CLOCK Research Group

A very well-organised approach in research😍

Research Pyramid: A Strategy for Building Academic Productivity and Impact

In my academic career, I have observed that research productivity and impact do not occur by chance but are built through a clear and consistent system. I adopt the “research pyramid” approach as my primary framework for managing ideas, teams, and publications in a structured manner.

1. Research Pyramid Concept

Productive professors often build their research using a pyramid structure:

Level 1 – Core Idea
• 2–3 main research projects.

Level 2 – Sub-Projects
• Each project contains 3–4 subtopics.

Level 3 – Output
• Each subtopic can generate 1–2 research papers.

Example:
Project: Process Tomography
Sub-projects:
• Sensor design
• Signal processing
• AI reconstruction
• Industrial validation

From one project alone, it is possible to produce 6–8 papers.

2. Team Publication Model

Professors rarely publish alone.

Typical structure:
• Professor → Provides ideas and research direction
• Postdoctoral researcher → Leads research ex*****on
• PhD student → Conducts experiments
• Master’s student → Handles data processing

Publication targets are usually:
• PhD student: 3–4 papers
• Master’s student: 1–2 papers

If there are 8 active PhD students, theoretically this system can generate 20+ papers per year.

3. Parallel Writing Strategy

Productive professors often manage multiple manuscripts simultaneously:

For example:
• 3 papers under journal review
• 4 papers in the writing stage
• 5 papers in experimental development

This ensures that the research pipeline is never empty.

4. Conference → Journal Pipeline

A common strategy is:
1. Present at a conference
2. Improve and extend the work with additional experiments
3. Convert it into a high-impact journal paper (e.g., Q1 journal)

This approach saves time because the paper structure already exists.

5. PhD Students as Project Leaders

Successful professors do not manage everything directly.

Each PhD student:
• Leads one sub-project
• Supervises or guides Master’s students

This structure creates a mini research team within the broader research ecosystem.

6. Review Papers as a Citation Engine

Every 3–4 years:
• Write a review paper within your research niche.

Review papers typically receive higher citations and help improve research visibility and h-index.

7. International Collaboration

Collaboration enhances research output.

For example, collaboration with researchers from:
• University of Manchester
• Sheffield Hallam University

Each collaboration can lead to joint publications and shared research outputs.

8. Data Reuse Strategy

One experimental dataset can be used for multiple studies:

For example:
• Algorithm development paper
• AI model paper
• System validation paper

This strategy is common in fields such as sensors, instrumentation, and tomography.

9. Fixed Writing Schedule

Many productive professors maintain discipline through routine:
• Write for 1–2 hours daily
• Even on busy days with meetings

Small but consistent effort produces significant results over a year.

10. Focus on Impact, Not Quantity

Influential professors do not chase publication numbers alone. They focus on:
• Publishing in Q1 journals
• Achieving high citation impact
• Delivering industrial relevance

For example, in tomography research, scholars like Wuqiang Yang built global reputation through deep expertise and consistent high-quality output.

Conclusion

The secret behind highly productive professors is:

Research ecosystem = Idea + Team + Publication Pipeline

When this system is stable and well managed, producing 20–30 papers per year becomes a natural outcome rather than a forced target.

Through this research pyramid approach, I view an academic career as the development of a long-term, structured system. When ideas, teams, and the publication process move in parallel and in an organized manner, productivity and impact arise naturally. It is not merely about quantity, but about building a sustainable and effective research ecosystem.

RAR
7/3/2026

With distinguished Professors Yang and Green at the Research Lab, University of Manchester, UK.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16zot5LTWJ/

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✨ CLOCK Workshop 2026 (21–22 January 2026) ✨

This workshop was never just about learning and connecting.
It was also our way of pausing for a moment to appreciate the people behind the work. Our deepest appreciation goes to our students and team members who poured in so much effort, late nights, and quiet perseverance throughout 2025. This space was for you 🤍

CLOCK Workshop 2026 also felt like a reset. A chance to realign our direction, revisit our KPIs, and remind ourselves why we do what we do. It is not just about ticking boxes, but about building research that is meaningful and impactful.

Over these two days, we explored chronophysiology in real world contexts, from healthcare shift work and circadian disruption, to systematic reviews, big data, and collaborative discussions that challenged how we think and work together. The conversations were thoughtful, honest, and refreshingly open, reminding us that growth begins when we remain curious and willing to learn beyond what we already know.

One reminder that stayed with us:
“We lose our humility the moment we think we know everything. When that happens, we stop growing. That is stagnation, and it is dangerous.”

Research is never just about output. It is about the passion for knowledge, knowledge that we can translate, apply, and utilise for the betterment of mankind.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to be present, to share, to question, and to contribute. InsyaAllah, we hope to create more spaces like this. May this team continue to grow together, learn together, and move forward with purpose 🌱
Explore • Learn • Connect

Badan kita ada jam dalaman yang dipanggil circadian rhythm yang mengawal tidur, hormon dan juga kesuburan wanita.
Bila kita kerap tidur lewat, terdedah cahaya skrin waktu malam, atau tidur tak menentu, hormon kesuburan seperti estrogen, progesteron dan hormon ovulasi boleh jadi tak selari.
Akibatnya, haid tak teratur, ovulasi terganggu dan kualiti telur boleh menurun. Cahaya skrin menekan hormon tidur (melatonin), sedangkan hormon inilah yang membantu melindungi kesihatan telur di dalam ovari.
Oleh itu, Jaga jam biologi anda untuk jaga kesuburan. Macam mana?
✔ Tidur waktu sama setiap hari
✔ Kurangkan skrin sebelum tidur
✔ Cari cahaya matahari pagi
✔ Rehat bukan malas, itu keperluan biologi
Kesuburan bukan hanya tentang rahim. Ia tentang bagaimana kita hidup setiap hari.

Dr Marjanu Hikmah Elias
Pensyarah,
Center for Chronophysiology, Lifestyle and Optimal Circadian Knowledge (CLOCK)
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)

Congratulations to Dr Anisah.. Insyaa Allah more success to come. Aa meen yaa rabb

Thank you so much to UKM GSB UKM GSB - Graduate School of Business for the kind invitation. This sharing highlights our team's 10 years of collaboration with IJN. A heartfelt thank you to IJN Institut Jantung Negara for the unwavering support throughout.

1st workshop for our team. Alhamdulillah everything went very well. Hope everyone gained benefits from this workshop. In syaa Allah will have more in the future.

🌟 Welcome to the Official Page of the Centre for Chronobiology, Lifestyle, and Optimal Circadian Knowledge (CLOCK) 🌟

We're thrilled to launch our team's FB page! At CLOCK, we are dedicated to advancing the understanding of how our biological clocks impact health, lifestyle, and overall well-being. Our team of experts is passionate about uncovering the secrets of circadian rhythms, chrononutrition and how they influence everything from sleep patterns to daily productivity.