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Gazing at the stars and beyond with Dr. Salman Hameed

Muhammad Abdullah Khan
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Gazing at the stars and beyond with Dr. Salman Hameed

Dr Salman Hameed is Charles Taylor Chair and Associate Professor of Integrated Science & Humanities in the School of Cognitive Science. He is also the director of Center for the Study of Science in Muslim Societies (SSiMS).  He holds a Ph.D. in astronomy from New Mexico State University at Las Cruces and a B.S. in physics and astronomy from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

His primary research interest focuses on understanding the reception of science in the Muslim world and how Muslims view the relationship between science & religion. His other research interests include analyzing reconciliation efforts over sacred objects and places of astronomical importance. His past astronomy research focused on understanding star formation in spiral galaxies.

Dr Salman has taught courses on “Evolution, Islam, and modernity”, “Science in the Muslim world”, “Creating science fiction short films using real science” (with Dr. Jason Tor),  “Science & Religion: Biological evolution in the public sphere”, “Aliens: Close Encounters of a Multidisciplinary Kind” and “History and Philosophy of Science & Religion” (with Dr. Laura Sizer) at Hampshire College.

We got a chance to have a conversation with him during this lockdown. Following are parts of the conversation:

Abdullah: You were born and raised in Karachi. Let us know about your academics?

Dr. Salman: I did my Matric from Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi High School (B.V.S.P) and then my Intermediate from D.J. Science College. I did not know I will be pursuing astronomy later on, but my interest was always towards the sciences. After my Intermediate, I got into N.E.D. Engineering University in Mechanical Engineering program. I only spent a month there before leaving for the State University of New York at Stony Brook. I was admitted into the Computer Science major, but I soon discovered that I was spending all my time in the Earth and Space Sciences Library.

To the consternation of my parents, by the end of my first year of undergraduate, I switched my major to astronomy and physics. It was tough, especially the physics part, but my love for astronomy encouraged me to accept this challenge. After my bachelor’s, I moved to New Mexico State University (NMSU) in Las Cruces for my Ph.D. The night sky in New Mexico is amazingly dark, and it was perfect for doing astronomy.

Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” was a huge source of inspiration for Dr. Salman
Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” was a huge source of inspiration for Dr. Salman

For my doctorate, I looked at how stars form in spiral galaxies. To do this, I was lucky to use some of the world’s best telescopes in the US, Chile, and Spain. It was awe-inspiring to visit these stunning places to explore questions about galaxies millions of light-years away. I should mention that when visiting these places, I would mostly be listening to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and his music in my mind is now inextricably tied to these places.

Abdullah: How did you get interested in Astronomy? 

Dr. Salman: I was always interested in staring up at the stars. But what reshaped my life was the airing of Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” on PTV in 1984. I was in 9th grade at the time. Before that, I did not know that one can go with astronomy as a profession. Just imagine: Working full time on your favorite hobby! At the end of the first episode, I had decided that I want to be an astronomer. And 17 years later (!) I got my Ph.D. I never got a chance to thank Carl Sagan as he died in 1996. But I did meet his widow, Ann Druyan, and conveyed my thanks to her.

Abdullah: You were among the pioneer astronomers who established Amateur astronomers’ society of Pakistan (Amstropak) in 1987. Let us know about its achievements? 

Dr.Salman: Today we have a thriving amateur astronomy scene in Pakistan. At the time, however, we starved even for basic astronomy information. This was the reason why a few of us – all under the age of 17 – formed an amateur astronomical society in Karachi. We started a newsletter that provided astronomy basics and hosted symposia on Mars, Supernova 1987A, and Voyager spacecraft’s encounter of Neptune. The symposium on Mars included a live teleconference by one of the leading Mars experts, Chris McKay. This was relatively special as this was a time well before the ubiquity of the internet and Skype chats. Apart from the general public, professors and students of Karachi University and the members of SUPARCO attended these symposia. Even though Amastropak ceased to exist in the mid-1990s, I hope that its existence has played at least a minor role in the later blossoming of amateur astronomy societies in Pakistan. 

Amstropak conference in 1988

Abdullah: In 1989 you moved to the US for higher studies, how was that experience? Would you like to share your thesis that triggered the research of star formation in spiral galaxies?

DR. Salman: This is a brief question, I will sum up it in two main things that I want to highlight. First, I learned quickly that you have to submit your homework on time. In Pakistan, we were used to cramming for exams at the end of the year. But in the undergraduate program at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, I realized that missed assignments even at the beginning of the semester can cost you your grade. This was a good lesson as deadlines are essential for telescope and grant proposals as well. You cannot submit a proposal even a second late. Secondly, because of graduating requirements, I was forced to take courses in sociology, art, film, etc. At that time, I resented these non-science classes, as I absolutely loved astronomy and felt that this was taking precious time away. However, some of these classes have had a huge impact in making me the person I am today and for that, I’m extremely grateful!

My PhD. thesis at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces focused on how stars form in spiral galaxies and I used telescopes in Chile, Spain, and of course the US. I was looking at particular types of galaxies that are defined by their “bulge” of old stars. Compared to other spiral galaxies, it was thought that these have relatively few new stars forming. However, my advisor and I suspected that in many cases their star formation may be hidden from view by this bulge of stars. We used a technique to subtract out the light from the old stars to reveal substantial star formation an insignificant number of these galaxies. I still had to explain why some of these galaxies are going through this high rate of star formation and I suspected that we are catching them in the act of cannibalizing small galaxies (our own Milky Way has also cannibalized many small galaxies over its history). I found the smoking gun by tracing some leftover signatures of such cannibalization using the Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico. I continued this work during my post-doctorate fellowship at Five College Astronomy Department (FCAD) in Massachusetts.

Abdullah: What were the causes behind your keen interest in the way young Muslim scientists view biological evolution and modern science? 

Dr.Salman: This has to do with encountering students in my astronomy classes who believed in UFOs. To me, this was surprising and fascinating. These were smart and educated students, and yet they believed in alien visitations. I started to get more interested in how social, political, and cultural factors shape our beliefs. Biological evolution is interesting from this perspective. The idea that species have changed over the past 4.5 billion years of our planet is a fact of science, and natural selection is the accepted mechanism for this change. I learned that in the 9th-grade biology textbook in Pakistan as well and did not see any conflict with religion. And yet, evolution is controversial in the US, but not in most Christian majority countries. In fact, in the US, political affiliation correlates with one’s acceptance or rejection of evolution.

While a lot of research has been done on evolution attitudes amongst Christians, very little research has done for Muslims. Given the diversity of Muslims in the world, from South Asia and Saudi Arabia to Albania, Senegal, and African-American Muslims in the US, it is a fascinating question. It would come as no surprise that there is no monolithic Muslim position on evolution. Even the word “evolution” means different things to different people. From a research perspective, I’m fascinated by the political, social, and historical factors that shape these responses.

Abdullah: Your primary research work focuses on understanding the reception of science in the Muslim world. During the current coronavirus pandemic, Muslim countries like Pakistan and Iran show a severe lack of scientific knowledge even for health and general precaution awareness from an epidemic. There have been problems enforcing lockdowns and a lack of understanding of concepts of social distancing and quarantine. What do you suggest Muslim countries should include in their educational curricula so that the general populations are more receptive to science rather than myths and conspiracies?

Dr. Salman: There are a couple of things to say here. This is not just a Muslim society’s problem. Look at the protests currently going on in the US against social distancing. The problem is that people are looking for certainty in an incredibly uncertain time. This is understandable. There are also real economic concerns for a large segment of the population who do not have the luxury of being isolated and work from home. What you need in this time is strong leadership that trusts science and has an underlying understanding of the process by which scientists are trying to understand Covid-19 and create its vaccine. It would be unfair to bring the Chancellor of Germany into the mix because she has a PhD. in quantum chemistry. But just look at the fantastic leadership shown by the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern. In a time of such global uncertainty, we need good leaders.

But what should be included in science curricula that can be helpful? I think the key would be to understand the methodology of science, including concepts like double-blind tests and the difference between causation and correlation. But most importantly, to appreciate uncertainty. Unlike the popular perception, science thrives when we don’t know the answer. Scientists (at least the good ones) are quite comfortable saying, “we don’t know.” After all, this is precisely the place where exciting research is done. It will be quite dull to work on a problem that has already been solved. Therefore, we get trained to appreciate uncertainty. But we also learn how to solve problems methodically and how to be critical of our results. It is these things in the curricula that can help the public understand and appreciate the process of science.

Dr. Salman also hosts astronomy video series on his YouTube channel, Kainaat Astronomy in Urdu.
Dr. Salman also hosts astronomy video series on his YouTube channel, Kainaat Astronomy in Urdu.

Abdullah: I have a keen interest in astronomy since my childhood, and I do believe that seeking knowledge of the heavens helps us to understand the grand mechanism of this universe and universal laws of nature. Do you think that pandemics like Bubonic plague, Spanish flu, and now COVID19 are part of nature’s grand plan to find the “survival of the fittest”?

Dr. Salman: If we go by that logic, then we should not take antibiotics or do any surgery that can save lives. After all, are we not interfering in nature by saving lives via medicine and technology? Second, we are part of nature. We cannot take ourselves out of nature. Whatever we do, by the very definition, would also be part of nature. All of this does not mean that we should not take care of the planet. Humans are the only species in the history that now can wipe out most species on Earth. Our destruction of Earth’s ecosystem can lead to a lot of misery and can potentially lead to our extinction as well.

Abdullah: How would you explain to a layman that Coronavirus is not a curse of Almighty?

Dr. Salman: I think the first thing would acknowledge why people would want to see this as a curse. This is a significant global tragedy, and humans wish to seek explanations and certainty. Unfortunately, a scientific explanation currently provides neither. Instead of a discussion of a ‘curse,’ I would turn to the issue of benefits to humanity. If we can find the vaccine and a cure, then that would save a large number of lives, and this is something consonant with the teachings of Islam and all other religions as well. Second, I would compare plagues to earthquakes. Traditionally earthquakes have been interpreted as ‘punishments’ for ‘sin’ as well. Some of this was brought up after the tragic 2005 earthquake in the northern regions of Pakistan that killed over 80,000 people. But humans now understand how the movement of continental plates causes these tremors. The location of earthquakes strikingly match the boundaries of these continental plates.

