Wednesday, December 31, 2003

Fully Funded Research Opening at National Institute of Information Technology

Fully Funded Research Opening at National Institute of Information Technology
Sent to VTTP Research-Network By Mr Ashiq Anjum
National University of Science and Technology (NUST)
Nationial Insitute of Information Technology (NIIT(
Pakistan
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NUST Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) is a premier institution
offering education in various disciplines of Computer science and
Information technology. Being a constituent college of NUST, It has shown
tremendous growth in all aspects of good education in the concerned
disciplines. Being a forerunner in cutting edge technologies like Grid
computing , Embedded Systems, Multiagent Systems and Wireless
applications, it has established active research collaborations with
prestigious organizations and universities like European Organization for
Nuclear Research(CERN) Switzerland, California Institute of
Technology(Caltech ) USA ,University of West of England UK, Kyung Hee
University south Korea , Comtec and Tokyo Institute of Technology Japan,
University of Portsmouth UK and this list goes on increasing. Apart
successful collaboration with these top notch institutes, many more such
international collaborations are in pipeline and NIIT management under the
dynamic supervision of Prof.Dr.Arshad Ali (Dean and DG, NIIT) is striving
to create a pool of highly skilled and talented research force to boost
this on going collaboration process except marinating and enriching the
existing linkages.

Just to mention that CERN is a prestigious international laboratory where
Tim Berners-Lee brought a revolution by inventing World Wide Web(WWW) in
1989 and Caltech is the top Notch USA university where 29 faculty members
have the honor to be Nobel laureates. Researchers and Students are
provided opportunities to carry out their research as apart of their
graduate (Master and PhD) programs with these international organizations
either at NIIT or by mutually arranged visits of faculty and researchers.
A number of graduates from this research group have been able to visit
abroad to get exposure of the facilities offered by our collaborator
organizations and equally good strength has been able to win scholarships
for higher degrees. A good percentage of these researchers and graduates
have been internationally placed for higher education and in Multinational
companies as well. Recently NIIT got a European Union funding for boosting
research work with UWE UK, BIT China and with a French University. Some of
students will get PhD in collaboration with Motorola as well under this
funding. Similarly some PhD students have been supported and financed by
Kyung Hee University and will be placed at Samsung after graduation. Some
students were supported for PhD by University of Portsmouth and Comtec
Japan as well .Similarly many short and long research visits have been
sponsored by Caltech USA, CERN, UWE,HEC and by other special funds which
NIIT manages from time to time from various international and local
resources. The research culture and efforts can be perceived by the fact
that in the last four or five days, two international workshops were held
on cutting edge topics at NIIT.Campus has a state of the art Video
Conferencing facility which has reduced the knowledge barriers and
researchers can share virtually their knowledge and can exchange the
ideas with international scientists.NIIT researchers and faculty has
successful track record of publications and participation in international
conferences.

Recently NIIT has been awarded a Mega research grant by Higher Education
Commission to carry out research in the applied aspects of the Grid
computing and related areas. To broaden our research base and enhance the
manpower, NIIT requires talent graduates from very good universities which
must be competent, highly skilled(Experience will be a definitely plus
),willing to work hard and serious enough to complete their PhD's under
the demanding circumstances of international collaborations. Selection
will be based on merit. Aspiring candidates must have very good
communication and interpersonal skills, confidence, intellectual
capability and can work independently .He/she must be self learner and a
good team player as well.

For details please contact,
Prof Dr Arshad Ali
Dean
NUST Institute of Information Technology
166A Street 9, Chaklala Scheme III
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Email:arshad.ali@niit.edu.pk
Tel Off: 92 - 51 - 9280443, 92 - 51 - 9280658 Ext 101,
Mobile: 0320 - 4918064

======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Tuesday, December 30, 2003

Government of Pakistan Initiates Program to Recruit Qualified Faculty from Abroad

Government of Pakistan Initiates Program to Recruit Qualified Faculty from Abroad

Sent by the Deputy Chief of Mission Mr Muhammad Sadiq,
Embassy of Pakistan
Washington D.C.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Government of Pakistan, under its National Higher Education Policy, has initiated a unique program to recruit highly qualified faculty from abroad for rendering services in graduate research programs in different public sector universities/institutions in Pakistan. Applicants are invited for positions of Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor in all fields, and particularly in academic disciplines related to science, technology and engineering. The duration of the contract will be at lease 1 year, and may be extended.

Over the past years, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Ministry of Science and Technology have generated a tremendous capacity in the public sector universities in Pakistan to support quality graduate research and teaching. The current program hopes to build upon previous efforts by inducting the intellectual capital of foreign-based Pakistani academics and researchers into the system. To attract foreign faculty members, a comprehensive package has been announced, in addition to the various mechanisms already available for procuring research grants, research infrastructure and other support from HEC. The consolidated salary package for a foreign faculty hired under this program ranges from Pak Rs.150,000 to Pak Rs. 250,000 per month (average approximately US $ 3000.00 per month).

The goal of this program is to hire 300 foreign faculty members each year for the next 5 years to fill the vast gap of qualified research academics and Ph.D. supervisors in the higher education sector in Pakistan. Foreign faculty members, who will bring tremendous wealth of knowledge and research experience, will be expected to impart a modern and progressive outlook to research-based academic programs in Pakistani universities, and would set norms of international academic standards to be emulated by their local colleagues. Furthermore, the project will generate linkages between local and foreign institutions, encouraging long-term sustainable scientific collaborations. Foreign faculty members will be expected to supervise world-class graduate level research and deliver cutting-edge graduate level courses in their academic disciplines. HEC will ensure the provision of funds for supporting graduate students and associated research expenses. In the long-term the goal is to uplift the graduate programs in Pakistani universities and bring them up to international standards.

For further information, please also log onto www.hec.gov.pk/hec2/htmls/faculty.htm.. The point of contact for the program is:

Mr. Jalil Ahmad
Director General (Strategic Vision and Planning)
High Education Commission
Sector H-9, Islamabad, Pakistan

Phone 051-925-7492
Fax 051-925-8744

E-mail fthp@hec.gov.pk

Website http:// www.hec.gov.pk
======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Upcomming COMSTECH Workshops

Bioassays in Drug Discovery (January 14-18, 2004)
Dr. Iqbal Chaudhary
HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry International Center for Chemical Sciences, University of Karachi
Karachi-75270, Pakistan

Water Resources (March 22-27, 2004)
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Latif
Director Center of Excellence in Water Resources Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

Intellectual Property Rights
Dr. S.T.K. Naim
Chairperson Pakistan Council for Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shahrah-e- Jamhuriat, Sector G-5/2, Islamabad

Information Technology
Dr. Naveed Malik
Rector Virtual University, Lahore

Bioethics
Dr. Tasleem Akhtar
Executive Director Pakistan Medical Research Council
Shahrah-e-Jamhuriat, Off. Constitution Avenue, Sector G-5/2, Islamabad

Form information please contact:
Address: COMSTECH Secretariat, 3-Constitution Avenue,
G-5/2, Islamabad

Telephone: 92 51 9220681-3
Fax: 92 51 9211115, 9220265, 9205264

E-Mail COMSTECH Secretariat
comstech@isb.comsats.net.pk

Literature Search-Service
comstech@isb.apollo.net.pk

Executive Secretary
execsecretary@comstech.org.pk
Adviser Science
advisersc@comstech.org.pk
Director Administration
directoradmin@comstech.org.pk
Director Accounts
directoraccts@comstech.org.pk
Director Public Relation
directorpr@comstech.org.pk

Disclaimer: PakSEF has no affiliation to the above mentioned organization, PakSEF is an independent non-profit, non-political, non-religious Scientific and Engineering Professional Organization. For information pertaining to the above mentioned event please contact the organizers directly. Information regarding PakSEF's mission can be obtained from our website at www.paksef.org .

======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

2nd National Confrence on Condition and Monitoring Diagnostics

2nd National Confrence on Condition and Monitoring Diagnostics
http://www.cmdpak.com/index.htm

When: 16th to 18th March 2004

Where: Hotel Best Western
6-Islamabad Club Road
P. O. Box 2319, Islamabad
Pakistan
Tel: 92-51-2277460-8
Fax: 92-51-2271538, 92-51-2271539
Website: http://www.bestwestern-islamabad.com

Organizer: Dr. A. Q. Khan Research Laboratories, Kahuta

Fee: General Public Rs 5000/=
Graduate Students Rs 1000/=



Deadline for Submitting Papers: Abstracts: August 31, 2003
Manuscripts for review: November 30, 2003
Final manuscripts: January 31, 2004
Registration: January 31, 2004

For more information please visit the Confrence website shown above.

Disclaimer: PakSEF has no affiliation to the Khan Research Labs, PakSEF is an independent non-profit, non-political, non-religious Scientific and Engineering Professional Organization. For information pertaining to the above mentioned confrence please contact the organizers directly. Information regarding PakSEF's mission can be obtained from our website at www.paksef.org .


