Comsat Newsletter IssueNo 3 May June 09

8/14/2019 Comsat Newsletter IssueNo 3 May June 09

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/comsat-newsletter-issueno-3-may-june-09 1/8

From the Executive Director’s Desk

As the world reels under the shock of global financial crisis, the harm to theeconomies of the South is aptly described by the Executive Director of South Centreas ‘Collateral Damage”. The growth rates in most developing countries haveplummeted with average losses of the order of 6 percent in gross national incomes.The nations that are rich and strong have scrambled to the rescue of their institutionsat the heart of the crisis and poured in straggling sums of hard cash in their financial

systems. Amidst this gloomy yet hopefully manageable scenario, an unexpectedbeneficiary has been the S&T sector. It is being shored up by all economic giants, aspart of recovery measures with R&D budgets in between 2% to 3% of GDP. There issomething to emulate here by those countries who have yet to bring S&T at the coreof their development plans. COMSATS is hoping that its Commission Meeting at thelevel of Heads of States/Governments planned for April 2010 will be an occasion fortheleadership of its member countries to take some bold decisionsin this respect.

The objective of the Commission Meeting would be to infuse a new level of resolveamong the developing countries to achieve excellence in science and technology.With vast natural and human resources, the countries of the South merely need astrong political will to harness S&T capacity for their long-term prosperity. COMSATShappens to be an appropriate forum to collectively strategize the long-haul marchtowards development with mutual cooperation.Through this note, I urge all our focal

points in member countries and Heads of Centres of Excellence to kindly give a veryserious consideration to the Agenda of the Commission Meeting circulated duringthe 1 Consultative Committee Meeting. Comments and suggestions from membercountriesare requested on highest priority.

Meanwhile, at COMSATS we are earnestly engaged in the process of follow-up onthe decisions taken during the 1 Consultative Committee and the 12 CoordinatingCouncil Meetings held in Abuja (Nigeria) in April 2009. The Minutes have beenprepared and sent for comments to focal points/Centres of Excellence. One of thedecisions regarding therecognition of the formerE x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r ’ sservices, in the form ofpresenting a plaque to him,

has been implemented. FromCentres of Excellence, weexpect two urgent follow-upactions; (i) comments on theC o m m i s s i o n M e e t i n gAgenda and, (ii) contributionsfor COMSATS publications,especially for this Newsletter,by timely submitting activityreports of the Centres.

st

st th

May - June 2009, Issue No. 3Islamabad, Pakistan.

Patron

Dr. Imtinan Elahi Qureshi,Executive Director

T.I.

Contributions from readers arewelcome on any matter relevant to themission of COMSATS, namely thep r o m o t i o n o f S o u t h - S o u t hc o op e ra ti o n i n s c ie n ce a n dtechnology for sustainable progress oft he d ev e lo p in g c o un t ri e s. T h eresponsibility for the accuracy of anyinformation rests with the originalsource. Views expressed in thispublication do not necessarily reflectthose of its editors, publisher orCOMSATS.

Editors

Mr.Irfan HayeeMs.Sadia N. SwatiMs. Farhana Saleem

COMSATS Secretariat

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

InsideThis Issue

Dr. Hameed A. Khan, Former E.D. COMSATS,receiving a plaque from Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, Advisor on

S&T, Planning Commission of Pakistan



COMSATS COORDINATING COUNCIL RECOGNIZESTHE SERVICES OF FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTORCOMSATS

THE FEDERAL MINISTER FORS CI EN CE A N D T EC H NO L O GY V I S I T S T H ESECRETARIAT FOR A BRIEFING ON THE TWOINTERNATIONAL MEETINGS OF COMSATS IN NIGERIA

In recognition of his long-standing association withCOMSATS, Dr. Hameed Ahmed Khan, former ExecutiveDirector COMSATS, was presented a memento on 18 June2009, pursuant to the decision of the Coordinating Councilduring its12 annual meeting held in Nigeria this year.

During a simple ceremony at COMSATS Secretariat chairedby Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad,Advisor on Science and Technology tothe Planning Commission of Pakistan, Executive DirectorCOMSATS, Dr. Imtinan Elahi Qureshi read out the resolutionadopted by the Coordinating Council acknowledging Dr.Khan’s untiring efforts during his8-year tenure at COMSATS. Dr.