This particular knowledge saves thousands of lives each year, as buildings in many of these earthquake-prone areas are designed to withstand the shaking of the Earth. Sure enough, we cannot argue that the punishment from Almighty is only concentrated on people where continental plates meet and onto those countries that cannot afford earthquake-proof buildings? If we can argue that earthquakes are part of natural processes we can possibly extend that analogy to include Coronavirus as well. Not everyone will immediately change their minds and that is okay. But some (many?) probably will. We should not alienate or mock those who do not agree with this viewpoint as some will change their minds tomorrow.

Abdullah: After worldwide lockdown, NASA released very clear satellite images that showed decreasing levels of air pollution across the globe. These clear skies are an amazingly awesome chance not only for astronomers but for amateur stargazers too. Are there any fun ways astronomy lovers can spend their time indoors keeping themselves busy observing the cosmos?  How are you spending your time in this lockdown?

Dr. Salman: I think this is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the stars. Even a global lockdown cannot keep the stars out. You can use any basic app (such as Stellarium or Star Walk or Night Sky, etc.) about the location of planets and stars each evening and learn about the objects as well. Venus is bright in the evening sky, and Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are putting up a show in early morning skies to the east. With your naked eye, you can spot a cluster of stars called the Pleiades and know that you are looking at a collection of a few hundred stars (you can only see the brightest seven with the naked eye) that are all relatively young and are located about 400 light-years away. Our Sun, a long time ago, formed in a cluster like the Pleiades. We do not know where the Sun’s siblings are today. But the Pleiades is a reminder of our own Sun’s youthful days. If interested, you can watch my video on how to identify stars and planets in the night sky: https://youtu.be/lcLA0WGv0nw.

Abdullah: You have been hosting astronomy video series on your channel, Kainaat Astronomy, in Urdu. What is the philosophy behind this initiative?

Dr. Salman: The primary purpose is to create curiosity about the universe in a language that is understood by most people in Pakistan. With the internet, you can find hundreds of videos on any topic. But your language makes a difference. The goal of these videos is not to lecture for a course. Instead, to inspire individuals to think and appreciate how we have come to know so much about our universe and how much more there is to know! Please come and visit Kainaat Astronomy in Urdu: https://www.youtube.com/KainaatAstronomyInUrdu

Also Read: Prof Dr. Sabieh Anwar on Molding the challenges of Online Education into Opportunities

Adjusting to the exigent life of a Broadcaster under Coronavirus lockdown~ Zeeshan Haider

Saadeqa Khan
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Adjusting to the exigent life of a Broadcaster under Coronavirus lockdown~ Zeeshan Haider

Since March 20, 2020, most of the cities in Pakistan have been in government-ordered lockdown, including Capital Islamabad. Amid this global crisis, journalists are working round the clock from their homes. The Coronavirus is molding up to be a multifaceted crisis for journalism and media industry, globally. Public health restrictions, including newsroom closures, have imposed limitations on the practices of reporting, and along with the global economic recession, some fresh doubts are casting on the financial viability of several media outlets.

To uncover how International Media is effectively dealing with this situation, our editor-in-chief Saadeqa Khan reached out to Mr. Zeeshan Haider, a senior broadcaster and media professional at BBC World and BBC Urdu. He has working experience of 16 years in digital, radio, and TV journalism and has worked in management, strategic, and operational roles in Pakistan and UK.  Currently, Haider is serving as a senior News Editor in BBC Urdu, Islamabad.

“Being a professional in the Pandemic” is Scientia Pakistan’s series of interviews we conducted around the globe to explore how ‘life twisted and how experts/professionals from each field of life are tackling with Quarantine?’

Below are some excerpts of Haiders’ recent conversation, “Being a journalist in the Pandemic.”

Saadeqa: It is not easy to work in pandemic days when there is an outburst of fake News and myths about the virus. I can realize that News editors are playing harder. How lockdown and work-from-home have affected your life being a journalist/broadcaster? Have you felt anxious or overburdened?

Zeeshan Haider: Safety concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic are quickly creating a ‘new normal’ for media workers. For me, this is by far the biggest story I’ve worked on in 16 years at the BBC, and while it’s thrown up personal and professional challenges for all of us, I think it’s one of those career-defining moments that I hope we can all look back on with pride.

As a renowned Indian Journalist, Shekhar Gupta said, common people, are enormously more fearful and less protected than us journalists. They expect us to be around, watching, reporting, editing, recording this for posterity, and blowing the whistle to draw attention to injustices and state failures in the handling of the matters related to Coronavirus.

If I think about the experience of Work from Home, it is an interesting one for me till now. In an office, there are a limited number of distractions, but in a familiar environment like one’s home, it is easy to let yourself get distracted. Initially, It happened with me too, but it’s all good now.

For me running a team digitally is an experience that has been made very easy by the latest tech available to us though, as an editor, what I have learned is that it’s imperative to be realistic about the day to day goals and expectations from my team while working from home.

Zeeshan Haider
On BBC Urdu, we are doing our part in the shape of fact checking & reality check stories & myth-buster videos for our audiences along with our regular output. ~Haider

Saadeqa: The growing ecosystem of misinformation has led the WHO to declare an infodemic as a large number of conspiracy theories about the outbreak of Coronavirus are affecting public trust in media worldwide. Why theories like Coronavirus is a biological weapon or pre-planned by Bill Gates on behalf of pharmaceutical companies are getting so much attention, and how could international media cooperate people for not being drawn in such theories?

Zeeshan Haider: In times of uncertainty and worry, it is clear that people are turning to conventional and unconventional News Sources for information, but the question is whatever they are getting is accurate or not or can they trust it. Social Media is becoming the first source of News for lots of people all over the world, including Pakistan and the rest of South Asia. In the age of News based on ‘Forwarded Messages,’ the issue of unauthentic and unverified News is of grave concern for us too.

I think It is the responsibility of Media to bust the myths and conspiracy theories in times like this, and on BBC, we are doing our part in the shape of doing fact check & reality check stories & myth-buster videos for our audiences along with our regular output. We try to make this stuff, especially for younger audiences, as they are the prime users of Social Media.

Saadeqa: The coronavirus anxiety is getting viral worldwide, and we all are feeling that at a larger scale. What is the role of print and electronic media to descend this overgrowing sense of fear in public?

Zeeshan Haider: Media coverage sets the agenda for public debate. While the News doesn’t necessarily tell us what to think, it tells us what to think about. Contagious diseases are scary, and they frighten common people easily. The ongoing outbreak of covid-19 has received extensive media coverage, and the flow of information without proper filters can be a double-edged sword.

In these testing times, media, whether its print or electronic, should refrain from sensationalizing the issue by not using frightening language, and The prominence of fear should not be the primary theme in reports on the virus. Having said that, it is also essential to present the facts and do not hold information from the public on the pressure of govt or other parties.

Keeping the audiences ignorant of the scale of the problem can be counterproductive in times like this. In fact, the current situation is a unique opportunity for the media to play its part in a medium to educate people.

Saadeqa: The UK Govt. announced in Feb 2020 that it would increase the Television license fees from 154.50 pounds to 157.50 pounds for British households. Amid the coronavirus scare and a global recession, how will it impact the BBC viewership and people’s right to information in times of crisis?

Zeeshan Haider: I am not in a position to answer this question. You can contact the BBC Press Office if you need a detailed answer.

Saadeqa: Fran Unsworth, a BBC correspondent, outlined several changes in BBC Newsroom in light of rapidly evolving situations due to pandemic. What changes in BBC Urdu (Islamabad) have been made so far?

Zeeshan Haider: This is a highly dynamic situation, and we have adapted our business continuity plans. We’ve made changes to the workplace to keep our output open and also have pioneered new ways to broadcast from home. Some of our team members perform essential roles that can only be carried out within BBC premises. Other jobs (while no less important) are being carried out remotely.

Vulnerable people who work for the BBC and those directly caring for anyone who is susceptible work from home. This also applies to those who are pregnant. Our aim is to maximize the number of people who can work remotely.  

Instead of physical meetings, we are encouraging greater use of video/phone conferencing through apps such as Zoom. We have also arranged special sessions arranged on mental health and resilience in the unprecedented time of this outbreak.

Saadeqa: As per my observation, BBC Urdu always encourages and relies on its local reporters around Pakistan. How lockdown affected reporters’ contribution and how News editors are managing this situation?

Zeeshan Haider: Reporters, whether they are full-time staff or freelancers, did struggle to hit deadlines in the circumstances like these as the sources become a lot harder to pin down, but none of what we do for audiences would be possible without our reporters who are working in challenging circumstances.

Now a days though reporters are mostly working from home, everyone has gone the extra mile and beyond to provide correct and verified information to our audiences. As a News editor, I know that we are in this for the long haul, and with the pressure and reduced staffing levels, we have had to adapt. Further adaptation may be required, and I am continuously looking at the different options – taking account of the views of my seniors in London and my team here in Islamabad as well as the needs of our diverse audiences.

Also Read: A Talk with Dr. Mohsin Khurshid on Polio eradication in Pakistan

Be the Change You Want to See

Khola Abid
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Be the Change You Want to See

Nadia Bukhari is a British academic pharmacist, and the youngest female fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society: a privilege granted to those who achieve excellence and distinction in their pharmacy career. Further, she was the first Muslim female and the first woman of Pakistani origin to be elected onto the National Pharmacy Board for England. She has authored various titles with the Pharmaceutical Press and mentors students globally.

This interview was originally conducted by an Editor of Scientia- Khola Abid, and lately drafted out by both Khola and Mehwish. We sat down on Zoom with Nadia Bukhari to discuss the role and importance of Pharmacists, and what are the key ingredients that distinguish her from the rest of the crowd.

Tell us something about yourself ?

Nadia Bukhari: I am a very proud pharmacist and have quite a portfolio career.
I am an academic pharmacist at the University College London, UK, global lead for gender equity for workforce development at the International Pharmaceutical Federation, and I am the Chief Pharmacist for Pakistan’s leading Telemedicine company DoctHERs. In addition,  I am an executive committee member for the Indus Health Network UK, and a trustee for a Pakistan based strategic organization Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education. ; always wearing lots of different hats, but this is what keeps my career journey interesting.

