from the executive director s desk · 2018-05-03 · applications of icts, 15-16 december 2014...

The world at large is in the throes of change. This process isexpected to continue into the year 2015 of the Gregoriancalendar. What we are witnessing is a transformation takingplace at several levels: political, social, economic andenvironmental. The centre of gravity of political influence istilting towards the East, the existing economic world order isshowing signs of decadence, societies are adopting newpatterns of behavior under the influence of newcommunication technologies, and rapidly expandingindustrialization is pushing the ecological and environmentalbalance towards the critical point of instability. Beforeequilibrium is reached, there could be upheavals, resulting inconflicts and chaos. This scenario is not inevitable, providedthe conditions to avert the socio-environmental catastrophesare met with international cooperation. The essentialcomponents of a painless transition towards a sustainableworld order are two-fold. Firstly, the realization by the richcountries and their citizens that equitable utilization of worldresources is in their long-term interest and, therefore, thepolicies of neo-colonialism through the projection of power,militarily and diplomatically, would be counter-productive.Secondly, the widening horizon of human knowledge,especially in science and technology has to be harnessed forthe welfare of mankind as a whole and not just for a selectgroup of populations. Both conditions require determinedactions on the part of developed as well as developingcounties. The former group would have to be more

accommodative in sharing their prosperity with the rest of theworld and the latter would have to adopt effective measures toachieve self-reliance in all sectors of socio-economic activity.

Fortunately, there exist international institutions that arefounded on the premise of sovereign equality of all nationsand undifferentiated rights to human development for allcommunities. COMSATS is proud to be one of suchorganizations, which strive to contribute towards world peaceand development using the vehicle of science andtechnology. In 2014, COMSATS was honoured to interact withHeads of four major international organizations that areworking for the common causes of mankind. The Director-General UNESCO visited Islamabad last February, followedby Director-General International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) in March and Executive Director The World Academyof Sciences (TWAS) in April. Finally in December 2014, theDirector-General European Organization for NuclearResearch (CERN) was kind enough to meet the seniorofficials of COMSATS during his visit to Islamabad inconnection with the signing of an agreement to inductPakistan as Associate Member of CERN. On all occasions,the presentations about COMSATS activities were made andthe visiting dignitaries were apprised of COMSATS' role inpromoting S&T cooperation among its Member Countries. As

COMSATS Secretariat: Shahrah-e-Jamhuriat, Sector G-5/2, Islamabad - PakistanTel: ( 92-51) 9214515 to 17, Fax: ( 92-51) 9216539, E-mail: [email protected], URL: www.comsats.org+ +

From the Executive Director s Desk

Inside this Issue

From the Executive Director’s Desk

News/Activities/Highlights fromCOMSATS Secretariat

Profile of Head of Centre of Excellence: 15Prof. Mohamed Ben Youssef, DirectorGeneral CERTE, Tunisia

COMSATS’ Brief and Announcements 16

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Special Section: COMSATS’ Int’l 06Capacity-Building Events

S&T Indicators of Member State: 10Tanzania

Activities/News of COMSATS’ 12Centres of Excellence

Science, Technology and Development 14Executive Director COMSATS addressing the audience atthe inauguration of International Workshop on

Applications of ICTs, 15-16 December 2014 (page 08)

PatronDr. Imtinan Elahi Qureshi,Executive Director

T.I.

November - December 2014, Vol. 6, Issue 6Islamabad, Pakistan.

Editors

Mr. Irfan HayeeMs. Farhana Saleem

Contributions from readersare welcome on any matterrelevant to the mission ofCOMSATS, namely thepromotion of South-Southcooperation in science andtechnology for sustainableprogress of the developingcountries. The responsibilityfor the accuracy of anyinformation rests with theoriginal source. Viewsexpressed in this publicationdo not necessarily reflectthose of its editors, publisheror COMSATS.

continued on page 3

NEWS/ACTIVITIES/HIGHLIGHTS FROM COMSATS SECRETARIAT

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MEETINGS OF TWO COMSATS’ ITRGs HELD INNIGERIAAND PAKISTAN

COMSATS International Thematic Research Groups(ITRGs) form the lynchpin of COMSATS strategy. TheseGroups were created to undertake well-defined jointresearch projects in various S&T fields with the participationof researchers and scientists belonging to different R&Dinstitutions from COMSATS Member Countries and otherdeveloping countries. As of December 2014, four of theseGroups are active. A brief account of the two meetings heldin the reporting period is given below:

The Foundation Meeting of the ITRG on 'MathematicalModeling' was organized by COMSATS with the support ofits Centre of Excellence in Nigeria, National MathematicalCentre (NMC), which is also the designated Lead Centre ofthe Group. The meeting took place on December 02, 2014,in Abuja, on the sidelines of International Conference onModeling and Simulation ofC l i m a t e C h a n g e a n dEnvironmental Protection(December 1-2, 2014) (Page12). In addition to COMSATS'representative, the meeting wasattended by eight researchersand scholars from COMSATSCentres of Excellence inNigeria, Tanzania, Sri Lanka,and Pakistan, as well as,Obafemi Awolowo University,Nigeria and Federal UniversityofAgriculture, Nigeria.

The participants of the meetingdeliberated extensively toidentify the common challengesand areas of research interest ofthe participating organizations/countries, in order to serveas a basis for a joint research project in the field ofmathematical modeling. The meeting being the very first forthe Group, primarily engaged itself in streamlining thematters related to the membership of the Group; working outan action plan and distribution of responsibilities among themembers; as well as formulation of a strategy for steeringand monitoring research efforts to achieve the desiredresults.

The meeting was inaugurated by Prof. Adewale RolandTunde Solarin, Director/Chief Executive, NMC, Nigeria, whoconsidered COMSATS ITRG programme an innovative andunique initiative, which provides a strong technical base tothe organization for the promotion of South-South

Foundation Meeting of ITRG on 'MathematicalModeling'

COMSATS Newsletter, November - December 2014

cooperation in Science and Technology. He assured theparticipants of NMC s full support towards the activities ofthe Group, and pledged to organize quarterly meetings ofthe Nigerian scientists taking part in the project, as well as anannual meeting of all active researchers of the Group.

In his message read out on the occasion by Mr. FarhanAnsari, Sr. Assistant Director (Programmes), COMSATSHeadquarters, Dr. I.E. Qureshi, the Executive DirectorCOMSATS, noted that the launching of the Group onMathematical Modeling was a major milestone forCOMSATS. He hoped that the activities of the ITRG onMathematical Modeling will play a constructive role inlessening the hardships of the developing world relating toenvironmental pollution.

The technical session of the meeting was chaired by thedesignated Group Leader, Prof. B. O. Oyelami, NMC-Nigeria, who made a detailed presentation on the variouscomponents of the joint research project related toassessing the effects of air and water pollution. Otherparticipating researchers also made presentations on their

current research activities,which made it possible toidentify their common areas ofexpertise and interest. Theparticipants also identifiedspecific segments of the projectfor which they were willing tocontribute having necessarye x p e r t i s e . T h e m e e t i n gdiscussions led to the initiationof a joint research project,entitled 'Mathematical Modelingand Simulation of Air and WaterP o l l u t i o n : E f f e c t s a n dRemedies'.

An action plan was agreedduring the meeting along withtime-line for the execution of the

project during the next three years entails studying thetransportation and distribution of pollutants in air and water;determining effects of air pollution; using models to studyfactors that contribute to carcinogenic and allergic diseasesand those that lead to environmental problems; determininghow chemicals in the air lead to greenhouse effects and theassociated global warming, using models to estimate theeffects of combustion of hydrocarbon fuel and greenhousegases; developing models to predict the distribution ofpollutant in water, using quality control models/charts;developing and implementing simulation experiments,including Monte Carlo (MC) Simulation; and jointlypublishing a book/monograph on the subject. Theparticipants also agreed to make arrangements to sharetheir organizations' laboratory resources for the project, as

Prof. Solarin, Director NMC, addressing ITRG Group Membersduring the inaugural session of the meeting

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contd. from page 1 ... ‘From the Executive Director’s Desk’

a follow-up, UNESCO Executive Board approved the signingof an MoU between COMSATS and UNESCO; the IAEAacknowledged the training opportunities available atCOMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) in thefield of Radiation Physics; UNESCO Chair in Water Researchwas awarded to CIIT and the Membership of CIIT in theALICEcollaboration of CERN was strengthened.