Qureshi, availing himself of Dr.Ahmad’s presence, who is also amember of COMSATS’ TechnicalAdvisory Committee, gave abriefing on the deliberations ofthe two international meetings ofCOMSATS held this April inAbuja, Nigeria. The guests ofhonour commended COMSATS’constant endeavours to fosterS&T l ink ages bet ween t hecountries of the South. Dr. Khano n r ec ei v in g t he p la q ueexpressed his gratitude and

w i sh e d C O MS AT S e v er ysuccess in itsfuture ventures.

H.E. Dr. M.Azam Khan Swati, the Pakistani Federal Ministerfor Science and Technology, paid a visit to COMSATSSecretariat on 20 May 2009, for a briefing on theCommission’s recent programmes. The Executive Directorapprised the Federal Minister about the proceedings andoutcomes of the two COMSATS’ international meetings in

Nigeria. During the briefing, the Executive Director notedthat the deliberations of the meetings paved way to createessential linkages among COMSATS’ Focal Points in itsmember countries and the affiliated Centres of Excellencefor implementing COMSATS’ programmes and activities.The major recommendations of the Consultative CommitteeMeeting were highlighted that stressed the identification andprioritization of the needs of member countries, multilateralcooperation programmes, designing appropriate technicaland economic work plans aimed at socio-economic uplift ofthe marginalized communities, and voluntary financial and

th

th

th

NEWS/ACTIVITIES/HIGHLIGHTS FROM COMSATS SECRETARIAT

technical support to COMSATS from its member countriesThe Federal Minister commended COMSATS onsuccessfully organizing the two international meetings inNigeria.

The Federal Minister was also shown various departmentsand sections of COMSATS Secretariat during his visitincluding the tele-health unit. He complimented thehealthcare services being provided by COMSATSSecretariat to the remote and marginalized Northern Areasof Pakistan. The Federal Minister also paid a visit to thehead-office of COMSATS Internet Services (CIS) locatedwithin COMSATS building and appreciated its efforts foproviding quality Internet services to the major cities oPakistan.

Prof. Xiang Gao and Prof. XianzuGong from the Institute of PlasmaPhysics, Chinese Academy oSciences visited COMSATS on26 June 2009 to learn abouorganization with China as one oi ts f ou n de r m em b er s . T h eChinese delegates were visitingPakistan with a travel grant fromCOMSATS, in connection with the‘34 International NathiagaSummer College on Physics and

Contemporary Needs’, jointlyorganized by the Pakistan AtomicEnergy Commission and Nationa

Centre for Physics.

The Executive Director COMSATS briefed the distinguishedguests about the programmes and activities of COMSATSespecially those with the People’s Republic of China. DrGao who is the Director of Tokamak Division, also informedthe Executive Director about the research work beingundertaken at his institute. He further apprised that severaother groups in the Universities are also engaged in plasmafusion research based on magnetic confinement. It was DrGao under whose supervision one of the faculty members oCOMSATS Institute of Information Technology completedhis doctoratein 2008.

COMSATS participated in a workshop jointly organized bythe Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCSTand the Islamic Educational, Scientific and CulturaOrganization (ISESCO). The workshop was held from 5 to7 May 2009, in Islamabad on the theme of ‘S&T Statistics

th

th

th

th

CHINESE SCIENTISTS VISIT

COMSATS HEADQUARTERS

C O M S AT S PA R T I C I PA T E S I N P C S T- I S ES C OWORKSHOP

2

COMSATS Newsl etter, May - Jun e 2009

Federal Minister for Science & Technology, Mr. M. Azam

Khan Swati, while inspecting the Tele-health Unit located at COMSATS Secretariat



Pakistani researchers with the scientific and sociaprogrammes of the Meeting. The panel comprised: Dr. N. MButt, Representative of Council for Lindau Nobel LaureatesMeetings in Pakistan; Ms. Kathrina Lack, Head of CulturaSection, German Embassy in Islamabad; Dr. IshfaqAhmadAdvisor on Science and Technology, Planning Commissionof Pakistan and Dr. I. E. Qureshi, Executive DirectoCOMSATS, as well as academicians from various PakistanUniversities.

Technical Committee on Science and Technology of theSouth Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARCheld its fourth meeting on 29 and 30 June in Islamabad

Pakistan. Dr. Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, FederaMinister for Science and Technology, Government oPakistan inaugurated the meeting hosted by theGovernment of Pakistan at Best Western Hotel, IslamabadDelegations from SAARC member countries includingPakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which are also themembers of the Commission on Science and Technology foSustainable Development in the South (COMSATS)attended the Meeting.