Can you tell us what has been the biggest influence on your career journey?

Nadia Bukhari: When we think of someone or something that has influenced our career journey, we often think of positive influences.  However, for me, not only have the positive influences driven my success, but the negative ones also. So, for my positive influence, I would like to thank Catherine Duggan for being my mentor and CEO of the International Pharmaceutical Federation. She guided me through every major step that I have taken in my career; the one piece of advice that I give to all is that having a good mentor is integral for shaping your career to the road of success.

On the flip side, there are many negative encounters that occurred in my life and career path. Those negative experiences really made me focus on myself and pushed me to develop skills of inward reflection which in turn has given me a lot of determination and motivation to focus on myself and my career. So, I also like to thank the negative influencers in my life as well because they inadvertently, also drove me towards success.

Can you give us an example where you influenced and created an impact in the pharmacy profession?


Yes,  I am honored to mentor quite a number of young pharmacists.

During the Corona pandemic, Pharmacists have been feeling unmotivated and un-recognized despite being on the frontlines. This was highlighted to me through various pharmacist platforms in  Pakistan; I then decided to take this to the media and to use their platform to highlight the important work that Pharmacists are doing during this whole pandemic to the public.

I was interviewed on PTV  News24, ARY and Radio Pakistan
I spoke about the role and importance of pharmacists, and highlighted the role that pharmacists are playing during this pandemic. This was highly appreciated by the pharmacy community in Pakistan; I received many lovely messages of appreciation. My message to our pharmacists in Pakistan is that I will try my very best to support pharmacists and our profession by ensuring their voices are heard and listened to.

You are the first Muslim female to be elected on the Board for Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and you are also the fellow. Can you tell us about this amazing achievement?

Nadia Bukhari: A lot of things in my life have been unplanned; if you took me 5 years back, I never thought I would be where I am today. So, a lot of things happened organically; being at the right place at the right time. Being a fellow for Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is an honor that RPS bestowed to the members who give exceptional services to the pharmacy profession, and there are many things that I have done during my career which culminated to the fellowship, e.g., promoting pharmacists on the global platform, quite a bit of media work, and again around the globe advocating the pharmacy profession.

I am so passionate about being a pharmacist as I always wanted to be one from a young age. Usually, people think that pharmacists are medical school drop-outs; they didn’t get a chance at medical school, that’s why they are studying pharmacy. But, I always wanted to be a pharmacist, and I feel so proud to represent my profession and the passion for the profession always shines through.

Earlier in my career, I practiced as a community and hospital pharmacist. Now, being in academia, I love every single interaction that I have with my students. and am pleased to be a role model for young aspiring pharmacists.

Miss Nadia Bukhari is a British academic pharmacist
Courtesy: Nadia Bukhari

You also have a philanthropic side and you are a strong advocate of women education. Why do you spend the biggest portion of your time on women’s education and community service work? What does it give you in return?

Nadia Bukhari: I am sure we all have heard about UN sustainable development goals. These 17 goals help any nation develop a sustainable future for all. Two of them that spring to mind: access to good quality education and access to quality health care.

“In my opinion, health care and quality education are the two things that lead to the prosperity and sustainability of any nation.”- Nadia

 Pakistan is my country of heritage, though I was born and raised in London, I always wanted to give back. Unfortunately, Pakistan has the second-highest number of out of school children in the world.  I was approached to join as an ambassador for Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education. I came on board as I really believed in the work PAGE was doing in promoting gender equity and increasing access to education for girls all across Pakistan. I visited one of the schools, and that visit changed the whole perspective of philanthropy for me. Whilst there, I interacted with the girls and saw how grateful and motivated they were about receiving an education- that just made my drive and determination to come on board as a trustee, deeper. We have 144 schools all across Pakistan which we have opened mostly by fundraising here in the UK. 

My second philanthropic project is my work with the Indus Hospital: the only hospital in Pakistan that has no cash counter. I visited the hospital and have also done some training sessions with the pharmacists. I am now an executive committee member for the Indus Health Network in the UK advising on our advocacy and fundraising for the hospital.

My advice to anyone who wants to engage with any philanthropic initiatives:

“One should visit and see the work that has been done first hand, engage with the people that are affected because that really stays with you forever, and it gives you a lot more motivation to fight for that cause.“

During this whole Corona Pandemic, how are the Pharmacists playing their role?

Nadia Bukhari: Pharmacists are experts in medicine. Whenever there is any involvement with medicines, you must always have a pharmacist involved; that’s the bottom line.

With COVID-19, every country is pretty much affected. During the lockdown, the public has restricted access to shops except for grocery stores and pharmacies. Now, pharmacy is considered an essential service, and who is delivering these services? Of course, a Pharmacist. Pharmacists always have been, not just in the corona pandemic, at the front line of health care. One doesn’t need an appointment with a pharmacist and they are easily accessible.

Right now, during this pandemic, doctors are completely stretched and the already strained health systems are breaking. Patients and the public are turning towards pharmacists Apart from medication safety and safe dispensing, pharmacists are advising and supporting patients when it comes to the coronavirus.

During COVID-19, pharmacists worked at the frontline to save lives despite it, WHO couldn’t consider them among health heroes. I wonder if we could discuss the most probable reason?

Nadia Bukhari: This is a very contentious issue, unfortunately, and the problem is we are absolutely on the front lines, but not getting the recognition we deserve, and this is what leads to the de-motivation of our profession. For this very reason, I took to the media to advocate for our pharmacists in Pakistan.

Here in the UK, our health secretary gave gratitude to pharmacists, and this was a great boost for the profession. In Pakistan again Dr. Zafar Mirza- the state Minister for health-also mentioned pharmacists through social media which was highly appreciated by the profession; recognition goes a long way.

The hierarchy within the health system is still there but more so in Pakistan where doctors sit on the top of the pyramid and all other health care professionals come below, and even now in 2020, we haven’t been able to change that mindset in Pakistan. In countries like the UK, we are moving towards more of a seamless integrated care approach where the patient is at the center of everything you do-but when you move towards the lower-middle-income countries you still don’t have that integrated approach.

 So, there is still a lot of work to be done and my advice really is that:

Every single pharmacist, no matter where they are in the world, needs to be ambassadors of the profession and make some noise and advocate about being experts of medicines and of the value, we bring to the healthcare team; we need to be the change they want to see.

Use your contacts, your network to start advocating and campaigning on what pharmacists are capable of as we are an integral part of the healthcare team.

According to Dr. Nadia, pharmacists are absolutely on the front line, but don’t get the recognition they deserve
According to Dr. Nadia, pharmacists are absolutely on the front line, but don’t get the recognition they deserve

Why did you choose Pharmacy Practice for your Post-grad years? There are loads of other pharmaceutical Sciences as well. How did it become the point of the center?

Nadia Bukhari: I have always been in the pharmacy practice domain. I worked in a community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy. Those years in practice really shaped my career. I was working in a very busy community pharmacy for over a year. That was my first job as a newly qualified pharmacist. It was a very busy pharmacy where I learned a lot from that first job; I met such a broad range of patients. It was a very high paced pharmacy that I worked in, and then I moved on to a hospital as a clinical pharmacist in surgery and musculoskeletal as a ward-based pharmacist going on ward rounds with the clinical teams. So, I worked a lot on my clinical skills when I was working there for three years before I came into academia.

 The whole purpose of coming into academia was to bring my practice experiences to the students.

What was the basic motivation behind building a foundation for women in Pharmacy? I am pointing towards National Alliance for Women in Pharmacy?

Nadia Bukhari: 70% of the health force is of women but we don’t see those kinds of representation in leadership positions.

 I have been going to Pakistan for about three years now in the work capacity where I am engaging with pharmacy professionals. Whenever I have gone there, I have been received very nicely and very hospitably as well. But, I have only seen the men and the incident that really sparked the question in my head was that photo, I had two years ago, where we had all the predominant pharmacy leaders on the stage and I was also invited on the stage for that picture. I posed the question, where are your women? The numbers that we see as I have just given numbers for the global work health force, that numbers can be translated into the pharmacy workforce as well and in Pakistan, we actually see that anecdotally 80% of the workforce are women. I spoke to Pakistan’s Pharmacist Association- who were very forthcoming and I want to thank them as they have been very supportive in the whole process of launching the National Alliance for Women in Pharmacy.

 We need something for female pharmacists in Pakistan to help mentor them, support them, and give them some sort of leadership direction so that they also become leaders. Hence, this notion became the heart for the development of the National Alliance for Women in Pharmacy.  

What would be your advice for emerging pharmacy students and for young researchers?

Nadia Bukhari: There are lots of things that I can say, but I think the biggest take-home message is:

“’ Never give up, set yourself goals and try to reach those goals. Celebrate the small and big wins, because when lots of small wins come together that contributes to the big win. Be proud of yourself.’

‘Take a step back and celebrate your wins. You are so busy in just moving on to the next goal that you forget to say:’

 ‘You know, I actually did a really good job there. Well done!’

 ‘Give yourself a pat on the back. So never give up, appreciate yourself. Also, have a good work-life balance that’s something we tend to forget and get yourself a mentor that is truly important.’”

Also Read: A Psychiatrist’ consent on the Mental Toll of Lockdown and Quarantine

Your guide to movies with a pandemic theme

Syeda Laiba Tayyab
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Your guide to movies with a pandemic theme

Quarantine, aka social distancing, has practically given us a lot of time to spare. Many people are surfing the net for coronavirus, pandemics, and how to cope with them. Luckily enough, there are many fictional worlds built out there, which help us have an insight into the situation. Let me take you through some of them to keep you busy for good enough week. Always remember that whenever you end up catching a cold, there are plenty of things you can account for that are far worse, especially if you live in a horror movie. So here are some movies that revolve around viral outbreaks.

In real life, an outbreak is a sudden occurrence of a disease within a particular place and time frame in which it can affect a small town or an entire continent, whereas within a movie universe, it is usually super lethal and highly contagious, or it just turns you into some weird form of a zombie. 

