Around 27 Pakistani scientists and technicians took part in the flawless start to the 'Big Bang' experiment that will re-enact the first moments of the universe.
"15 physicists, 10 engineers, 5 Lasers and Opto-electronics experts, 6 computer professionals and 6 students from National Centre for Physics (NCP) and Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) are involved in the experiment and this opportunity provided an immense learning opportunity which would help them groom with an enabling environment towards the future endeavours of Science," said Dr Riazuddin, former girector general NCP while briefing the media on the contribution of Pakistani scientists in the experiment.
Flanked by incumbent DG NCP Hamid Salim, DG Tech PAEC Dr Tariq Jamal, Badar Suleman and others, Riazuddin said five Pakistani scientists, Dr Jamila Bashir Butt, Hassan Shahzad, Taimur Khurshid, Saleh Muhammad and Muhammad Ahmad while Wajid A. Khan, Adeel-ur-Rehman, Ishtiaq Hussain, Waqar Ahmad, Shemoona Fawad Khan, Imran Malik, Zia Aftab and Shariq Khan were involved at different junctures.
The data of the experiment would be available for the Pakistani scientists who would examine the data and results would be accumulated afterwards by the Pakistan physicists, he added.
"Pakistani staff in CERN, on jigs designed by Pakistan, then tested these rods. It is gratifying to note that in recognition of PAEC's contribution, quality of work and adherence to schedule, in 2006, CERN awarded PAEC Best Suppliers Award," he said.
"PAEC signed an agreement for an in kind contribution worth US$ half a million for the construction of eight magnet supports for the Compact Muon Soleniod (CMS) detector. This was followed by another agreement in 2000 increasing Pakistan's contribution to US$1.8 million. In the same year National Centre for Physics (NCP) became a full member of CMS. In 2003 a protocol was signed enhancing Pakistan's total contribution to the LHC program to US$ 10 million," he added. This collaboration has resulted in mutual benefits for Pakistan and CERN and provided an opportunity of learning in front end electronics and cutting edge computing technology for young scientists of Pakistan; extensive exposure to good technical practices was received by PAEC personnel who worked on various problems.
Simultaneously PAEC brought in some very valuable inputs during the design phase in CMS. These two activities complemented each other in the problems tackled jointly," he said and added that for PAEC personnel and those at NCP engaged in the above mentioned activities, the exposure was one of quality and intense adherence to details and interfacing among various multidisciplinary groups in academia and industry.
Working in an international environment with people from many diverse backgrounds was enlightening in its own right; but here it was the logical decision making methods backed by impeccable theory and empirical data that rubbed off (hopefully) to all those who worked there. It is hoped that CERN was also able to benefit from the expertise brought in by our staff to save time and money. It has certainly been satisfying for Pakistan to have contributed in a small way in this great enterprise.
Fifty-four years ago, in September 1954, CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, officially came into existence.
It is described as a fine example of international collaboration in which high technology and science reinforce each other.
In one aspect CERN has a very special relationship with Pakistan in that it provided the first and crucial evidence of unification through experiments done at CERN. In 1973 one of the predictions of electro-weak unification theory proposed by Prof. Abdul Salam, the only Pakistani Nobel Laureate, Weinberg and Glashow resulted in Nobel Prize in physics in 1979 to these physicists. Further the mediators, W and Z bosons, of electroweak force predicted by the electroweak theory (called the standard model) were also discovered at CERN in 1980's.
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