On behalf of COMSATS, Dr. Imtinan Elahi QureshiExecutive Director COMSATS participated as a member oPakistani delegation. Besides taking under considerationimportant agenda items of the meeting, the Committee

reviewed the status of implementation of the decisions takenin the 3 Meeting of SAARC Technical Committee onScience and Technology, held in New Delhi, India, on 15September 2008.

th th

rd

t

COMSATS PARTICIPATES IN 4TH MEETING OF SAARCT EC H NI CA L C OM MI TT EE O N S C IE N CE A N DTECHNOLOGY

and Policy Making’. While representing COMSATS on theoccasion, Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. I. E. Qureshipresented a paper on “Engagement in InternationalCollaborations as a Measure of S&T Capacity”. The keypoint of his paper was that the countries that are involved ininternational scientific collaborations are the ones with arelatively sound indigenous scientificbase. Dr. Qureshi saidthat as a policy matter international engagements aredesirable and can be facilitated by organizations such asCOMSATS.

Delegates from Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Oman, SaudiArabia, Sudan, Turkey, in addition to various S&T/R&Dorganizations of Pakistan, participated in the workshop. Theworkshop concluded on a note to promote closerc ooperation and inform at ion s haring among t heparticipating states in developing S&T indicators and thus

facilitating to build betterS&T policies.

On 24 June 2009, an Orientation Camp was organized atCOMSATS Secretariat for the young Pakistani researcherswho were selected to participate in 59 Meeting of NobelLaureates held in Lindau, Germany, from 28 June to 3 July2009. The Lindau Nobel Laureates Meetings provide aglobally recognized forum for the exchange of knowledgebetween Nobel Laureates and aspiring scientists. Young

researchers from all over the world are selected toparticipate in the Meeting after being nominated by a globalnetwork of ‘Academic Partners’ and evaluated by a reviewpanel.

The Camp was organized by the Pakistani node of Councilfor Lindau Nobel Laureates Meetings. A panel of expertsdelivered lectures so as to familiarize the group of 6 selected

th

th

th rd

COMSATS SECRETARIAT HOSTS AN ORIENTATIONCAMP OF SELECTED PAKISTANI RESEARCHERS FORPARTICIPATION IN 59TH MEETING OF NOBELLAUREATES

COMSATS Newsl etter, May - J une 2009

3

Young Pakistani scientists selected to attend the 59Meeting of Nobel Laureates at Lindau, Germany,

attending an Orientation Camp at COMSATS Secretariat

th

IMPORTANT MEETINGS OF THEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMSATS

8 May 2009 Mr. R un e St ro em

31 May 2009 Mr.Muhammad Kashif Murtaza

2 J un e 2009 Mr. S aq ib A l eem

4 J un e 2009 Ms .S hah naz W azi r A l i

29 J un e 2009 Dr.K .K.D w iv ed i

30 J un e 2009 Pr of. D r. Si ri mal i Fer nan do an d A i r C h iefMarshal (R)Jayalath Weerakkody

th

st

nd

th

th

th

Country Director, Asian Development Bank

Federal Secretary, Ministry of Science andTechnology, Islamabad

S e c re t a ry G e n er a l , P a ki s t an N a t io n a lCommissionfor UNESCO

SpecialAssistant to the PrimeMinisterof Pakistan

Advisor, International Cooperation Division,Department of Science andTechnology, India

Chairperson, Sri Lanka’s National ScienceFoundation and Sri Lankan High Commissionerfor Pakistan, respectively



4

ACTIVITIES/NEWS OF COMSATS’ CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

H .R .H . P RI NC ES S S UM AYA B I NT E L H A SS A NAPPOINTED PRESIDENT OF EL HASSAN SCIENCECITY

SCIENTIFIC AND ACADEMIC ACTIVITIESAT RSS

H.R.H. Prince Hassan, the President of the Higher Councilfor Science and Technology (HCST), has appointed H.R.H.Princess Sumaya as the President of El Hassan ScienceCity on 27 May 2009, in addition to her post as President ofthe Royal Scientific Society (RSS). Established in 2007, ElHassan Science City comprises the HCST, the RSS, thePrincess Sumaya University for Technology and the QueenRania Centre for Entrepreneurship.

Royal Scientific Society (RSS) participated in the ‘6International Machines and Electro-mechanical Exhibition –

JIMEX 2009’, from 14 to 17 June 2009. The exhibition washeld under the patronage of H.E. Nader Al-Dahabi, PrimeMinister of Jordan. The event was a joint venture of JordanEngineers Association, National Energy Research Centre,and Tuyap of Turkey, amongothers.

