2 Apr-Jun-2014

Editor’s NoteAs the Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) completes four years since its commencement in the year 2010, it’s time to look back and take stock of our small, yet very rewarding and fruitful journey; and also to look ahead and strive ever harder in our quest to create an “Innovation & Knowledge Ecosystem” by way of linking Academia and the Industry.

We are thankful to our Academic and Industry partners, for providing consistent and unequivocal support, for cheering and encouraging our team and for being our guides and mentors. These small successes would not have been possible without your assistance and support.

Through the CAC Newsletter, our aim is to keep our readers regularly apprised and cognizant of numerous projects and activities that the CAC undertakes to enhance productive engagements with the Industry. You’ll find news on NUST’s talented young students venturing into the advanced world of international motorsports, devising unique technology based applications for the underprivileged, studying the local Industry to understand their unique business dynamics so on and so forth. This quarter, our special focus is on the ever evolving world of Information & Communications Technology (ICT); hence, we have covered some exciting projects that have materialized as a result of Academia-Industry collaboration in the ICT Sector.

Hope you find this edition an interesting read!

Faiza MalikDeputy Director-Program Management, CAC

3Apr-Jun-2014

CONTENTSNEWS

04 On Foreign Soils Visit of NUST Delegation to Helsinki, Finland

07 Case in Point “Millat Tractors Limited (MTL)” Highlighting Local Industry Success Stories

08 Stimulating the Innovation Cycle DICE-Automotive 2014, A Joint Initiative of SMME-NUST and DICE Foundation, USA

09 Titans on the Track The “Formula Student” (FS) Racing Competition A NUST-PNEC Initiative

Sector FOCUS

11 A Glimpse into the World of Information & Communications Technology (ICT) The CAC ICT Sector

10 Co-Chairs Messages

11 Finding Innovative and Creative Solutions (FICS) for Society- 2014

14 SEECS, Open House-2014 A Display of Talent and Zeal

15 Forging Global Alliances & Opening New Vistas for Academia-Industry Partnerships

16 Health-Care Innovations

20 Centre for Innovative Technologies in Education, SEECS-NUST, Islamabad Launch of MS Program

22 Drivers, Beware Meet “Steady Driver”, an Android based application

23 Ranking News on Sentiment Analysis Categorizing News Articles as Per User Preference

24 Reshaping Borders Pakistan - China Optical Fiber Connectivity

24 Connecting Industry Gurus & Young Entrepreneurs Inauguration of the Greenhouse Center & MoU Signing with JumpStart

25 From Lab to Market NUST hosts International Workshop on Entrepreneurship for Scientists and Engineers

Announcement26 Addition of Ms. Fakhira Khanam, CEO Akhter Hameed Khan Resource Centre, in the CAC Social Sector Committee

The showcasing ceremony of Formula Racing Car, Karachi. . . Page 09

Proud Moment- The winning Team of SEECS Open HousePage 14

4 Apr-Jun-2014

On Foreign SoilsVisit of NUST Delegation to Helsinki, FinlandIn February 2014, the first ever Finland Pakistan Business Summit took place at Islamabad. The event was a huge success, and was attended by prominent members of the Pakistani Academia, business and diplomatic communities. As a follow-up to this event, and due to the prominent position that NUST enjoys due to its academic ranking and research capabilities, and its established Industry linkages, the Finland Pakistan Business Council (FPBC) invited a delegation from NUST to visit Helsinki, Finland.

A 4-member delegation from NUST visited Helsinki from 9th to 12th April, 2014:

1. Engr. M. Asghar, Rector NUST 2. Dr. Arshad Ali, Principal SEECS 3. Engr. Mohsin Jalil, Director Rector Secretariat4. Ms. Rabia Shoaib, Director Corporate Advisory Council

Mr. Willie Eerola, Chairman FPBC, and Mr. Matti Naakka, Member Executive Board FPBC, hosted the delegation in Helsinki. The objective of the visit was to introduce NUST within the academic and business circles in Finland. NUST has academic collaborations with 90 institutions in 27 countries of the world, including several R&D projects with European Institutions like the European Commission, British Council, British Petroleum (BP), Technical University Freiberg, WaterAid UK, The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS), and others. Based on the strength of its academic and research expertise and linkages, and being the No. 1 University in Pakistan and among the top 500 Universities worldwide, the FPBC aimed to facilitate linkages between NUST and Finnish Universities and research organizations. Similarly, NUST has strong relationships with the Pakistani Industrial and business concerns, with over 150 top CEOs from different Sectors of the economy as members of the NUST Corporate Advisory Council (CAC). NUST has delivered several projects to the Industry, and many others are in progress, aiming to provide solutions to various Industry problems. NUST Schools are providing solutions to Industry outside Pakistan as well, including companies like Lubrizol, Castrol, British Petroleum and others. This gives NUST a dominant and unique position amongst the Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in Pakistan, and this was the reason why FPBC wanted NUST to get connected with the

major business concerns in Finland.

During their stay in Helsinki, the NUST delegation visited the following organizations / institutions:

1. Aalto UniversityAalto University was established in 2010 in the merger of the Helsinki University of Technology, the Helsinki School of Economics, and the University of Art and Design Helsinki. It is named after Alvar Aalto, a prominent Finnish architect and designer and alumnus of the former Helsinki University of Technology, who has also designed a large part of the University’s Otaniemi campus. Aalto University’s portfolio covers fields from natural sciences to engineering and information sciences. It consists of 6 Schools… School of Arts, Design & Architecture (SADA); School of Chemical Technology; School of Engineering; School of Electrical Engineering; School of Science and School of Business.

The NUST team visited the School of Electrical Engineering, which has 5 departments and 2 special units namely Micro- and Nanosciences; Radio Science and Engineering; Signal Processing and Acoustics; Electrical Engineering and Automation; Communications and Networking; Metsähovi Radio Observatory and Aalto Nanofab / Micronova. Each department has several research groups and research areas. The NUST team discussed areas of collaboration with the Dean of the School, including graduates from NUST to join the School’s PhD program, exploring possibilities of joint R&D, etc. The NUST team was also introduced to some PhD and MS students at the Aalto School of Electrical Engineering who were graduates from different NUST Schools.

2. PlanmecaPlanmeca specializes in the design and manufacture of high technology dental equipment, including dental units, panoramic and intraoral X-rays, as well as leading digital 3D imaging X-ray systems and imaging software solutions. The company has also pioneered in developing and marketing digital dental practice concepts that allow efficient and ergonomic information management. Planmeca Oy is the world’s third largest dental equipment manufacturer and the largest privately owned company in the dental field.