Outbreak (1995)

Director Wolfgang Petersen’s action drama follows Virologist colonel Sam Daniels whose job within the military is to investigate nasty diseases. When a deadly airborne virus finds its way into a small city within the USA, it rapidly starts killing off the local population. Where it is now up to Col Daniels and his team to try and control this viral outbreak. 

Outbreak is a tacky film with and an all-star cast. Filled with all the stereotypes and clichés you would expect from the 90’s movies, this film will definitely require your suspension of disbelief at times, with its unnecessary yet fun action scenes and unintentionally funny parts. But overall it is a good popcorn movie, that should entertain and hold your attention throughout. 

The Flu (2013)

Director Kim Sung-su’s, Flu is a Drama thriller. After smuggling illegal immigrants into South Korea, a smuggler catches an unknown virus from one of their prisoners. Soon after, the same symptoms start to plague the residents within the suburbs of the city of Seoul, where this new kind of deadly disease can kill a person within 36 hours. 

An impressive disaster movie with a rather tense premise, Flu delivers on suspense and action, with very engaging characters. But it does have some tonal issues regarding a few over-sentimental scenes. But despite its minor shortcomings and it is over the top moments, Flu is a pretty entertaining film.

28 Days Later (2002)

28 days later is included in lists of Sci-fi Horror movies

Twenty-eight days later is a Sci-fi Horror movie directed by Danny Boyle. The movie starts with Jim, played by the stellar Cillian Murphy, who wakes up from a short-term coma to see that the world has drastically changed. London has become somewhat of a post-apocalyptic zone, and no one can be found. Unknown to Jim, there are plenty of people about it, it is just that they have all become blood-crazed psychopaths or as we may call zombies. The low budget instant classic redefined the zombie genre; 28 days later has loads of horror and terror with just about the right amount of realism. The characters are well developed, the plot: straight forward and haunting and the pacing: tight. Twenty-eight days later, it is very thought-provoking, with a focus on survival and what it means to be human. 

Contagion (2011)

Contagion is one of those movies that have been heavily talked about during the current crisis

Contagion, directed by Steven Soderbergh, is a great movie that is entirely plausible. It is a realistic story about what a worldwide pandemic could look like. Right direction and great star-studded acting all come together to make this movie quite compelling and quite scary at the same time. This movie is hands down unmissable on this list. The way the film portrays the spread of the virus and the resulting symptoms have a striking familiarity with the behavior of COVID-19 and hence relatable on so many levels. This is one of those movies that have become the talk of the town during the current crisis. It might be a fiction when it came in 2011, but after nine years, this fiction has pretty much turned into a reality, and we might be able to learn a thing or two while enjoying it in the comfort of our homes with some steaming hot popcorns. 

The Crazies (2010)

The Crazies is a horror movie directed by Breck Eisner.

He was the last on the list but not the least, the Crazies, a horror thriller directed by Breck Eisner. Set in a small town where everything is pretty standard. Until one day, a man burns down his own house, while another walks onto a school baseball game with a loaded shotgun. With all these crazy events happening, it doesn’t take the sheriff long to figure out that something is affecting the people in his town. Well, shot with plenty of jumps scares, it has a surprisingly engaging story. Tag along this movie to see how the story unravels into something extraordinary.

Now that you have had a tour of some of the most relatable and worth watching movies, get yourself all geared up for the week and start picking from the list by your priority. Do remember to take all necessary precautions, and you’ll be all set for a comfort movie. While munching up on those snacks, I do keenly observe the behavior of those fictional characters and know that we, too, currently are living in the same situation. Now we surely would not want to make the same mistakes so, STAY HOME! WATCH MOVIES! STAY SAFE!

Also Read: Contagion: A Fictional Version of the Real-Time COVID-19

On the Sensitivity and need to continue research in space and other Sciences after the Pandemic

Saadeqa Khan
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On the Sensitivity and need to continue research in space and other Sciences after the Pandemic

Dr. Nozair Khawaja was born in Wazirabad and completed his Master’s degree in Space Sciences and Astronomy from the Punjab University, Lahore, and the University of Turku, Finland. Later on, he did Ph.D. in Geosciences from Heidelberg University, Germany. He also worked as a postdoc scholar at the Institute of Earth Sciences, Heidelberg University, and is currently working at Freie University, Berlin.

Dr. Khawaja did his research on life beyond Earth and continue to lead his cutting edge research work in association with several space exploration programs within our solar system. In 2019, he got a Group Achievement Award for Cassini’s Cosmic Dust Analyzer from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

He is a recipient of the first prize of the Horneck-Brack Award, at the European Astrobiology Network Association in 2018. He has also received the Short Term Scientific Mission (STSM-2010) Grant from European Cooperation in Science and Technology, ECOST – action chemical cosmos. His work has appeared in highly cited peer review journals like Nature, Journal of Royal Astronomical Society, and Science. He is the founder of the Astrobiology Network of Pakistan (ABNP)-a volunteer network to promote astrobiology in Pakistan.

Here is the brief conversation of Dr. Khawaja with our EIC Saadeqa Khan on the situation in Germany and future of space exploration amid this global economic recession. 

Saadeqa: The effects of the Coronavirus on social, moral, and ethical aspects of life will be ever-lasting. Before the virus outbreak, most of the nations were taking environmental threats for granted. As a planetary scientist, do consider the pandemic to be a curse or a blessing?

Dr. Khawaja: We know that in history, there were several episodes of epidemics that changed the course of history and Coronavirus in another of them. So, it has many aspects including ethical, religious, social etc.

You are right that the environmental impact of Coronavirus has overall not been taken seriously in all nations. Among those environmental threats, one was that, since we are not caring about the environment, we may disturb such ecosystems which can result in harm to humans all their lives on this planet.  So if you see it from this view, I believe we have been punished for ignoring these environmental threats by mother Earth. 

The pandemic is a curse from mother nature. With the advent of science and technology, we are capable of understanding different natural phenomena and have knowledge about different physical and biological processes. Despite that, we harmed the environment and did not care for its natural system. It is a blessing in the sense that now we are aware that one of the reasons for this pandemic is causing disturbance to some living being or some environmental conditions, and finally we will now focus and look into these environmental threats more seriously. 

But if you’re talking in the sense that it is a blessing or curse from God, I would say it is difficult to guess. Our response to this situation is basically to get closer to Allah, to take care of people, and to keep a check on our morality. So it turns out to be a curse turning into a blessing!

In another way this epidemic could be a blessing for individuals and on a bigger societal level as well. People now understand that we should be thankful to mother nature as she provided us basic necessities: air to breathe, water to drink and much more for free. Another aspect is that people realized the importance of small things around them which they took for granted. One advantage of this pandemic is in the form of rebuilding and reconstructing of a global society with a sensible behavior towards mother Earth.

Dr. Khawaja is a recipient of the first prize of the Horneck-Brack Award

Saadeqa: Scientific communities and laypeople have long criticized astrobiology or search for extra-terrestrial life. What is your point of view on the current situation, whether spending trillions on space exploration missions would be a sound decision or not when people here on Earth are unemployed and starving to death?

Dr. Khawaja: Many people criticize that the search for extraterrestrial life is a waste of money when on Earth we face problems as dire as starvation, death, and lack of resources. So, why invest in an unseen object (alien life) of which we’re not even sure?  Shouldn’t we invest on Earth, where people live?

This is a very valid question, but people ignore two facts here. If humans don’t change their outlook about the existing resources, then our future becomes difficult. It doesn’t matter how many trillions you invest on space exploration and ignoring poor conditions of people on Earth. The quality of life on Earth does not fully depend upon materialistic resources.  Firstly, I ask you, how are we humans utilizing our existing resources? So many factors affect the usage e.g. political instability, difference in status and minds of people, discrimination between different sectors of the society etc. In Pakistan, a very backward mindset prevails in society. So, is the famine and lack of resources here because of the fact that the rest of the world is searching for life in space? Most certainly not!

In fact, problems are occurring due to unequal distribution of available resources to different components of the society. I think these issues are related to proactive planning as to how we manage our resources. There should be no objection on life exploration. As a human being, the basis of our mind’s evolution is curiosity. When we follow the few glimpses sparked up in our mind, we discover. These discoveries, in the end, are used for human benefaction.

People don’t understand whether finding alien life may have benefits or disadvantages in the long run. Nothing can be said about it at this point. A benefit is that we humans want to find out our own origin and what the future holds for us. If we find life elsewhere, we can ultimately understand our past and can predict our own future.

We can say that in a situation like COVID-19, we could shuffle the resources from one sector to another temporarily but to fully abandon one area of research for another task is not logical. The main thing is the allotment of resources that should be properly managed. The mirage of man is in his thoughts, working to make them better and to care for the people around us.

Saadeqa: Being a person with a diverse range of interests, I am a keen observer of the environment as well as the latest news in astrobiology. During the lockdown, I observed that Mother Earth is breathing with contentment. We human beings cannot manage without Nature, so, should saving Earth be our priority rather than further space exploration missions?

Dr. Khawaja: This question is somehow connected to the previous one.  During this lockdown, Mother Earth is breathing through such components that, we feel, were not witnessed before. In the lockdown, there are indications that environmental conditions are improving because of the low emission of poisonous smoke from man-made utilities and decreasing trends in global warming in general. Definitely, Nature is prospering.

It is true that humans can’t live without Nature. To explore nature is in their blood, I would say. However, if affiliation with Earth is to the point of obsessiveness, it will create problems. Here, I want to direct your attention towards a deeper perception. I ask you to imagine that human beings are aliens on this planet. They came from another place. Why did they leave their place or planet? Maybe it was not suitable to live anymore, which resulted in the migration onto Earth.

Mother Earth regulates itself e.g. circulation of air according to temperature. Earth regulates its own processes, but there must be a threshold present that would have been reached by the previous planet where human beings lived before Earth. Mother Earth may reach its breakdown point. If we are not careful enough, these regulatory processes may lose some of their efficiency and as a result Earth is not anymore mother in its very nature.

What should humans do in that case? Simple: change their attitude. Or else look for a new home. This does not at all mean that they make it a trend; ruining their old home in anticipation of the next one. If humans care, this Mother Earth can regulate itself again.