T he e ve nt e xh i bi te d l at es tproducts and developments inc onst r uct ion and indus t r ialmachines, electricity, energy,renewable energy, automation,electrical installat ion, watert e c h n ol o g y a n d e l e ct r o-

mechanical equipment. RSSpresent ed i ts product s andservices at a special booth.

During May-June 2009, theQuality Assurance Department ofRSS conducted two trainingcourses at its premises. The firstt ra i ni n g c ou rs e : ‘ I SO / IE C17025:2005 Standard Fields of Applications andRequirements’ was conducted on 27 and 28 May 2009.

The course was meant for lab. technicians, qualitymanagers, quality auditors & assessors and personnel of

non-accredited laboratories, and laboratories with ISO9001:2000 certification that are considering or would like toknow more about laboratories accreditation. The secondcourse: ‘Practical Application in Total Quality Management(TQM)’ was held from 14 to 18 June 2009, with anobjective to educate corporate executive directors, heads ofdepartments, quality managers and engineers in theconcept and philosophy behind Total Quality Management,Quality Awards and Quality Certification, as well asintegration between different management systems withinan organization.

th

th

th th

th th

th th

WORKSHOPSAT ICCBS DURING MAY 2009

R&D ACTIVITIES AT ICCBS

E MB R A PA A G R OB I O L OG IA M A K E S L I TE RA R YCONTRIBUTION TO PRESERVING ATLANTIC BIO-DIVERSITY

A one-day workshop on ‘Natural Product-Based Drugs andOther Botanicals: Present Status and Future Prospects’ wasorganized at International Centre for Chemical andBiological Sciences (ICCBS), Karachi, Pakistan, on 16May 2009, in collaboration with British Council - Pakistan.Key subject experts including Director ICCBS, Prof. Dr. M.Iqbal Choudhary and Director British Council, Mr. MashoodRizvi delivered lectures to help develop understandingabout the elemental basis of Natural Products in ModernMedicine.

Earlier, on 9 May 2009, the National Core Group inChemistry (NCGC) based at ICCBS, organized a one-dayseminar titled ‘Swine Flu: A Deadly Disease’. The seminartouched upon various issues, including diagnosis, treatment

and preventive measures of Swine flu. Also, later in themonth, from 21 to 24 , in collaboration with Umair BashaFoundation and NCGC, ICCBS organized an importantworkshop on ‘Effective Use of Digital Resources’. There

were 19 participants from ShahAbdul Latif University, KhairpurPakistan who attended theworkshop.

Researchers at the InternationaC e nt re f or C h em i ca l a ndBiological Sciences, Karach

Pakistan have successfullydeveloped a bio-pesticide namedB i os al a n d a b io fe rt il i ze rNeemex. These products haveproved to be very effective inprotecting crops like rice, cotton,sugarcane, vegetables, such asegg plant, tomato, cucumberg r e e n- c h i l ie s , l a d y f i n g er

cabbage and peas, against pests that result in variousdiseases in plantsand eventuallydamagethe whole crop.

On the other hand, another group of scientists at ICCBShave discovered many new base pairs of DNAsequences of

Mango. Such valuable research is believed to help inenhancing theproduction of mangoes in thecountry.

Researchers from Embrapa Agrobiologia, in collaborationwith their counterparts from Embrapa Maize and Sorghum,Embrapa Solos, CEPERJ, BioAtlantica Institute, InstituteBiomes and UERJ have jointly authored a book titled

th

th

st th


H.R.H. Princess Sumaya being designated thePresident of El Hassan Science City during a ceremony

at RSS Main Administration Building



5

‘Strategies and Actions for Biodiversity Conservation’. Thebook was launched, on 27 May 2009, at the BotanicalGardens, Tom Jonim, in Rio de Janeiro. This book is a resultof four years of intense research work where theresearchers have tried to help reverse the degradation of theAtlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro, in order to preserve itsvaluable biodiversity. Rather than formulating strategies forconservation with the only elements of flora and fauna, theanalysis of the current scenario and the routing of proposalshave been based on integrated and systemic dimensions ofbiological, economic, social, environmental and politico-institutional factors.

