Role of scientists, engineers lauded

Islamabad  :The five-day 15th International Symposium on Advanced Materials-2017 (ISAM-2017) began here on Monday.

The biennial event has become one of the prime international platform at which materials engineers and scientists keep themselves up-to-date with recent technologies and new developments.

During the symposium, 36 keynote lectures, 144 oral presentations and 167 posters are to be presented by researchers. In all, 347 papers will be presented by 65 foreign and 282 local researchers.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad, chairman Higher Education Commission highlighted the scope of materials technology as unlimited which has led to a significant increase in the range and depth of research and development in the industrially advanced world. He appreciated Pakistani scientists and engineers who with meagre funds made this country a proud nation and reiterated that engineers and scientists should be involved in Research and Development (R&D) work to bring positive change in human life; we should do constructive work and not destructive in nature. He said until now we have spent huge amount of money on R&D for destructive humanity. “Had 20% of that huge amount be spent on African countries; they would have been transformed into modern Europe,” he said. He informed the audience that due to HEC important and an active role we have managed to establish 188 universities in the country presently. He said  this year more than 12000 research papers has been published which is considered an important achievement and appreciated by the advanced countries.

Chairman of the Symposium, Ejaz Ahmed Mukhtar emphasised the role of advanced materials saying that Advanced Materials is a field of great intellectual challenge.