5Apr-Jun-2014

Ms. Jenni Pajunen, Development Manager Planmeca, was part of the delegation from Finland that visited Islamabad in February 2014 for the Finnish Pakistan Business Summit. As a follow up to that visit, and in order to explore how Planmeca can partner with NUST, the NUST delegation went to visit their facility in Helsinki. A very impressive presentation on Planmeca’s worldwide operations and their collaborations with Universities was given to the NUST team, following a tour of the facility.

3. Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN) Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN) is a specialist in mobile broadband. It is a data networking and telecommunications equipment company with headquarters in Espoo, Finland, and operations in around 150 countries worldwide. NSN is a division of Nokia Corporation; which was formerly known as Nokia Siemens Networks (a joint venture between Nokia of Finland and Siemens of Germany), until Nokia acquired 100% of the company in 2013 and renamed it to Nokia Solutions and Networks. The NUST team visited NSN’s Solution Experience Center, where they were given a very impressive tour of their state-of-the-art facility, and were also shown a presentation on NSN’s products, solutions, and worldwide operations.

4. FCG InternationalFinnish Consulting Group (FCG) is Finland’s largest multi-disciplinary consultancy firm. Their services include management consultancy and training, planning of investment projects for environmental engineering, and consultancy for international education development projects. Some projects of key interest were discussed with the FCG team.

5. Wartsila CorporationWartsila provides complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine and energy markets. The product range of Wartsila include high pressure air and gas compressors, electric propulsion systems, engines and generating sets, ballast water management solutions, gas systems and sewerage treatment plants, etc.

The NUST team had very useful discussion with the Wartsila management on potential collaboration between the two parties. Wartsila is thriving to establish its operations in Pakistan, and in this contents CAC will be inviting the CEO of Wartsila Pakistan to NUST in the near future.

6. VTT Technical Research Center of FinlandVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is a globally networked multi-technological applied research organization and the largest organization in Northern Europe with 2,900 employees. VTT is a not-for-profit organization and is part of the Finnish innovation system under the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. VTT provides high-end technology solutions and innovation services including technology and business foresight, product and service development, innovation and technology management, etc. These services are being provided to customers in various Sectors including Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals and Food Industry, Electronic, Energy, ICT, Machines and Vehicles, Chemical Industry and Environment, Real Estate and Construction.

Very lucrative collaboration opportunities exist between NUST and VTT, given the vast and diverse areas of expertise of both parties.

7. Meeting with Pakistani CommunityIn addition to the above mentioned visits, a meeting with the Pakistani community residing in Finland was also arranged by the Hanken Business School. The group included 30 expatriate professionals and entrepreneurs. Various opportunities for contribution by these professionals were discussed, including giving talks to NUST students during the expats’ visits to Pakistan, remote supervision by the expats of research conducted at NUST, and possible faculty positions at NUST for these professionals.

The visit proved to be an eye opener to learn about the opportunities that exist for collaborating with Finnish HEIs and business organizations. It has also served as a prelude to a set of meetings (face-to-face and virtual) between the Pakistani Industry representatives who are CAC members, and their counterparts in Finland.

6 Apr-Jun-2014

Visit of NUST delegation to School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University

Rector NUST Engr. M. Asghar presenting NUST souvenir shield to Mr. Risto Paldinius, Director Business Development, Power Plants, Wartsila

7Apr-Jun-2014

Case in Point “Millat Tractors Limited (MTL)”Highlighting Local Industry Success Stories

A team from Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) and NUST Business School (NBS) comprising of Mr. Abid R. Khawaja, HoD International Business and Marketing & Head Centre for Executive Development NBS; and Ms. Sundas Imran, Associate Project Manager CAC, visited Millat Group of Companies on 29th April 2014.

The purpose of the visit was to develop case studies on success stories of Pakistani Industry which will give NUST students an exposure and will also add value to their learning experience by not only giving them a comprehension of what challenges and realities are faced by business enterprises working in Pakistan, but also giving them an opportunity to analyze and understand how Pakistani companies have achieved success in the face of different obstacles.

NUST is a multi-campus University with a strong base in Engineering, IT, Management and Bio-Medical Sciences. NUST Business School (NBS) is one of the constituent Schools of NUST; its programs include Human Resource Management, Marketing, Finance and Operations, and others. The case study methodology is comprehensively used at NBS to give students exposure to real life situations being encountered by different companies. However, these case studies are mostly based on International / multinational organizations, and have very little component of the local Industry.

Therefore, studying companies closer to home will increase their preparedness to become active members of the

Pakistani business and industrial communities. This would also be in line with the CAC’s mandate of enhancing and improving curricula with the input of CAC Industry partners.

The visit was an enriching experience which allowed interaction and mutual learning; both teams exchanged information where MTL shared a range of products and services that they are rendering to the Automotive and Manufacturing Industry of Pakistan, particularly manufacturing and marketing of the tractors and agricultural equipment. Mr. Laeeq Uddin Ansari, Senior Executive Director Millat Group of Companies; and Mr. S M Irfan Aqueel, Chief Executive Officer Millat Tractors Limited (MTL), gave a detailed presentation on Millat Group and Millat Tractors Limited (MTL).

The NUST Team introduced the MTL Team to various activities that are being carried out within NBS and CAC for promoting Industry Academia linkage. MTL showed keen interest in creating synergies between NUST and MTL for development of the case study and other potential future endeavors.

The closing session with the MTL Team included discussion on key areas of collaboration between NUST and MTL including strengthening the linkage and in providing the required knowledge at national and international level.

We at CAC would like to take this opportunity to thank Millat Group of Companies for collaborating with NUST for this exciting initiative.

8 Apr-Jun-2014

Stimulating the Innovation CycleDICE-Automotive 2014 A Joint Initiative of SMME-NUST and DICE Foundation, USANUST School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME) has recently signed an MOU with Distinguished Innovations, Collaboration and Entrepreneurship (DICE) Foundation, USA, to work jointly in the areas of automotive engineering.

DICE Foundation is a non-profit organization, registered in Michigan, USA, with the objective to foster innovation culture in the society.