The strategies and actions for the conservation ofbiodiversity, identified in the book, have a regionalperspective considering the new dynamics of the State thatare characteristic to its region. The book provides

information and proposes actions to support the policies forconservation, as well as disseminates information and helpsplanning of land-use and protection of remaining forests andbiodiversity of Rio de Janeiro. Theselected strategies in the bookaim at strengthening the systemo f u ni ts o f c on s er va ti o n,management of the landscape,enhancing quality of life andincome generation opportunities,e d u c a t i o n , i n c r e a s e de n v i ro n m en t a l a w a r en e s s ,involvement of civil society andt h e s t re n gt h en i ng o f l o ca l

governance, consolidation ofexisting knowledge about theenvironment and its processes.

A h i g h- t ec h n a t io n a l- l e ve lscientific event, TechnoMoot-2009, was organized by COMSATS Institute of InformationTechnology (CIIT), on 11 & 12 May 2009 at its campus inAbbottabad, Pakistan. This event, comprising seminars,symposia, student competitions and exhibitions, was agathering of people from various fields of science and

technology. TechnoMoot-2009 was inaugurated by Dr.Imtinan Elahi Qureshi, Executive Director COMSATS.

The activities undertaken during the event were: EmbeddedSystems, Microcontrollers and Telecommunicationsexhibition and competition (EMCOT-2009); ComputationalComplexities, Innovation & Solutions (CCIS-2009);Conference of Software Enterprises (CSE-2009); ManagingInnovations, Leadership, Entrepreneurship & Strategies(Miles-2009); Vision Information & CommunicationTec hnology ( Vis ion I CT- 2009), and Sc ience f orDevelopment (S-Dev-2009).

th

th th

CIIT ABBOTTABAD HOLDSTECHNOMOOT - 2009

C II T C A RR IE S O UT R ES EA R CH O N G EN ET ICDISORDERS

C II T A B B O T TA B A D C EL E B R AT ES ‘ W OR L DENVIRONMENT DAY’

CIIT ABBOTTABAD WINS UNICEF FUNDED PROJECT –WAQIPH

The Department of Biosciences of CIIT Islamabad Campus

is currently carrying out research on Mental Retardationspecifically Autosomal Recessive Non-syndromic MentaRetardation, at the Human Molecular Genetic Lab. Theresearch focuses on the genetic mapping of candidategenes involved in Autosomal Recessive Non-syndromicMental Retardation prevalent in various families of Pakistan.

The Principal Investigator, Dr. Asif Mir, is collecting samplesfrom a range of families in different areas of Pakistan focarrying out the benchmark work, in which he is genotypingthe samples with microsatellite markers and trying to identifythe locus or gene involved in thedisorder in a specific family.

CIIT Abbottabad celebrated ‘World Environment Day’ on 5June 2009. The theme for theEnvironment Day of year 2009was “Your Planet Needs You U ni te t o C om ba t C li ma teChange”. The Department oEnvironmental Sciences (DES)The Environmental ManagemenUnit (EMU), COMSATS LiteraryS o c i e t y ( C L S ) , T h eE n v i r on m e nt a l V ol u n t e e

Organization (EVO) and EarthSciences Programme (ERSactively participated in organizingv a ri o us e ve n ts t o c re a teawareness about environmentaissues. The events were activelyparticipated by people from alwalks of life, including a largen um be r o f s tu de nt s f ro m

academic institutions, public office bearers and politicians.

UNICEF has entrusted CIIT Abbottabad with a projecnamely: ‘Water Quality Improvement and Promotion oHygiene (WAQIPH)’. Nearly Rs. 5 million have been grantedfor this project, which is expected to be completed withinthree months of its commencement. CIIT Abbottabad bidedfor this project, which would undertake water quality testingsanitary inspection and gathering GPS-coordinates of 342water supply schemes in Bagh and Poonch Districts ofAzadJammu and Kashmir (AJK). This project is being jointlyundertaken by the Department of Chemistry, theDepartment of Environmental Sciences and the Departmenof Development Studies of CIIT, Abbottabad.

t

COMSATS Newsl etter, May - J une 2009

A young student presenting his project during TechnoMoot-2009 at COMSATS Institute of Information

Technology, Abbottabad



SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT

UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE TO WORK OUTS&T SOLUTIONS FORA BETTER ENVIRONMENT

DISCOVERY OF THE GENE ‘DEAR1’ TO OPEN NEWHORIZONSFOR BREAST CANCER PROGNOSIS

The UN Climate Change Conference is taking place in

Copenhagen from 7 to 18 December 2009, to clinch a newclimate change agreement replacing the famous KyotoProtocol. The track record of the Kyoto Protocol, since itsinception in 1997, has not been quite upto the world’sexpectation. Socio-economic and political ups and downs allacross the globe during this period, coupled with the overambitious nature of the protocol, were the main reasons forits ineffectiveness. The world community is now moredetermined to strike a better deal at Copenhagen to addressthe myriad issues of climate change.

