152 graduates receive degrees at IST convocation

Islamabad
The Institute of Space Technology (IST) celebrated its 10th Commencement of Class 2015 with the graduation of 152 students in the disciplines of Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering here on Thursday.
Institute of Space Technology Chancellor President Mamnoon Hussain was the chief guest on the occasion. Senior dignitaries from civil and military establishments were also present on the occasion. The chancellor conferred students with masters and baccalaureate degrees in their respective fields of specialisation. He gave away the President of Pakistan Gold Medals to Hafiz Zeeshan Iqbal Khan of Aerospace Engineering, Muhammad Abdullah Iqbal of Electrical Engineering, and Sajid Ullah Khan of Materials Science & Engineering who stood first in their respective programmes. Hafiz Zeeshan Iqbal Khan & Arsalan Ahmad from Aerospace Engineering, Muhammad Abdullah Iqbal & Usama Islam from Electrical Engineering, and Junail Ur Rehman from Materials Science & Engineering were awarded Vice Chancellor's Medals for best final-year projects.
The chief guest congratulated all graduates, especially the award-winners and position-holders. He advised the graduating students to reaffirm their resolve to make Pakistan one of the leading countries in technological and scientific development. He expressed his deep appreciation for the efforts being made by the IST team towards achieving academic excellence and promoting curricular and co-curricular activities. He said that it is heartening to know that the IST is the first university in Pakistan focusing on the applications of space research in a variety of areas and is endeavoring to bring our nation at par with the international community through specialised education in space and related disciplines. He appreciated the IST for working on projects of international importance like 'Silk Road Project' of the National Astronomical Observatories of Chinese Academy of Sciences, projects funded by NASA and ICIMOD about remote sensing imagery of forest above-ground biomass estimation and the internationally-funded project of IFS which speak volumes of the world-class research and teaching and learning being carried out at the IST.
The chief guest highly appreciated the innovative and research based projects of IST, which are being set as benchmarks for others to follow. He specially appreciated the launching of Geo Spatial Research and Education Lab (GREL) by IST. GREL is an open source for Remote Sensing and Geo-Informatics discipline, being gifted to Pakistani youth for reaping benefits from available knowledge base. Though, IST is a very young and small Institute but ranked amongst the top engineering universities of Pakistan which reflects the hard work and intellectual abilities of the faculty and the management.
IST Vice Chancellor Imran Rahman, in his speech, said that the IST graduates are our hope and optimism. He informed the students that IST has equipped them with skills and the discipline to inspire them to seek innovative and out of box solutions to societal problems. He said that he would like them to seek guidance from their religion which is a complete code of life. They should realize that honesty, justice, integrity, fair play and morality are some of the basic doctrines of Islam and it is these concepts that will help them achieve success in all fields of life and will make them eligible for rewards in the hereafter as well.
The IST also showcased various projects of the graduating students which were highly appreciated by the chief guest and visiting dignitaries.