SMME-NUST and DICE Foundation are jointly launching DICE Automotive Event on 15-16 Oct 2014, which shall act as a pragmatic and focused platform for Automotive related innovations and collaborations amongst Academia, Industry and the Government. It will also mobilize the expatriate community so as to take advantage of their expertise and experiences for the benefit of Automotive Industry in Pakistan; and also to act as a Think Tank to recommend Automotive related strategies and implementation plans to the Government of Pakistan (GoP). The objective of this event aligns with CAC’s mandate to strengthen Academia-Industry alliances and create a positive and favorable image of Pakistan’s Auto Industry amongst the foreign Automotive Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs), suppliers and vendors. It will show that Pakistan is fully capable of developing innovative automotive products and providing automotive design, analysis, testing and manufacturing services to the rest of the world.

Teams from Industry, research organizations and students from HEC recognized universities are being encouraged to participate in the event. Teams can register through the following link; http://dice.smme.nust.edu.pk and by submitting any Automotive related innovative project idea along with one page project description. The teams will display their projects on the final day of the event. A sample report is also available on the DICE-Automotive, 2014 website. The teams are required to utilize state-of-the-

art technologies/software to design the innovative product concept. Projects having potential to benefit local Automotive Industry/economy will be given special consideration. The innovative projects can be from any of the following but not limited to topics of: » Automotive Design » Automotive Manufacturing » Alternative Fuel Vehicles » Electric / Hybrid Vehicles » Fuels and Fuel cells » Fuel Economy Improvement » Emissions » Automotive Parts Design & Manufacturing

The winners shall also be awarded prized sponsored by the DICE Foundation. It is expected that the event shall play a very positive role in highlighting local success stories and also boost entrepreneurship in the Automotive Sector of Pakistan.

9Apr-Jun-2014

Titans on the TrackThe “Formula Student” (FS) Racing Competition - A NUST-PNEC Initiative

As July 2014 approaches, the Formula NUST Racing (FNR) Team from Pakistan Naval Engineering College (PNEC)-NUST gears up for one of the toughest and most challenging international motorsport competitions, the “Formula Student” (FS) racing competition to be held at the globally renowned Silverstone racing circuit in UK, from July 10-13, 2014.

The FS Competition is Europe’s most coveted educational motorsport competition, run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and backed by the Industry and high profile engineers. The competition aims to inspire and develop enterprising and innovative young engineers. The challenge involves selected teams to develop prototype in one year for a single-seat race car for autocross or sprint racing, which is tested on various parameters including; cost, maintenance, reliability, performance in terms of acceleration, braking, and handling qualities. Dozens of FS alumni have progressed to Formula 1, and hundreds more are now working at the world’s largest automotive firms.

The FNR Project is one of the most inspiring initiatives undertaken by the PNEC NUST. It is indeed a matter of great pride for NUST that the team from PNEC has been selected once again for the year 2014, as the only team from Pakistan to participate in the global event. The FNR Project also marks Pakistan’s first venture into the highly advanced and technology intensive field of international motorsports. Showcasing the technological prowess of NUST students, it

is a bold step into an arena recognized world over as a field which constantly pushes technological boundaries forward, through cutting edge research and innovation.

With active participation in this event for the past two years (2012 & 2013), the PNEC team has learnt tremendously and achieved considerable experience in terms of technical standards, especially in the field of Automotive Engineering.

This valuable experience shall surely encourage other institutes from Pakistan to take part in the competition in future.

The year 2013 proved to be a major landmark year for the team, whereby they managed to secure 86th position out of 134 teams selected from 32 countries to compete in this prestigious event.

This year, 114 out of 178 teams have successfully claimed a place at Formula Student UK 2014, and the FNR Team will be among those lining up at the home of British motorsport. It is not only showcasing the high intellect and innovative capabilities of NUST students, but also contributing towards a softer and more appealing image of Pakistan, about which many misperceptions abound in the West.

The FNR showcasing event at NUST H-12, Islamabad

10 Apr-Jun-2014

and highlighted the importance of participation in such competitions. Federal Secretary for the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), Mr. Kamran Ali Qureshi, was also present at the event. Among other participants were Pakistan’s leading figures in the local Industry, educational Sector and media. Mr. Jahangir Khan, the legendary squash player, also attended the ceremony and spoke about ways to achieve excellence in any field through his experiences.

This year, the PNEC Formula Student Car has been named after Shaheed Capt. Nadeem Ahmad – (Nadeem Ahmad Shaheed NAS’14), who is amongst the pioneers of this initiative. The NAS’ 14 was unveiled at Bahria Auditorium Karachi on 10th June 2014, which were followed by road shows across major cities in Pakistan.

We wish the FNR Team the best of luck and pray that they bring great laurels for Pakistan.

In line with its mission to forge meaningful Academia-Industry partnerships, the Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) teamed up with PNEC to secure requisite support and funding for the FNR Initiative. This year, the entire project has been collectively funded by Interactive Group, EZY Racing-Sri Lanka and O3B Networks. Mr. Shahid Mahmud, CAC Co-Chair for the ICT Sector Committee & Chairman Interactive Group of Companies; Mr. Amer Hashmi, Advisor NUST & Secretary General CAC; and Engr. Zahid Iqbal, Commandant PNEC are amongst the chief patrons of the initiative.

The Formula Student Car was showcased at the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME), NUST on 4th April 2014 at a grand ceremony, which witnessed participation from prominent personalities from Government, Industry and Academic circles. The event aimed to highlight the praiseworthy work of the FNR team

The showcasing ceremony of Formula Student Car, Karachi

11Apr-Jun-2014

Sector FOCUSA Glimpse into the World of Information & Communications Technology (ICT) - The CAC ICT Sector Committee

Information technology and busi-ness are becoming inextricably in-

terwoven. I don’t think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without

the talking about the other.Bill Gates

‘

‘

‘

‘ICT education is basically our society’s efforts to teach its current and emerging citizens valuable knowledge and skills around computing and communications devices, software that operates them, applications that run on them and systems that are built with them.

The CAC ICT Sector comprises capable and seasoned professionals from the ICT Industry (including multinational, large National companies and SMEs). From NUST, the school supporting the ICT Sector is the NUST School Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (SEECS).

At NUST SEECS, the objective is to empower young minds to become promising researchers, engineers and professionals with the commitment to impart an education best fitted to meet the modern-day requirements. Hence, SEECS’ leadership is always on the look-out to realign education and research programs with current trends in higher education. With a highly qualified faculty and capable students, there is definitely no dearth of talent and commitment to excel. Collectively these facets make SEECS one of the leading engineering schools synonymous with quality education, innovation and excellence in research.