The threat due to climate change is believed to be direunless the entire world puts serious efforts to mitigate it. Theworst assertion is that poor societies will suffer the most.Increase in poverty, mass migration and hundreds ofthousands of human casualties will be witnessed unless thepresent trend of climate change is checked at the earliest.The conference is expected to touch upon S&T led initiativesfor mitigation, adaptation, capacity building, etc., whichstrongly demand strategiesto combat the above scenario. Inthis connection, it is believed that the new protocol wouldfacilitate the implementation of policies related to climatechange in the coming years that will bring S&T closer tosolving the anticipatedsocio-economic problems.

According to (4 May 2009), the researchersfrom the M.D. Anderson Cancer Centre of University ofTexas have identified a new gene called ‘DEAR1’ that isgenetically altered by mutation and deletion in breasttumors. This gene may provide a new breast cancerprognostic marker. Each year, more than one million womendiscover that they have breast cancer. Although breastcancer is usually diagnosed in women in their 50s or 60s,however some women develop breast cancer much earlier.It would, therefore, be particularly useful to be able to identifythose young women who are specifically at a greater risk ofcancer recurrence, so that they could be offered intensivesurveillance.

In addition, it was found that DEAR1 expression wasfrequently lost in women with early-onset breast cancer andthe loss of DEAR1 expression correlated with a strong familyhistory of breast cancer and with a breast cancer sub-typethat has a poor outcome. At 5-year follow-up of a cohort of123 pre-menopausal women with onset of breast cancerbetween the ages of 25 and 49 years, DEAR1-positiveexpression correlated significantly with a 95% localrecurrence-free survival. Other independent researchersalso indicate DEAR1 as an excellent predictive biomarkerfor early onset of breast cancers. This discovery provides a

th th

thEurekAlert!

great promise to young females’ health and life, and alsoenhances socio-economic benefits to women work force.

(19 June 2009) has reported a majorbreakthrough in the treatment of Tuberculosis. Theresearchers in South Africa have announced the discoveryof the first new tuberculosis drug in 40 years that hassuccessfully treated multidrug-resistant T.B. patients inclinical trials. The new drug works on both drug-susceptibleand drug-resistant T.B., and with an added benefit that thedrug might even shorten treatment-time for the disease. Theresearch shows that most of the patients do not show anysigns of resistance towards the drug, enabling it to cure acomparatively larger number of patients.

A team of physicists led by Alex Zettl of the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, has created a carbon-nanotube basedelectro-mechanical memory device that they say can storebits safely for upto a billion year. This scientific developmenwas covered by online newsletter (5 June 2009)Zettl and his colleagues constructed a memory device bytaking an iron nanocrystal and placing it inside a hollowcarbon nanotube. The iron particle is able to shuttle backand forth along the hollow cylinder, which provides amechanism to create the 1 and 0 states required for digita

bits. Electrodes are attached to the ends of the carbonnanotube, and the movement of the iron particle is controlledthrough the application of an electrical current. Writinginformation into the new memory cell is relatively easy. Thisnew approach to really long-lived electronic storage canbring revolutionary changes in electronicscommerce.

The Government of Pakistan has shown its determination toboost its S&T sector by increasing the relevant budget bymore than a quarter for the fiscal year 2009-10. The countrywill spend around 48 billion rupees (US$590 million) onscience, up from last year’s around Rs. 38 billion (US$573

million) for various S&T projects, reports (26June 2009). The major beneficiaries, directly linked withsocio-economic implications are the Ministry of Science andTechnology, Higher Education Commission and the Ministryof Food and Agriculture. This year’s science budgeallocation makes upto 1.9% of the total budget comparedwith 1.8% of the last year. The Advisor on Science andTechnology to the Planning Commission of Pakistan, DrIshfaq Ahmad told that the Government has aclear vision that knowledge is the way forward fordevelopment and the current increase in the science budgeshows the government’sresolve to boost this sector.

SciDev.net

IEEE’s

SciDev.net

SciDev.net

th

th

t

NEW POTENT DRUG BELIEVED TO CURE MULTI

RESISTANT T.B.