Exploration is the name of a continuous process. We should allow the basic instinct of exploration to let us carry on this journey.  Mother Nature has some ethics regarding the environment and these should be implemented to the maximum level possible in societies in order to minimize damage to the environment. Movements which support this cause should be immediately begun.

According to Dr. Khawaja, exploration is the name of a continuous process.

As an example, if you stop all space exploration and utilize all the resources on Earth, does that mean you would close factories, stop cars for reducing the dangerous gaseous emission and put a limit on technologies? No! it means that these resources will only be useful when our mindset changes. So, to shift resources from one department to another, it is only useful temporarily e.g. we have 20 trillion for space exploration. From that, if we take, say, 1 trillion and invest it in building schools and educational institutes under special circumstances, then that’s okay. But completely banning space exploration and thinking that we are on the road to betterment on the basis of the utilization of that money for some other purpose is not right. Rather, it is against human logic to completely ignore one aspect and put all effort into another.  We need to improve the typical thinking habits and perspective of our society.

Saadeqa: To what extent has the pandemic affected future space exploration missions like Europa Clipper? How are your colleagues at NASA and ESA coordinating and corresponding with each other with no conferences and workshops happening?

Dr. Khawaja: Just like the other components of society, activities related to space exploration have also been affected, I think. Regarding on-going space missions, I believe mission-control at different space agencies is carried on as normal as possible because control rooms already have limited access, which should be absolutely fine according to the rules of social distancing. Furthermore, all these activities are tech-based, so most things can be done remotely. 

A positive aspect is that people who have huge data from space missions accumulated now have surplus time to analyze it since no office timings are observed.  They can concentrate on their ‘home office’, which is a normal trend in the West, with the whole setup easy to switch. Online meetings are attended and focus on data analysis in-depth is possible. 

Another effect is in laboratories. They are closed all over Europe with the exception of bio-labs but now it is being thought to reopen and make them functional with a minimum of 1-2 people working at a time only. The pace of future space missions might be affected as well because private industrial sectors are normally involved heavily in such missions. Because of industries being dysfunctional at the moment, or, not fully operational, the preparation time of space missions could have lengthened.

There has been one major effect on the scientific culture, which is in-person meetings between experts on different scientific problems. This culture in the field of science is halted at the moment, which is normally done via conferences in order to communicate science. The commencement of new science culture through online conferences has already been in the process. As you would know there was one of the largest conferences on Geosciences in Europe in April that has to be canceled. Similarly, there were other big conferences planned in America. Abstracts had been submitted, schedules were finalized. But then the pandemic hit and now the situation is that whatever abstracts have been accepted, the organizers have settled the conference online.

They will invite the person online and he or she will make a chat room on the website and people can interact and ask questions over there. This is indeed a quick change of set up on behalf of conference organizers. I can envision that there will be no physical conference in the coming year but technology is already in action and I think virtual conferences will be the future of science. Here, I would like to mention that the Astrobiology Network of Pakistan (ABNP) under my leadership is also planning to organize a first international conference in Pakistan on the subject, and of course, that would be an online conference.

Saadeqa: Before the Coronavirus outbreak, the US was planning its back-to-the-moon mission, the Artemis. Do you think the US will be able to kick-start this mission now while it is going through a historic economic recession?

Dr. Khawaja: You are right, it is understandable that  since we could have an economic recession and we are forcing an economic instability, and also the big powers are coming forward, a blame game will start as soon as this epidemic rise is flattened all over the world. This blame game between the powers may further disturb the future of humans on Earth.

In this situation, the US man-mission for space could also be affected. It will have to be seen to what extent it is affected in near future. In my point of view, it can’t be postponed on a long-term basis, but a new schedule could be given. 

Anyone can easily foresee that the terms on which the man-made mission was already planned may possibly be a bit changed and extended. It is possible that space agencies prioritize space missions as soon as the situation of COVID-19 is settled. I hope you do know that planetary space missions normally require gravity assistance and multiple flybys of different bodies in the Solar System to reach the destination. This process ultimately needs a particular time frame to launch a planetary space mission and if we miss it, we may not get it again for the next many years. If for economic reasons, space exploration is disturbed, the man-made missions should be the first ones, in my point of view.

But I would like to direct your attention to another point here. Man-made space exploration may become more important because we may become more active and diligent in our search for a new home and there are definitely more chances of it.  We should seriously think about not only the betterment of Earth but also where else human acceptability is possible. e.g. subsurface colonies on Mars. Another place could be Saturn’s moon Titan as well, which can provide perfect protection to humans from extreme radiations. So that’s why man-made missions and their importance will increase in this scenario.

Saadeqa:  Germany and other European countries became the next epicenter of Coronavirus.  How is the situation in Berlin and how long will it take to complete the lift-off of the lockdown?

Dr. Khawaja: Yes, definitely. Germany and other European countries have been the epicenter of this virus. The situation in Berlin compared to other cities and countries is similar in principle. When the German government did lockdown, a lot of the private sector had already shut down to a greater extent. Workers were asked to set up ‘home-offices’. People are obeying rules and regulations announced by the government. There are some irregularities, which are quite understandable as you can see in almost all societies. People here in Berlin are behaving sensibly as compared to people in Pakistan but you cannot find the ideal situation in the world. Being a scientist and academic, like many others in the state of Berlin, I stay at home because there is no way to take the courses in person at the university.  However, everything is managed online now. 

At the same time, I would say, the German nation is a very broad-minded and independent one, in matters of living, society, culture, etc. capturing that culture in homes is proving to be very challenging. So, in Berlin also, some people did not obey government instructions of lockdown. This disobedience was more in the beginning, but later the government pushed and emphasized them to be locked-down. People are now keeping social distancing very effectively, I would say.

When people go shopping, a line is maintained with 2m distance between two persons, which is quite commonly observed in Berlin. Only a particular number of customers are allowed inside at one time. Similarly, in schools of Berlin, work is being managed very effectively. Children are getting regular homework at home; schools have developed educational apps and give a lot of homework to make children busy.

Now, the government is slowly going towards lift-off, manually, though. For example, at the beginning of May businesses are being opened with strict rules and regulations. Schools are going to open in shifts. The public-private sector is putting a lot of money and effort into finding the cure of coronavirus. It is in the news here that companies started testing some cure on humans. I hope that all these efforts and care Berlin could go towards gradual lift-off.

Saadeqa: What were the reasons behind the massive death toll in European countries due to the Coronavirus? Do you think that Pakistan is dealing with this situation effectively or the situation could be worse in the coming weeks or months?

Dr. Khawaja: One apparent reason for the increased number of deaths in Europe is the accurate data collection in these developed countries as compared to Pakistan where diagnosing the cause of deaths and then tracking them to COVID-19 is very difficult due to the lack of resources.

Another reason for such a high death toll is due to the fact that Europeans and other developed countries, probably, underestimated the spread and severity of  Coronavirus in the beginning when the epidemic was contained in China. Probably, they considered this epidemic as a local phenomenon.

As I have told you above that as free nations European countries did not do border control efficiently and also they did not implement social distancing in the early time of this problem. Probably, this is the biggest reason for the increase in the epidemic in these countries.

The question, whether Pakistan is handling the situation seriously has two aspects: First how is the matter handled by the government and second, how is the response of the society to those measures of the government. In my opinion, in such conditions as we observed in Germany, it would be necessary that both (the government & the society) should work together. Only then we can face the situation in a better way.  In Berlin, the situation became under control because the government and society both are behaving sensibly and society (with some exception) is following the rules set by the government.

However, in Pakistan, there are many factors that make the lockdown relatively unsuccessful. For example the bad/poor economic condition and the religious discrimination are some of the reasons, which make government’s steps inefficient to tackle the situation.  The lack of education and unemployment are also reasons which make COVID-19 issue as a serious threat in Pakistan. 

Governments in developed countries, like Germany, announce billions of Euros as a relief package to its people and so far the situation is under control. In my opinion, the government in Pakistan is doing its utmost to tackle the situation and have announced a package for poor people so that they could stay in their houses during this lockdown. In this scenario, we cannot compare Pakistan with developing countries not only at the government level but also at a societal level. I think the Pakistani government is trying to do its best, in this poor economical condition, according to its capacity and economy, but the main concern is that the people of Pakistan are not taking appropriate steps. This may be problematic and prove to be worse for the coming months due to the attitude of the people.

The interview is compiled by Aniqa Mazhar, a team member of SCIENTIA PAKISTAN.

Also, Read: Prof. Dr. Sabieh Anwar on molding the challenges of online education into opportunities

A Psychiatrist’s consent on the Mental Toll of Lockdown and Quarantine

Faryal Qazi
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A Psychiatrist’s consent on the Mental Toll of Lockdown and Quarantine

Dr. Asad Hussain is a clinical psychiatrist who has been in practice for a decade. He has done his MBBS from Pakistan. Dr. Hussian is a fellow of Royal Psychiatrist College and has completed MRCPsych from the UK. He received a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training [CCT], from Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK, a Diploma in Mental Health from the University of Kent, UK. Dr. Hussian is a qualified Educational Supervisor [QESP], Kent, Surrey, Sussex Deanery, UK. He is an expert in PG Module: Leadership in Clinical Context HEKSS, UK. Currently, he is serving as a Consultant Psychiatrist, Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital Islamabad.

Below is a brief conversation of Dr. Hussain for Scientia Pakistan’s “Being a professional in the pandemic” interview series with our team member Faryal Qazi, on mental health crisis under lockdown and Quarantine.

Faryal: As a clinical psychiatrist do you feel any behavioral difference in how Pakistani reacted to Coronavirus outbreak in contrast to the people in the rest of the world?

Dr. Asad Hussain: There is definitely a difference in how Pakistanis reacted to the COVID-19 outbreak. This is due to a multitude of reasons.  Pakistan has low literacy rates. It’s more difficult to spread awareness about the outbreak and measures to control it, as people are not able to understand the level of importance of prevention, control and treatment measures being introduced and continuously updated. If you just go on the road, you will still see food being prepared, items being sold, and people buying and dealing with them. This is the case in large urban cities of Pakistan, so just imagine what would be going on in rural areas. There are unscrupulous people taking advantage of this and spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 and its apparent treatment to make money. Government control over such activities is challenging due to the violent nature and mentality of a lot of Pakistani citizens. 