12 Apr-Jun-2014

Creativity and innovation are indeed, essential ingredients for an Industry to survive and remain competitive. Universities nurture young minds with brilliant ideas, coupled with sound theoretical foundations. Industries in developed countries actively engage with Academia and derive great

value from its intellectual capital.

SEECS has always been striving to engage with the ICT Sector to solicit input on new product development, explore internship opportunities for its students and curriculum enrichment. This interaction has yielded valuable collaborations, whereby SEECS has helped the Industry in developing new products, refining processes, and also devising programs to aid socioeconomic de-velopment. Industry, in return, has helped SEECS improve its curriculum and bring it for line with the demands of professional organizations.

SEECS regularly organizes events that enables this collaboration to further prosper, and provides a solid platform to facilitate interaction amongst Industry, students, and faculty. Finding Innovative and Creative Solutions (FICS) for society is one such plat-form, where students conceive different innovative product ideas and SEECS helps them connect with society the Industry and corporate Sector. FICS has successfully created mentorship opportunities where seasoned professionals from leading software houses in Pakistan come forward to provide guidance and advice to students. SEECS Annual Open House is another mega event where dozens of Industry experts and leaders are invited to witness senior year projects of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Software Engineering students. I always welcome Industry leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and experts to come forward and join hands with SEECS, so that we all can collectively endeavor and propagate the culture of innovation and creativ-ity in Pakistan.  

Pakistan is blessed with a young population. With acceleration in broadband penetration the Youth of Pakistan needs to be channelized. Building the knowledge economy ecosystem is need of the hour. Corporate Advisory Council (CAC-NUST) has positioned itself very well in delivering this

mammoth task. Bridging Industry-Academia has turned out to be an excellent initiative. Our Industry has its own challenges. Working in an environment that lacks basic infrastructure coupled with ever-changing politically driven policy making presents the problem statement. Sustainability becomes a true uphill deliverable. Academia via CAC-NUST presents to the Government and policy makers an excellent forum to iron out and agree on mutually acceptable solutions.

With a rich faculty and student pool at School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (SEECS), each year the school gener-ates several innovative products and solutions addressing all the major industries. Transforming these solutions and products into commercially viable offerings is both a challenge and an opportunity. CAC-NUST contributes here as the confidence builder, thus, cementing a true Industry-Academia bond, and developing new entrepreneurs who contribute towards making a stronger and more vibrant Pakistan.

CAC-NUST must keep up this great National cause. Well done. Wish the team the very best.

Dr. Arshad AliPrincipal, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS)NUST Co-Chair for CAC Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Sector Committee

Mr. Shahid MahmudChairman and CEO Interactive GroupIndustry Co-Chair for CAC Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Sector Committee

13Apr-Jun-2014

Finding Innovative and Creative Solutions (FICS) for Society- 2014 On May 16, 2014 the sprawling NUST Campus was abuzz with excitement and hustle as students from the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS) anx-iously waited for the final results of the FICS Stage III in the auditorium. Their eager faces, brimming with anticipation and nervousness as the clock ticked, and every passing sec-ond brought them closer to the final announcement.

Finding Innovative and Creative Solutions (FICS) for Society is a multi-stage competition designed to encourage SEECS stu-dents to think innovatively, and get actively involved in social problem identification and consequently devising technol-ogy based solutions. The aim of this initiative is to instill a spirit of a commitment to learn and to give back to the so-ciety by using creative ideas and application of knowledge.

As very aptly by Albert Einstein;“Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else has ever thought.”

The competition begins with synopsis submission, whereby students provide a summary of their project idea and how this idea/project can add value and benefit the community. This year, altogether 77 different project ideas were submit-ted in the first round, which were subsequently shortlisted to 56 after a thorough review by the faculty, peers and Industry members. These project ideas were further refined and pre-sented at FICS Stage II through detailed presentations and one-on-one Q/A sessions with the evaluators. Renowned academicians and Industry members from all across Pakistan were present at this occasion to assess each project idea for its feasibility and practicability. Some of these projects were found to hold great potential for potential commercialization and hence, handpicked by Industry patrons for immediate guidance and mentorship.

The FICS grand finale took place on May 16th, 2014, where 29 short listed project ideas/prototypes competed for the grand prizes. The event witnessed active participation from prominent Industry experts, who were looking for promising ideas with development and commercialization prospects. The third prize was awarded to the project named, “VISOR” where the team that had designed an automated sentry gun, were awarded PKR 15,000. This cash prize was sponsored by Alfoze Technologies Pvt Ltd. “Braille Pad” – a product de-signed to aid the visually impaired, was awarded second prize amounting to PKR 30,000. This cash award was cospon-

sored by Gilani Research Foundation and Topline Group UAE. And the proud winners of the first prize was the team that designed “e-Maa” –an extremely innovative and useful de-vice, to help reduce possible health risks in expecting moth-ers and their children, particularly in rural areas where ac-cess to health facilities are hard to come by. The wining team was given PKR 50,000, cosponsored by Oracle Corporation and Moftak Solutions.

All the aforementioned organizations are part of the NUST Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) and it is pertinent to note that the prize money as well as the expenses related to orga-nizing the final event were donated by these generous CAC Industry partners.

The winning teams have also been granted access to avail SEECS’ very own “Green Lab”, which functions as a startup incubator.

Throughout this competition, SEECS faculty members and In-dustry partners closely guided and mentored the competing teams. With this collaborative endeavor, FICS 2014 winners as well as finalists were able to garner considerable interest from the private Sector, where they have the choice to work with investors, who can further provide support to commer-cialize these projects. Overall, 9 projects have been picked up by the Industry partners. Central Asian Cellular Forum (3GCA) and Interactive Group of Companies were chief pa-trons of this initiative.

FICS is a remarkable model of Industry-Academia collabora-tive potential, whereby both Sectors have joined hands for a more practical deployment of technical knowledge and ex-pertise. The CAC is indeed proud to join hands with SEECS, in its quest to have a positive, fruitful and discernible impact on society. It is the responsibility of educational institutes to impart quality education and training. Industry must come forward to nurture, support and encourage young budding entrepreneurs to ensure they are equipped with the neces-sary tools and have requisite business acumen to become more productive and vibrant members of the community.

The FICS Winners with Rector NUST, Engr. M Asghar

14 Apr-Jun-2014

SEECS Open House- 2014A Display of Talent and Zeal SEECS takes immense pride in grooming and nurturing young talent and ensures they get requisite exposure and training as they enter the professional world. SEECS graduates are actively sought by the Industry, and today, SEECS Alumni occupy key positions in some of the most prestigious Industrial and business houses, both in public and private Sectors.