COMSATS is privileged to have an affiliated Network ofCentres of Excellence spread across four continents,encompassing expertise in major areas relevant to socio-

economic development. The Heads of these Centres bear thenational and international obligation to deliver the benefits ofthe investment made in their institutions by their respectiveGovernments to the public in their own countries and in otherfellow developing countries. COMSATS is a platform with acapacity to facilitate this laudable enterprise. It is, therefore,all the more necessary for all Centres to strengtheninteractivity with COMSATS Headquarters. We are lookingforward to receiving the words of encouragement or advicefrom our worthy Members of the Coordinating Council. Thesecomments will be published on COMSATS Newsletter pagesalong with feedback from interested readers, in general.COMSATS wishes all its stakeholders a very happy New Year.


well as expressed strong commitment to actively participatein the joint research project under the supervision of theGroup Leader. The distribution of tasks was formalizedthrough a Memorandum of Understanding that was signedby the representatives of five participating organizationsbelonging to Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. Thenext meeting of COMSATS ITRG on 'MathematicalModeling' will be hosted by the Lead Centre, NMC, onDecember 1-2, 2015.

The 2 meeting of the ITRG on Information andCommunication Technologies (ICTs) was held on 16December 2014, at the Group's Lead Centre, COMSATSInstitute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad,Pakistan. The event was held in conjunction with theInternational Workshop on Applications of ICTs inEducation, Healthcare and Agriculture , held on 15-16December 2014 (Page 08).

The meeting was attended by fifteen participantsrepresenting seven Centres of Excellence of COMSATS inSudan, Bangladesh, Iran, Jordan, Tanzania, Egypt, andPakistan, as well as UniversityAlioune in Senegal. Moreover,Mr. Tajammul Hussain, Advisor(Programmes) and Mr. FarhanAnsari, Sr. Assistant Director(Programmes) representedCOMSATS Headquarters asprogramme coordinators.

Dr. I.E. Qureshi formally openedthe meeting. In his inauguralspeech, Dr. Qureshi consideredthe joint research project,en t i t l ed 'e -So lu t ions fo rCommunity using Low-CostConnec t i v i t y ' , ex t reme lyimportant for the developing

2 Meeting of COMSATS' ITRG on ICTsnd

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countries. He informed that the uniqueness of theCOMSATS ITRG programme lies in its membership ofresearch scientists belonging to various developingcountries working at their home institutions, complementingthe traditional method of conducting joint research. He urgedthe participants to create knowledge networks and committhemselves for jointly working out cost-effective solutionsaddressing the common problems of the developing world.

The Group Leader, Prof. Dr. Sajjad Mohsin, Dean Faculty ofInformation Sciences and Technology (FIST), CIIT, chairedthe meeting and shared the progress made by the Group interms of the project components related to setting up Wi-Ficonnectivity and developing e-Health solutions. He informedthat the Group has completed the prototype deployment ofWi-Fi connectivity across the targeted region in Pakistanand noted that such cost-effective Wi-Fi connectivitysolution can be replicated in the countries of thecollaborating institutions. It was further informed that the e-Health component of the project, which is related to curingbrain tumor in children through image/psychological therapyusing video games has also been completed. During thediscussion session, the participants of the meeting agreed toadd a new component to the joint research project, which is

re l a t ed to image -basedsc ien t i f i c and ana ly t i ca levaluation of water that wasearlier proposed by Dr. ZafarIqbal, Principal ResearchOfficer, CIIT. Dr. Iqbal also gavea brief demonstration of thisresearch idea. Subsequent todetailed deliberations, theGroup members distributeddifferent research tasks amongthemselves for coordinatedexecution of the proposedproject, based on their expertiseand research experiences. TheGroup also considered taking upanother project activity in future

Executive Director COMSATS addressing the meeting ofCOMSATS’ ITRG on ICTs

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related to developing Industrial Mobile-Health ServicePlatform, which was proposed by Dr. Shervin Amiri,Associate Professor, Head of Electrical and InformationInstitute, IROST, Iran. While discussing the financial mattersof the research project, Mr. Tajammul Hussain, encouragedthe Group members to make efforts for securing funding fortheir research assignments from their respectiveorganizations and governments, and pledged the support ofCOMSATS in advocating such requests to their respectivegovernments or international donor agencies.

The meeting concluded with a resolve to direct the efforts ofCOMSATS ITRGs towards benefiting the masses in thedeveloping countries using modern ICTs.

COMSATS being a proponent of Science for Development ,observed the World Science Day for Peace andDevelopment 2014 in Islamabad, Pakistan, by holding ahalf-day seminar, in collaboration with ECO ScienceFoundation (ECOSF) and UNESCO country office, onNovember 12, 2014.

Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, the renowned physicist and formerAdvisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Science &Technology, graced the occasion with his presence as theChief Guest. The event had a mixed gathering of over onehundred participants, including science students,representatives of scientific institutions, academicians, aswell as policy makers and members of the diplomaticcommunity in Islamabad. Welcoming the participants of theSeminar, President ECOSF, Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomroemphasized the importance of Inquiry Based ScienceEducation (IBSE) at schools as the most important tool fordevelopment of nations.

In her remarks on the occasion, the incumbent Director ofUNESCO Office Islamabad, Ms. Vibeke Jensen, noted that

COMSATS HOLDS WORLD SCIENCE DAY SEMINAR

quality science education for all is an essential requisite forsustainable development. She urged all young women andmen to take interest in science, and invest in educationalmaterials and equipment, teachers training in sciences andinquiry-based learning. She expressed optimism in the factthat encouraging critical thinking and creativity in students atall levels can enable them to contribute to environmental,economic and social development. She informed thatUNESCO has launched its World Library of Science(WLoS) to make scientific concepts easy to understand.

The Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. I.E. Qureshiintroduced COMSATS as an intergovernmental forumdedicated to promoting scientific collaboration using themechanism of South-South cooperation effectively. Henoted that COMSATS has cooperation ties with UNESCOon multiple levels that resulted establishing UNESCO Chairon Knowledge for Integrated Water ResourcesManagement at CIIT Wah campus. As an initiative taken byCOMSATS for the promotion of quality education in thecountry, CIIT was quoted as an example of academicexcellence a reputed university with seven campuses andover 35,000 enrolled students. Dr. Qureshi also noted thelife-long services of Dr. IshfaqAhmed for S&T.

In his address, Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad called for reducing genderdisparity, particularly in tertiary education, which he deemeda significant problem facing developing countries economy.During the technical session of the seminar, talks were givenby Dr. Tariq Mahmood, Advisor, Higher EducationCommission (HEC) of Pakistan; Dr. Faisal F. Khan, Director,Institute of Integrative Biology, CECOS University,Peshawar; Dr. Fayyaz A. Faize, Assistant Professor CIIT,Islamabad; and Mr. Salman Naveed Khan, CampaignManager (Political Advocacy) of Alif Ailaan. These talks,respectively, deliberated upon the role of HEC in improvingthe standard of education and research in the country; newtrends in life sciences; interdisciplinary and entrepreneurialnature of modern science education; ensuring ethical


Distinguished guests at the World Science Day Seminarheld in Islamabad

Poster Exhibition held at the World Science Day Seminar tohighlight role of Science and Technology

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disposition; quality teaching; as well as, challenges ofproviding quality science education in schools of Pakistan.Speakers expressed their concern for a high number of out-of-school children and urged the government and the civilsociety to take note of the situation.

A poster exhibition was also held as side event of theseminar, whereby 40 posters on various themes, includingagriculture, health, biosciences, nanotechnology andcomputational sciences, highlighted the role of science forsociety.

The Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. Imtinan ElahiQureshi, held a meeting with the Ambassador of China toPakistan, H.E. Mr. Sun Weidong, on November 19, 2014, inorder to brief him about COMSATS wide ranginginternational programmes and activities, its internationalmandate, structure, and functions of various statutorybodies. The meeting was held at COMSATS Institute ofInformation Technology (CIIT), Islamabad, on the occasionof the inauguration of the China Study Centre established atthe Institute. Rector CIIT, Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi; Advisor(HCA) COMSATS Headquarters, Mr. Sabih ur Rahman;Deans and Heads of Departments of COMSATS Institute, aswell as officials of the Chinese Embassy attended themeeting.

Speaking to the Ambassador, Dr. Qureshi highlighted thesignificance of China as a Member State of COMSATS. Henoted that China has representation on all the organizationalbodies of COMSATS through its Ministry of Science andTechnology; Center of Excellence, the International Centerfor Climate and Environment Sciences (ICCES); and arepresentative of the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad. Heexpressed satisfaction over the active participation ofICCES at the Coordinating Council meetings, held regularly

AMBASSADOR OF CHINA TO PAKISTAN BRIEFEDABOUT COMSATS' PROGRAMMES

every year. He also appreciated the proactive role of Prof.Dr. Lin Zhaohui, Director ICCES as the Group Leader ofCOMSATS ITRG on 'Climate Change and EnvironmentalProtection'. Highlighting the cordial relations that COMSATShas with China as a Member State, Dr. Qureshi hoped forfurther strengthening the relations during the tenure of theincumbent Chinese Ambassador. He sought Mr. Weidong ssupport in ensuring China s continued participation inCOMSATS programmes.

Mr. Weidong thanked Dr. Qureshi for apprising him on therole of COMSATS for the promotion of Science andTechnology. Emphasizing the need for regional networkingin science and technology, he said that COMSATS MemberStates must support each other academically, intellectuallyand financially. Mr. Weidong underlined the need forstronger regional ties and noted that China has a firm policyto promote South-South cooperation in the region. Hepledged his full support towards COMSATS futureprogrammes and activities.

A delegation of COMSATS comprising the ExecutiveDirector COMSATS, Dr. I.E. Qureshi, and senior officials ofCOMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT),including Rector CIIT, Dr. S.M. Junaid Zaidi, met theDirector-General CERN, Prof. Dr. Rolf-Dieter Heuer, on 19December 2014. Dr. Heuer was on a two-day visit toPakistan, in connection with the signing of Pakistan'saccession agreement as CERN Associate Member. Thedelegation offered full support in fulfilling the requirements ofPakistan-CERN collaboration. In his capacity as themember of Joint CERN-SESAME Steering Committee(JCSSC), Dr. Qureshi informed Dr. Heuer about thecollaboration between CIIT and ALICE (A Large Ion ColliderExperiment) of CERN. He noted that CIIT has establishedGRID computing facilities forALICE collaboration, which willbe enhanced to reach tier-2 level. Dr. Heuer was kindenough to accept invitation to visit CIIT (Page 12).

Dr. Heuer appreciated the efforts of COMSATS in promotingS&T in its 21 member countries, including Pakistan. Heemphasized that good science education is the key toproducing sufficiently motivated students for taking uphigher studies in particle and high energy physics. In thisconnection he offered CERN support for training scienceteachers. He informed that Science Teachers TrainingProgramme has been going on in CERN for the last manyyears and is highly popular in all CERN Member Countries.Dr. Qureshi offered the support of COMSATS to conduct theCERN training courses in Pakistan and also in otherCOMSATS Member Countries. In principle, it was agreed tochalk-out specific plans for undertaking this programmejointly by CERN and COMSATS.

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COMSATS AND CERN TO SHARE RESOURCES FORSCIENCE TEACHERS' TRAININGS


Dr. I.E. Qureshi presenting a set of COMSATS’ Publicationsto the Chinese Ambassador

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S&T capacity-building events constitute a significantcomponent of COMSATS activities for the development ofthe countries of the South. These events provideopportunities to the members of the scientific community,development-experts, donor and development agencies,and the decision-making bodies to interact with one another,share their views and experiences on issues ofcontemporary concern. In the last quarter of the year 2014,three international capacity building activities were held inthree different developing countries: Egypt, Morocco, andPakistan. These events were organized in collaborationwith the Islamic Educational, Scientific and CulturalOrganization (ISESCO). Inter Islamic Network onInformation Technology (INIT) collaborated for the twoevents held in Pakistan and Morocco. The local hospitalityfor the events in Pakistan and Egypt was provided byCOMSATS Centres of Excellence in these countries. Thethemes of these events (nanotechnology, nationalinnovation systems, ICTs) have a great relevance to thedevelopmental needs of these as well as other developingcountries. The following sections of the newsletter give aglimpse of these events.

Although Morocco is not a member country of COMSATS, itappears from time-to-time in the organization s activitycalendar and reports. This is owing to two facts: a)COMSATS mandate to help the developing countriesthrough S&T goes beyond the member countries; and b)Morocco is the host country of ISESCO, which is one of themost active partner organizations of COMSATS. In therecent past, joint activities relating to repair andmaintenance of scientific equipment and the meeting ofcoordinators of IWSN have been held in the country.

The second COMSATS-ISESCO Regional ConsultativeWorkshop on National Innovation System (NIS) andIntellectual Property (IP) (African Region) was successfullyheld in Rabat, Morocco, from November 25-27, 2014. Theevent benefited 30 policy practitioners, academicians andgovernment functionaries working in the field of NationalInnovation System and Intellectual Property from 15countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d Ivoire,Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Niger, Pakistan, Senegal,Tanzania, Togo and Uganda.

This series of workshop is aimed at strengthening thecapability of senior academicians and planners from thecommon Member States of COMSATS and OIC tounderstand and possibly help develop national policies forimproving innovation and IP frameworks, as well as toenable them to respond effectively to the challenges ofbuilding competitive economies during rapid globalizationand technological change.

REGIONAL CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOP ON NIS & IP(AFRICAN REGION), RABAT

The inaugural session of the event was held on November25, 2014, and was presided over by the Deputy Director-General of ISESCO, Dr. Amina Al Hajri. During the inauguralsession, Mr. Tahir Naeem, Executive Director INIT,personally delivered his remarks, while the message fromthe Executive Director COMSATS was read by Mr. TajammulHussain,Advisor (Programmes) COMSATS.

The six technical sessions of the event comprised of talksand presentations that introduced innovation; highlightedthe impact and effect of innovation on national economies,particularly those of Africa; and presented intellectualproperty as a means to securing the future of smallereconomies. Several models of African innovation systemsand frameworks of intellectual property, and their role inmaking an economy knowledge-driven with strong linkagesamong universities, industries and R&D institutions were


SPECIAL SECTION: COMSATS’ INTERNATIONAL CAPACITY-BUILDINGEVENTS IN EGYPT, MOROCCO, AND PAKISTAN

“In this globalized world, Science, Technology and Innovation(ST&I) have become a key element for industrial competitivenessamid intense competition and a fast changing marketenvironment.”…. it is hoped that this workshop will be instrumentalin sharing best practices, and highlighting strengths andweaknesses in the areas of national innovation system andintellectual property in ISESCO’African Member countries.

Deputy Director-General ISESCO, Dr. Amina Al Hajri

Knowledge production and its valorization are crucial fortransformation into a stable intellectual property regime, and South-South cooperation could provide a good mechanism in this regard.

Executive Director INIT, Mr. Tahir Naeem

Rapid development in all areas of science and technology hascreated a greater need for understanding and modeling nationalinnovation processes and systems… COMSATS has alwayspromoted scientific cooperation for the socio-economicdevelopment of its member countries. Regional linkages aimed atbuilding effective national innovation systems are important.

Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. I.E.Qureshi

The Guests of Honour of the Workshop on NIS and IP

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discussed. Key issues relating to patent filing, indigenousknowledge and need for greater awareness of IP rights werealso highlighted.