Religion in Pakistan plays a major role. It’s very difficult to convince people about preventative measures, the authorities introduce. One example is social distancing. No doubt many pockets of communities have adopted the measures as introduced by the authorities but unfortunately, for the most part, it’s dismissed. People don’t understand that we as a nation need to play our part and no one person can just think about him or herself. 

The concept of greater good unfortunately is lost in our society. I see patients who outright state that they are not afraid of COVID-19 and do not need to follow the guidelines. These are actually the educated ones. They fail to realize that it’s not only them they are placing at risk but countless others as well.

Faryal:  Why do the lockdown and Self-Quarantines disturbing people’s mental and physical health especially of youngsters?

Dr. Asad Hussain: In my years of practice, I have noted that most Pakistanis don’t have interest, hobbies etc. The common activities are usually going to meet friends or going out to eat. During lockdown and Self -Quarantines, it becomes a challenge for people to productively utilize their time. People working from home or in Quarantines very quickly lose their day to day routines. They may start sleeping late, eating more,  mostly watching TV and News which is constantly filled with  Pandemic updates. Anxiety levels start to rise. Lack of physically activity leads to fatigue and as days go by people start to get depressed.

The biggest impact on Youngsters is due to the behavior of adults. Isolating means living in a small area like your house and it has been going on for a significant amount of time. As adults deal with their own issues, rather than supporting, guiding, and helping youngsters, they are unable to help their children. The youngsters need guidance that how to stick to their routines and work on hobbies and interests, but as I mentioned earlier, as adults don’t have any concept of such guidance.

Youngsters may spend their time using unhealthy mechanisms like watching things they should not. Excessive energy in young ones gets expelled in an unhealthy and, in extreme cases, violent way. At times they rebel and do activities which may also place other members of the house at risk, like going out meeting other people without the knowledge of household members. We need to understand that the brain develops in a way where the pleasure center develops first and the area, which helps us understand the consequences of our actions much later. Keeping this in mind, youngsters need guidance repeatedly. We also need to understand youngsters and pretty much everyone, have never gone through a situation like this before. If not appropriately educated and guided, they are prone to anxiety and depression as they may interpret the current situation in a much different way than adults.

Dr. Asad Hussian
A lot of anxiety stems from not knowing how a patient’s treatment is going and why tests are being done.

Faryal: When it comes to social-distancing not everyone reacts the same way esp. in Pakistan where most people do not seem supportive of physical distancing. What do you think, how can we make people aware of the severity of this situation keeping in mind the mental health of people?

Dr. Asad Hussain:  I would point to my statement about literacy above and, of course, to the mentality of most people, unfortunately in Pakistan. These people do not have mental health problems. If a person understands the reasons why social distancing is in place and the dangers if it is not followed, then an illiterate person may comply. It may be that repeated guidance is needed, but the message will get through. Then there is a section of our society who just, unfortunately, look after themselves. They are educated and do not have any mental health problems but still choose to ignore the guidance and place others at risk. In these scenarios, authorities need to be given powers to use the law to make people comply. This has been the case in the U.K, U.S, and other countries as well, where police have been granted more powers to make public comply with proper guidance.

Faryal: What are the primary mental damages people are facing due to Panic being unfolded by the coronavirus?

Dr. Asad Hussain: Most people are worried about the Pandemic, about the uncertainty, which is natural. People with existing mental health issues putting others at risk, if they do not look after themselves, this may succumb to mental disorders like Anxiety or Depression.   

Faryal: The recovery rate from COVID19 is 98% but still people are in panic and anxiety and focus more on the death toll. I think it’s more about human being nature that negativity attracts them more. How do we make people optimistic about this situation?

Dr. Asad Hussain: Easier said than done ☺. There is no doubt that people all over the world are panicking and making irrational decisions in the process. The mortality rate is around 1-2%. But we also need to understand that globally, the number we know is only because they were tested. There is no practical way of testing everyone so that the number could be much higher. If the number is more elevated, and those people have had mild symptoms or no symptoms, then theoretically, the mortality rate could be even lower. It’s not a question about negativity attracting more, but what information or News, people are bombarded with 24hours a day by the News channels just focus on the number of cases rising and the number of deaths. Newspapers are printing the number of deaths of people who had COVID-19 on a daily basis like they are showing a Cricket Score. I would argue, in the current scenario, people are looking for something positive. 

The first step is to advise people to stop watching and searching News about the COVID-19. As I mentioned above, many people have COVID-19 but have mild or no symptoms. Even the deaths recorded globally; we are not sure that the person died of COVID-19. Many such patients had other medical problems, so it could be that the reason for death was something else, but the said patient just had COVID-19. 

As a doctor, I try to counsel my patients to understand the perspective I mentioned above. I guide them to authentic websites if they want to be updated with the latest guidance on how one can help oneself and others. I emphasize the importance of following the advice by proper Authorities and not whatever is being sent by anyone via social media. 

At times I even advise patients to block people on social media who constantly spread misinformation, raising the anxiety level of patients unnecessarily. There are certain counseling techniques I have mentioned below which I find really help patients feel calmer and more optimistic.

Faryal: The complete isolation till recovery and cutting of social contacts during Quarantine is harder for patients.  How doctors on duty can keep patients’ hope alive and most importantly how patients in hospitals can stay positive? 

Dr. Asad Hussain: To answer this question, we first need to understand that many factors are contributing to the discomfort of patients in Quarantine. Anxiety about what is going to happen to them, the idea of being in a hospital setting with so many other unwell patients and seeing patients worse than them, not being able to see face to face loved ones, etc. Given the factors involved, it is not an easy task to manage such a patient’s mental health. As I have mentioned earlier, avoiding patients looking at unnecessary News is pretty much harmful these days, providing them with activities of mindfulness. This could be entertainment in the form of dramas, movies, books, etc. Doctors should give access to patients so that they can continue to remain in contact with their loved ones via video chat or audio if possible. If noise is a concern, then texting loved ones is another way to go. 

It is easier said than done, but doctors need to be patient with these patients, and counsel them to stay optimist, be honest on what their management plan is for the patient’s complete recovery. A lot of anxiety stems from not knowing how a patient’s treatment is going and why tests are being done etc. A doctor, who has a good rapport with his or her patients, can help the patient remain calm just by reassurance and I can’t emphasis this enough.

Faryal: Do you think that our youth is under-estimating the importance of Quarantine? How can we convince our youth for constructive activities instead of boredom?

Dr. Asad Hussain: I don’t think all youngsters are under-estimating the importance of Quarantine. The question is why not all youths are feeling the importance of Quarantine? I did make some comments on other questions regarding this to some extent. Youths need to be guided. As I mentioned before, there is also the element of how the brain develops; the part where we start to realize consequences at a later age. Parents and caregivers play an extremely important role in this. The guidance by respective authorities is in a language meant for adults and not all youths are the same.

It boils down to the Parents how they act themselves and how they explain the importance to the youths. Adults and youth have different routines, and I think the keyword here is “different.” Adults cannot just expect youth to follow their every direction. They need to connect with the youth on their level, explore their interests and then guide and encourage them to pursue those activities which can be done while keeping one safe.

The Quarantine could be taken as an opportunity to learn new activities, like learning a language, improving computer skills, etc. The “routine” need not be all learning as youths need to blow off steam as well. This could involve board games, computer games, etc. It could also be a chance for the family to become closer to each other. Walking, jogging or cycling in a safe area, going for a drive with the family, playing in the garden, reading a book or listening to music in private. Cooking at home or playing games or watching a movie is also one way for healthy activity. As the day goes by, try and change the routine so that the interest remains intact and try to keep a routine that involves healthy eating, exercising, and keeping you hydrated.  

Faryal: Do Social and Electronic media have a role in uplifting anxiety level and mental disturbance among masses? And how can we overcome this phenomenon?

Dr. Asad Hussain: As I have mentioned in my earlier answers, unfortunately, social and electronic media mostly portray negative News, and I do agree with you that this causes more anxiety. If people receive any information, they should stop sharing and think for a while about its authenticity and search the source of the data. There is a possibility; the information could be fake if, in doubt, delete the information. Be very careful of the post in social media, which plays on your emotions as that is exactly what they are meant to do. The increase in anxiety level, making people make irrational decisions.

There is the rampant use of social media, and the best way is to go old school, I mean, picking up a book, listening to something relaxing, going for a walk where it’s safe. If feeling unusually anxious, then acknowledges that there is uncertainty around the Virus. Try not to react and take a pause. Take a step back and accept that this is just anxiety driving fears. Tell yourself the need for certainty is not necessary. Accept that whatever thoughts going through your mind are not facts and thoughts may not be accurate or real. Try and let go of the thought. Explore the present by actively noticing what you are seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and then moving onto some activity to distract yourself. 

Faryal: Mental and emotional stability of health care workers is crucial. What do you advise them about keeping their mental and emotional stability?

Dr. Asad Hussain: Health care workers are our first line of defense in this war against the coronavirus. We must not forget they, too, are human and have families like all of us. They go home each day worrying, whether they are infected and if they will put their families at risk as well. Health care workers should be provided with adequate equipment and safety gear to perform their jobs. They need to take regular breaks and not work long shifts as chances of mistakes or errors increase. Regardless of the organization they work for, they need to know the organization is doing everything to keep them safe as well and is there to support them. Health care workers should not be thrown in the deep end without any training and gear and be expected to do their job by placing themselves at risk. In summary, if the health care workers know they are protected and supported, it will go a long way in keeping them stable emotionally and mentally. 

Also, Read: Why I chose not to become a clinical psychologist

Keeping alive the tradition of discoveries under Quarantine

Saadeqa Khan
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Keeping alive the tradition of discoveries under Quarantine

Adieus, farewell earths blisse, This world uncertaine is, Fond are lifes lustful joys, Death proves them all but toys, None from his darts can fly; I’m sick, I must dye: Lord, have mercy on us:

An excerpt from “summer’s last will & testament”, by Thomas Nashe. Nashe wrote it in 1952 when Bubonic plague hit London, and he fled to the English countryside to avoid infection. The passage reflects Nashe’s experience of living through the pandemic. 