The Open House acts as an ideal platform to facilitate firsthand interaction between prospective employers and students.

On Tuesday, May 20th, 2014, NUST Central Auditorium at the Center for International Peace and Stability (CIPS) was an amalgam of high-tech gizmos and gadgetry, where SEECS students were enthusiastically demonstrating their unique inventions and innovative applications to an awestruck audience.

These projects were a remarkable depiction of their talent and creativity. Industry experts moved from one kiosk to the other, visibly impressed by the capability and competence of the graduating batch. The Open House also enabled identification of innovative new technologies that hold potential for successful commercialization.

A total of 108 projects were on display this year. These projects were the fruit of hard work and extensive effort of the graduating students belonging to BS Electrical Engineering, Bachelors IT, Bachelors Information and Communication Systems Engineering, and BS Software Engineering.

Chief Guest at SEECS Open House, Mr. Altaf M SaleemCEO, Shakarganj Mills Ltd

“The Fog Wall”; An interesting Project by SEECS Final Year Students

Participants keenly observing an interesting project

Proud Moment- the winning team

15Apr-Jun-2014

Forging Global Alliances & Open-ing New Vistas for Academia-Industry Partnerships “It is the long history of humankind that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively

have prevailed.”Charles Darwin

In line with NUST’s mission to develop as a comprehensive, research-led University with a strong focus on Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, SEECS has always endeav-ored to connect with prominent international academic in-stitutes and establish valuable linkages that allow SEECS fac-ulty and students to stay privy of latest advancements in the domains of Science & Technology. Numerous new product ideas and joint research projects have been originated as a result of these collaborative efforts and many of them are being successfully executed at present. Some of the note-worthy projects that have materialized as a consequence of synergistic Academia-Industry partnerships, are listed be-low;

1. Reliable Monitoring of Oil and Gas Pipelines using Wireless Sensor Networks (ReMOnG)Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have now found their way into mission critical domains ranging from national and in-ternational defense to space exploration. In this perspective, NUST in collaboration with Umm Al-Qura University (King-dom of Saudi Arabia) is jointly working on monitoring oil and gas pipelines using wireless sensor network technology. The project is funded by King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology.

The Oil and Gas Industry presents the most expensive and mission critical scenario for wireless monitoring. Though the indoor pipelines near major installations and fluid refining points are monitored using Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology, there is hardly any technol-ogy available to monitor huge pipelines that transfer oil and gas between cities and countries. WSNs present a cheap and reliable solution to cater to this problem, as once deployed, the low-power sensors can keep on working for years with

constant reporting of the pipeline health or any emergency leakage situation. In this project, a WSN based multi layered oil and gas pipeline monitoring framework is explored, the reliability of which is accomplished through timely and se-cure reporting accurate fluid related parameters to a central monitoring room. Nevertheless, the developed framework including the hardware and software algorithms can be used in other mission-critical applications as well.

The monitoring of fluid parameters like leakage and pressure and the network communication has been analyzed through theoretical as well as real-time test bed scenarios. Tests were conducted and the suggested framework deployed in a spe-cialized oil and gas test bed facility to test the correctness and the performance of the implementation with apprecia-ble results.

The wireless sensor device itself is specifically designed for an oil and gas environment to actually implement the con-cept of digital oilfield. The device is capable of sensing the oil pressure and temperature and can detect any leakage in the pipelines. The powerful leakage detection algorithm can accurately pinpoint leakage spots anywhere along the pipeline between the two distant wireless sensor devices. The device then communicates the leakage occurrence data within a few seconds to the central monitoring point. The wireless communication platform is based on the stable and standard ZigBee protocol. The wireless sensor device inte-grates with pressure and temperature sensor and communi-cates the pipeline fluid data using standard peripheral ports.An accelerometer is also placed inside the device that pro-vides information on the pipeline orientation. The device’s power source is a rechargeable battery that can power the board. The wireless sensor device has been designed with thorough research in an energy-efficient way to prolong the board’s runtime. Today, the share of the oil and gas Industry is approximately. 11% of the world’s total GDP, making its cumulative worth about USD 7-8 trillion. With heavy investments in the oil and gas infrastructure expected in the coming years, innovative products such as the ReMOnG hold great business potential. It is hoped that the successful collaboration between SEECS and Umm Al-Qura University will pave way for numerous interesting opportunities and new prospects for NUST stu-dents.

16 Apr-Jun-2014

Remote Monitoring Station

Android Mobile Application Alert

Long Haul CellularConnection

Wireless Sensor Nodes

Oil and Gas Pipeline

Remong Sensor Hardware

 

2. Ultra High Definition Pan-orama Generation & Multi-Projector RenderingThe “Ultra-High-Definition (UHD) Panorama Stitching and Rendering System” is a collaborative project between Vision Image & Signal Pro-cessing (VISpro) Lab at SEECS-NUST and Electronics and Telecommuni-cation Research Institute (ETRI), Ko-rea. ETRI is the leading government research institute of Korea having more than 750 PhD researchers. ETRI has recently been ranked at the top of the Innovation Anchor Scorecard based upon their patent activities.

The project aims at developing a system capable of producing ultra high definition video contents and their projection on large immer-sive surfaces using multiple projec-tors. The current high resolution contents are generated by stitching together contents from multiple cameras arranged in a panoramic order. Wide field-of-view (FOV) with

ultra- high resolution increases the level of per-ceived reality and amplify the user experience by providing interactive control over the con-tent. Such FOV content generation and display systems find application as immersive displays for entertainment purposes. Since UHD is the next generation of HD technology, such systems shall find application in home theatre and televi-sion broadcasting systems. Some other service scenarios for such products include projection of sports and other live entertainment events, virtual tourism, gaming and simulator environ-ments. The project activities involve develop-ment of novel technologies, joint patents, re-search publications and product development. Within a short span of three years the project has yielded one conference paper, one journal paper, filing of six patents, out of which, one has already been granted.

South Korea is one of the most innovative and technologically advanced countries in the world. As Asia’s fourth-largest economy, South Korea is a major player among the world’s top exporting nations. Bloomberg News recently published the Bloomberg Global Innovation Index and ranked South Korea first among all nations by comparing a group of indicators such as research & development capability, productivity, tech density and patent activity. South Korea’s ranking is not a surprise. In recent decades, South Korea has transformed into an economic heavyweight, having systematically applied substantial resources to research and development. As a result, South Korea has become the world leader in patent activity, and Information and Communication Technology. With companies such as Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motors, KIA Motors, etc., South Korea has indeed joined the league of the top economies in the world. In this context, It is expected that SEECS-ETRI collaborative efforts shall surely yield valuable learning opportunities for NUST students.