It was agreed during the meeting that a holistic and openeconomic policy for building a national innovation system,technology policies, and relevant education are desirable.Each country should try and develop strategies to buildrelevant skills required to instill a culture of learning.ISESCO and COMSATS were urged to encourage theparliaments of the Member States to establish Commissionson National Innovation System to better ensure advocacy onST&I in all member countries. A need for greater awarenessregarding IP was called for and it was recommended toinclude modules on IP in the curricula of middle and highschools. An insight into the innovation policies of developingcountries was also provided during the event through thecountry-specific presentations made by participants fromBurkina Faso, China, Ghana, Niger, Pakistan, Senegal,Tanzania and Uganda. A round-table discussion touchedupon and endorsed various aspects of the themes anddiscussions of the event.

Head of ICPSR-ISESCO, Mrs. Wafa El Alami, presided overthe closing ceremony of the event held on November 27,2014. The event was closed with notes of appreciation fromthe collaborating organizations and a pledge to hold the 3workshop of the series for the Middle East region.

On December 8-9, 2014, COMSATS and ISESCOorganized the fourth International Workshop andConference on Nano-materials and Nano-devices (IWCN-2014) in Cairo, Egypt. The event was hosted by COMSATSCentre of Excellence in Cairo, National Research Centre(NRC). More than 300 scientists, researchers, engineersand academicians from the field of nanoscience andnanotechnology attended the Conference.

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4 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP AND CONFERENCEON NANO-MATERIALSAND NANO-DEVICES, CAIRO

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The Conference was officially inaugurated on December 08,2014, by Prof. Dr. Ashraf Shalaan, President of NRC andProf. Dr. Maged Al-Kreme, President of Cairo University,who in their remarks on the occasion hoped that the eventwill open new avenues of fundamental research andapplication-oriented programmes in the Islamic and Arabcountries. In his welcome address, Prof. Dr. MohamedHashem, NRC Vice President for Research & InternationalRelations and also the Conference Chairman, applaudedthe efforts made by COMSATS and ISESCO in organizingthe Conference. Dr. Ismail Abdel-Hamid, Expert at ScienceDirectorate ISESCO, read-out the message from Director-General ISESCO, while the message of the ExecutiveDirector COMSATS, Dr. I.E. Qureshi, was read out by Dr.Arshad Saleem Bhatti, Dean Faculty of Science, COMSATSInstitute of Information Technology (CIIT), Pakistan.


The developing countries will have to support and strengthen theirintellectual property organizations in the light of the existingregional models, to improve the delivery mechanism of theirNational Innovation System.

Head of ICPSR-ISESCO, Mrs. Wafa El Alami

The Inauguration of the Nano-science Event at NRC, Egypt

As per the mid-term and long-term action plans of ISESCO, theintergovernmental organization seeks to enhance the capacities ofits Member States, enabling them to innovate and develop newtechnologies with the objective to achieve socio-economicdevelopment.

Director-General ISESCO, Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are forming a bridge between alldisciplines of science and engineering… even though the Islamiccountries have embarked upon ambitious research programmes innanotechnology, the full potential of this field is yet to be realized.

Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. Imtinan Elahi Qureshi

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Nine subject-experts belonging to renowned academicinstitutions of Bangladesh, China, Jordan, Malaysia,Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia delivered lectures on key topicsrelated to the theme of the event. Key areas touched uponduring the 35 technical talks delivered during eight workingsessions of the event included: Nanoparticles andApplications; Carbon Nano structures and devices;Environmental application; Nano-medicine; Drug Deliveryand Therapeutics; Composites and Interfaces; Micro andNano Fluidics; Bionano Materials and Tissues; ModelingMicro/Nanosystems; Nanotechnology for oil and gasindustry, as well as Micro and Nano Fabrication.

The participants of the Conference agreed that anadequately trained scientific workforce in Islamic countriesis essential for creating and transforming the industries torealize the benefits of nanotechnology. Extensive researchon the process of innovation and diffusion ofnanotechnology development was strongly urged.Anumberof suggestions were made by the participants and experts ofthe Conference with regard to basic and applied research forapplications of nano-material and nano-devices.

The Conference helped scientists, researchers,technologists and faculty members update their knowledgeof recent developments in the field of nano-materials andnano-devices; supported building and strengtheninglinkages among R&D organizations working for developingnew materials and devices while adopting the South-Southcooperation mechanism; as well as recommended ways toenhance scientific capacity in Islamic and COMSATSMember States.

The International Workshop on Applications of ICTs inEducation, Healthcare and Agriculture was held inIslamabad, Pakistan, on December 15-16, 2014, incollaboration with ISESCO, INIT, and COMSATS Institute ofInformation Technology (CIIT). Over 50 scholars,

WORKSHOP ONAPPLICATIONS OF ICTs, ISLAMABAD

researchers, subject-experts and academicians fromBangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan,Senegal, Sudan, and Tanzania participated in the workshop.

The workshop was aimed at highlighting the potential of ICTsin revolutionizing various sectors of the economy. In all 17presentations were made in the three thematic sessions ofthe workshop spread over two days, which focused on theapplications of ICTs in Education, Healthcare andAgriculture. Deliberations focused on different ways ofbuilding competitiveness amid growing challenges ofglobalization and rapid technological advancements. Thepresenters shared their experiences and expertise in thelight of their successful projects and initiatives in theirrespective countries.

The inauguration of the workshop, held on December 15,2014, was presided over by Dr. Tahir Hijazi, Member(Governance, Innovation and Reform), Ministry of Planning,Development & Reforms, Government of Pakistan. Otherguests of honour at the inauguration included, Dr. I.E.Qureshi, Executive Director COMSATS; Dr. S. M. JunaidZaidi, Rector CIIT and President INIT; and Mr. Ismael AbdelHamid, Expert, Science Directorate ISESCO.

In his address as the Chief Guest, Mr. Hijazi acknowledgedthe efforts being made by organizations like ISESCO and


The guests and participants of the ICTs Workshop

Some specific recommendations made during the event included:

• winter/summer schools on nano-science and technology asan annual activity for students and young researchers;

• increased number of scholarships for graduate students in thefield of advanced materials and nanotechnology by thefunding organizations;

• research institutions and governments of the commonMember States of COMSATS and ISESCO to form ‘nanotechsocieties’ and hold joint meetings with the nanotechnologistsof industrially developed countries;

• institutionalizing ISESCO-COMSATS annual prize for theorganizations/institutions with highest achievement in one ofthe fields of nanotechnology.

Working session of the ICTs Workshop in progress

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COMSATS in promoting the use of latest technologies in itsMember States. While noting the growth attained byCOMSATS university over the last 15 years, Dr. Hijaziexpressed pleasure and deemed it an exemplary Institutefor a developing country like Pakistan. Speaking on theoccasion, Dr. Qureshi noted with satisfaction hisorganization s strong working relations with ISESCO andINIT. Sharing some key aspects of IT revolution the worldhas experienced in the recent years, he believed there arethree major aspects to it: the IT ecosystems, accessibility,and the content.

Mr. Ismael Abdel Hamid, Expert, Science Director ISESCO,appreciated the support and cooperation of COMSATS injointly organizing a number of international capacity-buildingevents over the years. He considered these events goodexamples of the South-South cooperation benefiting thecommon Member States of the two organizations. In thiscontext, he particularly made a mention of the success ofregional consultative workshop on National InnovationSystem and Intellectual Property, held in Morocco(November 2014) in partnership with COMSATS. Dr. Zaidinoted that the organizers have very wisely chosen the themeof the workshop, which can help improve the socio-economic conditions of masses. Earlier, an introduction tothe event, its various themes, and expected outcomes weretouched upon by Dr. Sajjad Mohsin, Dean, Faculty ofInformation Sciences and Technology, CIIT.

