18.4 C
Pakistan
type here...
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Home Blog Page 40

Venturing into the 60s and the current status of space research in Pakistan with Dr. Tariq Mustafa

Maham Maqsood
-
0
Venturing into the 60s and the current status of space research in Pakistan with Dr. Tariq Mustafa

Pakistan entered the Space Age, ahead of all Islamic, in fact, all developing countries, on 7th June 1962 with a bang, when its first two-stage rocket named REHBAR –1 lit up the night sky over the Baluchistan Coast rising up to a height of 80 miles, releasing an Orange coloured trail of sodium vapour lit up by the rays of the setting sun which could be seen from Karachi and hundreds of miles along the coast of Pakistan.

Below is a detailed conversation of Dr. Tariq Mustafa team leader of the Rehbar-One launch project with our team members, Saadeqa Khan and Maham Maqsood.

Scientia: Let us know about the details of how did you and Dr. Salam get in touch with the officials at NASA?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: In mid-September 1961, I was posted at the US Atomic Energy Commission Laboratories at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as a USAID fellow from Pakistan. I had joined Oak Ridge in Jan 1960 for a two-year fellowship and after completing about 21 months.

In the middle of July 1961, I received a call from Washington DC, the person at the other end identifying himself as no other than Prof Abdus Salam said “Look Tariq it might come as a surprise but you have to come to Washington earliest and join me tomorrow morning in an important meeting”.

He made it clear that he did not care how I get there, whether by running or hitchhiking, but I better get there soon. So next morning at 10 am, I joined Prof Salam and we found ourselves going into the spanking new Headquarters of NASA the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Agency of America.

Our meeting was with a dynamic young Director of International Relations Mr. Arnold Frutkin who told Professor Abdus Salam that luckily for us, you are accompanying President Ayub Khan who was on an official visit to the USA. And President Kennedy of the US had, a short time before, announced that he was committing the US to land a man on the moon and return him safely to earth before the decade of 60s was out by the end of 1969.

NASA was directed to complete this program and they had already started in real earnest. Mr. Frutkin explained that this was a program that would encompass the whole of the earth because their rockets will have to be placed in Earth orbit before being propelled towards the moon and this required knowledge of the properties of the Earth’s upper atmosphere, particularly the wind speeds and directions at the higher levels.

NASA scientists have found that the area around the Indian Ocean was a “black hole” since practically no data was available on the upper atmosphere in this entire region and this was crucial for this program.

We were told that NASA invited selected countries of the region to set up rocket ranges and carry out scientific experiments. US side offered to supply free launching equipment and rockets in lieu of sharing raw data obtained from the experiments.

(L-R): AZ Farooqui (Communication), Rehmatullah (Meteorology), Dr. Tariq Mustafa (Team Leader), Salim Mehmud (Electronics), Sikander Zaman (Engineering) standing in front of the Rehbar-II rocket. Credits: Dr. Mustafa
(L-R): AZ Farooqui (Communication), Rehmatullah (Meteorology), Dr. Tariq Mustafa (Team Leader), Salim Mehmud (Electronics), Sikander Zaman (Engineering) standing in front of the Rehbar-II rocket. Credits: Dr. Mustafa

Prof Salam looked at me and said in Punjabi, his favorite language “Tariq, Tera ki khayal ai” (Tariq, what do you think?) I replied to him in Punjabi “kay ye to jee Hamara khawab pura ho jai ga” (That this will amount to our dream coming true). Mr. Frutkin who was watching intently, caught on to it at once and said, “from his face, it appears the young man is quite keen, am I right?” and Prof Salam nodded and Frutkin said that in that case, we need not lose any time.

I was put on a NASA flight, the same afternoon, to visit their Wallops Island Range where I was briefed about the launch equipment, rockets, and whatever else needed for the experimentation.

Scientia: Would you like to brief us about the proceedings that led to the historic launch of Rehbar-1 in a mere period of nine months?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: It is a source of great satisfaction, nay pride, that Pakistan not only kept this momentum but in fact totally surprised the U.S. side by completing the project in 9 months and launching the Sodium Trail experiments in June’ 62, ahead of all developing countries.

Our first challenge was forming a dedicated team. We put together a small and hard-hitting team which included Salim Mehmud, a specialist in electronics and instrumentation.

We got two new members from PAEC Karachi, one was Mr. A. Z. Farooqui a retd Flight Lt. of the Pakistan Air Force, to cover the communications side, and Sikandar Zaman a young promising mechanical engineer for the rocket assembly and launch operations. And a fifth member was an experienced meteorologist Mr. Rehmatullah, a Deputy Director in the Department of Meteorology who was to cover the scientific side.

Our team was selected and assembled at Wallops within weeks and started their work in earnest, where we went through intensive training and learning and Pakistan end in Karachi where plans were developed for the design and layout of the Rocket Range and its infrastructure and buildings.

NASA people told us that the launcher and the rockets were based on the Nike Ajax anti-aircraft weapon system and that we were allowed to take the Nike Booster Rocket from that system along with some of the control instrumentation.

Scientia: Let us know the details of the Sodium vapour experiment being done with the launch of Rehbar-One launch?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: Concerning the scientific experiment, it was mutually decided that the first experiment would be the Sodium Vapour Trail experiment.

It consisted of a container of sodium which was ignited a few minutes after rocket launch when the rocket had climbed up to a height of about 50 km and then it discharged a Sodium Vapour trail from a height of 50 miles up to its apogee of 80 miles or so. This sodium trail was launched precisely at a calculated time after sunset when the sun had set on the earth at Sonmaini, but the sun was still shining between the heights of 50 to 80 miles.

The Sodium vapour would be lit up like a bright yellow trail which would then be blown about by the upper atmospheric winds and it would form a pattern in the sky and by photographing and analyzing that pattern we could work back and determine what the wind structure at that height was.

It was the combined analysis of the synoptic imagery- that means simultaneous photographs taken from the three sites would give us the wind shear and the wind speeds, which was the data we were looking for through this experiment.

Tariq Mustafa presiding over the meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Pacific centre for Technology Transfer (APCTT) at Bangkok- circa 1992 - Space
Tariq Mustafa presiding over the meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Pacific center for Technology Transfer (APCTT) at Bangkok- c.1992. Credits: Dr. Mustafa

We asked Pakistan Air Force for support in aerial photography. The same cameras they used for air to ground photography would be used from the ground up. We provided radio means of communications from the Sonmiani launchpad control room to each of these photography stations that were spread far away at a 100 miles distance from Bholari and Uthal to different areas around Sonmiani. They were all connected through radio communications.

Scientia: Tell us about the Hurdle you and your team faced while working in scorching and humid weather of Baluchistan with mere living facilities?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: No doubt, there were difficulties. But the choice of Balochistan was simple. The rocket range had to be on the coast. Because you fire the rockets into the sea and it cannot be done in a populated area or on land. Secondly, in the very meetings in Washington, interestingly, it was president Ayub who casually remarked that if you have to select the range, in on the coast and Balochistan, then you can have it at Sonmiani where the army already has an artillery range. That cue was very good for us.

Firstly, it meant permission from the army, which normally takes time. And, for other locations, we would have had to survey the whole coast and spend time, effort, and energy. So, the availability of the Sonmiani artillery rage was a boom for us. If that were not available, then I don’t think that we could have finished the project in nine months.

The basic infrastructure was available. But the weather conditions cannot be changed. We knew the monsoons come in early June, and the NASA Apollo program very much wanted that this data should become available as early as possible.