17Apr-Jun-2014

Health-Care InnovationsAs the world makes substantial advances in the field of Health-Care innovations, development in the medical Indus-try in Pakistan remains a dismal affair.

The students and faculty at SEECS have a firm belief in de-veloping cost effective and innovative new applications for the much neglected, Health-Care Sector. In this context, two notable applications, developed by SEECS students have re-ceived considerable attention at both national and interna-tional fronts.

How Robots are Transforming Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures

“Al-Zahrawi” is a training robot and simulator for Minimal In-vasive Surgery (MIS) or lapa-roscopic sur-gery that is be-ing developed at SEECS in col-laboration with Holy Family Hospital, Paki-stan. This 1ICT

R&D funded project is primarily focused towards develop-ing a cost-effective solution for training surgeons to conduct conventional and robotically assisted MIS procedures.

The Al-Zahrawi simulator is primarily composed of three main modules: Mechanical Interface, Controller Circuit and Software Application. The Mechanical Interface module is required for the user to interact with the simulator. The Controller Circuit module is responsible for communication between the Mechanical Interface and the computer. The Software Application module consists of the Graphical User Interface (GUI) and runs the simulation based on a selection of scenes.

Al-Zahrawi system provides both sorts of surgical training for MIS i.e., conventional as well as those assisted by robots. Both conventional and robotic assisted MIS, are being ad-opted worldwide at a rapid pace, with the prime advantages of reduced trauma, faster recovery & lesser blood loss.

The distinctiveness of the Al-Zahrawi Simulator lies in its smart evaluation feature, which does not require an expert surgeon’s assistance to evaluate a trainee. The simulator trainer is a fraction of the cost of simulators from competi-tors. There is no direct competitor of the Al-Zahrawi Robotic Trainer in the global market but similar products include dv-Trainer by MIMIC technologies.

The target market of Al-Zahrawi Robotic Trainer mainly con-stitutes Health-Care providers. Over 234 million surgical pro-cedures are performed annually which makes it a very lucra-tive market worth USD 135 billion. In the developed world, the market size is estimated to be approximately 74% of the total size of the surgical equipment Industry.

“Al-Zahrawi” has won numerous national and international awards, not only as an advancement in the field of medi-cal/surgical equipment development but also, as a successful product with great business potential.

The team that has developed the “Al-Zahrawi” were declared winners at the “IBA – INVENT Entrepreneurial Challenge”, held at the institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, Runner-up at “The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) international Business Plan Competition (TIBPC)” and the “MIT Enterprise Forum”, Islamabad. The team not only secured cash prizes, but also won a trip to Silicon Valley, USA.

In addition to bringing great honor for NUST at the home front, the team has also been recognized internationally for their remarkable work. The team were finalists at the “Glob-al Innovation through Science & Technology (GIST) – Tech I” competition at the 4th Global Entrepreneurial Summit, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2013, and also, at TiE Interna-tional Business Plan Competition, Hong Kong Chapter.

1 The National ICT R&D Fund is an initiative of the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunications (MoIT&T) to transform Pakistan’s economy into a knowledge-based economy by promoting efficient, sustainable and effective ICT initiatives through synergic development of Industrial and Academic resources.

18 Apr-Jun-2014

The Proud Winners - “Al-Zahrawi” Team

The Team receiving first prize at “INVENT Entrepreneurial Challenge, Karachi”

The Team at Preston Entrepreneurial Challenge, Islamabad

First Runner Up at TIBPC, Islamabad Chapter “GIST – Tech I”, 4th Global Entrepreneurial Summit Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

19Apr-Jun-2014

“e-Maa” Pre-Natal Remote Health Caring Unit: High Impact, Maximum OutreachBringing Technology at Your Doorstep

In Pakistan, 60 % of the female population does not have ac-cess to proper Health-Care facilities during pregnancy and a large segment of the remaining 40 %, who do have access to proper Health-Care, may not be able to afford more than 5-6 detailed check-ups during their entire pregnancy. This pre-dicament has led to an increase in the number of heart and other diseases in infants, besides resulting in a high mortal-ity rate amongst the new-born and also the mothers. Due to the absence of adequate Health-Care facilities in Pakistan, as well as very high prices of Fatal ECG extraction machines, the Fatal ECG care in Pakistan usually commences in the 7th month of pregnancy. Another significant problem is the absence of adequate number of qualified and well-trained medical professionals required for a burgeoning population.

“e-Maa” is a cost effective solution designed to address this particular problem. An e-Maa unit is a wearable belt which extracts important fetal ECG information of the un-born baby and the mother. It also measures body temperature, blood pressure and blood glucose level of the mother. After extracting all this data, it analyzes and detects any anomaly by using a software algorithm applied through a micro-con-troller to the hardware. In case any such anomaly exists, it automatically alerts the nearest hospital or daily Health-Care center through an SMS, giving the exact location of the pa-tient in the text. Hence e-Maa is a complete solution to iden-tify diseases that an infant may have when he/she is born and it also takes full account of the expecting mother by monitoring her vitals. Furthermore, it significantly reduces the number of regular checkups required during pregnancy, hence considerably reducing travelling charges and associ-ated costs. This fully functional Tele-Medical solution is avail-able at a meager cost of PKR 10, 000/- i.e., USD 98. An e-Maa Unit lasts for an amazing 20 year period and has an impres-sive accuracy of 98.7 %, hence, it can shared by numerous users. e-Maa is a remarkable product, aimed to assist the community, through practical deployment of innovative, technological tools. It is indeed an outstanding example of the countless wonders of scientific knowledge.

Bringing Innovation on Campus

The Bus Tracker While it is imperative to excel at the national and interna-tional fronts, it is equally important to bring about positive improvements in the surroundings through creative deploy-ment of technological skills.

In this context, SEECS students have come up with an inter-esting idea to track transport vehicles within NUST. Trans-port vehicles can now have a GPS receiver installed within, to send coordinates of their location to a control center. The control center will display the exact location of the vehicle on Google Map. Control center will also be able to calculate the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at a specific destination and send it to the Bus Stop via GSM. ETA will be displayed at the bus stop for the waiting passengers.

This interesting innovation shall greatly assist the passen-gers, as a large number of students as well as employees uti-lize the transport provided by the University. It shall surely help organize the stream of traffic at busy hours.