The presentations made during the first technical sessionICTs in Education focused on ICTs for modern skillacquisition; diffusion of ICTs in early schooling; digitalwatermarking system for e-Education; monitoring andlearning education scenarios in Senegal; and persuasivetechniques for effective education. Presentations on the useof mobile phone technology for healthcare; COMSATS Tele-health project; Tanzanian Tele-health case study; Denguemonitoring in Pakistan; as well as psychotherapy throughdigitization, were made during the second technical sessiontitled ICTs in Healthcare . The participants of the workshopbenefited from technical deliberations of the third sessionfocusing on decision support system for agriculture; digitalsoil mapping of newly reclaimed areas for agricultural usesin Egypt; irrigation optimization for improving cropproduction; use of agriculture research managementinformation system in Bangladesh, as well as the variousICT applications in agriculture in Sudan.

The event concluded on the note of commitment to exploitthe full potential of ICTs for improving the day-to-day life of acommon man in the developing world. The inspirationgained from the technical talks and experiences of subjectexperts, strengthens our belief in the multifaceted ways ICTscan be beneficial in education, healthcare and agriculture ,said Mr. Tahir Naeem, Executive Director INIT, in his Vote ofthanks at the conclusion of the event.


Rector CIIT giving away certificate to a participant

The technological revolution is bringing a paradigm shift in today’sworld. If a nation wishes to develop and grow at a fast pace, it has toopt for latest technologies that are creating headways.

Dr. Tahir Hijazi, Member (Governance, Innovation and Reform),Ministry of Planning, Development & Reforms, Govt. of Pakistan

The IT revolution is dominated by the developed countries and thestarting point for the developing countries to gain from thisrevolution would be to contribute to the content element, which is inconformity with the local needs and social values.

Dr. Imtinan Elahi Qureshi, Executive Director COMSATS

10

decline in the valueof Tanzania s goldexports by almost20% since 2012.T h e v o l u m e o fexports of cotton,sisal and tobacco alldeclined by morethan 30%.

Fortunately, thedecline in the valueo f a g r i c u l t u r a le x p o r t s w a scompensated for byan increase in the value of re-exports, demonstrating thesignificance of Tanzania s role as a hub for sevenneighboring countries. At the same time, the value ofrevenues derived from tourism also increased.

The Big Results Now initiative (BRN) of Tanzania took off in2013. The initiative aims to facilitate the achievement ofTanzania s Development Vision 2025 by focusinggovernment efforts on accelerating growth in eight priorityareas: education, energy, agriculture, water, transport,health, business environment and resource mobilization,with emphasis on leveraging private-sector investmentthrough public-private partnerships. The inclusion ofeducation as a priority area under the BRN is appropriate aspoor outcomes at the primary and secondary educationlevels remain a major concern. Nevertheless, a keychallenge with the initiative will be attaining a fine balance inthe use of public expenditure to promote economic growthwhile maintaining fiscal and debt sustainability over time.

Tanzanian Ministry of Communication, Science andTechnology (MCST) coordinates S&T at national level owingto its role as Chief Advisor to the Cabinet on all relatedmatters. The Tanzania Commission for Science andTechnology (COSTECH), is the implementation arm of thenational science and technology policies, and works incollaboration with nine R&D Advisory Committees and theirassociated national R&D institutions. COSTECH is a para-statal organization, established by an Act of Parliament in1986, with the mandate to advise government on all mattersrelating to scientific research and technologicaldevelopment. COSTECH s mission is to foster knowledge-based economy through promotion, coordination ofresearch, technology development and innovation forsustainable development in Tanzania.

Human Development Key to Progress

Science and Technology

S&T INDICATORS OF MEMBER STATE

In Spectrum: The United Republic of Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is an East African countrylocated in the African Great Lakes region. The UnitedRepublic of Tanzania was formed in 1964 when Tanganyikaand Zanzibar merged after achieving independence fromBritain in the early 1960s. Tanzania is endowed with anumber of natural resources, including tin, phosphates, ironore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel,as well as hydropower. Tanzania is currently ranked 159 outof 187 countries on the Human Development Index (UNDP,2014).

Although the country is one of the world's pooresteconomies in terms of per capita income, it has overallachieved high growth rates based on gold production andtourism. Tanzania has largely completed its transition to aliberalized market economy, however, the governmentm a i n t a i n s c o n t r o l o v e r s e c t o r s s u c h a s ,telecommunications, banking, energy, and mining. Theeconomy depends on agricultural sector, which accounts formore than one-quarter of GDP, provides 85% of exports, andemploys about 80% of the national work force.

According to the World Bank data, total population ofTanzania was 49.25 million in 2013. Almost 44.8 percent ofthe population is under 15 years of age, which could be anasset in the coming years. Based on the data of 2010, theliteracy rate in Tanzania for persons aged 15 and over wasestimated to be 67.8 percent. Education is compulsory untilthe age of 15 years. In 2010, the literacy rate of Tanzanianyouth (aged 15-24 years) was 74.56%.

According to the World Bank, the Tanzanian economyexpanded in 2012 and 2013 at an annual economic growthrate of approximately 7%, which continues to be driven bygrowth in sectors like ICT, financial services, construction,trade and mining. Except for mining, activities within thesesectors are largely concentrated in urban areas. Accordingto the Bank, if Tanzania is to follow the example of successfulemerging countries, it will need to improve policy aspects inthe areas of human development.

Tanzania s performance in terms of exports was weak in2013, largely due to lower commodity prices on internationalmarkets. Lower average global gold prices have led to a

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Socio-economic Perspective


Tanzanian Economy in Brief

GDP

GDP Growth

Inflation

$33.23 billion (2013)

7.0% (2013)

7.9% (2013)

The World Bank Data (accessed on 30 December 2014)th

11

Tanzania has a reasonably high number of researchinstitutions, (approximately 47 to date), some of which dateback to the early 20 century. Research output in peer-reviewed journals is steadily increasing. Nevertheless, thishigh scientific production is not reflected in the number ofpatents registered. The country s R&D expenditure aspercentage of GDP was 0.52 in 2010.

As part of its strategy to increase national economic growth,Tanzania has indicated in the newly produced NationalStrategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction that it intends toutilize science, technology and innovation (ST&I) as tools toenhance the performance of its four main growth drivers:agriculture, manufacturing, mining and tourism.

Tanzanian businesses are mainly producers of rawmaterials, and the level of business sophistication is low.International agencies such as UNIDO and FAO work withthe private sector in the country, especially small andmedium enterprises, to improve the performance of value-chains. However, a poor ability to add value lies in the dearthof skills and readiness to adopt technologies, and hindersperformance and the visibility of results in terms of newbusinesses and spin-offs. With the support of funds fromFinland, managed by theWorld Bank, the COSTECHhas recently started aBusiness Incubator forS M E s w i t h i n t h ei n f o r m a t i o n a n dcommunication technologysector to try to improve itscompetitiveness.

Tanzania s last science andtechnology policy wasproduced in 1996. A MasterP l a n o f A c t i o n f o rimplementing science,technology and innovationpolices was prepared in2006. Later in 2008, the

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Issues in ST&I and Higher Education

science and technology policy was updated to an ST&Ipolicy, which is yet to receive the Tanzanian Cabinet sapproval. Several sectoral policies have also beendeveloped to assist the country in defining its objectives inthe application of ST&I for national development. In order toget the needed support from the political leaders ofTanzania, the ST&I policy of a country should be aligned withthe needs of its economy. Governance of the nationalinnovation system in the country is still weak, and it is notcontributing significantly to economic development. Thecountry has no institutional or national mechanism forassessing research performance.

The Review and Evaluation of the Performance ofTanzania s Higher Education Institutions in ST&I publishedby UNESCO, in June 2011, states that quality highereducation and training will be crucial for Tanzania to move upthe value-chain beyond simple production processes andproducts. The report observes that, although policyinstruments exist at the institutional level, there is littlerecognition of the importance of research and a markedresistance to change. This weak relationship betweenresearch and postgraduate studies affects the credibility ofuniversities in the eyes of external academic bodies anddevelopment agents.