In July 1665, a five years old boy found dead in his hometown, Holy Trinity, in Cambridge, England. While examining his remains, the town officials noted some black spots on his chest, the indubitable signs of Bubonic plague. This was the first confirmed death due to the plague in Cambridge that year. Almost at once, the town residents rushed to isolate themselves in the countryside and premises of London. Among those the run, there was a young scholar of Trinity College London, named Isaac Newton, who fled to Whoolsthrope, a small town about sixty miles away from the Cambridge University. Here, in complete solitude, Newton produced an unbelievable number of exceptional ideas of Calculus, Analytical Geometry, Gravity, Science of motion, optics, and more. It was these days under quarantine when Newton experimented on measuring gravitational pull and came across his grand idea of universal gravitation. 

While skimming through ‘Never at Rest’, the meticulously documented biography of Isaac Newton, by Richard Westfall, I realized that what’s specious was the idea that Newton unleashed his mind on these problematic experiments when the bubonic plagues had accidentally provided him complete isolation in Whoolsthrope. However, the concept of the-apple-falling-on-his-head and that the plague woke the brilliance in Newton has been proved misleading long ago. Actually, Newton started thinking about these mathematical problems in 1664, a year before the plague outbreak in Britain.

In the meanwhile, the scream painter, Edvard Munch didn’t only witness the Spanish flu pandemic in the early 19th century, that entirely changed the world around him, but he also contracted the disease in 1919, while he was residing in Norway. He spent many months convalescing after the plague attack, but instead of becoming one of many victims, Munch consistently worked on making great art. One of his most notable paintings was a self-portrait with thinning hair and Gaunt face sitting in front of his sick-bed. 

Statue of Isaac Newton in the chapel of Trinity College, Cambridge.

These famous fairy-tales of geniuses give us a clue that great ideas don’t require tedious work of sustained attention and hard thinking. They arrive in the lightning bolts of inspiration, which in turn come only in the right circumstances. Like these giants, we can be productive in this enforce isolation due to coronavirus pandemic. In a matter of days, almost all of us had our workday completely turned upside down. It could be jarring, but it is the exact time to look back at our lives, strategize the trajectory of what we want our life to be, and above all, realize the fragile nature of our existence. 

At the end of February 2020, when Coronavirus cases started ticking in Pakistan, the team Scientia Pakistan Magazine immediately realized the severity of the situation and decided to cover virus-borne diseases in our next edition. Since our Governments have been neglecting Education, health, and scientific research for decades, people are ignorant of precautions that are necessary to prevent the spread of coronavirus. By the grace of God, we got an overwhelming response by national & international media/organizations on our Virus-borne diseases edition. Initially, The Independent Urdu UK, GEO News, BOL News, Dawn.com, and Technology Times published stories and appreciated our efforts in bringing such a piece-of-art edition in a short period. Later on, The United States Library of Congress has selected our website for inclusion in their web archives. They consider our website to be an important part of this collection and the historical record.

Now the super-excited team Scientia is bringing another special edition on “Being a professional in the pandemic.” For this edition, we reached out to national and international experts, journalists, strategist, futurist, Doctors, Paramedical staff, Psychiatrist, scientists, Astronomers, Astrobiologists, Pilots, and Senior teachers/professors to know about how life twisted and how they are staying productive under quarantine despite the chaos that is surrounding us. We also approached the students of local and international Universities, housewives, and laymen to know how they are keeping their momentum high in these days of trouble.

The Covid19 pandemic has highlighted the state’s responsibility to pay to the daily wagers during the lockdown, but it was saddening that most of the relief efforts came from philanthropic fundraising. Don’t forget needy around you and try to help them as much as you can. Remember, God has blessed you with two hands, one is to help yourself, and the second is to help others. Have a safe quarantine. CHEERS!

Bibliography: https://books.google.com/books/about/Never_at_Rest.html?id=3ngEugMMa9YC

My Journey Into Science

Bareerah Farooq
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My Journey Into Science

From early childhood, my mother encouraged me to participate in extracurricular activities. Almost a year ago, when I was in the third semester of Pharm-D, looking for something interactive that could allow me to see something beyond. I got frenzied when I came to know about my senior–Khola Abid. She was looking for some ambitious undergrads for laying the foundation of Science Communication at the corridors of the University of Veternity and Animal Sciences (UVAS). I signed up in her project: The Science Communicators. The first thing that clicked into mind was that this initiative is gonna do something that is the real need of science undergrads.

Our sciences are flooded with jargon. Medicinal linguistics are not being comprehended by the laity, and this is what creates substantial gaps between two subsets of the population. Unlike chemistry, biological sciences are being demonstrated as standstill sciences. Who would bother to observe static models in this age of anime? Well, In the introductory session of this project, I came to know about science outreach whose sole aim was to make science as familiar as breaths are to a person. The team consisted of only seven people, and all the meetings were scheduled at 6 am. Everyone dropped his blood at work. For the very first time, an insidious amalgamation of science and art was created. Heart model was prepared just at the cost of 50rs/-.

A girl from the primary class is pumping the working model of the heart.

The first outreach was conducted in the nearest school. There was a feeling of instigation, excitement, and antsy. We presented the working models of the heart and lungs along with the stunning art piece of William Harvey. School staff showed huge gratitude, and children were piqued by the way we designed the models. The whole purpose was to instigate curiosity and to awake the curious kid that dies with the senescence. I could feel felicity that covers the faces of little stars, after outreach, because no one had ever shown them a great way to go ahead like this.

We should not teach children the sciences, but give them a taste for them– Jean Jacques

Our next target was another nearest school. The working model of the digestive system and an art piece of Marie curie were presented there. Kids were super amazed. A saying was being resounded into my mind: There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million. The scientists can be produced only when the educators will be trained enough to leave an impact. Lahore Science Mela was also an amazing effort in this regard.

In the last days of this project, we moved towards slums. Everyone was on semester break, only me and Khola was there, flooded with a passion for science communication, we dared and moved to ASN School in Sabazar slums. It seemed an extremely difficult task as kids of slums were not familiar with the name of a scientist even. We prepared a simple model of a brain and neuron.  Kids got excited. Being a science communicator, we used an analogy of telephones and wires to explain the brain and network of neurons respectively. The mechanism behind hunger pangs was elaborated. Soon, they got real pangs associated with peristaltic moves and, after a final photo,  rushed to their mothers for food. My take-home message was: science can be revived again, and Science communication is the only tool through which kids of such down-heated areas (slums) can be turned into innovators and producers rather than consumers. At the end of the session, kids became truly aware of neurons and their jobs, and this made my day.

Soon after, my dream of attaining a hub/center of Science Popularization, in my alma mater, came true. Khola laid the foundation of UVAS SCIENCE CLUB, and I announced as the first and foremost president of this innovative club. 

UVAS science club is a true example of student-powered- mentoring where skilled students teach all the needed academic skills as Mentors. It’s four wings are committed to producing rigorous researchers, artists, communicators, and designers at the heart of Pakistan, Lahore. Their slogan: LEARN FREE, SERVE FREE  truly depicts that they believe in the potency of passion-driven learning, and are committed enough to produce a breed of dedicated community servers. Lately, they collaborated with Scientia Pakistan magazine. This collaboration will bring a series of training programs related to the most needed areas of science and academia. These joint efforts are on their way to shape the narrative of Science Journalism in Pakistan.

Courtesy: UVAS SCIENCE CLUB

Bareerah’s journey into science started as a Science Communicator, she aims to be a female Science Scholar and artist. What if students of such contagious passion could be seen in thousands rather than few? Societies may run to the land of progress within a blink.

Also Read: WHY I CHOSE NOT TO BECOME A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Prof Dr. Sabieh Anwar on Molding the challenges of Online Education into Opportunities

Maham Maqsood
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Prof Dr. Sabieh Anwar on Molding the challenges of Online Education into Opportunities

The current crisis has gripped every possible area of human life. All spheres of life have not just been significantly touched but will be greatly altered once this pandemic is over. One such important area is education.

These unprecedented times have made us transition to the experiment of online learning which is novel for many teachers and students. It is being done on a very large scale all around the world. In Pakistan, the challenge is even greater. With limited resources and access, educational institutions are trying to establish learning systems that can be efficient for both sides. To delve deep into this matter, I had the honor of interviewing Prof. Dr. Sabieh Anwar about how our education system is coping and what we can expect in the future.

Dr. Muhammad Sabieh Anwar is an Associate Professor of Physics and the Dean of LUMS’ Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering. Sabieh, a Rhodes Scholar, did his Ph.D. in Physics from Oxford University and Post-Doc in Chemistry and Materials Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the General Secretary of Khwarizmi Science Society (KSS), a non-profit organization founded by his father Dr. Saadat Anwar Siddiqui, that works for creating a science culture and science popularization across Pakistan and has been organizing one of the biggest science events in the country; the Lahore Science Mela, every year since 2017.

Here is what he said on the Coronavirus pandemic and specifically how deeply the education sector in Pakistan has been affected.

Maham: The COVID-19 crisis has shaken us to the core and is affecting every sector. What is the impact of the pandemic on the education sector, local and global?

Dr. Sabieh: This crisis has a big economic and social fallout. Growth rates will take a nosedive. This has also influenced our economy, social fabric, and lifestyle.

As far as the education sector is concerned, the complete drawn out closure of educational institutions is a big test. There are frantic efforts everywhere to develop an online learning system. In Pakistan, even though we do have widespread internet connectivity, there are severe quality concerns and some areas are totally blacked-out. A far severe problem is access to computing devices like laptops and computers. For the latter, households need to make an economic investment, which is again, not readily available.

Maham: How can we implement efficient distance learning in Pakistan?

Dr. Sabieh: I think the medium that can be more useful than the internet is Television. PTV has started the channel ‘Taleem Ghar’, which is indeed an excellent initiative. It needs to be further enhanced, as TV has a wider reach than the internet. On the other hand, higher education will be completely refreshed and reenergized. Remember, the new modality is a big shock for universities. Their outdated systems of communication are highly paper-oriented, Emails are not the norm. If the administration needs to do some communication, everything is done on paper. The current situation enforces our universities to take this challenge as an opportunity for introspection and improving the system, though this is not something that will happen overnight.