20 Apr-Jun-2014

Centre for Innovative Technologies in Education, SEECS-NUST, IslamabadLaunch of MS Program

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomor-row belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”

Malcolm X

With the rising cost of living, the conventional model of im-parting education, in a brick and mortar setting, is increas-ingly becoming highly expensive for a large segment of our society. In addition to being expensive, numerous research studies have proven that conventional schooling only con-tributes a meagre 10% variance in student performance. For several millions dropouts in underdeveloped countries like Pakistan, the conventional school system and its efficacy is casting serious doubts. Quality education is directly linked to employability, which in turn is a significant indicator of eco-nomic prosperity. Unfortunately, Pakistan’s education system needs massive overhauling and a dramatic new approach. Despite a number of initiatives undertaken by the national and provincial governments to provide free education to the masses, Pakistan still ranks as a nation with a huge number of dropouts and an alarming number of children who receive no education at all. Ghost schools and teachers are another peril to the already ailing education Sector in the country.

Education for anyone - anywhere - anytimeThe arrival of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has

revolutionized the academic world, whereby students now have access to top quality, free education from prestigious universities. In Pakistan, provision of quality education via in-ternet, distance learning programs and other creative learn-ing techniques is the need of the hour. A large number of our population lives in the rural areas with no access to quality education.

In a bid to emulate the evolving model of teaching and learn-ing, SEECS has launched a post graduate multidisciplinary program viz., M.Sc. Innovative Technologies in Education (ITE). As the name suggests, this program is designed to dis-rupt the existing education system and create one of a kind “Media and Learning Research Laboratory”, in which curricu-lum is tailored to suit the requirements of a specific region, keeping in mind the specific social, demographic and eco-nomic needs of the populace.

A brief overview of MS program in Innovative Technologies in Education This newly started multidisciplinary graduate program pro-vides a design space for mixing and matching diverse disci-plines and research areas thus creating disruptive innova-tion. This practical forum aims to look beyond the obvious and provide innovative solutions that could dramatically im-prove the way people learn, not only for those who are able to attend school but also for that segment of the society that is unable to attend conventional school.

The program has the following major objectives: i. To develop entrepreneurial innovations in educational

practice. ii. To evaluate technology’s impact on learning and devel-

opment. iii. To excel in designing interactive media content and

learning applications.

ITE program has already begun collaborations with internal and external stakeholders to bring about a positive change in the remote areas of Pakistan. Some of the notable achieve-ments are listed below;

1. A Paradigm Shift---- Story of a School in Or-akzai agency Orakzai Agency, FATA, is one of the most underdeveloped and dilapidated regions of the country. In addition to abject poverty, the region is deeply affected by political instability and adverse law and order situation. In the absence of prop-

21Apr-Jun-2014

er schools, the children in most of the villages are deprived of education and forced to start work at an early age, to sup-port their families. Government schools are hardly functioning and most of these schools lack basic facilities. There has been no regular updation in the curriculum and the teachers also lack req-uisite training and expertise. An initiative of establishing a school on modern lines was initiated with the support of US-AID in a remote village located in the Agency, but as soon as funding ceased, the school also stopped functioning.

In order to reach out and help the underprivileged, SEECS faculty and students helped design an interesting and mod-ern curriculum, using innovative methodologies, for the stu-dents of the aforementioned school. After 4 months, there was a marked improvement in students’ learning capabili-ties and overall performance. One of the teachers working in this school recently reported that the standard syllabus prepared for the entire year has been completed in only four months because the students found the content so interesting that they completed the tasks well before time and wanted to learn more about the interactive content. The learning was not only limited to the children at school, but was also extended to those at homes. The students also shared this new way of learning with their parents and sib-lings. As the news of this interesting mode of learning spread to other parts of the Agency, a school owner in another nearby village handed over an entire primary school facil-ity (starting playgroup to 5th grade) to the SEECS-ITE Team.

Another ITE student group is actively engaged in assisting the management of a school located in Barakaho Town, near Is-lamabad. The team is replicating the same model as the one implemented in Orakzai Agency, with modifications to suit the needs of local populace. The team is involved in design-ing new, customized lesson plans via computer applications.

2. Entrepreneurial StartupsThe objective of the ITE program is to inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurship and free enterprise in the youth, with special emphasis on redefining the education paradigm. “In-novatra”, is thus a startup of SEECS graduate students. The team recently embarked on their first project viz., “Innovatra Classroom Response System (iCRS)”. This classroom response system is a software based tool, used to assess the efficacy of learning within a classroom. It can be used to get instant feedback from each participating individual and then enable

the instructor to improve the quality of lecture, its content & pedagogy accordingly. iCRS will have unique functionalities which shall make it more advantageous as compared to the current CRS available in the market, as it is more efficient and flexible. Initial version will be teacher centric but subsequent versions will be designed with a greater focus on individual learners. Innovatra plans to bring about a revolution in the education Sector by using Artificial Intelligence in its CRS and eventually making the whole system autonomous for learn-ers.

The successful proliferation of ITE in a short period of time has proven that the “one-size-fits-all” approach needs to be casted away and the entire system of teaching and learning needs to be revisited. The effective deployment of innova-tive technologies and new teaching tools, in FATA and other places does not require extensive investment in resources, but instead relies on introducing exciting and interactive learning applications. It is hence possible to provide quality education to far flung and remote areas with low cost tech-nology already available in the country.

“The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other genera-tions have done; men and women who are creative, inventive and discoverers, who can be critical and

verify, and not accept, everything they are offered.”

Jean Piaget

22 Apr-Jun-2014

Drivers, Beware!!Frustrated with the driving skills of your bus driver? Worry no more! As now, you can rate his performance in real time and convey this information to the concerned authorities.

Meet “Steady Driver”, an Android based driver evaluation application intended to monitor driver skills. The applica-tion has some interesting features which will enable it to effectively gauge drivers’ skills. These include: calculation of sudden speed reduction (brakes) applied by a driver, calcula-tion of acceleration and speed, number of intervals during a journey, unevenness of drive, etc. Once the application is started, it will start gathering data from the gyroscope, GPS and accelerometer. When the journey is over, the application will start analyzing the gathered data and at the end, ratings will be generated for different categories and the driver will be rated either as Bad, Good, Very Good, or Excellent. In the Pro version of this application, the entire journey is mapped, indicating the precise places when there was a sudden appli-cation of brakes, high acceleration/speed and severe bumps.