======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Doctors demand stipend

Doctors demand stipend

http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local44.htm
Bureau Report
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HYDERABAD, Dec 29: A large number of house officers of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences deputed at the Civil Hospital, Karachi , staged a protest demonstration in the premises of university hospital on Monday against the non- payment of their four months salaries.

They told newsmen that they had started their house job at the Civil Hospital, Karachi, from Sept 1, 2003 but had not been paid their salaries which had to be paid by the medical superintendent of Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad.

They said the health department and the finance department due to traditional lethargy were delaying the payment of their stipends. They regretted the lukewarm attitude of the provincial health adviser.

They said they belonged to different areas of Sindh and were facing hardships without the payment of stipend which was their legal right. They appealed to the Sindh government, health and finance departments to clear their four months dues without any further loss of time.

CONFERENCE: The Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences vice-chancellor inaugurated the three-day 27th annual national conference of Pakistan Association of Pathologists at the LUMHS Jamshoro campus on Sunday.

The conference is jointly organized by the association and the pathology department of the LUMHS.

Speaking on the occasion, VC Professor Jan Mohammad Memon said it was the third major scientific moot the university was holding during the current month and informed that the national plastic surgery conference was also scheduled to be held in Jan 2004.

Dr Memon said such medical conferences would not only help enhance an academic and research culture in the university but would also provide opportunities to the doctors to share knowledge and experiences in various disciplines.

He said improving the standard of medical education, promotion of research and patients care remained on the top priority list of the university. He said the objectives could not be achieved without strengthening laboratories.

======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Free treatment for cleft lips

Free treatment for cleft lips
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local39.htm

By Our Correspondent
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PESHAWAR, Dec 29: Smile Train, an international NGO, has started offering free treatment to poor children with cleft lip, a press release said here on Monday.

The NGO has been helping children born with cleft lip and palate through a panel of plastic surgeons. As Pakistan ranked the fourth country globally with the number of patients with the deformity that causes difficulty in feeding, speaking and even hearing problems.

Its treatment involves other specialties, such as speech therapy, ENT, faciomaxillary surgery, dental surgery, clinical psychology and anaesthesia which make the treatment more expensive. Even after the operation, the patients are required subsequent follow-up visits.

Peshawar has lately been included after Faisalabad in the regions where SmileTrain, is providing treatment to patients free of cost. Local plastic surgeon Dr Obaidullah of the SmileTrain said that parents should register their wards with the NGO at the Rehman Medical Institute (morning time) and Aman Hospital (evening time).


======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Cases against 6 units filed for polluting environment

Cases against 6 units filed for polluting environment

http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local33.htm

By Sadia Qasim Shah
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PESHAWAR, Dec 29: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an attempt to implement the National Environment Quality Standards (NEQS) has registered cases against six units of the Hayatabad industrial estate, official sources said.

The units lacked treatment facility for the hazardous waste, which caused serious threat to the environment and were discharging untreated effluents into River Kabul, the sources said.

The industries which were found violating the NEQS included four match factories, one paper mill and one packaging mill. Notices under Section 16(2) of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997, were issued to the owners of the industries to appear before the EPA director general and clarify their position, the official said.

"These cases were prepared against them after the owners of the industries failed to install plants for treatment of the effluents. They were given 60 days to take measures to control the pollution created," an official said.

For the commercial units in the Hayatabad industrial estate, a treatment plant for effluents was set up nearly a decade ago. "This plant is not working properly and has added to environmental degradation," the official said.

Another waste treatment plant was established at Warsak Road a few years ago with the financial assistance of the Asian Development Bank. The plant also presented a bad example of planning, the official added.

Mohammad Hafiz, a resident of the Hayatabad township, said that the waste water discharged from the industrial units passes through the main residential area and Hayatabad Medical Complex.

The toxic water also passes near the Kucha Ghari refugee camp where it was causing health hazards, another resident said and added: "The EPA is a toothless agency and the numerous requests of the residents of the affected areas to take measures to stop environmental degradation has fallen on deaf ears."

EPA officials confirmed that not a single unit out of 80 in the Hayatabad industrial estate had installed a waste water treatment plant and the toxic water was ultimately discharged into the channels opening into River Kabul.

According to a survey report by the PCSIR laboratories, no waste water treatment facilities had been provided for the industrial units in the NWFP."The EPA can only refer cases of those violating the NEQS to the environmental tribunal. The EPA has no funds to set up treatment plants," an official claimed.

According to the PEPA, 1997, if the EPA confirms that a violation has occurred "which is likely to cause or is causing or has caused an adverse environmental effect" the agency can direct the responsible persons to take measures in a specific time or face cases in the environmental tribunal.

"In case of non-compliance, whoever contravenes the laws can be fined with one million rupees and additional fines up to Rs100,000 for everyday during which failure to pay fine continues," according to the PEPA, 1997.

"A combined environmental tribunal for Punjab and the NWFP was established in May 2003 to effectively deal with the violators of the NEQS and the PEPA, 1997, as the EPA was not able to take legal action before introduction of the new law," the official observed.

"The EPA has prepared PC-1 for setting up a combined waste water treatment plant for the effluents of the Hayatabad industrial estate," the official said, adding that initially they faced problems, but the Town-III administration assured them of cooperation.




======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Dera Ghazi Khan Child Born with an exposed heart

Dera Ghazi Khan Child Born with an exposed heart
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local26.htm
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Nadeem Saeed

MULTAN, Dec 29: Aleena, aged 3, is a lively little girl from Dera Ghazi Khan, who is as joyful as any child of her age can be. But, she is living with the rare congenital anomaly of cleft sternum that has left her little heart and great vessels exposed to external trauma.

Pulsation of the heart and the great vessels can easily be seen through the gap, which is covered only by a thin layer of skin.

Her father, Farooq Laskani told Dawn that initially they thought that the gap at the middle of the rib cage would close with the passage of time. "But our worries increased with her age as the bulge of the heart became so conspicuous that I and her mother simply couldn't bear the sight of her bare chest."

They decided to consult the specialists at the Nishter Medical College and Hospital. They got Aleena examined by a thoracic surgeon of the NMC&H at a private hospital reportedly run by an official of the same institute.

After a complete round of tests, ultrasound, X-rays and echocardiography, she was diagnosed with cleft sternum (or fissure sterni). But, they were advised to get opinion of some consultants in Lahore also.

The paediatric cardiologists and thoracic surgeons of the provincial capital also confirmed the absence of sternum and advised immediate repair of the cleft. The NMC&H thoracic surgeon however told her parents that he would only do the job at the private hospital.

"We had exhausted our resources in diagnosis of the problem, and her treatment at a private hospital was out of our reach," Farooq said, adding: "Moreover, we learned that the NMC&H surgeon had no previous experience of handling such a rare congenital anomaly."

Recently, a couple of children from Dera with some heart ailments went to India for treatment. Their parents told Aleena's family that her treatment in the neighbouring country including the travel expenses would cost much less than the expenses to be incurred on the operation at a private hospital of Multan by an official doctor. "We are now exploring this avenue," Farooq said.

Cleft sternum is a rare congenital defect of the anterior chest wall and is the result of midline fusion failure. Prenatal diagnosis by ultra-sonography is possible.

Surgical correction should be performed during the neonatal period when direct suturing of the sternal halves is possible. At an older age, surgical repair is feasible, but due to the increased rigidity of the chest wall and physiologic accommodation of the thoracic organs to the accustomed circumference of the chest, it may require additional measures, such as sliding chondrotomies of the adjacent costal cartilage and notching of the sternal bars to facilitate approximation.

A number of methods for repair of cleft sternum have been reported, including primary approximation, sliding or rotating chondrotomies, and use of prosthetic grafts or flaps of bone, cartilage, autogenous tissue or Pectoralis Major muscle.

======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Uniform lab operations on environment urged

Uniform lab operations on environment urged
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local16.htm

By Our Staff Reporter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KARACHI, Dec 29: Experts on environmental issues have emphasized on adoption of uniform laboratory operations by various environmental planning and regulatory agencies of the government.

They were speaking at a two-day workshop on "Sampling/ Environmental Monitoring", on Monday, which was organized by the Institute of Environmental Studies, the University of Karachi, in collaboration with the Programme for Environmental Research and Training (PERT), Islamabad. The vice-chancellor of Karachi University, Dr Zafar Saied Saify, presided over the workshop.

The experts highlighted the importance of sample collections, analysis and compilation of related data in the field of environment. They noted that lack of coordination among various agencies and absence of any approved methodology were major hindrances in the production of any defensible and quality data.

Speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of the workshop, Sindh Secretary Environment Shujaat Ali Qarni stressed the need for developing research linkage among government agencies, industrial organizations and research institutions.

He expressed hope that the PERT workshop would contribute towards generation of mechanism and guidelines for implementation. He said that postgraduate research activities should be increased in the environment sector.

The director of KU's Institute of Environmental Studies, Dr Nayyar Alam Zaigham, said that the workshop was aimed at providing specialized training to the participants coming from academic and research organizations in the public sector.