There was also uproar on social media. Students have already raised slogans against online education. The reason is the existing poor quality of instruction in general. Migrating to online medium does not automatically solve the quality problem. Teachers who used to teach poorly in the classrooms will do the same in online classes. Hence the online medium, which is more transparent, accessible, large-scale, and can be recorded, will accentuate weaknesses in teaching. Hence, the need for a general uplift in the quality of instruction exists.

Maham: What about your institution? What steps are being taken at LUMS?

Dr. Sabieh: In LUMS online classes have commenced, as the spring semester is currently underway. In the first three weeks after the lockdown we conducted webinars for faculty training, collected resources, did surveys, and are still collecting data from faculty as well as students. As all these things are data-driven we can’t rely solely on anecdotes. There is the requirement to collect data for this whole process in real-time, such as which tools you are using, how many students have access, whether student learning is improved or not, what is the percentage of attendance, do people prefer asynchronous or synchronous modes, etc. and some metrics to capture learning instead of mere quantitative metrics of instruction.

Decisions can be made only when constant empirical data is collected. In LUMS, and the faculty has largely taken ownership. The key is to trust the Faculty and empower them to make their own choices in the backdrop of broad guidelines, instead of harsh dictates from authoritarian circulars. Another aspect will be the changes in student evaluations. The evaluation will be formative in telling us what mistakes we made and how we can improve.

Dr. Sabieh demonstrating the motion of a pendulum to keen visitors. According to him, there are aspects of certain educational disciplines that are not possible online.
(Above) Dr. Sabieh demonstrating the motion of a pendulum to keen visitors. According to him, there are aspects of certain educational disciplines that are not possible online.

Maham: Are online classes comparable to classroom learning? Can it be an alternative to the traditional methods?

Dr. Sabieh: Education is not just the name of the classroom; it is bigger than that. For example, you cannot do your chemistry labs online. It does not matter how many virtual and remote experiments you design; the live experience of a laboratory just can’t be created elsewhere. There are aspects of certain educational disciplines that are not possible online. MBBS is impossible without a live clinical experience. The same is with laboratories, scientific enterprises, technologies, engineering; they can’t be done in this way. Then, you need to conduct field surveys and there are many instances where human interaction is a must. Hence the online system has a limited scope, and certain exceptionally promising outlooks, but it can’t completely supplement or replace learning and education.

The biggest benefit of an online system is that it can be upscaled and can reach wider audiences. Student interaction can be increased from scores to hundreds to thousands, statistics can be gathered, three-dimensional multimedia experiences can be incorporated into instruction, discussion forums can be initiated, and intelligent modes of instruction can be engrained.  However, one keeps in mind the scope. You can’t learn sports online; you can’t do experiments online and learning from peers is limited.

Maham: Can we expect significant increase in the usage of resources like online classes in the future? What could be the expected changes once this pandemic is over?

Dr. Sabieh: Well, I believe that there will be a different life after the pandemic. The experiment being done right now will have its aftereffects. Many people are convinced about this union between technology and education and hope that it will move forward. And development is not just expected in education, but other sectors as well as in health, where there will be innovation, entrepreneurship, and development. From biochemical testing to PPE to medical assistance devices used in hospitals like the ventilators, all of this will likely become center stage.

The healthcare management of the country might witness a revolution. New questions will arise like how to handle public health issues, build models, for disease progression, and how to manage healthcare networks from rural health centers to big hospitals.  Remember dengue, floods, earthquakes which require national scale efforts which redefine how we cope with calamity. If our response is scientific and intelligent, we can lessen the burden and worries of millions of people.

The fault lines of science and technology in our country have been once again exposed. Local innovation system isn’t well developed since the ecosystem is overly bureaucratic and based on regulations and excessive centralization by intuitions who lack modern training. Now is the time to address all of these things. Even though this pandemic is a challenge, it is also providing new opportunities and opening new doors.

Maham: In Pakistan, there are many different education systems. How can one channel be used for teaching when there is such a wide range of curriculum? Is this the time for a homogenous education system?

Dr. Sabieh: Diversity is a good notion. A Homogeneous education system is a slogan which I don’t think will ever be implemented. I think there is no need for homogeneity, there is a need for equivalence and mutual respect across systems. What we need to have, is excellence and equivalence. For example, millions of children in our country study in madrassas which follow a specific curriculum, forcing them to follow a different system, is hard and can result in worsening social patterns. Likewise, we need equivalence and glorification in that and in technical education as well.

Take for example Khan Academy. It does not follow any system. It is providing appropriate content material, teaching in a good way so as to bring up to speed students in different subjects. So, the material, teaching style and content is developed sequentially. I cannot regard this mode of education as belonging to a “system”.

Dr. Sabieh in a classroom. He is of the opinion that there is a need for equivalence and mutual respect across systems.
Dr. Sabieh in a classroom. He is of the opinion that there is a need for equivalence and mutual respect across educational systems.

Maham: What about the assessment of students?

Dr. Sabieh: Now that can’t be done by the medium TV. Different mechanisms have to be created which is quite a daunting task. Many countries have finished exams for smaller classes; in Singapore, they have no assessments till high school. And the Punjab government has also decided that in these conditions, students will be promoted to the next grade without exams. So, assessment is very hard as it is a two-way process. You also need to have feedback from the students. The biggest trap of online education is that it might become unilateral. Content may be delivered but there is no feedback. There is a lack of discussion mode, the opportunity for interactions is limited. A student must interact, ask questions, do peer learning and that also needs to be incorporated into the system.

Maham: Pakistan has some of the leading research institutes in South Asia. But why are we not seeing them actively participate in this crisis in terms of vaccine development? If we are not well equipped to, do we deserve such titles?

Dr. Sabieh: It is because our universities are a slave to the process, especially the public sector universities where enrollments outnumber private institutions. There is a lack of basic things, from chemicals and reagents to infrastructure, biosafety labs, the protocol, and equipment. Though, we never have a lack of ideas. Many peoples are generating research ideas, we have individuals coming from very amazing places after training, and we do have amazing faculty. But the work is slow-paced. For instance, one needs to buy chemical isopropanol, which is a solvent that is also used for cleaning and dissolution, a basic requirement just like water.

For someone who doesn’t know the system, it may take months to buy a liter. Because the process is so hard, we don’t have the budget or even if we do, we need to have the permissions of layers and layers of people to make simple purchases. If one spends whole life just completing that process then how could he manage time for the research work?  Ease the process, trust the scientist, invest in infrastructure, and let the scientist govern oneself, not someone who has the self-glorified air of controlling who scientists work.

Funds are scarce. Bureaucracy is not trained. Then there are various rules for so-called procurement. We are obeying rules that have been made for the development and management of dams and roads for the science development projects. For instance, one can’t buy used equipment, we need to purchase through middlemen, modes of payment are outdated and the entire system is hostage to a book of rules made by bureaucrats with little or zero understanding of the scientific enterprise. All of this is a trap and has crippled development, but no one is willing to change that. Then the selection criteria of the heads of the scientific institutions is outdated. If there is no leadership then things can’t move forward.

Maham: UNESCO has launched a Global Education Coalition that seeks to “facilitate inclusive learning opportunities.” Will our local institutes be willing to join such an initiative or prefer to work it all out on their own?

Dr. Sabieh: The Internet is a global paradigm. It would be really odd if we don’t take benefits from the global landscape. We should avail and collaborate with global initiatives, but at the same time, we should also consider local realities and local nomenclature. Staying mindful of the local learning process, our languages, and learning behavior patterns is very necessary.

Maham: This is the time of the year when many students are nearing graduation. Students are generally very concerned about their future by this disruption in the academic schedule. What advice do you have for them?

Dr. Sabieh: There is no need to be afraid of these problems; such big calamities happen after 100, 150 years. Those students who are at such stages should know that universities are also facing difficult times. This is a global crisis, there is no need to worry. Things will change, and compensation will be there in different ways. Usually, this feeling happens when some get ahead and some are left behind, but everyone is at the same mark in this break. Things will get better. But students should get the most out of this time. It shouldn’t be that when the lockdown ends, and life gets back on track, we stay at the same spot; we forget to do any personal training, or increase in knowledge, readings, or we fail to think about the big realities of life. So, my advice is to fully use this opportunity. This time is precious; use it for self-introspection, and learning.

Maham: Finally, Sir, what’s next for you?

Dr. Sabieh: Let’s keep learning!

Also Read: A Teacher’s take on getting the most out of online classes

The largest-ever ozone hole in the North Pole has ceased

Scientia
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The largest-ever ozone hole in the North Pole has ceased

In late March, a hole in the ozone layer over the Arctic was opened due to trapping of air by aberrant winds. Polar vertex is the name of these winds which created high altitude clouds in the area and after mixing with pollutants like bromine and chlorine, these clouds preyed on the ozone gas causing a gigantic hole to open in the ozone belt.  

But now reports from the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) claim that it has finally closed. According to researchers from the European Space Agency (ESA), even though the big ozone holes open frequently and especially in the Autumn, the Northern Hemisphere doesn’t have such conditions. This year, the Article ozone hole formed because the cold air stayed longer than expected. Now that the vortex has split, the ozone rich air can go back to the area above the North Pole for recovery.

Ozone is an important molecule in the atmosphere because it partially blocks harmful ultra-violet radiation from the sun. Some speculated that the lockdown due to the coronavirus may have helped in the recovery. But in response, CAMS tweeted that, “Actually, COVID19 and the associated lockdowns probably had nothing to do with this. It’s been driven by an unusually strong and long-lived polar vortex and isn’t related to air quality changes.”

It can’t be said for sure if this instance suggests a new trend or not. There are many environmental and man-made factors that have influence over it. One of the major reasons for ozone layer destruction and disruption are the chlorofluorocarbons that have been wrecking it for the past century and caused it to have the famous hole in Antarctica during the 1980s. The Antarctic ozone hole will stay the same and there is no such prediction that might indicate towards its complete closure anytime soon.

Also Read: Nasa’s contribution to Wildlife preservation

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