Dr. Mazlan Othman is Malaysia’s first astrophysicist with a remarkable career spanning academia, government, and international organizations. She earned her Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Otago, New Zealand, in 1981 and began her career as a lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Throughout the 1990s, she played pivotal roles in establishing Malaysia's space initiatives, including heading the Planetarium Division and later founding the National Space Agency (ANGKASA) in 2002.
Her influence extended globally when she served as the Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in Vienna from 1999 to 2002 and again from 2007 to 2013. During her tenure, she led initiatives to promote international cooperation in space exploration and utilization. Additionally, she facilitated Malaysia's entry into space exploration by launching the Angkasawan Programme, sending Malaysia's first astronaut to the International Space Station in 2007.
Dr. Othman's contributions to space science and diplomacy have been recognized through numerous national and international awards. She has also been actively involved in academia, holding positions such as Professor Emeritus at UKM and serving as a Fulbright Scholar at the Space Policy Institute of George Washington University.
Currently, Dr. Othman directs the International Science Council (ISC) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP), a role she assumed in 2017. Throughout her career, she has been a trailblazer for women in science and a driving force in advancing space exploration and scientific cooperation.