He said that the methodology and guidelines discussed at the workshop would provide a base for unified approaches needed for accuracy in results while ascertaining the impact of environment degradation activities.

Dr Moazzam Ali Khan urged the national institutions to evolve and observe quality control programmes within them. He also deliberated on water quality parameters. He said quality assurance was a definite plan for laboratory operation that specified standard procedures to help producing data with defensible quality and reported results with a high level of confidence.

Dr Omm-e-Hani informed the participants about the methodology and equipment used at environmental microbiology laboratory. PERT Coordinator Dr Hashmi and Himad Naqi Khan of the World Wide Fund for Nature also spoke on the occasion.

======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

IT firms and experts offered assistance

IT firms and experts offered assistance
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local7.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Our Staff Reporter

KARACHI, Dec 29: Federal Information Technology Minister Awais Khan Leghari on Saturday offered to provide government help and resources to companies and individuals seeking to use IT, says a press release.

It quoted the minister as telling the audience at the 12th Undergraduate Convocation of the Military College of Signals, the National University of Science and Technology, "We are willing to finance any such project but with only one condition that the end product should involve applications produced entirely by the local software industry and it should be an open source based software, accessible to any other company and any individual in the country."

He said the IT ministry had set up a research and development fund with Rs1 billion in the Pakistan Telecommunication Company and the funding could be available to any company or individuals seeking to develop software, utilizing indigenous skills and resources.

He also invited the faculty of MCS and NUST to submit their research proposals to this fund and promised "if they meet the selection criteria, we will fund them to the fullest possible extent."

======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Sindh EPA Plans to Carry out studies to determine water quality of Karachi

Sindh EPA Plans to Carry out studies to determine water quality of Karachi
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local8.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KARACHI, Dec 29: The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency has planned to carry out studies for ascertaining the quality of water being consumed in Karachi and the interior of the province.

The SEPA has almost finalized five such plans, which are either at the stage of approval by the competent authority or waiting for the financing by government.

The proposed studies include monitoring of potable water quality in Karachi, water quality in the Indus and the water being supplied through K.B. Feeder Canal; ascertaining arsenic contamination in ground-water in the province and improving the industrial waste in Karachi.

SEPA officials said that the agency was approaching provincial government for financing the monitoring of drinking water quality in Karachi. The project has been proposed, as about eight people had died after consuming contaminated water in Muslimabad, Landhi and Memon Goth of Karachi.

To determine the pollution levels in drinking water, the SEPA has prepared PC-II. This study includes collection and analysis of water samples from treatment plant, filter plants, pumping stations and distribution network of water and sewerage board.

Another important project is proposed to monitor the quality of water being supplied to Karachi through K.B. Feeder Canal. It is pertinent to note that the industrial and domestic untreated waste-water of Hyderabad, Kotri and Nooriabad is being disposed into K.B. Feeder and the Keenjhar Lake, which are the main source of water supply for Karachi. This project would cost Rs0.65 million.

The officials said that the SEPA had completed the first phase of monitoring water quality of the Indus river while the second phase costing Rs11.6 million had been approved by the provincial development working party (PDWP).

However, the administrative approval is awaited for the proposed project, which would determine the pollutant substance in the river water to estimate the pollution load.

The project of improving industrial waste-water quality in Karachi is under consideration of the PDWP. The project would be sponsored by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under which a master plan would be designed by the Japanese consultants for improving the quality of waste-water in industrial areas of Karachi. After the detailed survey, a pilot treatment plant would be installed at Korangi Industrial Area.

The SEPA has prepared PC-II in consultation with the UNICEF to monitor ground-water in the province ascertaining the concentration of arsenic. The SEPA had approached the provincial government for funding the scheme, they added. -PPI

======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

JPMC to get Rs160m more for its projects

KARACHI: JPMC to get Rs160m more for its projects
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local1.htm

By Our Staff Reporter
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

KARACHI, Dec 29: In the budget for 2003-04, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) was awarded Rs200 million as developmental grant, making it one of the luckiest healthcare institutions.

Next year the hospital could repeat this feat provided its administration managed to formulate PC-Is, which could be approved, said the federal health minister on Monday.

Speaking as the chief guest at the 41st annual symposium of the JPMC, Ejaz Rahim said about Rs40 million had already been provided to the hospital for the up-gradation of its wards and departments. He said the approved schemes of the JPMC would be implemented as soon as possible.

Mr Rahim said the authorities had planned to increase the number of stipends reserved for postgraduate students. He was of the opinion that the institutions should constitute awards for good teachers and researchers.

The government planned to establish upgraded Tehsil-level healthcare centres, which would be specializing in trauma, women and child health, and mental health, said Mr Rahim. He expressed dismay that Jinnah hospital's Basic Sciences Medical Institute had several positions of assistant professors, which were vacant since long.

He reiterated his commitment to ensure basic health security needs of people across the country. He also underscored the need for proper understanding of individual and collective responsibilities on part of all country-men without any distinction.

"We need not only to realize our due rights, but also to make optimum advantage of opportunities provided and resources at our disposal," he said while referring to the varied projects initiated by the government, some of them quite unique and introduced only in Pakistan, during the last few years.

According to him, successful attempts had been made to make public health programme largely accessible to people and referred to house-to-house approach to intensify oral polio virus immunization campaign, Vitamin A supplementation schemes, inclusion of Hepatitis B in the Expanded Programme on Immunization, vaccination of more than 13 million women in child-bearing age, against Neonatal-Maternal Tetanus during the last three years, DOTS approach to tuberculosis, programme to contain HIV-AIDS besides ensuring safety of blood transfusion services.

Prof Musarrat Hussain said up to 12 per cent of the population suffered from mild to medium mental ailments. And one per cent of the population suffered from severe mental problems.

He was of the opinion that a national mental health institute should be established at the JPMC in collaboration with the ministry of health. He described at length how the psychiatrists and NGOs etc had joined hands in the formulation of the ordinance on mental health.

Justice (Retd) Dr Ghous Mohammad said the Lunacy Act of 1912 had a number of flaws and defects. The act was misused by the police and relatives of the vulnerable people, he said. However, he said, the chances of misuse of laws had been reduced after the promulgation of a new ordinance on mental health. But, there was still room for improvements in the new ordinance.

Prof Manzoor Ahmed proposed a study to determine the prevalence of mental diseases. He was of the opinion that healthcare centres should be given under the charge of the community and families.

"This is something, which has been tried out successfully in many parts of the world," he added. Prof Azhar Masood Farooqui of the National Institute of Cardio-Vascular Diseases, Prof Abdul Shakoor and Dr Anis Bhatti of the JPMC also spoke.




======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

People urged to consume food rich in Vitamin A

People urged to consume food rich in Vitamin A
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local5.htm

By Our Staff Reporter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KARACHI, Dec 29: Two surveys carried out about five years ago in the North West Frontier Province and Karachi suggested that up to 35 per cent of the Pakistani children suffered from Vitamin A deficiency.

The National Nutrition Survey carried out last year, on the other hand, indicated that the percentage of children suffering from Vitamin A deficiency was now 11 per cent.

This means that the only intervention vis-a-vis Vitamin A supplementation is paying dividends. However, there is a catch here. The government's Vitamin A supplementation initiative, in which doses of the vitamin are administered to the children as part of the National Immunization Drives (NIDs), is likely to be discontinued once polio is eradicated.

There is, therefore, a need for the people to change their dietary habits and use as much as possible foods rich in Vitamin A. These included vegetables having green leaves as well as fruits and vegetables that are either yellow or red in colour.

This was stated by some experts at a Vitamin A Advocacy meeting, organized by an NGO called Hope, in collaboration with the Unicef. They said deficiency of Vitamin could lead to night blindness, besides enhancement in vulnerability to all kinds of ailments.

Dr Mubina Agboatwalla, on the occasion, said between 100 and 140 million children were Vitamin A deficient. An estimated 250,000 to 500,000 children become blind due to this problem.

And 260 million children worldwide have some degree of Vitamin A deficiency. The impact of this single supplementation on childhood mortality was as great if not more than that of any one vaccine, and it cost only a couple of cents a dose, she said.

Dr Aisha Mehnaz of the Pakistan Paediatric Association said the deficiency led to decrease of a person's immunity. As a result, the children's vulnerability to diarrhoea, pneumonia and measles increases.

She spoke at length about the long-term and short-term strategies for combating Vitamin A deficiency. Prof D.S. Akram said the government was considering at least two options under which Vitamin A supplementation could continue after the discontinuation of the NIDs. She also dilated on the issue of breast feeding.

Ali Nawaz Sheikh said the health department was ready to hold mass awareness campaign on Vitamin A supplementation. Well-known sports and showbiz personalities - Samiullah, Anwar Maqsood and Shafi Mohammad Shah also spoke.

