Young Researchers’ National Conference on Water and Environment Concluded
The Two-Day First Young Researchers’ National Conference on Water and Environment organized, under the auspices of U.S-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W) concluded at Mehran University of Engineering & Technology (MUET) Jamshoro, today. Prof. Dr. Tauha Hussain Ali, Pro-Vice Chancellor MUET speaking in the closing ceremony said that the research as subject was taken one of the difficult and boring tasks, however, the best thing in the research was to present a paper in a conference and to take suggestions from fellow researchers and scholars for setting the landmark. Dr. Ali appreciated the USPCAS-W for organizing such successful conference and advised to make this Center’s permanent feature for organizing it annually in the collaboration with other departments of MUET.
He further said that such type of the conferences will boost the confidence level of the young researchers and also help them to explore the opportunities to present their papers in the international conferences. Dr. Rasool Bux Mahar, Deputy Director USPCAS-W and the convener of the conference presented the recommendations and suggestions of the two-day long conference suggested by the chair and co-chair of the different technical sessions. Dr. Mahar while presenting the findings of the conference said that one of the papers presented in the conference shared the evidence-based presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the surface water in Hyderabad and suggested that concerned regulating agencies should adopt proper strategy to treat the wastewater adequately in order to eliminate all the residual drugs before charge treated wastewater into the surface water body.
He quoted a paper regarding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which recommended that water was the core of the sustainable development, which affects 10 out of 17 SDGs directly and suggested that that local SDG roadmap should be developed at the earliest by incorporating water conservation, its quantity and quality. By quoting another paper, he said that Women should be involved in water, energy, agriculture and environmental decision making process. He further said the one paper suggested that in order to control the irregular pattern of urbanization, the population density should be restricted to 450 people per hectare, while 4000 hectare land within a city and its immediate periphery may be converted into low income housing market.
Dr. Mahar further shared the recommendation of the paper said that provision of safe and clean drinking water was the fundamental right of each and every individual, the government and other responsible agencies should take special initiatives to ensure the provision of the same. In the plenary session of the second day of the conference, Dr. Jeff Ullman and Dr. Mercedes Ward from the University of Utah, USA gave presentations on Impacts of Organic Impurities on Water Quality and Water and Community. Dr. Kamran Ansari announced the names of the position holders of the conference, in oral presentations Mr. Muhammad Wajid Ijaz, PhD Scholar at USPCAS-W got first position presented his paper on Evolution of Creeks Network in Indus Delta Pakistan, whereas Mr. Umair Ahmed Qureshi of Textile Engineering Department of MUET got second position presented paper on Highly efficient electro spun nano fibers for dye removal application and Mr. Muhammad Muqeet, PhD Scholar of USPCAS-W got third position, who presented paper on Adsorption properties of Quaternized cellulose Nano fibers and its selectivity towards two major anions: Chloride and Sulfate.
In poster presentations, Ms. Syeda Fatima Zehra Zaidi got first position. Dr. Jeff Ullman, Dr. Mercedes Ward, Dr. Khan Mohammad Brohi, Dr. Rizwan Ahmed Memon, Dr. Zubair Ahmed, Dr. Muhammad Munir Babar and other notable attended the closing ceremony and presented the appreciation shields and certificates among the participants, organizers and the management of USPCAS-W. Mr. Muhammad Ali Nizamani, Academic Coordinator USPCAS-W, presented vote of thanks and appreciated the efforts of the students and staff of the Center. On the second day of the conference Mr. Nazeer Ahmed Essani, Dr. Arjumand Zaidi, Dr. Muhammad Yar Khuhawar, Dr. Abdul Khalique Ansari, Dr. Najma Memon, Dr. Kishan Chand Mukwana, Dr. Zeeshan Khatri, Dr. Altaf Siyal, Dr. Asmatullah, Dr. Jamil Ahmed Soomro, Mr. Ghulam Hussain, Ms. Rakhshinda and Mr. Mr. Awais Anwar Chandio chaired and co-chaired the sessions who were also presented the shields of the honor and other souvenirs of the Center, whereas more than 25 researchers presented their respective research study papers.