This is an extremely useful application, which can be used very effectively by the traffic police to ensure road safety. The team that developed this application comprises Mr. Bilal Farooq Cheema, Mr. Muhammad Hassan Javaid, Mr. Amir Ja-ved and Dr. Sohail Iqbal.

The application interface as shown on Google

Pictorial depiction explaining the working of “Steady Driver”

23Apr-Jun-2014

Ranking News on Sentiment AnalysisCategorizing News Articles as Per User Preference

The objective of this project is to categorize news as positive, negative or neutral. The sentiment analysis system crawls through various news sources and performs text analysis to gauge the nature of news clippings. The articles are then given different color codes such as green for positive, yellow for neutral and red for negative. Some of the fundamental features that this ap-plication provides are aesthetic graphical user Interface, categorized news and multi- platform Support.

24 Apr-Jun-2014

Reshaping Borders Pakistan - China Optical Fiber Connectivity

Pakistan and China collectively signed a project in July 2013, to lay fiber optic cable between Rawalpindi and Kashgar. The project is worth USD 44 million and will be completed within a span of two years. A team from SEECS comprising Dr. Kashif Sharif, Ms. Rameesha Khalid, and Mr. Syed Ali Masud Hussain have designed a link which is practical enough to be imple-mented. This design would enable Pakistan to connect to the rest of the world through the Trans-Asia Europe cable in Chi-na. The project will offset security threats of undersea cables, provide alternative routes for international telecom traffic, reduce internet down time, provide additional security and simulate trade, tourism and IT awareness. It is estimated to generate a revenue of USD 1.5 billion in the first 3 years. The design caters all optical fiber link components, power losses, data rate calculations, transmitter receiver design and fiber specifications etc. The team has also developed a tool which will help design similar links in future.

Connecting Industry Gurus & Young EntrepreneursInauguration of the Greenhouse Center & MoU Signing with JumpStart

SEECS became home to the first greenhouse centre under the recently-launched JumpStart Pakistan entrepreneurship initiative. JumpStart Pakistan is a project of Moftak Solutions, where its greenhouse concept aims to connect experienced Industry gurus with young entrepreneurs for mentorship, technical support and financial investment.

Chief Executive Officer, Moftak Solutions, Mr. Khurram Muj-taba, while attending the MoU signing ceremony, stated that the JumpStart entrepreneurship campaign is envisioned as an attempt to bring about social change through technology implementation. The greenhouse campaign is different from the traditional incubation method because it also brings In-dustry experts as investors. It also encourages them to play a more active role by “shepherding” students and young en-trepreneurs.

The MoU signed between SEECS and JumpStart Pakistan will allow University students to use the space made available on campus, as a technical and business base for their startups.

The optical fiber layout plan

MOU Signing Ceremony

25Apr-Jun-2014

From Lab to Market NUST hosts International Workshop on Entrepreneurship for Scientists and Engineers

NUST hosted a week-long workshop on Entrepreneurship for Scientists and En-gineers from June 2nd to June 7th, 2014, at its Centre for Innovation and Entre-preneurship (CIE). The workshop was conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, USAID, Higher Education Commission Pakistan, National Academy of Sciences, ASME Pakistan, and the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics.

The opening ceremony, held at NUST on June 2nd, 2014 was chaired by Rector NUST, Engr. Muhammad Asghar. Dr. E William Colglazier, Science and Technol-ogy Advisor to U.S. Secretary of State, also graced the opening ceremony as Chief Guest. In his welcome remarks, Rector NUST highlighted the efforts being

made at NUST to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, which include Pakistan’s first Technology Incubation Centre in Academia, established at NUST in 2005.

The week long intensive workshop was designed for scientists and engineers from Pakistan who were interested in learning entrepreneurial skills and applying their expertise, ideas and innovation – particularly in the water, energy, food, and health Sectors – to address the needs of 70% of Pakistan’s population that make less than two dollars a day. 50 different scientists, engineers and aspiring entrepreneurs from all over Pakistan attended the workshop, which was conducted by prominent in-ternational speakers including Dr. Bernard Amadei, US Science Envoy; Dr. Surya Raghu, President Advanced Fluids Inc; and Dr Faysal Sohail, General Partner CMEA Capital. To share their local experiences, successful entrepreneurs from Pakistan were also invited.

Rector NUST, Engr. M Asghar, addressing the workshop participants

26 Apr-Jun-2014

AnnouncementAddition of Ms. Fakhira Khanam, CEO Akhter Hameed Khan Resource Centre (AHKRC), in the CAC Social Sector Committee (SSC)

We are pleased to welcome Ms. Fakhira Khanam, CEO Akhter Hameed Khan Resource Centre (AHKRC), on the CAC Social Sector Committee (SSC). Ms. Khanam is a development professional, with an MBA and MS degree from Pakistan, and has over 11 years of working experi-ence to her credit. She has diversified experience of work-ing with multilayered stakeholders, government, donors, and partner NGOs.

In full time capacities she had worked with AHKRC, Asian Development Bank, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Telecommunication. Her specializations and experienc-es include institutional development, practical experience with gender analysis and planning, development projects’ needs assessment. Ms. Fakhira is one of the few ADB Institute and UN Capital Development Fund Accredited Microfinance Trainers in Pakistan. She had been advising a

host of clients on Humanitarian and Development Programming including NGOs, CBOs, Associa-tions, and Charities for initiative identification, project design, funds acquisition and specifically prepared program and training materials.

She currently works with AHKRC as Chief Executive Officer. The principal objective of the AHKRC is to promote a macro and micro level understanding of the causes and processes of change in the rural areas of the South in general and of Pakistan in particular with the purpose of promot-ing the use of this understanding for developing and supporting rural development initiatives and programs; influencing government, donor, media and NGO policies; and for facilitating the necessary human resource development to make this possible.

She also currently holds responsibilities of Chairing the Board of Public Democratic Forum Paki-stan, Honorary Advisor to Public Welfare Organization and Khwaja Fareed Foundation.

Ms. Fakhira has a passion to carry on research oriented work and is a true advocate of col-laborations and partnerships for greater good. We are indeed very happy to have Ms. Fakhira Khanam on board and hope to gain from her expertise and experience.

27Apr-Jun-2014

The

Team

Editor : Ms. Faiza MalikCo-Editor : Mr. Uzair AlviWriters : CAC & SEECS Teams

Graphics & Layout: Mr. Mahtab Ahmad Manager Art & Design (MCO)

Printing : Printing & Media Relations (P&MR)NUST