======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Sindh Govt to exploit IT talent, says Ibad

KARACHI: Govt to exploit IT talent, says Ibad
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/local6.htm
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KARACHI, Dec 29: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan has said that Pakistan, particularly Karachi, is rich in human resource and the government is paying full attention to its development to benefit out of the same.

He was speaking at a conference on "opportunities of investment in the IT sector," held by the Association of Pakistani Scientists and Engineers, North America, on Monday. Provincial IT Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, Irshad Ahmed Jilani, Khurshid Shah and others also spoke at the moot.

The governor said that government was concentrating on research for development of human resources and teaching centres were being established in varsities, with the cooperation of private sector.

He said that out put of private investment in the field of science and technology was encouraging, adding that besides foreign investment, the government was also laying emphasis on absorption of local experts within the country.

Dr Ibad said it had been decided to acquire the services of 300 such experts who would be paid a monthly emoluments of Rs200,000. He observed that though the amount might look small to the experts working in developed countries, yet, hopefully, they would accept this offer to contribute in national development.

He pointed out that in Sindh a well-equipped department was working for IT promotion and to link the government departments through modern technology. He informed that work was in progress to bring transparency in the revenue records and other related matters through IT.

Dr Ibad said that steps like improvement in law and order, availability of infrastructure, simplification of rules and regulations and to make them investment friendly were producing encouraging results. He told the conference that Karachi was emerging as an economic hub in the region. -APP

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TTS-teachers body to evolve joint strategy

TTS - teachers body to evolve joint strategy
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/nat29.htm

By Our Reporter
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 29: The Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations will meet in Peshawar on January 2 and 3 to evolve a joint strategy on Tenure Track System (TTS) and Model University Ordinance (MUO).

This was stated by an office-bearer of Quaid-i-Azam University's Academic Staff Association while talking to Dawn. He said the meeting had been called in the backdrop of the Higher Education Commission's recent active pursuance of public sector universities for the implementation of TTS and MUO.

The only thing the federation wants is a certain level of uniformity with special reference to the running of public sector universities, he said. Keeping in view the HEC's stand that it will invite every university administration separately to make these two documents acceptable, the federation has been forced to call a meeting to counter this move, he said.

So far, only the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, has introduced TTS, whereby teachers will be hired on contract basis with regular evaluation of their services.

Whereas, rest of the public-sector universities throughout the country have rejected the new service structure as well as the ordinance, asking the commission to review the documents with active consultation of the faculty concerned.

It's worth mentioning here that with the promulgation of the MUO, which envisaged administrative and financial autonomy for public sector universities, the federation launched a protest campaign against the law.

The federation took a joint stand against the new law, terming it as an ill-conceived document, aimed at privatizing public-sector universities in the country.

Responding to a question, the academic staff association office-bearer said it was irrational on the part of the HEC that instead of looking for some viable solution acceptable to all, it was pressurizing vice-chancellors.

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Geology Center's Lab to be Upgraded

Geology centre's labs to be upgraded
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/30/nat28.htm

By Our Reporter
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 29: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) will upgrade the laboratories of the National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, an official statement said.

The project aims at modernizing laboratories of the NCE, an institution of higher education in the field of Earth Sciences. It will help improve the research facilities at the institution in line with the demand of modern-day science and technology.

The main objectives of the project include provision of analytical and field facilities to the faculty and students of NCE in geology and Earth and Environmental Sciences.

The project will also facilitate scientists/geologists, professors, professionals and technocrats as well various institutions, organizations and agencies both in public and private sectors of the country. It will also benefit scientists of Islamic and friendly countries.

It will fully exploit the potential of the faculties and experts who lack access to modern analytical facilities. The upgradation of the laboratories will not only enhance the quality of education and research in this particular field, but also help improve the socio-economic condition of the country, the statement said.


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Monday, December 29, 2003

KRL detects 23 genes causing eye diseases

LAHORE: The Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL) has detected 23 genes among a total of 121 which have been known to cause eye diseases, KRL Chairman Dr Javed Ashraf Mirza declared on Friday at the 24th annual congress of the Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan (OSP) titled the Lahore Opthalmo 2003.

Dr Javed said the KRL did research on eye diseases and made wonderful progress. “We invite all those involved with this vital subject to avail the facilities of gene linkage analysis at the KRL. We must join hands to build a safe and secure future for our coming generations,” said the KRL chairman.

He said that with the help of a leading eye specialist, KRL experts carried out gene detection in families of congenital eye disorders like Retinitis, Pigmentose, Micro-ophthalmia and Keratoconus. “23 new genes, associated with these diseases, have been detected and confirmed in laboratories. The 23 genes are among the 121 genes detected throughout the worldwide,” he added.

He said the Biomedical and Genetic Engineering Division (BGED) of the KRL was one of five leading research centres in the world. Dr Mirza said the success had led the doctors and scientists at the KRL to carryout tests on the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) for numerous diseases. “As a result, many of Uveitis patients had been tested positive for HLA B-27. The patients with glaucoma are also being studied to find the association of the disease with any particular gene, he added. —Staff Report
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Friday, December 26, 2003

Exciting Sky Gazing Experiences, by Adnan Yazdani at LAST Astronomy Society

Courtesy Adnan Yazdani, member of LAST Astronomy Society:

AoA Everybody

Hope all of you are fine and having exciting time with astronomy in late December.
I wanted to share some exciting sky gazing experiences. Planets rule, they are high up. One can easily see four of them (Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter) in a span of 4 to 5 hours between 7 PM to 12 AM (yes, giant planet is high in east at 12).
Late December presents wonderful crescent moon and dazzling Venus conjunction (6 PM to 7 PM). Distance between them increasing with each passing night. Other worthwhile sight the lovely winter hexagon of bright stars Rigel-Aldebaran-Capella-Pullox-Procyon and Sirius, each star belonging to a different constellation. Amazingly early, at 8 PM this vast hexagon is visible in eastern skies.
Its hard to be out in biting chilly nights, so mother nature does care, good things are showing up early... :)

Regards & Clear Skies

Adnan


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Thursday, December 25, 2003

Leghari vows action against low standard IT institutions

Leghari vows action against low standard IT institutions
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Initially published in The Daily Times
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_25-12-2003_pg7_15

Staff Report

LAHORE: Some private information technology institutions are not giving absorbing stuff and the Ministry of Information Technology has written to the Higher Education Commission to form an accreditation council to put a check on such institutions, said Federal Communication and Information Technology Minister (C&IT) Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Wednesday.

The minister was speaking at the launching ceremony of a two-and-a-half years Urdu Localisation Project at the centre for research in Urdu language processing in the National University of Computer and Engineering Sciences (NUCES).

Mr Leghari said such projects would encourage people to use computer technology. “This will help bring IT revolution in Pakistan,” said the minister.

Mr Leghari said he was ready to provide private IT institutions and industries with financial support which begin such projects.

The minister expressed dissatisfaction on the performance of some private IT institutions. “According to reports, the number of such institutions is around 17 and they would be dealt with an iron hand,” he said and added the government was keen on promoting IT research.

To a question, he informed that the federal government would make a law on the problem hacking the IT field.

NUCES Dean Dr Ayub Alvi told reports that the project would especially help those who were not English literate. “The program will translate links from English into Urdu,” he said. A 50-member team including NUCES students, headed by Dr Sarmad Hussain, will complete the project with Rs 34 million by 2006. This is a government-sponsored project.


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Russians invited to explore engineering sector

Russians invited to explore engineering sector
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Initially Published in The Daily Times
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_25-12-2003_pg5_19

KARACHI: Liaquat Ali Jatoi, the minister for industries and production, has invited the Russian private sector to explore possibilities for revamping, modification of Pakistan’s heavy mechanical sector under joint ventures. He was talking to a Russian delegation of heavy mechanical industries led by Sergei V Vasiljev here Wednesday. Chairman Pakistan Steel Mills Col (Retd) Muhammad Afzal Khan, and chairman of the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) Syed Zahid Husain were also present on the occasion. The minister also invited the delegation to undertake study in this regard and visit heavy mechanical complex at Taxila, Pakistan Machine Tool Factory Karachi and Spinning Machine Company, Lahore. Mr Jatoi also invited Russian automobile manufacturers to start assembling of Russian-made cars in Pakistan as the country needs cheaper cars. —APP


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Institute of Handloom and Textile Technology in Multan Given Status of Engineering College

MULTAN: College being elevated to engineering institute
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Published initially in DAWN
http://www.dawn.com/2003/12/25/local32.htm

By A Correspondent

MULTAN, Dec 24: The local institute of handloom and textile technology is being given the status of an engineering college on the direction of the Punjab governor in order to impart higher education in the field to the youth of south Punjab.

Multan DCO Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhry stated this while presiding over a meeting here on Wednesday to discuss modalities to elevate the status of the institute that was established in 1997 with the funding of the Export Promotion Bureau.

Bahauddin Zakariya University vice-chancellor Dr Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry and industrialist and city tehsil nazim Mian Faisal Mukhtar were also present at the meeting held at the committee room of the DCO office.