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission provided all the resources at that time. SUPARCO did not exist in 1961. Had the commission or NASA’s support not been there all this would not have been possible.

The buildings were constructed by MES, but all the installations, the rocket fixture, the launchers, the power supplies, had to be created by us. And this team had to work day and night to meet the deadline.

We would get up at Fajar (early morning), go down to the range area, do the work up to about 12 o’clock. And then we would break off, come back to the army range, where we have been given accommodation and had lunch and a siesta. But then go back around four o’clock, and then continue working till required.

So, if Bezos wants to do it and has the resources; go ahead. But for a country like Pakistan, I would certainly think that this would be extravagant and not recommended. If any Pakistani has the resources and buy a ticket; best of luck to him. But that is not a matter for the state to decide.

Sometimes it was 12 o’clock at night. There was a deadline but people were motivated. And that’s how it came to be.

Scientia: Given that SUPARCO was established way before ISRO, why do you think we lagged behind? What could we have done to improve our position in the race for space or even in the development of technologies?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: The answer is simple enough. India is a large country, seven times our population and with more than 10 times our economic resources. They want a certain image, and they have provided the matching resources to ISRO. Pakistan, on the other hand, couldn’t spare any finances for space like that. Earlier, we luckily got the support of NASA and jumped on that opportunity. Otherwise, I doubt whether Pakistan independently would have had much of a space program.

So, we have to work within our resources. And there it is best to go in for projects and programs, which give you some developmental dividends, such for Communications, Navigation, Meteorology, Agriculture, Planning, etc. Otherwise going for the moon or Mars does not give you any short-term economic benefits. Pakistan can ill afford that. I think, with its limited resources, it is best for Pakistan to concentrate on applications and not on showy projects.

Tariq Mustafa at the first post graduate International Reactor School of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell, near Oxford- 1957
Dr. Tariq Mustafa (seated at the front) at the first post-graduate International Reactor School of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell, near Oxford- 1957. Credits: Dr. Mustafa

Scientia: These days there has been this buzz around the space tourism industry. Do you think that this should have some solid objectives, rather than just getting the status of having visited the space?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: All that is a matter of resources. As I’ve already stated, in my opinion, state resources should go towards development-oriented projects. Now, as far as the private sector is concerned, they are free. If somebody wants to invest in tourism; why not?

So, if Bezos wants to do it and has the resources; go ahead. But for a country like Pakistan, I would certainly think that this would be extravagant and not recommended. If any Pakistani has the resources and buy a ticket; best of luck to him. But that is not a matter for the state to decide.

I remember there were these massive processions coming out of Mochi Gate every Friday. And I would join them regularly. That was the spirit of the day. It is unfortunate that that spirit has been allowed to dissipate.

Scientia: SUPARCO is working on rocket technologies as we see in the news but what do you think of its current and whether we should work on other defense technologies, rather than just the rockets or radars, etc. What else should we be focusing on to improve our defense system?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: That is for the defense establishment to spell out. As far as SUPARCO’s role is concerned, they are supportive of the rocket part. And as far as I know, I think that cooperation is pretty good. The results speak for themselves. In fact, Pakistan has done remarkably. The world recognizes that Pakistan today, in response to the Indian provocations, has been able to match on the nuclear side, and we can no longer be blackmail. We can deter nuclear aggression.

If Pakistan had not developed its new capabilities, I think the pressure on us by our unfriendly neighbors would have been far stronger. In fact, one wishes that Pakistan would have done equally well, on the civilian developmental side.

Scientia: Speaking of SUPARCO and the work you did before, we see that the team was very dedicated and hard-working. Do you think that we can have individuals in this generation and era, who have the same enthusiasm to work for the country as you and your team did back in the 1960s?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: I see no reason why the younger generation should not be equally keen. Yes, it is true that in our days, at least I was a product of the creation of Pakistan’s days. Born in the 30s, I remember I was 13 years old when Pakistan came into existence. I was in Lahore. And I remember there were these massive processions coming out of Mochi Gate every Friday. And I would join them regularly. That was the spirit of the day. It is unfortunate that that spirit has been allowed to dissipate.

But in principle, I see no reason why the younger generation of today should not be equally enthusiastic. It boils down probably to leadership. I think, with great good leadership, there is no reason that the youth of today cannot produce similar results. And from what we see, at least on the strategic side, we have done pretty well. I repeat on the industrial development of the country, we’ve not been able to do so well. Pakistan through the 60s was doing extremely well.

The world looked at us as a role model; Pakistan’s GDP was growing, then, unfortunately, with the 71 happenings in East Pakistan, etc., the growth rate went down. So many factors are responsible, but primarily, I think what is in our control is our leadership. And that is where we have not been able to do a good job.

Scientia: Some prominent universities of Pakistan providing space science education. Still, the practical work is restricted due to our decade-old educational system and mere research facilities. This is why our passionate youth moves abroad. How can we effectively deal with this situation?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: If there is developmental activity within the country, there will be room for jobs and need for specialists, etc. Having said that, I personally don’t see any harm in people going abroad if they do not find opportunities at home.

I think sometimes we don’t give due credit to our expatriate community. Without their input, Pakistan would have been in a worse condition. So, thinking that there is brain drain is a disadvantage. But it is true that we want development at home. And for that, there is a need for strengthening the research institutions.

The tradition of research is weak in Pakistan and has been weak for centuries in this region of the world. We need to find a solution to that. That is a challenge, again, for leadership. But again, I repeat, I think if we can, we should produce as many specialists as possible, preferably suited to first to meet our own requirements.

Scientia: In the 1960s, there was a lot of collaboration and scientists were very keen on working with each other. Unfortunately, we don’t see it a lot these days. Why aren’t we collaborating with those who are already established and have the resources?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: In principle, I see no reason and I’m sure cooperation is taking place with the countries abroad. But that is also tied up with the political situation. Remember, there was cooperation from NASA, and without NASA’s help, I am the first one to acknowledge that I don’t think Pakistan would have even entered this field.

But that was because it suited NASA. It was no favor to Pakistan; they did for their Apollo program. Let’s be clear on that. It was of mutual benefit. You see, they think that now we have, and I suppose to some extent it is true, given first priority to a strategic program that does not fit into the American scheme of things.

Even during our days, I remember that when we wanted to manufacture rockets in Pakistan, NASA’s help was not forthcoming. So, we had to look to other countries. And finally, we entered into a technology agreement, purchasing from France. And it was on French technology, that our rocket production plant in Maripur was established. So, it’s a matter of finding opportunities. That’s how cooperation proceeds ahead.

Another factor that adversely affected, Pakistan is this so-called terrorist issue. I don’t really want to go into that aspect. But the fallout of Iraq and Afghanistan has been very detrimental to Pakistan’s development. It has slowed down our economic development and investment from other countries. The fallout of the instability, and wars in the Middle East, was very damaging to Pakistan. We lost these years. Even Bangladesh today is ahead of us because they’ve had peace. We haven’t had peace in the last 30 years.

Scientia: Finally, what is your vision for the future of Pakistan?

Dr. Tariq Mustafa: One can only pray that there is peace in the country and in the neighborhood. We have to depend on friendly technology transfers. The speed of development of the world is so fast, things have been accelerating. The world is now almost on an exponential curve. No one can depend on their own resources. It has to be cooperation. And for that good peaceful conditions, law and order are necessary. These are all requirements on the political level.