CARBON-NANOTUBE BASED MEMORY DEVICE: ANEW APPROACH TO LONG-LIVED ELECTRONICSTORAGE

FUNDING BOOST FOR PAKISTANI SCIENCE

6




Introduction

Institutes

Objective

Services

TheTÜB TAKMarmaraResearch Centre(MRC)is a leadingscience and technology institution of Turkey, which has wellestablished reputation internationally. Established in 1972,TÜB TAK MRC maintains alignment with nationaldevelopment objectives, while carrying out the followingactivit ies: conducting research on advanced andconventional technologies to improve the competitivenessof Turkish industry, identifying and solving technologicalproblems, and ensuring the application of developedtechnologicalsolutions.

TÜB TAK MRC is a multi-disciplinary, technologicallyadvanced institution, which has sophisticated laboratoriesequipped with the most advanced equipment and a group ofwell respected scientists as its staff members who provideextensive services. TÜB TAK MRC is always at the serviceof industrial entities, defence institutions, universities andother public institutions, (e.g. local administrations, regionalmanagement boards, ministries,etc).

TÜB TAK MRC consists of the following Institutes:Chemistry Institute; Earth and Marine Sciences Institute;Energy Institute; Environment Institute; Food Institute;Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology Institute, andMaterials Institute.

The primary goal of TÜB TAK MRC, with its seven institutes,is to become one of the world’s leading centres of scienceand technology for applied research. It aims to contribute tothe improvement of Turkey's global competitivenessthrough theapplication of science andtechnology.

MRC's activities can be classified in the categories ofIndustrial Projects (e.g.developing products and processes,reducing costs, increasing productivity, etc.) or IndustrialServices (e.g. testing, analyses, measurement/monitoring,

training and consultancy, etc).With its technologies and academic services, TÜB TAKMRC contributes towards enhancing the technologicalquality anddevelopment of high-techproducts in Turkey, by:

Developing new knowledge, for situations that cannotbe resolved with readily available methods/ technologies and therefore, require the application ofscientific principles and the development of specializedmethods for associated testing and/or measurement/ monitoring;

Ý

Ý

Ý

Ý

Ý

Ý

Ý

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

Developing solutions for technological problemsimprovement of existing technologies and technologytransfer and/or adaptation, including a whole newgeneration of useful tools, materials, methodsprocesses, systems and production techniques tharesultfrombasicand/orappliedresearch;Conducting training for increasing the activity areasproductivity and international competitivenessof clientsas well as training for improving management, bytransferring the latest scientific and technicadevelopment andexperience to clients; andOffering consultancy for the identification of feasiblealternatives or the provision of infrastructure for solvingtechnological problems and developing technologicasystems or methods.

TÜB TAK MRC adopted a client-oriented approach, duringmid-1990s, as its fundamental principle. As an outcome, ithasbeenreceivingassociatedbenefits,sothat,itnow:

Carriesoutanaverageof160projectsperyear;Has more than 130 laboratories, in which approximately65,000tests/analysesarecarried outperyear, andHas over 60 patents and this figure increases by roughly10%everyyear.

TÜB TAK MRC shares the knowledge it has accumulated

over the years, as well as its advanced equipment andlaboratory infrastructure with universities, science andtechnology institutions and industrial entities by means ofthe Industrial Partnership Programme (IPP). Along with theIPP, TÜB TAK MRC anticipates and determines the needsand expectations of Turkish industry and plans future-oriented studies, in order to fulfill these needs. The objectiveof the IPP is to implement long-term research anddevelopment projects with the participation of alstakeholders and to contribute to the improvement oTurkey's competitive power. Information about theprogramme and participation details can be viewed awww.mam.gov.tr.

SomeStatistics

Ý

Ý

Ý

For further details contact:

Dr. Mehmet DEMIRELVicePresident-StrategicPlanning&Business DevelopmentTÜB TAK Marmara Research CentreP.O.Box21, 41470 Gebze - KocaeliTurkeyTel: +90-262-6772150Fax:+90-262-6412309URL: www.mam.gov.trEmail: [email protected]

Ý

PROFILE OF COMSATS’ INTERNATIONAL S&T CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

TÜB TAK MARMARA RESEARCH CENTRE (MRC), TURKEYÝ

7

COMSATS Newsletter, May - June 2009



Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South(COMSATS) is resuming the publication of its scientific journal “Science Vision”. The

journal now has a thematic character with articles highlighting the impact of latestdevelopments in S&Ton economy andthe society, in general.

