Nanoscience, nanotechnology workshop held at AMU

Aligarh: A two-day workshop entitled 'Aligarh Nano I' on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology was organized by the Department of Applied Physics, Z.H. College of Engineering and Technology at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

The workshop was conducted under the DRS-SAP-I programme granted to the department. The inaugural address was delivered by Dr. M.J.K. Siddiqui, Director, Council of Science and Technology, Lucknow.

Dr. Siddiqui in his motivating talk delved on the exploitation of nanotechnology for solving the day to day problems and urged the centre to come up with innovative devices based on nano-materials, for instance filters which could remove the arsenic content from water and therefore could be a great boon to the human habitat residing around arsenic contaminated water bodies in Uttar Pradesh.

Officiating Vice Chancellor S. Abrar Hasan pointed out the implications and utility of nanotechnology in the field of medicine and congratulated the university for organizing the workshop. Convener of the workshop, Prof. S. Alim Husain Naqvi presented an overview of the workshop.
The Dean and Principal of the college also spoke on the topic. The guest of honors, Prof. Javed Mussarat, an expert in the field of Bio-Nanotechnology from King Saud University (KSU) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia highlighted the threads linking Nano and biotechnology.

The keynote address was given by Prof. Prasenjit Sen, Department of Physics of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Prof. Sen explored the interesting topic of 'Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: Looking Ahead'.

Dr. Shakeel Khan, Secretary of the Workshop, proposed the vote of thanks and the second session was chaired by Prof. Prasenjit Sen.

The two-day workshop altogether comprised of 17 invited talks from experts from high profile universities and institutes. The experts who participated in the workshop were from National Physics Laboratory (NPL), Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI) Pilani, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) - Kanpur, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP) Kolkata, Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) New Delhi, KSU Riyadh, National Institute of Technology (NIT) Hamirpur, Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) Baroda, one from Nano Technology and Science Consortium (NTSC) Noida and from AMU itself.

An award of Rs.5000 for the best poster presented and five awards of Rs.2000 each for the second five best posters were distributed in the concluding session.

Prof. Alim Hussain Naqvi thanked the participants and the members of the organizing committee particularly the two organizing secretaries, Dr. Shakeel Khan and Dr. Wasi Khan who toiled hard day and night to make this event a grand success. Prof. Naqvi said that credit for the initiation of studies in nano Technology at AMU goes to AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis who played the pivotal role in the establishment of the Centre for Nanotechnology.

Earlier, Prof. Alimudddin, Chairman, Department of Applied Physics welcomed the guests and witnessing the successful and fruitful completion of the workshop, he announced to hold an international conference titled 'Aligarh Nano-II' in January 2012.