But at the scientific level, of course, I think we have to step up learning. We have to remember the spirit which animated our ancestors. Muslim scientists led the world for at least 800 years. That wasn’t done just by being followers. That was done by good leadership, hard work, and open minds.  Our education system has to be opened up that way. If we can do that, there is no reason why we cannot go back to the kind of pace that we had developed in the 60s. It comes down to good leadership and hopefully, a good political environment.

Also, Read: Exploring DATA Sciences with Prof. Dr. Murtaza Haider

Science and Warfare

Saadeqa Khan
-
0
Science and Warfare

Science has been associating with war for a long. In the ancient age, the inventors like Archimedes and Leonardo turned their research for figuring out some of the significant problems of the fight of that historical period.

Archimedes had made use of his mathematical knowledge and designed a Catapult to launch rocks, timbers, and other heavy objects over the great distance between the city walls and moored enemy ships. His war machines played a vital role in the Roman army’s defeat when they attacked Syracuse, the hometown of Archimedes. Leonardo Da Vinci had also designed a giant crossbow, a tank, a steam-powered cannon, and deviously created horse-powered carts and weapon diagrams.

The first and second world wars greatly accelerated the process of incorporation of science into warfare. A rough estimate shows that somewhere between a quarter and half of scientists and engineers worldwide were engaged in military projects. Due to the high fraction of war-oriented science funding, many research areas and applications of modern science were produced for the war.

An example is climatology, since the weather condition and predictions affected military operations, especially in airstrikes. Several military-funded research projects were initiated in the 19th century to study weather modification.

The war influenced not only the specific scientific research projects but also the whole direction of technological evolution. During the first several centuries of modern science, technological advancement usually revolves around the scientific explanation.

It is very likely that the research breakthroughs will soon transform the technological battlefield. The most destructive period of history tends to be those when means of aggression have earned the upper hand in the art of waging war.”

Nuclear physics is a prime example of this interaction. The considerable interest of researchers in atomic science is due to the urge to make a devastating weapon against the enemy. When several governments launched nuclear power projects, they provided colossal funding and available resources for expanding training and research work in nuclear science.

Another era of technological innovation that is significantly influenced by military imperatives is computer science. During the 40’s and afterward, the military interest was primarily in mainframe computers to crunch numbers for solving problems related to nuclear weapon designs and forming more efficient nuclear-war strategies.

In the modern era, science and technology extended to robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, synthetic biology, neurosciences, Nanotechnology, 3D printing, data sciences, and the interaction of each of them, ‘cyber security’.

The concept and underlying strategic importance were articulated at the multinational level in NATO’s May 2010 new strategic concept paper. This paper concluded that “it is very likely that the research breakthroughs will soon transform the technological battlefield. The most destructive period of history tends to be those when means of aggression have earned the upper hand in the art of waging war.”

Moreover, the emerging trends of using new technologies for war strategies have underlined a couple of unresolved security puzzles that have implications for international security, defense policies, deterrence, governance, and arms control.

Summing up all these issues, Scientia Pakistan brings its special edition on “Defense technology”, on the eve of Pakistan’s Defense Day. The real feast of this edition is the interview of Dr. Tariq Mustafa, a senior space scientist from Pakistan. He briefly speaks on Pakistan’s contribution to NASA’s Apollo series and the launch of Pakistan’s first rocket, ‘Rehbar-1’in 1962. With this launch, Pakistan assembled essential data for the climate study over the Arabian sea.

Other lead stories are joint all-domain warfare, bioterrorism and its role in the conspiracy creation during the pandemics, national security and climate change, impacts of wars on wildlife, cybersecurity, future of security in space, environmental defense, and much more.

So gear up, tighten your belts, and start your journey to a beautiful read. Have a lovely week ahead.

Rising IoT Market and Impact of COVID-19

Faryal Qazi
-
0
Rising IoT Market and Impact of COVID-19

Internet of Things or for Short IOT is the profession of smart objects including cars, home appliances and devices which connects physical world to the digital world whereby human interacts with these devices to gain benefits, improve their consumer experience. For example, a home appliance that reduce monthly bills by managing resource usage by automatically turning off the lights when you leave home or by adjusting the room temperature according to the current climate.  Another example of IOT is the famous baby app mimo which enables parents to check on their babies while giving them aa handy analytic style overview of the breathing and sleep patterns over time.

The difference between Internet of Things (IOT) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) is their usages. Where IoT is more commonly used for consumer usage, IIOT is used for industrial purposes such as manufacturing, supply chain monitor and management system. IIOT uses more sensitive and precise sensors. Hence, IOT is intended exclusively for household and commercial sector while IIOT pertains to the industrial sector. Bu they both have common concepts like data management, connectivity data security and secure cloud.

IoT

IOT Market

IOT is the fastest growing global industry. In the year 2020 its net worth was USD 308.97 billion and is expected to be worth USD 1,463.19 billion by 2027 at 24.9% CAGR. Even in the most troubled of the years 2020 IOT industry showed resilience and  showed growth of 23% in 2020 and so according to the report of Internet of Things (IOT), market size, Share and Covid-19 impact Analysis by the business insight the IOT industry is expected to be worth USD 381.30 billion by the end of 2021. According to the report the resilience of IOT industry during the Pandemic is due ti its growing demand and growth in the world.

The IOT works like a global infrastructure to provide for the information society. It enables services to connect with each other on basis of advanced and current communication technology. IOT industry has a huge potential of expansion and development that is expected to open up new opportunities and revenues for humans. IOT’s feature to operate independently without any human intervention will open up new avenues for businesses management and add efficiency. Even IOT technology is now being used against the Pandemic.

Covid-19 and IOT Technology

Hospitals and paramedic staff across China are using connected thermometers, temperature sensors, drones, and telemedicine to fight pandemic and provide the patients and public with the right services to protect them against the virus.

The paramedic staff at Shanghai Hospital is using connected thermometers in order to monitor the temperatures of the staff and the patients. They and other hospitals in China have also employed temperature sensors to reduce the risks of staff members being exposed to the covid patient. Whereas telemedicine and drones are also being used to protect the frontline workers. For example, drones were used to monitor the citizens during the lockdown while South Korea with the help of IOT controlled drones cleaned the outbreak hotspot Daegu. Moreover, in India and Al startup company Asimov Robotics employed robots at various public places in the city of Kerala and office’s entrances to deliver public health message and sanitizer.

However, despite the new innovative usage of IOT technology the IOT market experienced a setback in the initial period of the pandemic due to the supply chain disruption which was in turn caused by the transport and labor unavailability. But with the current pattern and innovative adaptations companies are getting back on track. Below graph shows the latest and expected trends of the IOT industry.

IoT
The graph is taken from www.furtunebusinessinsights.com

Smart Cities and the Rising Market of IOT

With increasing urbanization and digitalization, the demand of IOT technology is rising rapidly. Shifts towards smart cities and digital ecosystem has expected to the demand of IOT devices especially for its management features. Currently IOT devices and technology is being used for air and water quality control, observing mobility and infrastructures and public utilities. For instance, in 2019 a European based company European Innovation Partnerships for Smart cities (https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/smart-cities-market-100610) and communities (EIP-SCC) invested about 1.12 billion dollars to construct about 200+ Smart Cities in Europe.

Europe is the leading region in development of smart cities and so is the inspiration for the world and its members for smart cities and IOT technology. According to Business Insider EU commission in 2019 had worth USD 439.6 million in these initiatives.