Tanzania ranks 128 on the Knowledge Economy Index(KEI).According to the World Bank, the country dropped twoplaces on KEI ranking in 2012. Compared to the other LowerMiddle Income Group countries, Tanzania has to makeprogress in the sectors of education, innovation and ICTs toreap benefits of the knowledge economy.

The country has considerably low scores on the KEI and KIIndices compared to many Lower Middle Income countries.This calls for investments in education, and science andtechnology, to enable the growing young population to beable to contribute to the national economy.

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Tariff and non-tariff barriers

Regulatory quality

Rule of law

Royalty payment and receipts (US$/pop.)

S&E journal articles/Mil. People

Patents granted by USPTO/Mil.people

Average years of schooling

Gross secondary enrolment rate

Gross tertiary enrolment rate

Total telephones per thousand people

Computers per thousand people

Internet users per thousand people

Comparison Group: All Type: weighted Year: 1995 (KAM 2012)

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5

0

Tanzania

Tanzania s HDI trends based on consistent timeseries data

Year Life Expected Mean GNI per HDI

expectancy years of years of capita (2011) value

(at birth) schooling schooling PPP$)

1980 50.5 7.3 2.5 1,396 0.377

1990 50.5 5.5 3.6 990 0.354

2000 50.0 6.2 4.6 1,035 0.376

2010 59.2 8.4 5.1 1,525 0.464

2013 61.5 9.2 5.1 1,702 0.488

UNDP Human Development Report (Accessed on 30 December 2014)th

12

NMC-NIGERIA HOLDS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCEON MATHEMATICAL MODELING

The National Mathematical Center (NMC), Nigeria,organized and hosted a two-day NMC-COMSATSInternational Conference on Mathematical Modeling andSimulation of Climate Change and EnvironmentalProblems , on 1-2 December, 2014, in Abuja. Theconference focused on the theme: Solving Climate ChangeProblems and Protecting our Environment throughMathematical Modeling and Simulation .

The event sought to develop capacity to predict occurrencesof natural disasters and put in place strategies to controlanthropogenic activities contributing to these, and disastermanagement. Mathematicians, researchers, scientists,engineers, meteorologists, environmentalists, policymakers and other stakeholders, from Africa and other partsof the world, working for mitigating the negative effect ofclimate change attended the conference.

The event was inaugurated by Director/Chief Executive ofthe National Mathematical Centre, Prof. A.R.T Solarin onDecember 1, 2014. There were paper presentations andlectures by seasoned academicians, as well as discussionsand good will messages from distinguished heads oforganizations, including the Executive Director, COMSATS,Dr. I.E. Qureshi, whose message was read out by Mr.Farhan Ansari, Sr. Assistant Director (Programmes),COMSATS Headquarters.

Notable organizations participating in the conferenceincluded: National Space and Research DevelopmentAgency (NASRDA), Nigeria Meteorological Agency(NIMET), Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited(NigCOMSAT), Federal Ministry of Water Resources,Federal Ministry ofAgriculture.

IROST-IRAN HOLDS 16 KHWARIZMI YOUTHAWARD

TIRDO-TANZANIA CONDUCTS FEASIBILITY STUDY OFOILS DISTILLATION PLANT

DIRECTOR-GENERAL CERN VISITS CIIT-PAKISTAN

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The 16 Khwarizmi Youth Award was held by IranianResearch Organization for Science & Technology (IROST),Iran, on December 16, 2014, at the International ConferenceCenter of Shahid Beheshti University. The event wasattended by high-ranking government officials anddignitaries, including the Iranian Minister of Science,Research and Technology and the Minister of Education, aswell as a number of scientists, academics and industrialists.It is worth mentioning that IROST has been recently selectedas the top exhibitor at the 15 Exhibition on Iran's LatestScientific and Technological Achievements that was held atTehran International Permanent Fairground , duringDecember 14-17, 2014.

Tanzania Industrial Research and DevelopmentOrganization (TIRDO), Tanzania, carried out a feasibilitystudy and restructuring of a distillation plant of essential andclove stem oils at WAWI Pemba in Zanzibar. The aim was tocome up with an optimal business model and structure inorder to boost economic and financial turn-around of theplant to ensure profitability and sustainability. The studycovered human resource analysis, farm practices andmanagement, essential oil production and quality, energysource and its impact to the surroundings, and market ofproducts and financial analysis. TIRDO also signed acontract with Songas Ltd. for a non-destructive testing(NDT) inspection of a 240 km long gas pipeline. Theinspection will only cover the faulty joints to avoid leaks andother damages to the environment and the surroundingneighborhood.

Prof. Dr. Rolf-Dieter Heuer, Director-General, EuropeanOrganization for Nuclear Research (CERN), visitedCOMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) on 20December 2014. He was accompanied by Dr. Rudiger Voss,Head of International Relations CERN. During the visit, thedelegates were shown around the academic and technicalfacilities at the Institute, including Nanotechnologylaboratory, Radiation laboratory, RF laboratory, and theALICE Grid node at the Department of Computer Science.Senior faculty members of CIIT accompanied the delegatesduring these visits. CIIT is a full member of ALICE - A LargeIon Collider Experiment which is one of the four majorexperiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. A jointteam of Physics and Electrical Engineering departments ofCIIT is working on Technology Computer Aided Design(TCAD) simulation of Si Pixel detectors to be used in theInner Tracking System (ITS) of the ALICE particle detectors.Around 20 physicists and students are currently involved inParticle Physics related research at CIIT, Pakistan.

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ACTIVITIES/NEWS OF COMSATS’ CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE


The Chairperson, Prof. Peter Onumanyi, Deputy Director NMC,and Moderators of the first technical session of the conference

13

During his meeting with Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi, Rector CIIT,Dr. Heuer appreciated the professional work being carriedout by CIIT in collaboration with CERN. The meeting wasalso attended by department heads and senior facultymembers of the Institute. The Institute is a part of the teamthat is developing the Inner Tracking System (ITS) for thenext round of experiments, and is participating in thesimulation of Silicon pixel detectors to be incorporated in thefirst seven layers of the ITS in ALICE detector. In addition,CIIT team is developing serial communication protocolsfrom the sensor chip to the first data acquisition board. TheDirector-General assured CERN s full support to CIIT.CERN s donation of valuable servers and hardwareequipment to CIIT is a clear testimony of the growingcooperation between the two institutions. Dean, Faculty ofInformation Sciences and Technology, CIIT, Dr. SajjadMohsin, informed that COMSATS Data Centre is expectedto be functional within 3 to 4 months. The D.G CERN happilyaccepted the invitation to inaugurate the Centre and offeredto give a live video-lecture on the occasion.

A three member Chinese delegation led by Prof. Dr. Yao Xin,Institute of Geomechanics, Chinese Academy of GeologicalSciences, Beijing, China, visited CIIT Islamabad campus onDecember 12, 2014. Dr. Yao Xin was accompanied by twoother eminent Chinese scientists from the samedepartment. On the occasion, an MoU was also signedbetween the department of Earth Sciences, CIITAbbottabad, and the department of Geomechanics,ChineseAcademy of Geological Sciences.

Earlier, a delegation of CIIT led by the Head of itsInternational Office, Dr. Arshad S. Malik, visited theUniversity of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, onDecember 2, 2014. The delegation first visited the Instituteof Educational Leadership, where it met the Director andDeputy Director of the Institute, Prof. Alma Harris and Dr.Michelle Jones, respectively. Later the delegation held

CIIT STRENGTHENS INTERNATIONAL TIES

meeting with Deputy Dean/Director of Faculty of Businessand Accountancy, Prof. Dr. Suhaiza Zailani. The CIITdelegation used this visit to learn about the faculty of variousdisciplines at the university and its prospective center forprofessional training and management.

On November 20, 2014, a delegation from Royal NorwegianEmbassy in Islamabad visited CIIT Abbottabad. Thedelegation comprised of the following members: Mr. LarsNordrum, Minister/Counsellor; Mr. Jorgen Martinussen,First Secretary; and Mr. Abdul Aziz Usmani, ProgrammeAdvisor. The purpose of the visit was to learn about theprogress and impact of the ongoing research and academiccollaboration between CIIT Abbottabad and the NorwegianUniversity of Life Sciences, (NMBU), Norway.

