ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Dr. Hameed Ullah of Chemistry Department, Hazara University, Mansehra won Pakistan-France Joint research project under PERIDOT research program 2016 offered by Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Ministry of Higher Education, France.
Young scientist Dr. Hameed Ullah, who belongs to beautiful Shakkai valley of South Waziristan Agency, and Dr. Pierre Bonnet from Institute of Chemistry Clermont-Ferrand, France submitted a joint project simultaneously in Pakistan and France under the program “Pak-France joint research program (PERIDOT) 2016”.
The project was evaluated by top experts of the field from France and Pakistan based on relevance of the priority areas, scientific quality of the proposed research, competency of the Principal Investigator, potential for long-term collaboration between Pakistan and France, and impact on economy and society.
The final selection was made in a high level joint committee meeting of Pakistan-France Peridot Research Programme (Phase-II). Only nine universities from all over Pakistan have qualified successfully including Dr. Hameed Ullah from Hazara University, Mansehra.
The research project is focused upon addressing the growing energy problems of the world in general and Pakistan in particular. The collaborating partners from Pakistan and France will work upon the development of rechargeable batteries having high energy capacities to be used for powering electronic gadgets, and specifically, vehicles. This will help in overcoming the energy problems on one hand, and on the other hand will help in availability of clean energy source which will not contribute to the global warming, a serious issue facing by the world at the moment.
The three years research grant has funds allocations for the travelling and living expenses of a four members team from the research group of Dr. Hameed Ullah, Pakistani partner, and a two members team of Dr. Pierre Bonnet, French partner. The exchanging research teams will work upon the different parts of the research project in Pakistan and France, simultaneously. The project will help, particularly, in training of research students from Pakistan in top University of Europe. The exchange of scientific and academic personnel will help in establishing long term collaborations between the two universities that is Hazara University, Pakistan and Blaise Pascal University, France. The collaboration will help in promoting culture and soft image of Pakistan in the international community, and bringing closer the people of the two countries.
Dr. Hameed Ullah is actively involved in research and academic activities, and has also won couple of projects in the past. His research focus is upon the development of nanomaterials for applications in devices used for harvesting renewable energies (solar), and energy storage (rechargeable batteries). He has been recently awarded a research productivity award by the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (Ministry of Science and Technology), Government of Pakistan.