Asia Pacific and IOT Market

Of the global IOT market Asia Pacific region holds the maximum share of it due the rising number of smart city initiatives and cloud usage. Communication industries and service providers are reevaluating their data structures to incorporate IOT dives and technology in order to monetize the systems and data. As per the report of GSMA the largest world’s largest IOT market also exist in Asia Pacific region-China owns 64% of the 1.5 billion IOT connections (https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/internet-of-things-iot-market-100307).

Pie Chart is taken from the www.FurtuneBusinessInsight.com

Some Leading Companies in IOT Market

  1. Amazon Web services, Inc.
  2. Bosch Software Innovations Gmbh.
  3. Cisco Systems, Inc.
  4. SAP SE.
  5. IBM Corporations
  6. Microsoft Corporations.
  7. Siemens AG.
  8. Oracle Corporations.
  9. AT&T, Inc.
  10. Huawei Technologies Co, Ltd.
  11. Intel Corporations.

Also Read: DR. SULEMAN ATIQUE TALKS ON THE GROWING IMPACT OF HEALTH INFORMATICS

Dr. Suleman Atique talks on the growing impact of health informatics

Saadeqa Khan
-
0
Dr. Suleman Atique talks on the growing impact of health informatics

Data science is changing the world. Its influence can be seen in modern-day luxuries. Big organizations across the public and private sectors are racing to utilize its transformative potential. In the healthcare industry, health informatics has dramatically improved the quality of patient care and resolved several complex issues. 

Healthcare applications are aiding in early disease detection, help doctors identify at-risk patients, lower costs, drive innovation and discovery in pharmaceuticals. Health informatics will have a significant impact on the quality of healthcare in the coming years worldwide. Realizing the potential of health data, Scientia Pakistan magazine exclusively interviewed Dr. Suleman Atique, a health informatics expert based in Pakistan.

Dr. Suleman is working as an Assistant Professor of Health Informatics at the University of Ha’il in Saudi Arabia. Below are excerpts of his conversation with our Chief Editor, Saadeqa Khan.

Saadeqa: Let us know about your life and career? Who inspires you the most for an offbeat career like health informatics?

Dr. Suleman: I am from a small village in Mandi Bahauddin and had my primary schooling there. Later, I relocated to Lahore for college and then to Faisalabad for my undergraduate studies in pharmacy. My first encounter with a computer was at the university library, and it became stronger and stronger over time. 

This was when I began to consider pursuing more education in fields other than pharmacy. Following that, I picked ‘Health Informatics’ as my major in my master’s degree at COMSATS University Islamabad (earlier called COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad). 

I received an international student scholarship from Taipei Medical University in Taiwan for my doctoral studies in Biomedical Informatics. I used to stay up to date on the latest advances in the health industry, which is how I became interested in health informatics. This, I believe, is the most excellent strategy to address disparities in the health sector in a resource-constrained country such as Pakistan.

Informatics
Dr. Suleman is working as an Assistant Professor of Health Informatics at the University of Ha’il in Saudi Arabia.

For the past three years, I have been working as an Assistant Professor of Health Informatics at the University of Ha’il in Saudi Arabia. Before this post, I worked at the University of Lahore’s Institute of Public Health in Pakistan. In addition, I am a visiting lecturer at the Public Health Department, Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) in Indonesia.

Saadeqa: Do you agree that data analytics and informatics are essential for properly managing a healthcare organization?

Dr. Suleman: Yes, data analytics provides an accurate view of an organization’s growth. Informatics provides instruments for data collection and analysis. It is critical to have up-to-date data to comprehend the work process in any organization. It is significant, yet it is the most overlooked aspect of the health industry in our area of the world. We must comprehend the potential of ICTs and how they might alter the health sector at a low cost.

Dr. Suleman: Informatics is the science of how data, information, and advanced knowledge improve human healthcare delivery. Let us know about its scope in Pakistan; which features are missing the most in our healthcare system?

Dr. Suleman: Data is the key, and it is as essential as oxygen. Data leads to information, which leads to knowledge. Unbiased data shows relevant information that reveals the status of any firm. To improve our healthcare system, we must prioritize data collection.

The majority of tasks in our healthcare system are still done manually. The healthcare system has the potential to be radicalized if it is digitized. As a result, we must focus on the digitalization of the health industry. This must begin with basic health facilities and progress to specialized hospitals.

I usually avoid discussing and disseminating such things. Unless things aren’t moving in the right direction, I usually give my team members free rein. I am usually a good listener in a team and prefer a mix of hard and intelligent work.

Saadeqa: Which factors do you consider determine patient care standards? How does a patient’s case history help to recognize the roots of a disease? 

Dr. Suleman: Patient case history is essentially an indicator of one’s own health status. Minute changes in the physiological data indicate data from several laboratory tests. A clinical decision support system (CDSS) can process changes in a person’s physiological state and aid in illness diagnosis and progression. As a result of advances in health informatics, several systems are now available.

Sadeqa: Can you tell us about when your analysis/ research led to a significant breakthrough in informatics? 

Dr. Suleman: During my doctoral studies, I looked into the epidemiological statistics regarding dengue outbreaks in Pakistan. For nearly a decade, I created GIS maps to show dengue case data. GIS mapping of dengue at the provincial level was a first. It aided in determining which locations needed more significant attention to avert repeat outbreaks. In Pakistan, we also discovered that males are more exposed to dengue than females, in contrast to the rest of the world.

Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) Informatics
A clinical decision support system (CDSS) can process changes in a person’s physiological state and aid in illness diagnosis and progression.

Saadeqa: Share with us an experience when you gathered information from multiple resources. How did you determine which source was relevant? How do you balance cooperation with others and independent thinking?

Dr. Suleman: To me, the source of information is unimportant; what matters is its authenticity. For example, at the beginning of COVID-19, some research claimed that antimalarials could cure COVID-19. Still, I found it difficult to believe based on research, and I usually avoid discussing and disseminating such things. Unless things aren’t moving in the right direction, I usually give my team members free rein. I am usually a good listener in a team and prefer a mix of hard and intelligent work.

Saadeqa: How does informatics help to cope with the challenges like medical errors, retrieving medical records, and ensuring quality and safety in health services?

Dr. Suleman: Medication mistakes were a major driving force behind creating computerized physician order entry systems (CPOE). In the United States alone, medical errors are responsible for an estimated 250,000 deaths per year. In a country like Pakistan, where no such data is available, one can estimate the harm it poses. 

To avoid such challenges, digitizing the health sector from its very foundation to its pinnacle is critical. Informatics tools not only detect potential medical errors but also notify users when they are corrected. Manual manipulation of health data poses hazards and may result in unforeseen outcomes. Informatics tools aid in the efficient collecting and retrieval of medical records.

One of the leading causes of medication errors, particularly in chronic patients, is a lack of medication reconciliation. CPOE can effectively address this issue. Furthermore, it can collect all information on a patient in one place, reducing the possibility of overlooking critical aspects of patient profiles when prescribing or providing medications.

Saadeqa: Let us know the impact of health informatics on malpractices in labs and hospitals/healthcare centers?

Dr. Suleman: Medication errors in health care organizations play a significant impact in increasing mortality in both inpatients and outpatients. These inaccuracies are the result of human error. The use of digital systems in the health sector can significantly reduce these risks, perhaps saving many lives. 

The use of a computerized physician order entry system (CPOE) can help to reduce these errors and alert practitioners to potential errors. When combined with CPOE, clinical decision support systems (CDSS) aid in making better clinical judgments and reducing medical errors.