A project to establish a Center for Agroecology was recentlyapproved by the Ministry of Agrarian Development (MDA),Brazil. The initiative would in due course include ten morestate institutions, including the Association of BiologicalFarmers (ABIO), the Federal Rural University of Rio deJaneiro (UFRRJ), Embrapa and the Agricultural ResearchCorporation of Rio de Janeiro (RJ-Pesagro). The project willtake effect in early 2015 and is expected to last for two years.

The Rio de Janeiro node of the project would be led by Dr.Jose Antonio de Azevedo Espindola, a researcher atEmbrapa Agrobiologia (Seropédica / RJ). The project isexpected to benefit both researchers and farmers due to theexchange of knowledge between the institutions and thecommunity. It also has strategic importance for Embrapa, asit will help learn about the community s demands toencourage more applied research.

The Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Institute ofTUBITAK Marmara Research Center (MAM), Turkey,organized a workshop on Biocompatibility andBiomaterials , on November 18, 2014. The workshop wasorganized in coordination with three other institutes of MAM,namely Chemistry Institute, Materials Institute, and FoodInstitute. Subject specialists and resource persons sharedtheir expertise on topics such as regulations on medicaldevices, problems faced by medical device and suppliesmanufacturers during the CE certification process,regulatory requirements for pharmaceuticals and medicaldevice agencies, l icensing issues, ISO-10993biocompatibility testing, risk assessment and managementof medical devices, medical technology markets in theworld, particularly in Turkey, as well as TUBITAK-TEYDEBgrant supports for medical devices industries to facilitateimprovement/development of new products.

EMBRAPA AGROBIOLOGIA, BRAZIL CONTRIBUTESTOANATIONAL PROJECT

MAM-TURKEY ORGANIZES A WORKSHOP ONBIOCOMPATIBILITYAND BIOMATERIALS


D.G. CERN during his visit to CIIT Islamabad

14

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT

MOSQUITO CONTROL USING PLANT CHLOROPHYLL

VIRUS RESISTANT WHEAT TO IMPROVE YIELDS

GREEN METHOD TO HELP CUT SLEEPING SICKNESS

According to report (November 6, 2014),researchers are exploring a new method to have effectivemosquito control that involves sprinkling powdered plantextracts on swampy mosquito habitats. The method involvesadding a derivative of the plant pigment, chlorophyll, towetlands infested with the aquatic larvae of mosquitoes. Thelarvae climb to the surface of the water for oxygen and feed onthe powder, which has been manufactured to float on thesurface. Chlorophyll in living plants absorbs sunlight andpasses on its energy so that carbon dioxide can be utilized tomake sugary fuel. But in its powdered form, the chlorophyllinstead transfers the sun’s energy to dissolved oxygen insidethe larvae. The resulting form of oxygen is unstable and soreacts with the cells’ components, damaging them andultimately killing the larvae by a process called ‘oxidation’.The technique is reportedly successful in killing between 85 to100 per cent of larvae, including Anopheles, Aedes and theCulex species of mosquitoes that are disease vectors formalaria, dengue fever and filariasis, respectively.

Egyptian researchers, belonging to the Innovative Researchand Development (InRaD-Egypt), recently signed anagreement with South Sudan government to implement thetechnique in the country.

Wheat crop growers can lose upto 5 to 10 percent or evenmore of the yield due to a number of viruses (including wheatstreak mosaic, triticum mosaic, soil-borne mosaic and barleyyellow dwarf). To address this issue, a major advancement indeveloping broad disease-resistant wheat is said to be on thehorizon, reports in its edition of November 18,2014. Scientists from Agricultural Research Services of U.S.Department of Agriculture, and Kansas State University,USA, have led an effort to develop a genetic engineeringtechnology that builds resistance to certain viruses in thewheat plant itself. The approach involves developingtransgenic wheat lines that contain small pieces of wheatstreak mosaic virus and triticum mosaic virus RNA integratedinto the genome of the wheat. This prevents further entry ofthe pathogenic virus and enables the plants to developimmunity against it.

Using cheap by-product from the cashew nut industry as thebase material, chemicals can be produced as ‘attractants’ totrap tsetse flies, which are vectors for sleeping sickness alsoknown as African . This new method,published in Green Chemistry, and reported byAdoleAbuto inthe December 24, 2014 edition of , can provide asustainable and cost-effective means for producing the muchneeded chemicals (3-ethylphenol and 3-propylphenol).

SciDev.Net

Science Daily

trypanosomiasis

SciDev.Net

More than 300,000 tonnes of this by-product material isgenerated every year by cashew nut producers of Sub-Saharan African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeriaand Tanzania. The liquid contains the chemical cardanol,which can be used to make the attractants. These countriescan produce the chemicals needed for this new methodlocally; lowering the cost incurred by the prevalent expensiveways of dealing with the tsetse flies.

An open access journal, has published anew method for examining the Ebola and Lassa virusgenomes, which could make surveillance quicker andcheaper for West African nations, and will help detect newforms of the viruses, says a report published in(November 18, 2014).

Detecting the RNA genomes of these deadly hemorrhagicviruses in suspected fever patients helps confirm diagnosis,which is crucial for quick decision-making to quarantinepatients and begin tracing their contacts. Yet sequencing viralgenomes directly from blood samples holds manychallenges. The new method, developed by an internationalteam led by scientists from Broad Institute, USA, to sequencegenomes of the Ebola and Lassa viruses lowers risks ofcontaminating human RNA and has been proven to workthrough rapid sequencing of nearly 100 Ebola patients’ bloodsamples from the recent outbreak. With a turnaround time of10 days, this improved sequencing approach reduced thenormal length of the process three-fold. The method alsolowered costs by sequencing and assembling more viralgenomes using fewer steps with a higher success rate. Thenew approach does not rely on using previously knowngenome sequences, which means it has also been able touncover the RNA sequences of uncommon genetic variantsof the virus. The tools and protocols that the group developedare now being shared to enable laboratories in West Africaand around the world to rapidly sequence clinical samplesfrom Ebola patients.

Researchers have developed smart textiles to help monitorand transmit wearers' biomedical information via wireless orcellular networks. This breakthrough, reported by

(December 3, 2014) is based on an article in thescientific journal, , clears a path for a host of newdevelopments for people suffering from chronic diseases,elderly people living alone, as well as firemen and policeofficers. Researchers under the supervision of Prof. YounèsMessaddeq, Université Laval, Faculty of Science andEngineering, created the smart fabric by successfullysuperimposing multiple layers of copper, polymers, glass,and silver. The surface of the fiber can also be adjusted tomonitor a range of information, such as glucose levels, heartrhythm, brain activity, movements, and spatial coordinates.

Genome Biology,

Science Daily

ScienceDaily

Sensors

NEW METHOD TOAID QUICK VIRAL SURVEILLANCE

CLOTHES DEVELOPED TO MONITOR AND TRANSMITHEALTH INFORMATION


15

PROFILE OF HEAD OF COMSATS’ S&T CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

Dr. Mohamed Ben Youssef is the incumbent DirectorGeneral of the Water Researchesand Technologies Centre (CERTE)*,Tunisia, which was inducted toCOMSATS Network of InternationalS&T Centres of Excellence in 2014.CERTE is an affiliated Centre of theTunis ian Min is t ry of HigherEducation and Scientific Research,and an important component of theBorj Cedria Science and TechnologyPark, located 25 kms South of theCapital city of Tunisia. By virtue ofbeing the head of COMSATS Centre of Excellence, Dr. BenYoussef is a member of COMSATS Coordinating Council.

Born in Chebba, Tunisia, in 1953, Dr. Ben Youssef is ageologist by profession, who started his career as researchassistant in 1981 upon joining the National Institute ofTechnical and Scientific Research (INRST). Over the years,Dr. Ben Youssef has developed expertise in micro-paleontological determination for geologic mapping;monitoring of hydrogeological and oil drilling; as well asbiostratigraphic study of drill core for mining and oilinvestigation.

