Nustnews Volume-Ii / Issue-Iv October-December 2011
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER NUSTNEWS VOLUME-II / ISSUE-IV OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2011 Int’l training workshop on Flood Warning & Management 10 IEEE Student Congress in New Zealand 08 Meet the Scientist: Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad 12 Paragliding Training Course 30 INSIDE HIGHLIGHTS PAGE 03 01 CO-CURICULARS CORNER PAGE 27 04 VISITS PAGE 14 02 SPORTS NEWS PAGE 31 05 UPDATES FROM SCHOOLS PAGE 17 03 ACHIEVEMENTS PAGE 33 06 The last quarter of 2011 has been rewarding for the entire NUST community: students continued bringing laurels to the University; graduates passed out in graceful convocation ceremonies; international conferences on emerging issues held; and linkages with the world’s top-notch universities progressively flourished, needless to mention the unstinting support of NUST management and hard work of both faculty and students. Though each and every endeavour at NUST reflects rational exuberance for making a difference, the successful culmination of first ever Prime Minister’s Entrepreneurial Challenge in October was a great achievement. The event, to be held annually under the direct support of the government stakeholders including MoST and HEC, kindles hope for economic resurrection of the country through the promotion of entrepreneurial culture. At a time of sheer financial meltdown, NUST has been a vibrant force in pursuing HEC’s vision of attaining prosperity through building knowledge-based economy; the initiative EDITORIAL of business plan competition being a glaring example. In keeping with the tradition of bringing you latest university news, this edition of NUSTNEWS covers a wide range of NUST activities undertaken by faculty, students and staff. I deem it appropriate to acknowledge here the efforts of our editorial staff, which leaves no stone unturned in preparing a comprehensive newsletter for all of our dear readers. I hope that you will continue giving us your invaluable suggestions. Wishing you an enjoyable reading and a Happy New Year. Maryam Khalid Editor: Maryam Khalid NUST PUBLICATIONS Assistant Editor: Faheem Khaliqdad www.nust.edu.pk Graphics & Layout: Kareem Muhammad Photographer: Ghulam Rasool NUST QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS 01 NUST organizes Prime Minister’s Entrepreneurial Challenge-2011 Fostering entrepreneurial culture farsighted strategy to boost national economy: PM Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has stressed the need for promoting the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, terming it a farsighted strategy to steer the country out of a myriad of current problems in general and the economic instability in particular. The Prime Minister made these remarks as the chief guest in the closing ceremony of DISCOVER- Business Plan Competition held on Oct 17 at NUST main campus. Federal Minister for scientific knowledge to the youth. He Entrepreneurial Challenge, and Science and Technology (MoST) Mir said that the successful culmination appreciated NUST for its successful Changez Khan Jamali, Chairman HEC of the first-of-its-kind business plan implementation. He said, “The event Dr. Javaid R. Laghari, and Secretary competition at NUST is a milestone should be held annually with the full MoST Mr. Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar were achievement, which holds promise for financial support of the government also present at the occasion. the national development. as the initiative augurs well for the future of the country.” He urged the Spanning over a period of seven “The future of a country depends a Ministry of Science and Technology months, the business plan great deal on its young innovative (MoST) to facilitate the conduct of competition, named Prime Minister’s minds. It is fortunate for a developing this wonderful annual event in every Entrepreneurial Challenge, was country like Pakistan to have this possible way. participated by students from immense potential embedded in its over 30 Pakistani universities. The youth. The incumbent government is The Prime Minister extended his competition was held under the fully aware of the utility of innovation felicitations to Rector NUST Engr. auspices of Offices of Research, and entrepreneurship in the economic Muhammad Asghar and his team for Innovation and Commercialization development of the country and has, organizing a unique event which, he (ORIC), headed by NUST Pro Rector therefore, keenly taken initiatives said, offered implementable business Engr. Muhammad Mushtaq. A total towards achieving the desired goals,” strategies and solutions. of 250 teams, consisting of over 1200 he said. students, took part in the mega event. Eulogizing the private sector for its Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani The Premier highlighted, “The wholehearted support to