As we all know, the majority of healthcare costs in Pakistan are borne by patients. Duplication can reduce lab tests data by applying informatics tools, which will reduce patients’ treatment costs and make it more cost-efficient for them. 

When we use health informatics technologies, it is easier to conduct public health surveillance. Over-prescription of medications, particularly antibiotics, is a natural hazard to humanity; it is a global threat that can be controlled by using CPOE and calculating Defined daily doses (DDD) of antibiotics.

Saadeqa: What would you like advice for early career researchers in health informatics? What is next for you?

Dr. Suleman: The next generation of health informaticians must concentrate on healthcare data analytics. This is where Pakistan falls short the most. The two most important fields of informatics are data analysis and visualization. Pakistan is still a newcomer in this industry, yet there is enormous promise. 

Furthermore, the government should strengthen the institutes that provide education in this field. There is only one university in the country that offers a master’s degree in health informatics. There is a need to provide this subject in more institutes. The higher education commission of Pakistan must recommend including health informatics as a subject in all the healthcare and allied healthcare programs at the bachelor level.

In the future, I hope to develop a health informatics research group where we can train the next generation of researchers.

Also, Read: Exploring DATA Sciences with Prof. Dr. Murtaza Haider

Movie Review: The Imitation Game – Story of a Pioneering Genius

Syeda Laiba Tayyab
-
0
Movie Review: The Imitation Game – Story of a Pioneering Genius

The Imitation Game is a story of a lonely genius who single-handedly did a very important piece in the cog that was the wheel for taking on the Nazis. This movie is based on a true story that makes it even more captivating.
It beautifully tells the untold story of Alan Turing that most of us weren’t aware of. What Alan is doing in this movie is arguably one of the most important things that were happening in World War II to beat the Nazis.

Directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Graham Moore, The Imitation Game is a historical drama that takes place in World War II, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as mathematician/cryptanalyst Alan Turing. And Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Charles Dance, and Mark Strong appear as supporting actors.

The story pans out at the time of world war. Soldiers in the field are being slaughtered brutally. The Nazis are communicating via codes. The Germans have successfully created a machine, living up to its name, called “Enigma.” This machine makes codes that are unbreakable, and no one knows how to solve the puzzling pieces. It’s like the free world’s key to defeating the Nazis is by cracking this code. It comes to code breakers to find the patterns and decipher the messages.

The enigmatic problem is that the code resets every day so that when every time someone gets close to cracking it or breaks through a couple of messages, BOOM! The code changes to a new one in a few hours, and all that work done previously is just gone. At that time, there weren’t a lot of machines, so they were trying to break the code by hand. Manually it would have taken an awful lot of time.

The Imitation Game: Turing and society's crimes | OUPblog
The Imitation Game is a historical drama that takes place in World War II, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as mathematician/cryptanalyst Alan Turing.

In comes Turing, who takes it upon himself to crack the code regardless of what everyone keeps on saying. Turing gets an idea that what if he can build a machine that adapts to code, and it can crack every code that enigma generates and makes forever. And that’s ultimately the movie. It is some next-level brilliance in terms of genius.

It is to be noted that the acting in this movie is fantastic. Benedict Cumberbatch is excellent as always. Surprisingly, supporting actors such as Keira Knightly are also very great in this movie, giving stellar performances.

I’m a fan of movies that are intensely intriguing without much action. In this movie, people kept discouraging Turing, insisting that whatever he is building is useless. But the passionate fellow stood his ground. “IT WILL WORK,” he kept on saying, but unfortunately, people didn’t understand it at that time. It’s frustrating to see this genius who knows what he’s doing, trying to explain to common folk (like us) what he’s trying to do in a world where those new concepts and ideas didn’t exist.

In short, The Imitation Game has great acting, great characters, with a fascinating story. I loved how mathematicians did their thing and brought it to the level where you get irritated by the fact that why is no one taking them seriously. It was infuriating to see that except a few people, no one paid heed to him at that time, but he successfully invented the machine that was so cool that it became the stepping stone of a new era in computing.

This was one of those flicks that really plays with the emotions of the audience instead of throwing in shallow action. I highly recommend watching this movie. It is an inspirational story and gives you hope that anything can be achieved when you put your mind and heart to it, no matter what the circumstances are. More importantly, it lets you experience those elements of the war that remained unnoticed for years.

REVIEW: ‘BRAVE BLUE WORLD’ WILL STEER YOU AWAY FROM FEELING BLUE

Exploring DATA Sciences with Prof. Dr. Murtaza Haider

Fouz Siddiqui
-
0
Exploring DATA Sciences with Prof. Dr. Murtaza Haider

Data Science is considered one of the lucrative and challenging job fields in the 21st century. This is an era where data itself is viewed as the modern world’s most precious resource. From healthcare to law, to industries or transportation, data sciences experts and professionals play a vital role in every sphere of life. 

At Scientia, we had the privilege of discussing Data Sciences with Prof. Murtaza Haider for our special edition on data sciences. Murtaza Haider is a professor of data and real estate economics at Ryerson University, Toronto, while holding an adjunct professorship in the Faculty of Engineering at McGill University. 

Murtaza Haider. Photographed by Peter J. Thompson, 2019.
Murtaza Haider. Photo Credit Peter J. Thompson, 2019.

Additionally, he serves as the Research Director at Urban Analytics Institute while also leading Regionnomics.Inc, a firm specializing in the economics of cities and regions. Dr. Murtaza has diverse research interests and is a thought leader in business analytics, data science, housing market dynamics, transport/infrastructure planning, and human development in Canada and South Asia. He relies on “Data-Driven Analytics” to support his arguments, designs, and overall writings. 

Dr. Haider is an author of two books: “Real Estate Markets: An Introduction” (2020) and “Getting Started with Data Science: Making Sense of Data with Analytics” (2016).

Our conversation with Dr. Haider focused on data science and analytics and their relevance for Pakistan. 

Fouz:  What made you decide to become a data scientist? How do you manage to overcome career obstacles?

Dr. Haider: Well, it was only when I started pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Toronto when I started working with big datasets, specifically the housing sales data. Interestingly, my Master’s thesis was focused on developing hedonic price forecasting models. For that, we had data sets of nearly half a million properties. It was the late nineties, and working with such sized data sets was relatively uncommon.

Back then, I didn’t even know that I was working in Big Data or Data Science. Later my fascination continued with data. When I joined McGill University as an assistant professor, I worked on building a traffic forecasting model. My lab created a large model with almost every street in Montreal; the model covered around 130,000 streets, each with two-directional traffic, and we were able to forecast traffic, congestion, and emissions for every street in the city. 

Since then, I have worked on numerous projects involving big and small data sets. I didn’t have any obstacles in my career. I have been an inquisitive person. So, I am driven by questions. Especially, If I have a question that I cannot readily answer, I can’t sleep until I find a clue or find some datasets and start exploring for answers. Personally, it never occurred to me that I was trying to become a “Data Scientist”; all I had was a curious mind, lots of unanswered questions, and I kept going on one problem after another. I didn’t stop. 

Fouz: How do you relate Data Science to Pakistan?


Dr. Haider: Data and facts matter for Pakistan, even more so now than before. “Facts are sacred.” Why? Because when we argue with data, consensus emerges organically. For example, in Pakistani talk shows, we see people hurling allegations and making huge claims about each other about the corruption of billions of dollars. Without evidence or solid proof, how could someone claim that their opponents have looted billions of dollars? When data and facts are missing, how could one prove such an allegation? Since we do not have a data culture in Pakistan, it is effortless to accuse someone falsely or without evidence. 