The DCO said the governor, during his recent visit, had visited the institute and later on directed that it be made an engineering college to promote textile education in the area which was the second largest centre of textile industry in the province after Faisalabad.

He informed the meeting that the governor had directed to make the proposed Multan textile engineering college well-equipped with modern tools of education in textile sector.

It was decided that help would be sought from the All-Pakistan Textile Mills Association and All Pakistan Bedsheet and Upholstery Manufacturers Association to upgrade the institute. It was also further decided to seek guidance to prepare course syllabi of the proposed college from the College of Textile Engineering, Faisalabad.

The proposed textile college would be affiliated with the BZU. The principal of the institute, Sheikh Nazeer Ahmed, said a meeting of the board of trustees of the institute was scheduled to be held on Dec 26 and the matter of its uplift would be discussed in it.


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2 more cellular companies to be given licenses

2 more cellular companies to be given licenses
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Published in the Pakistan Link
http://www.pakistanlink.com/headlines/Dec03/23/10.html

ISLAMABAD (NNI): The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has decided to issue two more licenses to the mobile companies to provide quality services to the telecom consumers in March next.

This was stated by the Chairman PTA Mr. Shahzada Alam Malik while addressing a press conference in Islamabad today. He said the new licenses will be issued to the highest bidder. He said the three existing cellular operators have also requested to extend their licenses.

The Chairman PTA said the Paktel company is going to a GSM system and with the conversion of system, their telephone call rates will be reduced by twenty percent. He said mobile telephone density in the country is two percent at present and PTA is making efforts to increase this density upto eight percent during the next coming years.

He said level playing field will be provided to all mobile companies to extend cheaper telephone services and ensure service quality for the consumers. He said a proposal is under serious consideration with the government to reduce tax on mobile telephone connections upto one thousand rupees.

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IT a must to increase efficiency, quality of public services: Awais Leghari

IT a must to increase efficiency, quality of public services: Awais Leghari
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Published in the Pakistan Link
http://www.pakistanlink.com/headlines/Dec03/23/16.html

ISLAMABAD (NNI): Federal Minister for Information Technology Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari Tuesday called for using IT as a tool in improving the business process management in the public and private sector organizations to increase efficiency and the quality of services.

“If Pakistan is going to compete in the global markets, speed, efficiency and quality are vitally important,” he said in a speech to a seminar on Business Process Management organized by Ultimus Pakistan at a local hotel.

He maintained that it was very important for the public as well as private sector organizations to seriously consider the use of new technologies. “Indeed, when the Pakistan government, like governments everywhere, talks about ‘E-Government’, the purpose is to digitize, automate, and improve business processes,” he said, hoping the business process management (BPM) would become “a central component of our IT strategy in building an effective e-government”.

The minister said every organization in every country and in every industry had business processes that defined how the company interacts with its customers, supplier, employees and partners.

“These include things like order processing, document review processes, performance reviews, benefits, loan process, credit card applications and many others. In many cases the quality and speed of these business processes determines the success of the company,” he said, hoping the BPM software such as that provided by Ultimus would provide the tools to model, automate, manage and optimize these business processes over their life cycle. He said by BPM, organizations could also reduce the cost as well as the response time to their customers.

Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari noted that while business processes were prevalent in all companies and government offices in Pakistan, “these processes rely mainly on the use of people with every office in Pakistan full of a large number of clerks and a tremendous amount of files and paperwork”.

He invited the Ultimus, co-founded by a Pakistani, to use the Ministry of Information Technology as a test-bed on which to try out the applicability of their software in a Pakistani government setting.

“We would be very happy to act as the pilot site for their product and if the experiment works, we could then replicate this solution in the other ministries,” he said.

He observed that the government departments were too dependent on the skill of the people to manage the sheer volume of workload. “While this does create employment for a large number of people, we suffer from the fact that we cannot respond quickly to our customers,” he added.

He said he was happy to learn that Ultimus was donating US $400,000 worth of Ultimus BPM software to the GIK Institute for their internal use. “This is another excellent example of a Pakistani software company helping a leading educational institute,” he said, describing the initiative a win-win deal because Ultimus was obviously hiring a good number of graduates from GIK Institute.

He also commended Ultimus for offering an Ultimus Scholarship that covers full cost of education for a student in every undergraduate class at the GIK Institute. “This partnership between Ultimus and GIK Institute is an excellent example of how industries and educational institutions can work together for the long-term success of Pakistan in the IT sector,” he said.

The minister thanked the management and employees of Ultimus for making the workshop a success and pledged the government would continue to do its best to foster success stories such as this with other Pakistani companies.

Giving demonstration of the products and processes developed by his company, Ultimus chief executive officer Rashid Khan said that due to its growth and success, Ultimus had demonstrated that it was an excellent model for software companies wishing to leverage the talent of the abundant human resources in Pakistan.

“Unlike many other companies in Pakistan who rely upon selling services for project-based software development or call centers, Ultimus uses its software development team based in Rawalpindi to develop a world-class software product,” he said.

He said “Ultimus’ product business is not dependent on the whims of companies overseas wishing to outsource their development, and who have many countries to choose from”.

“Instead, Ultimus uses its worldwide sales and marketing team to promote and sell its BPM solutions,” he said, adding “the company uses its Pakistani facility not only for software development but also to provide customer support, professional services and web development in order to support its global business”.

He told the audience Ultimus started from two developers in 1994 and so far has successfully grown its staff to 55 developers in Pakistan. “I am pleased to inform you that Ultimus has announced plans to double and expand to over 100 developers in Pakistan in 2004 and the company is well on its way to become a leading player in the Pakistani IT community.”

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Muslims should give full attention to science, technology: Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf has said that the Muslims should give fullest attention to progress in science and technology to face the challenges of the time.

Addressing the general assembly of the Comstech on Thursday Musharraf said the Muslims could face the challenges only by progress in the fields of science, technology and higher education. The Muslim world is not devoid of financial resources and talent only effective strategy is needed for their optimum use, he said.

He called upon the OIC member countries to allocate maximum funds for rapid development in the fields of the science and technology.


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Saturday, December 13, 2003

Web News From the Physics Today, a publication by the American Institute of Physics

Web News From the Physics Today, a publication by the American Institute of Physics
(Source: http://www.physicstoday.org/vol-56/iss-12/p40a.shtml

Shaw
Chinese science prize. China now has its first seven-figure science prize. Hong Kong-based billionaire Run Run Shaw has established three $1 million prizes to be awarded annually to scientists in astronomy, mathematics, and life and medical sciences. The prizes will recognize breakthroughs "in academic and scientific research or applications, and [researchers] whose work has resulted in a positive and profound impact on mankind."

The first of the Shaw Prizes will be awarded in June 2004, and "it is possible, and probable, that we may include prizes in other fields in the future," says Koon-Fai Chor, secretary general of the Shaw Prize Foundation, which administers the awards.

"Societal progress has always depended on the tireless efforts of men and women of great talent," he says. "The Shaw Prize is established as a tribute to these pioneers and an encouragement to men and women dedicated to the advancement of civilization." Further information can be found at http://www.shawprize.org. pkg

Physics server adds biology. One of the oldest and most popular physics preprint servers has created a new section for quantitative biology at http://arXiv.org/archive/q-bio. Before arXiv.org launched q-bio, roughly 40 submissions per month were related to biology. Those papers were split between the existing physics, computer science, nonlinear sciences, and mathematics subdisciplines hosted by arXiv.org. Since the launch of q-bio--which incorporates the existing biological content in the archive-biology-related submissions have increased by a factor of two, says arXiv.org founder Paul Ginsparg of Cornell University.

The drive to create the new preprint section came from pressure within the quantitative biology community to have a centralized archive to share their results, say q-bio coordinators Terry Hwa of the University of California, San Diego, and Michael Lässig of the University of Cologne in Germany. "The hope is that concentrating them in one place will facilitate the growth of this community and perhaps attract readers and ultimately submitters from conventional areas of biology," adds Ginsparg. pkg

History prize honors Pais. The American Physical Society and the American Institute of Physics have established the Abraham Pais Award for the History of Physics. The award will be bestowed annually in recognition of "outstanding scholarly achievements in the history of physics." Open to scholars worldwide, the award will be shared by up to three people in any given year. Winners will split the $5000 purse and receive travel funds to deliver an invited talk at an APS meeting.


Pais
A renowned theoretical particle physicist and historian of physics, Pais is best known among historians for his book, Subtle is the Lord: The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein (American Philological Association, 1982), which won the 1983 American Book Award in Science. Pais died in 2000 (see the obituary in Physics Today, May 2001, page 79).

The first Pais award will be announced in 2005. Nominations are due by 1 May 2004. For additional information, see http://www.aps.org/units/fhp/pais. tf


Reprinted From Physics Today, http://www.physicsroday.org
Copyright 2003 American Institute of Physics





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A scientist who made dreams come true

A scientist who made dreams come true
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/science/science6.htm
By Akhtar Mahmud Faruqui

It was a sultry summer afternoon. The venue: a posh locality in Karachi. The period: sometime before a train of tragic events divided East and West Pakistan. The audience was of mixed extraction and the mood hushed but excited.

