[ISLAMABAD] Pakistan's
early-career scientists have launched a national academy to share research
findings, and address specific concerns such as a lack of career opportunities
and brain drain.
The National Academy of Young Scientists (NAYS) is for scientists aged 40 years
and under, and will also include young Pakistani scientists working abroad.
The academy is in its initial stages and 350 young scientists have joined so
far. They have started a newsletter, negotiated young scientists' representation
in the Pakistan Academy of Sciences and written a proposal letter for
collaborative activities with the Pakistan chapter of UNESCO.
"Young scientists of Pakistan — who are an invaluable intellectual resource for
the nation — can play a pivotal role in developing future strategies for using
science and technology for socioeconomic uplift," Anwar Nasim, science advisor
to the Organisation of Islamic Conference's (OIC) Standing Committee on
Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and patron of the new
academy, told SciDev.Net.
The NAYS' objectives include promoting science education and careers, motivating
young researchers to share their findings, improving coordination among science
societies and encouraging university–industry partnerships.
Although the academy does not yet have government backing, NAYS hopes to
persuade policymakers and academia to ensure a bigger role for younger
scientists in the country's development, said NAYS president Aftab Ahmad. As a
start, the government-backed Pakistan Academy of Sciences has agreed to include
younger scientists among its members.
"Young scientists are neither represented nor are their concerns properly
addressed at national meetings of scientists and policymakers," Ejaz Ahmad, NAYS
member and a professor of chemistry at the Punjab University, Lahore, told
SciDev.Net. Pakistan's young scientists are mainly concerned about unemployment,
insufficient salaries and brain drain.
A 2005 report on brain drain from OIC countries — by the Islamic Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) — said: "In the case of Pakistan,
professionals who are going abroad consist of a significant number of civil
servants and those belonging to the scientific community. These are the people
who complain about the casual attitude of society towards professionals,
particularly scientists."
ISESCO and the Pakistani government do not have specific statistics on the
migration of the country's scientists or the gap between science graduates and
science jobs. But the ISESCO report reveals that the migration of highly
qualified people rose from 1,300 in 1995 to 3,300 in 2004.
NAYS members are also keen to promote university–industry partnerships which,
they hope, will help universities tailor their course content according to
industry's needs rather than churning out graduates in disciplines of no
interest to local industries.
Source: www.scidev.net
Link to the story: https://www.scidev.net/en/south-asia/news/pakistan-s-young-scientists-recognised-in-new-academy.html