If people realize that Pakistan’s economy of $278 billion is small relative to other advanced economies and that stealing billions of dollars from such a small economy will be quite difficult even if allegations of theft and corruption were true. Furthermore, one cannot steal billions of dollars without leaving several paper trails. What data science offers in this context and perspective. Understanding the size and scope of an economy with data would help one understand the scale of rent-seeking that might have happened or otherwise in a corruption-infested economic system.

I teach in my data science courses not only about numbers or methods but also about critical thinking, where we must establish the facts and understand the context. We must keep our sights on the available data and evidence before coming up with a huge claim. 

So, data science is all about finding evidence. We can structure our arguments and deliberations with data and facts. If people are required to back their claims with data and facts, lots of conflicts we see in society can be resolved. 

Consider that Pakistani courts are burdened with lawsuits related to land and property. A reliable and comprehensive database of land and property registration could help ease the judicial gridlock in Pakistan.

Fouz: Your profile shows interests in diverse fields like data science, urban planning, transportation, real estate, and human development. What do you like the most about your job and interests?

Dr. Haider: My area of research is about the economics of cities, which includes transportation, housing, labour markets. Then, also being a professor, I have worked on the management of higher education. I pursue all my research interests with data. I wouldn’t say that every problem can be solved with data. But, for any questions, we can easily find an answer with data. In summary, I research and write about matters that concern the economics and wellbeing of cities. 

Fouz: How does your typical day as a data scientist look like with new-normal after the Coronavirus pandemic? How would you manage work at home?

Dr. Haider: The pandemic has made almost everyone aware of data and its usefulness. When people talk about COVID-19 positivity, they are speaking about data and metrics. When they refer to flattening the curve, they are speaking in data terms about limiting the spread of the disease. People who have never worked with data have now learned about the importance of data because of the pandemic. 

One of the positive outcomes of the pandemic is that some aspects of planning have become data-centric. For instance, city governments and health professionals must look at data to decide whether the city or the province should be put under a complete or partial lock-down. Experts and citizens are looking at metrics like the positivity rate, what percentage of emergency beds are occupied, and the availability and production of Oxygen. I believe that even after the pandemic is over, we will continue relying on data-driven approaches to planning for health and expand the use of data to other disciplines.

book cover getting started with data science
Cover of Dr. Murtaza’s Book “Getting Started with Data Science”

Fouz: Harvard business school recently called data science “the sexiest job of the 21st century”. Let us know what led you to write “Getting Started with Data Science” and how this book helps early-career data scientists?

Dr. Haider: Yes, the book took several years to plan and write. The main reason for writing this book was to help those with data and analytics who were already employed and interested in data science but could not return to school full-time. I believed that if someone works for a firm and wants to acquaint themselves with data science, there should be a book for them. So it is not necessarily a textbook. It’s a book about maneuvering for people who are already employed and are interested in data science to reorient their careers with data. It is also a resource for those students who may not have studied math-centric subjects but still are curious about learning data science.

Fouz: How does data science help understand developing cities better, especially in developing countries like Pakistan, where there are no strong roots of the field? 

Dr. Haider: Data and data-driven urban planning are relatively disadvantaged in Pakistan. You will appreciate it when I share a North American example with you. For instance, if I need data for a city in Canada about the location of roads, bridges, employment centers, shops, and housing, I can get it from the government for free using the government’s open data portals or buy it from a software or data vendor. The entire data for the US census is available at the neighborhood level for free for those interested in exploring it.

The establishment in Pakistan will have to change course regarding data, its use and availability. A few years ago, Pakistan’s Parliament passed a law that made digital map-making illegal. This means that one cannot develop a map without the government’s approval. I think the government should create an open data portal to release data rather than caging it.  

Students in Pakistan are disadvantaged because they don’t have relevant data for Pakistan to conduct research. I experienced it when I taught courses and workshops in Pakistan. I don’t have data for Pakistan to teach data science or analytics. So it’s not helpful that I have to use data sets from the US and other places to train learners in Pakistan. 

We desperately need visionary civil servants and political leaders to pivot the government’s approach to data liberation.

The pandemic has made almost everyone aware of data and its usefulness. When people talk about COVID-19 positivity, they are speaking about data and metrics.

We must know that banning map-making in Pakistan hurts only Pakistanis because the rest of the world has access to spatial data on Pakistan. For instance, you can consult the spatial data library in any medium-sized or more prominent university in Europe and North America to download spatial data for Pakistan at 1- or 10-meter resolution. The rest of the world can avail this opportunity but not the learners in Pakistan.  

I also believe strongly that the Federal Bureau of Statistics and the Planning Commission should make the census data available to researchers and universities. I visited Pakistan in 2003 to train the staff in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the population Census Organization. The intent was to replace the approximately 125,000 hand-drawn with GIS-enabled digital maps to help analyze data from the 1998 Census. 

Unfortunately, not much came out of that initiative once I left, despite the dedicated efforts of our colleagues at the Population Census Organization. Other government agencies intervened and prevented the PCO from developing the analytic capacities. That was a huge mistake, and we can see the downside that Pakistani universities have no access to the Census data at the neighborhood level. Without data, we are clueless in planning. Hence, I plead that census and other government-held data, such as an anonymized version of the data from BISP (Benazir Income Support Programme and its newer incarnations) be made available to researchers and universities.

A few years ago, an article in the Economist magazine explained why so much research was being done about the US? It is not just that the American researchers are busy exploring socio-economic challenges in the United States with data and analytics, but also researchers from Canada, Europe, and other countries are exploring solutions for American challenges. Hence, when one compares published research about the socio-economic challenges in the United States, one sees that such research is far more frequently available about the US than research on other countries and regions. The Economist explained that one of the enabling reasons for research being done on American challenges is that the data are readily available about the socio-economic challenges in the United States.

All I hope is that intelligent people in Pakistan should realize that one of the most significant services the people in power can do for Pakistan’s future learners, scientists, engineers, statisticians, and economists, is to make data available to those who want to research Pakistan. 

Fouz: What has been your experience in working with data about Pakistan, whenever it was possible? 

Dr. Haider: It gives me a tremendous amount of pleasure to work in Pakistan. I used to visit Pakistan during summers to teach at NUST. I designed and helped establish the National Institute of Urban Infrastructure Planning at the University of Engineering & Technology in Peshawar and have worked on several projects with the Urban Unit in Lahore.

I’m pleased to share findings from a recent research project with the civil engineering students at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Islamabad. A group of five students and I obtained data on traffic collisions in Rawalpindi and Islamabad from Rescue 1122. We analyzed the 15,000 or so collisions and discovered ways to improve traffic safety in Pakistan. 

We found that though large trucks constituted a tiny fraction of the traffic fleet operating in Rawalpindi, trucks were involved in more than 50 percent of the collisions involving fatalities. Furthermore, we also discovered using Geographic Information Systems that those hurt in traffic collisions in Rawalpindi Cantonment areas were relatively disadvantaged because of a lack of a trauma center. As a result, civilians injured in the Cantonment areas had to be transported to trauma centers in Rawalpindi city, which added travel time and put the injured at greater risk.

The work done with the students at NUST is a good example of using data and analytics to find solutions for serious issues, such as traffic safety.

Also, Read: Talking data in healthcare and opportunities for women with Dr. Bushra Anjum

Rapid Growth of IoT Industry

Sabeeka Zafar
-
0
Rapid Growth of IoT Industry

It won’t be wrong if we call 2021 a year of digitalization. As the industries are resurfacing from the covid crisis, we also witness a massive paradigm shift to technology-based solutions for everything. This deliberate choice does seem a cost/time-saving option in the present times, providing a better customer experience. 