Having developed interest in geology in early years of hislife, Dr. Ben Youssef did his Bachelors in Sciences andTechniques of Geology in 1977 from the Faculty of Sciencesof Tunis, Tunisia. Later, he proceeded to France to acquirehis Master s degree in Geology from the University of Nice in1978, and a Doctorate in Geology in 1980 from the sameinstitution prior to returning to Tunisia and joining INRST. Hissignificant contributions in the field earned him Doctorat ès-Sciences in Geology from the Faculty of Sciences of Tunis,in 1999.

Since April 2011, Dr. Ben Youssef is also the Director ofGeoresources Laboratory of CERTE, which is one of thethree research laboratories of the Centre. He had earlierheld this important position from 2007 to 2009. Over theyears, Dr. Ben Youssef has also made importantcontributions to the administrative affairs of the Centre.

At national level, he served on the panel of a committeedeveloping prospective national strategy on water (2011).He was a member of the recruitment committee forengineers of the National Office of Mines (2012),established under the Tunisian Ministry of Industry, Energyand Small/Medium Companies. He also represents theTunisian Ministry of Higher Education and ScientificResearch on the Board of Directors of the National Mappingand Remote Sensing Center (CNCT) as a member.

In view of his expertise, Dr. Ben Youssef has been a part ofimportant national and international programmes. From1981-1983, he was one of the participants in theimplementation process of geological maps of SouthernTunisia under UNDP Programme. Later, he madecontributions to the projects on Phosphate Basin of Gafsa(1985-1988) and Sahel (1999-2002). He has also been amember of the research programmes on salt bodies inNorthern Tunisia (CMCU; 1998-2000). From 2002-2005, heheaded the research programme Palaeo-environment ofcontinental ecosystems of the Mesozoic in the South ofTunisia (2002-2005) during the Lower Cretaceous (CMCU2001-2003). He has also been a technical member of atraining workshop on Geology of the Sahel Region , held inTunis (2002).

As an academic, he has supervised nine Ph.D theses and 3theses defense. He has also supervised several Masterslevel theses. Dr. Ben Youssef has conducted variousteaching courses for undergraduate and masters levelstudents at various academic institutions, including: Facultyof Sciences of Tunis; Faculty of Sciences of Sfax; Faculty ofSciences of Bizerte; Faculty of Lettres,Art and Humanities ofManouba; and Faculty of Lettres and Sci. Human Science, 9Avril, Tunis. He has also administered various academicactivities as an examiner of doctoral level studies, foruniversity authorization, as a jury member for masters-levelprograms, as a supervisor of dissertations, and

students supervision.

He has more than twenty papers published in indexedjournals and has made more than 70 oral and posterpresentations in national and international conferences. Hehas also contributed to the development of severalgeological maps and four booklets on geologic field trips.

Water Researches and Technologies Centreof Borj-Cedria (CERTE)Route touristique de Soliman, Ecopark of Borj CedriaBP. 273, 8020 Soliman, Republic of Tunisia.Tel: (+216 79) 325122/79 325199; Fax: (+216 79) 325802Email: [email protected]: www.certe.rnrt.tn

undergraduate and master

Contact Details:

PROF. DR. MOHAMED BEN YOUSSEF, DIRECTOR GENERAL – , TUNISIACERTE


*About CERTE Borj Cedria, Tunisia

As an important component of Borj Cedria Science andTechnology Park, CERTE focuses on research in waterresources and has three well-equipped laboratories forresearch on Geo-resources, Wastewater Treatment andNatural Water Treatment. There are separate units of pilot plants,valorization of research results and information and documentation.The Centre also provides facilities for conducting water relatedresearch leading to MS and Ph.D Degrees. CERTE has more than300 staff members, including 78 researchers with excellentlaboratory equipment.

COMSATS is pleased to announce the convening of its 18 Coordinating CouncilMeeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 12 to 13 May 2015. The meeting is being hostedby the COMSATS Centre of Excellence in Sri Lanka, the Industrial TechnologyInstitute (ITI). The Members of the Council will meet in order to review the presentactivities of the Network, as well as to deliberate on its future course of action.

On behalf of COMSATS and ITI, Sri Lanka, I take this opportunity to invite the Membersof Council to join us in Colombo. We look forward to the active participation andvaluable contributions from the Members and the Observers of the meeting.

Advisor (Programmes), COMSATS Secretariat ( )

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[email protected]

18 COORDINATING COUNCIL MEETING12-13 May 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka

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COMSATS BRIEF AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

16


Acknowledgment of Contributions

Editorial Support:Designing and Development:

Mr. Abdul Majid Qureshi & Ms. Narmeen KhurramMr. Imran Chaudhry

Science Vision is a biannual scientific journal of COMSATS. It primarily aims athighlighting the important scientific and technological developments that have abearing on socio-economic conditions of the people by publishing research as well asreview articles. Scientists, researchers, policy-makers and young scholars from S&Torganizations and R&D institutions are encouraged to contribute articles on anyscientific field of interest in line with the focus of the journal.

COMSATS invites scholarly contributions for the Volume 21, Issue 1 (January to June2015) of Science Vision.As per the policy of the journal, contributors are compensatedfor their time and efforts with a modest amount of honorarium. Contributions may besent to the Managing Editor at: . For more details, please visitthe journal s website: .

[email protected]

CALL FOR PAPERS FOR COMSATS JOURNAL SCIENCE VISION: VOL. 21(1)

A BRIEF ON COMSATS

COMSATS is an inter-governmentalorganization, with its Secretariat located inIslamabad, Pakistan. Currently it has 21countries as its Member States and anaffiliated Network of 19 scientific institutions.

COMSATS NETWORK

BCSIR-Bangladeshwww.bcsir.gov.bd

CIF-Colombiawww.cif.org.co

CIIT-Pakistanwww.ciit.edu.pk

CSIR-Ghanawww.csir.org.gh

NMC-Nigeriawww.nmcabuja.org

Embrapa Agrobiologia-Brazilwww.cnpab.embrapa.br

NRC-Egyptwww.nrc.sci.eg

HIAST-Syriawww.hiast.edu.sy

RSS-Jordanwww.rss.jo

TIRDO-Tanzaniawww.tirdo.org

TÜB TAK MAM-Turkeywww.mam.gov.tr

I

UCAD-Senegalwww.ucad.sn

ITI-Sri Lankawww.iti.lk

ICCBS-Pakistanwww.iccs.edu

ICCES-Chinaenglish.icces.ac.cn

IROST-Iranwww.irost.org

IRCC-Sudanwww.ircc.gov.sd

ICENS

ICENS-Jamaicawww.icens.org

CERTE-Tunisiawww.certe.rnrt.tn

OBITUARY: DR. FARIDA SHAHFORMER MEMBER OF COMSATS TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

COMSATS mourns the sad demise of a former member of its Technical AdvisoryCommittee (TAC), Dr. Farida Shah, who passed away on November 1, 2014. Dr. Shah,a leading figure in both TWAS and theOrganization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD). She took closeinterest in science education and in mainstreaming of women in science and otherfields. Dr. Shah will be remembered for her clear vision of the importance of science,and her hard work in bringing the vision to life.

Malaysian molecular biologist, had been a

Courtesy: Edward Lempinen, Public Information Officer TWAS(from the article In Memoriam: Farida Shah )

SELECTED FORTHCOMING SCIENTIFIC EVENTSIN COMSATS COUNTRIES

30 March - 1April 2015 International Wireless Symposium, Shenzhen, China

14 - 15April 2015 International Conference on Environment, ClimateChange and Renewable Energy, Harare, Zimbabwe

12 - 15 May 2015 ICIT15: 7 International Conference on InformationTechnology,Amman, Jordan

th

(iws-ieee.org/)

(www.icit.zuj.edu.jo)

(10times.com/iceccre)

from the executive director s desk · 2018-05-03 · applications of icts, 15-16 december 2014...

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