make the distributed cash prizes among 5 teams primary focus of the government business plan competition a great that made it to the final round of the is on empowering the youth by success, the Premier said that this competition. The top winning team creating job opportunities and also by type of industry-academia linkage is received an amount of Rs. 0.5 million allocating ample funds to improve the very useful for rapid industrial growth. while the second and third runners- quality of education in the country.” He said that such models are worth up teams received Rs 0.3 million He maintained that the provision emulating for other institutions of and Rs 0.25 million respectively. The of microcredit and internship higher learning in Pakistan. “We teams winning fourth and fifth places programmes for the educated need to replicate this (model) at got Rs 0.1 million each as a token of youth are vital steps taken towards other institutions of higher learning appreciation. preparing them for unprecedented as well. I would urge the academia future challenges. alongside the industry to take a lead While addressing the gathering, the in improving the situation,” the Prime Prime Minister lauded NUST for being The Prime Minister fully endorsed Minister maintained. one of the world’s leading institutions, the idea of Prime Minister’s In the end, the Prime Minister which excel in transferring advanced 3 NUSTNEWS OCT-DEC 2011 /NUST HIGHLIGHTS QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER emphasized that there should be a reality. The Rector acknowledged that The Rector congratulated the proper mechanism and conducive the business plan contest was a great winning teams and offered them ecosystem to commercialize the learning exercise for the participating free-of-cost housing at the NUST university research. In order to students through coaching provided Technology Incubation Centre, where provide venture capital support by volunteer mentors from the they could work on their respective to NUST, the chief guest directed industry. business projects in a very conducive Ministry of Science and Technology environment. (MoST), Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Information Technology and Higher Education Commission (HEC) to prepare a comprehensive plan and present it to him at the earliest. Earlier, Rector NUST Engr. Muhammad Asghar thanked the Prime Minister for gracing the occasion as the chief guest. He said that it was a historic day for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. He thanked the Prime Minister for his kind support that helped translate the idea of business plan competition into International Workshop on Technological Advances and Challenges in Water Reclamation & Reuse ‘Reuse water multiple times to address water woes’ In the wake of rapid urbanization and inaugural session of the workshop. resources but also reducing the industrialization, pollution and scarcity Addressing the gathering, he said that water availability. He added that it is of water resources are now becoming the population growth rate in Pakistan imperative that we improve efficiency more serious concerns than ever. To is very high, which has direct impact in meeting the challenges regarding increase sustainability, water must be on the water sector for meeting the water reclamation and its reuse. used efficiently and multiple times by domestic, industrial and agricultural Key resource person Prof. Roger Ben cascading from higher to lower quality needs. He further said that industrial Aim, in his speech, was of the view that needs. This emerging paradigm and domestic water occupying membrane processes are regarded as requires establishing autonomous and the major portion of total water a positive advancement in wastewater decentralized water recycling systems demand could be provided by high treatment ensuring increased water in which diverse water resources grade reclaimed wastewater using reclamation and reuse. The main are created, conserved and utilized advanced technology. It is essential, advantages of this technology are effectively. he maintained, that reclaimed water no chemical requirement, relatively This was the crux of a two- satisfies physical, chemical and low energy consumption and a lower day International Workshop on microbiological quality relative to footprint. Although its use has been Technological Advances & Challenges reuse type. increased in the recent past there is, in Water Reclamation & Reuse Earlier, Rector NUST in his remarks however, a need to enhance the level concluded here at School of Civil and said that Pakistan is rapidly depleting of knowledge and expertise pertaining Environmental Engineering (SCEE- its available water resources and is on to the technology. NUST) on Dec 9. Eminent scholars the verge of becoming a water-scarce Among other prominent speakers from within and outside the country country. Untreated wastewaters