With the connectivity increased manifolds- thanks to the 5G services and the breakthrough inventions of Artificial intelligence and machine learning; we dive into a bubble of IoT. Do I sound like a tech zombie? Believe me; you’ve become one too. Imagine yourself living without ALEXA for a second. BOOM! Told ya.

Recently recorded statistics also hint at the leap and bound trajectory of the IoT industry in the coming years. Recent statistics show that the global IoT market is anticipated to reach a value of USD 1,386.06 billion by 2026 from USD 761.4 billion in 2020 at a CAGR of 10.53% during the forecast period (2021-2026).  IoT Analytics expects 2021 IoT spending to increase by 24.0%, with the overall market reaching $159.8 billion by the end of 2021. Meanwhile, the number of global IoT connections is expected to reach 31 billion, an exponential increase of tenfold, as IoT Analytics reported last year. 

China managed to cease pandemic effects with its timely decisions. As a result, the industry’s IoT spending grew by 23.5%, nearly twice the global average. During the pandemic times, spending on IoT cloud/infrastructure services increased by 34.7%.

Industry stats

Industrial View

Industrial Internet of things IIOT is a new crisp for businesses with the potential to change the dimensions. IoT entrenched itself in industries from smart homes and smartwatches because of its implications in enabling the industries to automate. 

IoT can be seen in healthcare centers as IoMT (Internet of Medical Things), significantly benefits the doctors to monitor patients remotely. Also, it has enabled the patients to check their vitals at home using different health apps. IoMT has played a considerable role in constraining COVID-19, especially in China.

IoT plays a big part in driving digital transformation projects through 5G network build-out and edge computing. 

IoT also seemed to have become a strong pillar in other big businesses in the form of IoT (Internet of Retail Things), IoLT (Internet of Logistics Things), and IoWM (Internet of Workforce Management). It can monitor the whereabouts of a person. It also helps to find the likable purchase if prompted in the right place at the right time. To be precise, for industries, IoT means big money in no time!

IoT and Data Analytics

One of the sole reasons for the uphill trajectory of IoT is its partnership with Artificial intelligence and machine learning. This partnership has geared up the IoT to expand its horizon. It can now multitask functions and process the received data to make recommendations from monitoring and storing data.

Honeywell’s new Connected Life Safety Services (CLSS) is an excellent example of IoT based cloud platform that replaced technicians as it is self-sufficient in design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance. It not only takes data but is also smart enough to make informed decisions and suggestions. 

Enterprise performance-based management is a category of Honeywell that can be built from the data extracted from the organization’s environment. Cisco’s new solutions enable the organizations to increase their efficiencies to make better business decisions and accelerate digitization projects.

IoT and Data Processing

As IoT has become more of a game of processing rather than just storing and monitoring data. The sole requirement of industries from the IoT these days is to process the data faster, enabling enterprises to make informed decisions based on that processed data. Faster and more exhaustive Wi-Fi access can feed with fast-paced processing and cloud computing like 5G networks. 

IoT plays a big part in driving digital transformation projects through 5G network build-out and edge computing. The new smart vehicle partnership announced by AWS and NXP also utilizes NXP’s smart vehicle controller and AWS’s edge and cloud services. 5G indoor distributed Massive MIMO solution joint innovation is also recently launched by Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd in collaboration with China Unicom Group; a colossal breakthrough in the indoor field. Hence, with the convergence of 5G networks, the trend of IoT will only go onwards and upwards!

Though IoT promises a new exciting era of smart devices, with Alexa being our forever partner, the fact remains that the perks will come with some privacy tradeoffs. To give customers a comfortable user experience, IoT Analysts have to develop some ensured security policies. Other than that, the IoT industry is bound to take a flight only up high!

References:

Also, Read: Every data has a story: Visualizing an idea beyond data

Reviewing “Hydro-Tectonic & Fault-Zone Aquifers in Desert Terrains of Saudi Arabian Crystalline Shield”

Nazar- ul-Islam
-
0
Reviewing “Hydro-Tectonic & Fault-Zone Aquifers in Desert Terrains of Saudi Arabian Crystalline Shield”

The hunt for a reliable source of water aquifers is ever increasing with the rise in population combined with the frightening depletion of known freshwater resources, particularly in deserts. Experts predict that the dynamics of future geopolitics will revolve around water resources. This precious commodity is now considered the “Blue Gold” – a strategic commodity by all the nations having better insight into the future. Publishing such a book is a great addition to the subject since it’s not only addressing the frustrating situation of water resources but also pinpointing non-traditional sources of groundwater – which are largely ignored, even by the experts and subject specialists.

The broad spectrum of the research work carried out under the project is highly commendable. I feel no need to further add to the comments “Excellent Category” for the qualitative and quantitative achievements with the additional phrase “that the report documentation exceeds the expectations”, given by the reviewer, who was appointed by King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology (KACST) for the purpose and must have gone through the report-cum-book at length.

Usually, the research papers on any scientific topic are too dry and boring, making it difficult to understand by the general readers, government functionaries, decision-makers, and students; thus, the conversion of the research papers to the level and format of a Book, making it more attractive and appealing without compromising on its scientific accuracy, would have been another uphill task for the authors. On accomplishing this objective, the authors deserve more recognition and appreciation from their readers and users. 

I must admire the aerial coverage, originally planned for 12,000 sq. km., but later on extended to the huge 350,000 sq. km. Remaining at the same cost as was originally estimated. This shows the dedication and enthusiasm of the researchers cum authors – needs to be followed by future researchers working on regional, semi-detailed and detailed levels.

The subject is thematically covered under 11 chapters with several sub-chapters in each, 289 highly illustrative figures, diagrams, and maps, 11 information boxes depicting basic facts on the subject and very nicely placed for the convenience of its readers, and a total of 10 tables- tabulating most relevant and significant data. Such extensive coverage has converted the research output to a text-cum-reference book.

Though all the topics/chapters are highly relevant to the subject, in my opinion, the most important and exemplary are chapters 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, and 11 in the wake of the need of adopting the themes given in these, to other parts of the world. Arabian Sea tectonics and impact on the hydrogeology of Arabian Plate subducting under the Eurasian Plate (both comprising shield rocks) all along the Makran Coast as well as north-Volcanic Arc regions of Balochistan – are to be studied on the pattern and style as described in Chapter-3 of the book.

In Chapter-4, pervasive coverage of field investigations for various components of a set of ground features (off-shore & on-shore) is given, which gives an in-depth view of methods and procedures to be adopted by the researchers. Chapter-7 deals with the most important and latest aspect of analyzing the visual surface expressions by application of remote sensing, which enables researchers to interpret and visualize the study of a large area in a shorter span of time, practically for any study or research work.

Understanding groundwater recharging mechanism & sources of any area as described in Chapter-8 is fundamental to understand the specific conditions and potential of an area under study. The geophysical delineation of aquifers within fault/fracture zones, as elaborated in Chapter-10, is another fast and reliable methodology that needs to be adopted for getting quick results. Meeting the future challenges of water and food security – the most important goals; can only be achieved by having a realistic vision for the future. This aspect is comprehensively covered in Chapter-11. The bibliography containing references of both printed books and websites – the authors took the benefit of – would also be highly beneficial for researchers and other stakeholders as well.        