The speaker was vividly articulate. His eloquent King's English seemed to fill the spacious room and beyond to hold the entranced gathering in a state of awe. The expressions on the handsome face changed, now lit up with a smile on a cheerful prospect, now blighted with anguish on a dismal review of events. But the messagewas clear - promotion of science - and spelled out with unwavering conviction.

Present in the gathering were quite a few heavyweights: Dr Amir Mohammad who later became minister for agriculture under General Zia; Dr Naeem Ahmad Khan who was to assume the responsibility of Chairman, PCSIR; Dr Ishfaq Ahmad who headed the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission with distinction; and Dr Abdul Mateen Chaudhry who became vice-chancellor of Dhaka University after the emergence of Bangladesh.

Suddenly, introspection gave way to retrospection. What factors precipitated the decline of Muslim science? The audience sat spellbound as the question was probed with cold logic. Exuding ideas, the captivating mortal appeared as dynamism personified.

His demeanor and deportment betrayed his background - an ICS who had opted for Pakistan, and, earlier, one of the youngest physicists to obtain his PhD from the University of London under Nobel Laureate G. P. Thomson.

Such was the man called DrI. H. Usmani who left hundreds of scientists, engineers and science enthusiasts orphaned as he passed away in Karachi on June 17, 1992.

Despite his headstrong ways, his commitment to the cause of science promotion was infectious and uncompromising - to be shared in life, and to be cherished after death.

Not surprisingly, his lieutenants made their mark in their respective fields. They shared his zest to strive for the quintessence of excellence.

What made the late Dr I. H. Usmani a giant among his contemporaries men of accomplishment? First, it was his vision that was too expansive for any canvas. Induction of nuclear power - beginning with Kanupp - in a developing country often disparaged for its bullock-cart image was truly the work of a visionary. His other singular attribute was his extraordinary perspicacity to produce time-marked results. The third distinguishing trait was his consummate devotion marked by his rough and tough ways. He worked late into the evenings, raising the pulse-beat of his lieutenants with peremptory commands and demanding schedules.

A perfectionist to the core, he strove for a better-than-the-best standards. Pinstech (Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nilore, Islamabad) is a living testimony to that vision. Described as 'best of both the worlds' by the Time magazine, the research center was conceived with rich imagination. It would make the Mughal emperors who had built the Taj Mahal "rub their eyes in wonderment" if they were alive today! No mean compliment by Time.

Another admirable trait was his inspirational leadership which fired the 500 researchers trained by him at the PhD/MS level with an ardent passion to give off their best. In 1965, PARR, the 5 MW research reactor at Pinstech, attained criticality heralding Pakistan'sappearance on the nuclear map. Six years later, Kanupp was successfully commissionedmarking Pakistan's entry in the nuclear age as the second developing - and the only Muslim - country to draw energy from the heart of the atom. The visionary's dream had partly come true.

Yet the going was tough: the work ethics conformed to a stringent pattern of discipline which ensured that meritwas rewarded, mediocrity discarded, run-of-the-mill ignored, and casual attitudes shunned. Stinkers would be quickly registered and words of appreciation duly recorded on files and documents.

Dr Usmani seemed to act as a catalyst to galvanize talent and had an eye for all that transpired within the four walls of the Commission. His attention would not spare such trivialities as a newspaper supplement's layout or the architectural pattern of the overhead water tank at the Tandojam Agricultural Research Centre while he attended to the more crucial and pressing issues. The most important and the least important appeared equally weighty. Each was his creation, each was a work of perfection.

With such deep involvement he became too endearing to the corps of scientists and engineers who began to look up to him as their patron saint, father, mentor, and guide.He, in turn, prided on the technical corps that he had raised and which he regarded as a potent catalyst for change, Pakistan's passport to all-round progress. The science divide, he often argued, accounted for economic disparities between the haves and the have-nots. Science needed to be nurtured to bridge the yawning gap between the North and the South. He championed its cause and clamored for a Scientific Service, parallel to the Civil Service of Pakistan.

No wonder, in life as well as in death, he remained a deeply endeared man. On the tragic day of June 17, Dr N M Butt dashed from Pinstech to Karachi. His compelling urge to reach the funeral procession on time was writ large on his face. The benumbed eyes brimmed with deep sorrow as he waded through the maze of cars.

From 1,000 miles away, came another reminder of undying affection: "I on behalf of my colleagues and on my own behalf would like to express our profound shock and grief at the side demise of Dr I. H. Usmani, an ardent pursuer of science and technology...We gratefully remember his immense contribution and admirable leadership for the development of science and technology, particularly for the peaceful applications of atomic energy..." - Dr M. A. Mannan, Chairman, Bangladesh AEC.

Dr Usmani prided on being "a son of the ideology of Pakistan."The centres he established were located across the length and breadth of the country- along the Cox's Bazar beach, Mymensingh, Chittagong, Dacca, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Tandojam, Multan, DG Khan,Faisalabad, and many more.

Dr Usmani was extremely witty and sharp-tongued. His gutsy outbursts, self-destructive at times, were a reminder of H. G. Wells' guiding principle in life: "If you want to do something, do it and damn the consequences." In Dr Usmani's case, 'say' seemed to have been replaced by 'do.' He minced no words and called a spade a spade.

Thus, at one of the functions he rattled the chief guest, the then minister for science, commerce, and tribal affairs, with the cutting remark: "We are happy that he (President) has entrusted the task of fostering the cause of science to you, Sir, as commerce minister, but we are unhappy also because commerce has nothing to do with science.... We do not want to share our ministry with commerce and our secretariat with tribal affairs...."

On another occasion, he took the Scientific Society of Pakistan to task for its Persianization of Urdu. "Agar basic English ko raaij karnay ki koshish kee jarahi hay to ham sada Urdu ki muhim kyun naa shuroo karain?...Hamain to yeh chahiay keh jis zaban sae matlab asani say ada ho jaey usay Urdu main jagah dain aur apna kaam chalaaen. Hamain kya pari hay keh Arabi aur Farsi kee awraq gardani kartay phirain aur kisi European ya Angrezi zaban kay lafzon par khwamakhwa bandishain lagaaen..."He strongly supported the adoption of English scientific terms in Urdu.

His speeches were a work of erudition. A sampling: "Among the school-goers, the top of the ladder is occupied by those sons and daughters of sahibs and begums who speak English better than their mother tongue, who know the names of the wives of Henry the Eighth but not the names of our caliphs; who have read Shakespeare but not Iqbal. They are ill at ease attending a qawwali, a mushaira. . . .

Poet Akbar Allahbadi lamented thus:

Kon kehta hay na parh, aql na seekh
Kon kehta hay na kar hasrat-i-London paida
Bas yeh kehta hoon keh mulk kay ma'anay na bhool
Rah-i-qaumi ka too khud na ho rahzan paida

And now an intimately time-related observation: "If you look at our school-going generations, you will find yourselves looking into a colorful kaleidoscope with a confusing variety of patterns. The pattern which you may find most colourless and blank is, of course, the one that relates to technical and vocational education. While at school our boys and girls learn no trade, or vocation with the result that they do not acquire confidence in themselves and in the dignity of labor.

After the schooling is over, there are no institutions to train them in such trades and skills as pottery making, tailoring, plumbing, printing, industrial designing, metal-working, glass-blowing, woodwork, poultry raising, tool-making, electrical and mechanical fitting, food preserving and a hundred and one other vocations for which there is, and should be, an insatiable demand in a developing country like Pakistan..."

With such undiluted perspicacity, it was not surprising that both nationally and internationally, Dr Usmani made his name. He stood out among the Science Ministers who had converged at Trieste, Italy, at the invitation of Nobel Laureate Professor Abdus Salam in late-1988. Despite visible signs of aging, he seemed to outshine others. As I watched him mesmerize the distinguished assemblage with his address, memories of yesteryear returned.

A host of outstanding men of science such as Prof Hans Bethe, aneminent personage among Nobel Laureates; Walker Cisler, President, World Energy Conferencewho electrified post-World War II Europe; and many morehad visited Pakistan to find more than a match inthe person of Dr IH Usmani.

As Chairman of the IAEA Board of Governors, and later, as Energy Adviser to the UN Secretary General, his performance won superlatives.

Dr Usmani is dead but the centers he has established would live. And so would his memories, his contributions, and his infectious zest. His lieutenants would reach new milestones on the road that he painstakingly, nay, tenaciously, carved out for them.

The writer afaruqui@pakistanlink.com is editor of Pakistan Link, most widely circulated Pakistani newspaper in the United States, and the former Principal PRO of PAEC.

======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Thursday, December 11, 2003

Science of Chaos Seminar

KHWARZIMIC IN 2003: Want to lead a seminar? Want to propose a speaker?
Please contact us at info@khwarzimic.org.