COMSATS invites contributions in the form of high quality review and researcharticles/papers in line with the theme of the journal from scientists, researchers, policy

makers and young scholars from S&Tand R&D institutions. The contributors would becompensated for their time and efforts with a modest amount of honorarium. Pleasevisit COMSATS’ website for more details. Contributions may be sent [email protected].

CALL FOR PAPERS FOR “ SCIENCE VISION”

A BRIEF ON COMSATS

LIST OF COMSATS’ NETWORKOF INTERNATIONAL S&T CENTRES

OF EXCELLENCE

The C om mi ssion on S ci ence and

Technology for Sustainable Developmentin the South (COMSATS) is an inter-governmental organization, with itsSecretariat located in Islamabad.

COMSATS, currently, has 21 countries asits members, spread across threecontinents, i.e., Latin America, Africa andAsia. A network, of 16 InternationalScience and Technology Centres ofExcellence, is also aff i liated withCOMSATS to contribute to scientificdevelopment of its member states. Fordetai led i nfor mat ion, pl ease vi si t

COMSATS’ website: www.comsats.org.

The Biosphere Reserve – Beni BiologyStation(BBS), BoliviaEmbrapa Agrobiologia, BrazilInternational Centre for Climate &Environmental Sciences (ICCES),ChinaCentro Internacional de Fisica (CIF),ColombiaNational Research Centre (NRC),EgyptInternational Centre for MaterialScience and Technology (ICMST),GhanaIranian Research Organization forScience and Technology (IROST), IranInternational Centre for Environmentaland Nuclear Sciences (ICENS),JamaicaRoyal Scientific Society (RSS), JordanNational Mathematical Centre (NMC),NigeriaInternational Centre for Chemical andBiological Sciences (ICCBS), Pakistan

COMSATS Institute of InformationTechnology (CIIT), PakistanIndustrial Research and ConsultancyCentre (IRCC), SudanHigher Institute forApplied Science andTechnology (HIAST), SyriaTanzania Industrial Research andDevelopment Organization (TIRDO),TanzaniaMarmara Research Centre (MRC),Turkey

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

8

COMSATS in collaboration with the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific andTechnological Cooperation (COMSTECH), and the Higher Education Commission

(HEC) of Pakistan,is organizing a two-day national seminar on ‘Policiesand Strategiesfor Successful Implementation of Employment Generating Programmes in RenewableEnergies, Biotechnology, Agriculture, Environment and ICTs’. The event will take placeat COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabadon 11 and12 August2009.

overnment representatives,policy makers, scholars, s

th th

The seminar aims to underscore the need for effective policies and strategies forcreation of sustainable livelihoods in the targeted areas. G

cientists, industrialists and sociologists are encouraged toparticipate in this event. To register for the subject event, please fill in the onlineregistration form available at COMSATS website: www.comsats.org.

NATIONAL SEMINAR ONPOLICIES AND STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION

OF EMPLOYMENT GENERATING PROGRAMMES IN RENEWABLEENERGIES, BIOTECHNOLOGY, AGRICULTURE,

ENVIRONMENT AND ICTs

COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad (Augu st 11-12, 2009)

Tajammul HussainDirector General (IA)[email protected]


SELECTED FORTHCOMING SCIENTIFIC EVENTSIN COMSATS’ MEMBER COUNTRIES

2-6 August 2009

16-18 August 2009

17-19 August 2009

18-30 August 2009

26-28 October 2009

38 Brazilian Congress of Agricultural Engineering,

Juazeiro - BA and Petrolina- PE,Brazil

International Conference on Environmentally SustainableDevelopment(ESDev-2009), Abbottabad, Pakistan.

International Workshop on “Mineral Aerosol and ItsImpacts on Climate and Environment”, Lanzhou, China

Theoretical and Practical Course on ''Developments inBiosciences for Enhanced Food and EnvironmentalBiosafety'', Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

C O M SAT S - CO M S TE C H N a ti o n al M e e ti n g o n

"Challenges for Socio-economic Development inPakistan: Role of Science and Technology", Islamabad,Pakistan

th

(www.embrapa.br)

(www.ciit-atd.edu.pk)

(www.icgeb.org/meetings-2009.html)

(www.comsats.org)

(www.icces.ac.cn/ctwf/CTWF2009/ctwfInfo.asp?id=13)

Comsat Newsletter IssueNo 3 May June 09

Documents

Transcript of Comsat Newsletter IssueNo 3 May June 09