Since the book precisely identifies the target areas for exploring non-conventional groundwater resources in highly deformed and fractured shield rocks – though focusing on Arabian Peninsula (KSA) but applicable to several droughts hit regions anywhere in the World. Pakistan, particularly the water-scarce Balochistan, could be a potential beneficiary, considering similar sort of tectonic features like major transform fault & resulting network of offshoot-faults/fractures, subduction zone, and the triple junction – a point of meeting of three major tectonic plates.

Additionally, in view of the landforms, resulting in tectonic features and climatic conditions, many of the areas of Pakistan, especially the vast & arid land of Balochistan, deserts of Sindh and Punjab provinces (Thar & Cholistan deserts), and coastal areas are closely comparable to Saudi Arabia. Availability of freshwater hydro-geological resources is already scarce in these areas. Combined with unplanned and un-judicious harvesting of the groundwater at an alarming rate has placed a big question mark on the survival of our generations to come. This scenario implies that a similarly pervasive and comprehensive study be carried out in these parts of Pakistan.

I strongly believe that the Book under review will gain a broad base of readers/end users and open up new vistas for searching new groundwater aquifers in the study area and elsewhere in the world. A lot of research work and scientific papers are also expected to emerge out of this work shortly – hence the book is expected to generate and give “food for thoughts” for the academia and students for a long time to come, along with firm guidance to the planners and decision-makers to reach to wise and firm footed planning for future.

The Book entitled “Hydro-Tectonic & Fault-Zone Aquifers in Desert Terrains of Saudi Arabian Crystalline Shield” [ISBN#: 9960-06-943-5], written by Prof. Dr. Nayyar Alam Zaigham and Prof. Dr. Omar S. Aburizaiza and published by the Scientific Publishing Centre, King Abdulaziz University Press, Jeddah; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a massive piece of hydrogeological work.

Brief Profiles of Authors:

Prof. Dr. Nayyer Alam Zaigham
  • Prof. Dr. Nayyer Alam Zaigham
    Presently, he is working as Executive Director, GeoEnvoTechServices (GETS), A Research Group of Geoscientists & Environments, Karachi, Pakistan. In past he has worked in different technical & academic disciplines.
Prof. Dr. Omar Siraj Aburizaiza
  • Prof. Dr. Omar Siraj Aburizaiza Prof. Aburizaiza did MS & Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma University, USA, during 1979-1982. He has been Professor of Water Resources Engineering, Planning and Management since 1996 in the Department of Civil Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah.

Also Read: Book Review; Islam, Sci-Fic & Extraterrestrial Life by Jörg Matthias Determann

Data lies in the Core of Digital World

Saadeqa Khan
-
0
Data lies in the Core of Digital World

Let me Google it!
This application recognizes my personality perfectly. I can earn more revenue because of the precise targeting features of this media website. I feel secure when I shop online. Everybody loves Netflix…!

In today’s digitally revolutionized world, we either undertake plenty of activities online or rely on gadgets and applications to make our life stress-free. Be it’s healthcare, logistics, or transportation, Data science is everywhere.

People in developing countries like Pakistan mostly think that data science is reserved for skilled professionals who could deal with BIG DATA. Surprisingly this is a misconception; we all get in touch with products and services in our daily lives that exist only because of data science.

After the Coronavirus pandemic, online shopping is trending around the globe, and retailers now want to know customers’ feedback. They have to adapt different marketing tactics if customers do not show interest in re-buying their products. Most small shops and inexperienced retailers don’t have much information about their clients apart from names, addresses, or occasional purchase information.

Now they use social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to get the big picture of what customers think of their brand? Companies and organizations are gathering information about their targeted audiences.
They know what you are watching, reading, buying, or playing on.

Big data is challenging the way people live as it contributes to medical services, marketing, travel and transportation, public policy, education and employment, and yes in Artificial intelligence.
Big data is challenging the way people live as it contributes to every field of science.

After purchasing online or downloading an application from PlayStore, we leave our feedback whether we satisfy or the product has disappointed us. But we hardly valued the power of science that makes all this happen to us.

There has been a meaningful increase in the big data analytic applications used in everyday life in recent years. Such applications are generally marketing techniques for profit maximization. But they have their own disadvantages when data leaks. This leaked data creates privacy issues for the customers where the application owners never take responsibility for personal data protection.

Data plays a leading role in today’s world; it is impossible to pinpoint all the ways big data affects our daily lives. Researchers indicate that about 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created each day as our internet-connected devices track, produce, and store information. Experts from each field of science are working to apply the knowledge gained from big data in an overgrowing number of ways.

Big data is challenging the way people live as it contributes to medical services, marketing, travel and transportation, public policy, education and employment, and yes in Artificial intelligence. Among all, two significant contributions of data science are in the fields of healthcare and environmental protection.

Healthcare has progressed steadily; researchers can access big data related to past cases history. They can also store their experimental analysis and reuse it when required. Healthcare applications are trending worldwide due to their easy use and feasibility.

Realizing the more considerable impacts of data in our daily lives, Scientia Pakistan brings its June-July bi-monthly edition on DATA SCIENCE. We reached out to prominent experts working as data scientists in different fields. Dr. Murtaza Haider is a professor of Data Science and Urban Economics at Ryerson University, Toronto, also holding an adjunct professorship at McGill University. Dr. Bushra Anjum is among the leading data scientist based in Pakistan, inspiring women in science worldwide through her outstanding work and achievements. We also reached a Saudi Dr. Suleman Atique, a Saudi Arabia- based expert on informatics who briefed us about the contribution of data analysis in healthcare.

The other leading stories of this edition are deep fake audios and videos, the role of forensic science in wildlife protection, progress in medicine and environmental protection, and storytelling with the contribution of data science. We tried to sum up in one edition that “our future depends on data analytics”.
Have a lovely weekend!

Assumed extinct bird remerges on a Hawaiian volcano!

Aniqa Mazhar
-
0
Assumed extinct bird remerges on a Hawaiian volcano!

The kiwikiu bird, also known as the Maui Parrotbill, was thought to have gone extinct since 2019, ever since the last unfortunate few met their death through an epidemic caused by mosquitoes. They had been located at the Maui’s Natural Area Reserve in October 2019 but almost all of them had perished at the hand of the avian malarial disease.

Recently, a researcher from the Hawaii Department of Natural Resources reported to have heard an unfamiliar bird song at the volcano-based reserve. He suspected the song was that of a kiwikiu bird but wasn’t sure as it came from a certain distance. He went closer to inspect the furry being which was feeding among some kolea trees on berries. He confirmed that the bird was a lost one from 2019 which had miraculously somehow been able to survive. 

A scientist working for the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project confirmed that the particular bird suffered from the disease but fought it and survived. Dr. Hanna Moucne of the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project said, “This is an amazing sign of hope for the species as we still may have time to save them…This is a hopeful sign that a population of kiwikiu and other native forest birds could survive in restored landscapes in the future, especially without mosquitoes and disease.”

This was a new ray of hope for all the species of the birds and she hoped that the clean environment of the landscape could be beneficial for other similar thriving forest species.

Source: nypost.com (Article by Hannah Frishberg 27th July 2021)

Also Read: NURTURING ENVIRONMENT THROUGH DATA SCIENCE

1...394041...84Page 40 of 84

© Scientia Magazine 2019 -2025 powered as a non-profit entity by Scientia Pakistan.

About Us

Stay Connected

55,000FansLike
1,500FollowersFollow
1,800FollowersFollow

Find Us On Social Media