Prof Athar Ata appointed as permanent Fuuast VC

Prof Dr Athar Ata on Wednesday assumed the charge of the vice chancellor of the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (Fuuast).

Dr Ata is a chemistry professor and is currently the chairmen of the chemistry department at the University of Winnipeg, Canada. He graduated from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, with a master’s of science degree in 1989 and earned his PhD in chemistry from the University of Karachi in 1995.

Fuuast deputy chairman senate AQ Khalil has welcomed Prof Ata as the new Fuuast VC and assured him of his full cooperation for discharge of his duties. Prof Ata's research interests include isolation of new pharmaceutical agents from marine organisms, microorganisms and traditional medicinal plants, as well as biosynthesis of natural products and microbial transformations of bioactive natural products.

His research has resulted in about 74 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and received Clifford J Robson Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2007-2008. He has become the 15th overall VC and 6th permanent VC of Fuuast. Before him, only five permanent VCs were appointed at Fuuast, of whom only one could complete his term.