Dear Member / Subscriber
Assalam-o-alaikum

This is to inform all our members and well-wishers of the seminar
on 'Science of Chaos' by Dr. Tariq Abdullah. This seminar is taking
place at Conference Room, COMSATS Institute of Information
Technology, Lahore. The programme of the seminar is as under:

Science of Chaos by Dr. Tariq Abdullah 1430 HRS
on 15th December, 2003 (Monday)

The details are also published at our web portal
http://www.khwarzimic.org/

Speaker's Profile
Dr. Tariq Abdullah is a Professor of Physics in the Center for Solid
State
Physics (CSSP) at Punjab University. He completed his undergraduate
degree
in Physics from London University (1968) and his PhD from the
Department of
Theoretical Physics at Oxford University (1972). He has been an
Associate
member (1988-93) of the Abdus Salam International Center for
Theoretical
Physics (ICTP) at Trieste, Italy. He joined the CSSP in 1973 and has
worked
in the fields of Elementary Particle Physics, Solid State Physics,
Plasma
Physics and Non Linear Physics. His current research interests are in
the
fields of chaotic dynamics and solitons and non-linear wave
propagation.

Hopes to see you there in the seminar;
Shahab Ahmed and Executive Committee


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---------------------------------------
Khwarzimic Science Society
Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics
Punjab University
Quaid-e-Azam Campus
Lahore 54590
Pakistan

Ph: (0) 92 42 9231136, 5110249
Fx: (0) 92 42 9231139




======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Wednesday, December 10, 2003

Anouncements: Upcoming Confrences and Seminars in Pakistan

HWARZIMIC IN 2003: Want to lead a seminar? Want to propose a speaker?
Please contact us at info@khwarzimic.org.

Dear Member / Subscriber
Assalam-o-alaikum

The Khwarzimic Science Society finds great pleasure in announcing a
couple of near-future conferences taking place inside Pakistan.

*******************************************
APSENA (Association of Pakistani Scientists and Engineers of North
America) 9th Biennial Conference in Pakistan
Dec 22-23 Islamabad, Dec 27 Karachi

For details:
Tariq M. Khan, President APSENA President@apsena.org
http://www.apsena.org
*******************************************

International Workshop on Frontiers of Information Technology
December 23-24, Islamabad

For details:
http://multimedia.ece.uic.edu/IT_workshop/
*******************************************

Best regards
Muhammad Sabieh Anwar
Joint Secretary

This is a distribution message from the Khwarzimic Science Society. All
postings are moderated. To subscribe to this list, send an email to
khwarzimic-request@spunge.org, with the word "subscribe" in the message
body. To unsubscribe, send an email to majordomo@lists.spunge.org with
"unsubscribe khwarzimic" in the message body.
---------------------------------------
Khwarzimic Science Society
Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics
Punjab University
Quaid-e-Azam Campus
Lahore 54590
Pakistan

Ph: (0) 92 42 9231136, 5110249
Fx: (0) 92 42 9231139


======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

Saturday, December 06, 2003

A dam perspective

A dam perspective


By F.H. Mughal

Dams have had a far more adverse effect on the environment than previously thought. Can we reverse this adversity?

According to a report of the World Commission on Dams (WCD), Dams and Development: A New Framework for Decision-Making, 2000, less than 2.5 per cent of water is fresh, less than 33 per cent of fresh water is fluid and, less than 1.7 per cent of fluid water runs in stream. However, mankind have dammed half of world's rivers at a rate of one per hour and, at unprecedented scales of over 45,000 dams (as of 2000), more than four stories high.

The aggregate storage capacity of large dams, based on dam design, is about 6,000 cubic kilometres (cukm). Assuming that half the design storage is achieved in reality, the aggregate real storage capacity of large dams globally is similar to total freshwater withdrawals estimated at around 3,800 cu km.

While, dams have made significant contribution to the development, they have altered river regimes; their ecosystem and have deprived local riparian settlers of benefits, which they have been receiving. Environmental impacts and, impacts on people clearly outweigh the benefits provided by dams. Global estimates suggest that, the magnitude of impacts include some 40 to 80 million people displaced by dams, while 60 per cent of the world's rivers have been affected by dams and diversions.

There has been limited success in countering the impacts of the ecosystem. This is due to a number of reasons, including lack of attention to anticipating and avoiding impacts and poor quality and uncertainty of predictions. Failure to assess the range of potential negative impacts and inadequate implementation of mitigation, resettlement and development programmes for the displaced and, the failure to account for impacts on downstream livelihoods, have lead to impoverishment and suffering of millions.

According to the International Rivers Network (IRN), more than 400,000 square kilometres (sq km), have been inundated by reservoirs worldwide.

A 1990 internal survey of the World Bank hydroelectric dam projects, showed that 58 per cent were planned and built without any consideration of downstream impacts, even when these impacts could be predicted to cause massive coastal erosion, pollution and other problems.

In view of large-scale problems and risks, associated with large dams, the current trend is towards the decommissioning of large dams.

China, United States, India, Spain and Japan are the top five dam building countries that account for nearly 80 per cent of all large dams worldwide.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: An important impact of large dams is the fragmentation of rivers. According to the World Resource Institute, one large dam modified 46 per cent of the world's 106 primary watersheds.

Among the factors that impact the riverine ecosystems, dams are by far the main threats to the riverine ecosystems, fragmenting and transforming aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, with a range of effects that vary in duration, scale and degree of reversibility.

In case of Sindh, construction of storage reservoirs and increased water withdrawal upstream, have adversely affected the ecology of riverine areas downstream of Kotri barrage. Sea intrusion has occurred to a large extent; mangroves population has been badly affected; there is increase in average groundwater salinity; soil erosion has occurred; lands have been rendered unfertile; fishermen have been rendered jobless and; people's livelihood has been affected due to significant economic losses.

Dams retain sediments on their upstream side, especially the heavy gravel and cobbles. The river, which looses its sediment load, seeks to recapture it by eroding the downstream banks, undermining bridges and other river structures. Within nine years of closing, the riverbed below Hoover Dam in the US had lowered by more than four meters. Riverbed deepening will also lower the groundwater table along a river, threatening vegetation and local wells in the floodplain and requiring crop irrigation in places where there was previously no need. The depletion of riverbed gravels reduces habitat for many fish that spawn in the gravelly bottom and, for the invertebrates such as insects, mollusks and crustaceans.Dams and river diversions have wiped out vital habitat, decimating fish populations and have pushed numerous aquatic species to the brink of extinction.

In the Colorado River Delta, flow diversion caused severe environmental consequences. Today, the delta is a desiccated place of mud-cracked earth, salt flats and murky pools.

In the Nile River basin, the Aswan High Dam has greatly altered the river system. Out of 47 commercial fish species in the Nile prior to the dam's construction, only 17 were still harvested a decade after its completion. The annual sardine harvest in the eastern Mediterranean dropped by 83 per cent, likely a side-effect of the reduction in nutrient-rich silt entering that part of the sea.

A significant impact of large dams is the displacement of large populations, who thrived on downstream riverine resources. The loss of access to natural resources of riverine communities and, uprooting of their heritage has profound economic, social and cultural impacts on them.

The construction of large dams has led to the displacement of some 40 to 80 million people worldwide. Many of them have not been resettled or received adequate compensation. Between 1986 and 1993, an estimated four million people were displaced annually by an average of 300 large dams starting construction each year.

Dams are notorious in increasing the population of vector-borne diseases. In case of Aswan Dam, dramatic increases in snail's population lead to the propagation of schistosomiasis.

Water resources development in the Senegal River Basin has resulted in epidemics of bilharzias (schistosomiasis) and rift valley fever in areas that had previously been unaffected by the depilating diseases. Malaria cases have proliferated as mosquito vectors found many new breeding sites.

In China, a high degree of primary liver cancer has been linked to the presence of cyanobacterial toxins in drinking-water. Bacteria feeding on the rotting biomass in reservoirs transforms the naturally-present, harmless mercury to methyl-mercury, which is harmful for the central nervous system.

Although, it has now become very difficult to build destructive river projects in the US and many other dammed countries, the dam proponents and financial institutions continue to export this obsolete technology, much in the same way the chemical industry continued to export pesticides long after they had been banned in the county of origin. At dam conferences, the talk these days always centers around finding fresh markets to exploit and new ways to sell dams to skeptical public.

REAL WORLD EXAMPLES: Prior to the construction of Aswan Dam, the Nile River carried about 124 million tons of sediment to the sea each year, depositing nearly 10 million tons on the floodplain and delta. Today, 98 per cent of that sediment remains behind the dam. The result has been a drop in soil productivity and depth, among other serious changes to Egypt's floodplain agriculture. The Aswan Dam has also led to serious coastal erosion, another problem stemming from the loss of sediments in a dammed river.

Along the mouth of the Volta River in Ghana, Akosombo Dam has cut off the supply of sediment to the Volta Estuary, affecting also neighbouring Togo and Benin. Their coasts are now being eaten away at a rate of 10-15 meters per year. A project to strengthen the Togo coast has cost US$3.5 million for each kilometre protected.

