red Crescent and Scouts) (January 2001 – March 2003), Programme Chairman for the Red Crescent Society (June 1992 - August 1993), and as Quality Manager in February 2010 before taking up the post of Deputy Vice-Chancellor for the Division of Industry and Community Network.

Professionally, Prof. See is an educational and counselling psychologist. Her specialisations are in educational psychology, counselling psychology, counsellor education, mental health, psychological testing, and special education with an emphasis on autism. To date, she has published seven academic books and about 200 international and national academic journal articles.

Prof. See is a part-time consultant to a private hospital. Her accumulated clinical notes especially on children with special needs have been a mine of data for her research and teaching. Her success with special needs children has gained her a reputation as an expert in the assessment and treatment of such children. She has also accumulated a store of clinical data on the presentation and treatment in the Malaysian context of psychological disorders such as anorexia, insomnia, anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, and other mental disorders.

 Prof. See has received three awards from the Ohio State University - the Susan Jones Sears Distinguished Alumni Award in 2009 and the Alumni Citizenship Award in 2007, both rare awards for a non-U.S. citizen; and the Top Paper Award (Education Division) in 1996 for her PhD work. Her awards at the national level are the 2010 Best Service Award from the Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia, Sin Chew Da Ai Award from Sin Chew Jit Poh Press in 2006, and the Book Prize for Diploma in Education (Universiti Malaya) in 1980. In 1998, she was awarded Penang State’s Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (PJK) medal. While at USM, Prof. See has received a Merit Reward for a journal article in the Publication Category in 2009, Excellence Service Awards in 2008 and 1995; and the Maal Hijrah Excellence Award (Academic Category) in 2005.

Prof. See is a registered and licensed counselor, and is now a prominent leader in the field of psychology and counselling. Nationally, she has sat on the Lembaga Kaunselor (Board for Counsellors) in Malaysia since 2000.  In 2000 also, she took a lead in forming the Penang Counselling and Psychology Association (PACP) and became its founding President.

On the international front, Prof. See is currently (2010-2012) the President of the Association of Psychological and Educational Counsellors of Asia-Pacific (APECA), a Board Member of the Asia-Pacific Association of Psychotherapists (APAP), a Council Member of the National Board of Certified Counsellors International (NBCC-I) and its Regional Director for NBCC Malaysia, an Executive Council Member of the International Association for  Counselling (IAC), and a Council Member of the International Play Association (IPA).

She is the chief editor for the Journal of Counselling published by the Association of Psychological and Educational Counsellors of Asia-Pacific (APECA). She is a member of the Editorial or Editorial Review Boards for the Journal of Asia Pacific Counseling (JAPC), the International Journal of Educational Sciences (IJES), the Journal of World Universities Forum, the Philippines Journal of Counseling Psychology, the Journal of Education, The Family Journal, the Asia-Pacific Journal of Educators and Education (APJEE), the Journal for International Counselor Education (JICE), the International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (IJ-SoTL), and the Journal of Educators and Education.

Prof. See believes in the spirit of community engagement and works hard to make a difference in the community. Her areas of interest grew from her passion for helping the less unfortunate and the disadvantaged.

She has been involved, since its founding in 1987, with a Centre (Lions REACh), run by the Association of Resource and Education for Autistic Children where she remains as the Volunteer Principal to this day. She is the secretary to the Main Committee and acts as the Centre’s counsellor. Lions REACh offers free services to the parents and their autistic children. It offers holistic training programmes designed for the integration and inclusion of these children into mainstream schools.

Prof. See has taken an active part in the service organisation, Lions Clubs International. She has held important positions in Lions Clubs International (Malaysia) culminating in Chairmanship of Region 1, Lions Clubs International (Malaysia) (District 308 B2).