Since the 1950s, people in the area of the Aral Sea have been trying hard to increase the irrigated agricultural production. This drive has been the root-cause of turning the Aral Sea region into the largest ecological disaster.

In 1957, the Aral Sea had 1,075 cu km, with surface area of 66,085 sq km and, a mean sea level of 53 meters. An annual inflow of water of 56 cu km from the Amy-Darya and, another five cu km of atmospheric precipitation, maintained the water balance of the Aral Sea.

Unhindered development of the irrigated agriculture took place, in the last over three decades that followed. This resulted in a rapid decline in the annual flow of waters from the Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya to the sea. In some years, the water of Amu-Darya did not even reach the seashore.

In 1990, a total of seven million hectares in the Aral area were irrigated. Annual water withdrawals were 60 cu km and 45 cu km from Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya, respectively. As a result, the Aral Sea began to shrink. The water level of the sea fell by 14 meters. Its area shrunk by more than 40 per cent and its volume decreased by more than 60 per cent in 30 years. In 1989, the sea receded into two separate portions.

The level of the southern Greater Sea stood at 38.6 meters. Together, the two water bodies covered an area of 36,500 sq km, with 330 cu km volume of water. The average salinity of the water increased from nine per cent in 1957 to 30 per cent in 1989.

All these actions lead to a trail of adverse environmental impacts. Most of the 20 species of fish, which the sea originally had, died due to declining food, increase in water salinity and, drying-up of shallow spawning areas.

The exposed seabed of the Aral Sea has become a source of large dust storms, blowing up to 75,000 tons of dust each year from the saline solonchak soils. Deposition of this salty material on the irrigated cropland of the delta, has badly affected the crop and soil yields. Massive use of toxic chemical pesticides has affected the drinking-water supplies. The incidence of diseases, like typhoid and hepatitis, has increased, due to unsound water management practices.

The case history of Aral Sea clearly shows, how just one mistake in the implementation of irrational water resource development project, can lead to a chain of unmitigated ecological and environmental disasters.


======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================

From sehri to bhangra blast at MIT

From sehri to bhangra blast at MIT


By Anjum Niaz

MIT has none of the classical elegance of Harvard's age-old snobbery. Instead, its relatively new universe is encapsulated in the 'Infinite Corridor', ranking MIT as one of the top schools in the US.

On this Indian summer day - so languorously porous that the geeks at the mighty MIT swarming the outdoors can give a casual visitor the wrong kind of ideas about their intellectual machismo and superior genes that has to date produced 57 Nobel laureates alone - brown faces, the whites seem to be missing, dot the brilliance of the academic landscape.

On this fun afternoon, the girls - svelte and mostly Indian, float past in pencil high heels and sexy ethnic wear fashioned on the boutiques of Bollywood rather than the mass produced clothier giants of America. And the men, some of them Sikh lads, saunter across arm-in-arm with their significant other, speaking with a twang yet donning unmistakable Indian raiment. They are the American-born desis.

My desperate eye searches for a Pakistani face. But none is there - or so I think. As if mesmerized by the swirl of colour and activity around, I heedlessly follow the herd, ending up in front of the auditorium only to find that there is a 'Bhangra blast' being sponsored by the MIT Indian student body.

Hunkered down are a group of four young idlers sitting on the sidelines just enjoying the tamasha, they catch my eye for they certainly are not part of the circus. And how? Heavens! You can tell that 'Made in India' look from miles apart. They have lugged their wardrobes with them. The accent, not to miss the get-up is so un-American. But their IQ has brought them here.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology - mere miles away from Harvard in Cambridge, has none of the pizzazz, nor the classical elegance of Harvard's age-old snobbery. Instead, its relatively new universe is encapsulated in the "Infinite Corridor" as it is called that houses ground-breaking laboratories of innovation, ranking MIT as one of the top schools in math, physics, economics and computer science.

Eventually, I run into Sana Mirza. With a hijab, she's got to be Pakistani, I intuit. "Oh, you should have come to our sehri event, we served halwa puri, chatpatay cholay, omelettes and parathay and chai," she immediately enthuses when I talk of the Bhangra bash and wonder where the Pakistani student body is. "We're pretty active here."

Bubbling with pride, she walks me to the new computer science building where she studies. "It's fantastic, isn't it? As if an earthquake has hit it!" I just stare at the folded facade crumpled with blue and yellow and what have you. The architecture is curiously bizarre but beauty, I guess, lies in the eye of the beholder."MIT is very open and welcomes anybody who cares to come in and look around its campus," says Jahanzeb Noor, another Pakistani.

That's so correct! I have been roaming the "Infinite Corridor" for an hour, peeping into the mysterious glass rooms that seize my fancy, stopped and gawked at students working with glass tubes or navigating the mouse on their monitors, no one wondered what I am on to. This feeling of freedom - academic, social and communal - is what makes Jahanzeb, 21, declare that "truly, MIT is the best!"

Adeem Usman, former president of PAKSMIT (Pakistani Students' Society at MIT) has worked hard to keep their identity separate from the Indians despite being hugely outnumbered. "After 9/11, we had to present a positive view of Pakistan on the campus. Our best effort was to organize a Pakistan Week, a first in MIT's history!"

As for academic excellence: "Pakistanis have, masha-Allah outperformed their peers from other countries. Many have graduated with straight-A GPAs (grade point average) Bottom of Form 0 and have ranked top of their class." Despite the "tortuous requirements of MIT course work and schedule" he opines, "I guess the lot that ends up at MIT has a mindset that thrives under such challenges."

But he would like more of his compatriots to come here. The reason they don't: "Apart from the obvious shortcomings in our education system, there's a lack of both awareness (about available higher-education opportunities in US) and suitable guidance (on application process to prestigious US universities) to students back home."

It was one year ago when MIT took the unprecedented plunge into baring itself to the world! It opened up its doors to anyone with a computer and with a vicarious interest to become a voyeur and travel through cyberspace and enter any classroom, examine any research, hear any teacher's instruction that till a year ago was the sole prerogative of on-the-ground student at MIT. The verisimilitude of academic pursuits can now blaze wondrous trails, leading to a treasure trove for those - even in the boondocks of Pakistan - who can virtually make MIT their altar of higher learning.

MIT Open Course Ware (OCW) makes the course materials that are used in the teaching of almost all MIT's undergraduate and graduate subjects - 500 in all! - available on the Web, free of charge, to any user anywhere in the world - to educators, students and self-learners alike. "This initiative continues the tradition at MIT, and in American higher education, of open dissemination of educational materials, philosophy and modes of thought, and will help lead to fundamental changes in the way colleges and universities utilize the Web as a vehicle for education," says its president.

"The big bang in the knowledge universe" - that's the name given to the distance/e-learning environment. MIT's values of excellence, innovation and leadership has pulled Phil Reeves, a Brit, to hang around for the last seven years doing research, as has the three French doctoral students whom I meet. Grudgingly they concede: "France is nowhere close to what MIT is doing."

Pakistan, too, has hit the honour roll with Zeeshan Hassan Syed bagging the prize for the 'Best Master's Thesis at MIT', and becoming one of the few in MIT's history to simultaneously win the 'Best Research Award', besides the 'Technovators Award' for the most outstanding innovator in computer science!

Asfandyar Qureshi has received a commendation for his performance in the introductory computer science class at MIT, "one of the toughest courses around". Nominated by Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu for membership, he's scheduled to once again graduate a year ahead of his class, while maintaining a near-perfect GPA.

And Sarfraz Khurshid: Selected for the NASA Ames Summer Research Programme, he received the Distinguished Paper Award by ACM (Association of Computing Machinery) - one of the world's leading computer societies. "He has been offered faculty positions at both UT Austin and Imperial College, UK," I am duly informed.

"We continue to hope that in the near future, a Pakistani may do us proud by becoming part of the faculty at MIT," concludes Adeem.

But back at the "Infinite Corridor" I skim a labyrinth of notices pinned carelessly in varying colours and sagely hiss to myself that the next sea change that MIT will experience will be courtesy the Indian diaspora! Last month alone, MIT gyrated to the Natyanjali classical dance; sang to "Hindustani Vocal" made up of gaana bajana; round-tabled the 'Asian diasporas and new transnational cultures'; heard filmmaker Mira Nair; crooned to the saffron-robed tilak Mithas players of saxophone, violin and thavil; and even heard Pulitzer awardee Jhumpa Lahiri talk of her new book, The Namesake.

As I leave New England to return home, I scour my copy of the USA Today and bang there is the graph that shows countries with the highest number of students coming to the US.

First on the list is India - 74,600 this year alone!

I could have told you that without even reading the news item: The fidelity of the naked eye versus number crunching is still the truest.





======================================================
Copyright C. 2002 - 2004
Pakistan Science and Engineering Forum (R)
"Kindling the Flame of Science in Pakistan (TM)"
PakSEF (TM) Daily Science News Update
=====================================================