KARACHI: A two-day international conference on “Responsible Conduct of Science” will open today at the University of Karachi. It has been organised by the Dr A.Q. Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (KIBGE) and the International Council for Life Sciences (ICLS).
Scholars from across the globe will discuss science from different perspectives. A wide variety of issues will be addressed, such as the influence of science on society, ethics in life science and the role of the media in the promotion of scientific values and achievements.
The president of the ICLS, Terence Thomas Taylor, shed light on the role of science in the modern world at a press conference on Sunday.
He said that the life sciences are advancing at a rapid pace and the public must be made aware of this so that they can understand how this development can improve their lives. “Science is a global enterprise and scientists in Pakistan should be a part of it,” Taylor said. He added that scientists themselves need to take the responsibility and ensure that science is used for the right purposes.
The president of the Pakistan chapter of the ICLS, Dr Anwar Nasim, said that the aim of the conference was to answer questions that arise in the mind of people when they hear about scientific advancement, such as cloning, through the media.
He said there was a need to know what 94% of Pakistanis, who are ordinary citizens, are thinking about science. “We would like to involve the young generation in this field,” he said.
Prominent personalities in the field will deliver speeches at the conference, including Dr Dinesh Raj Bhuju of the Nepal Academy of Sciences and Technology, Mahalecthumy Arujanan of Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre and Prof. Anwar Ali Siddiqui of the Aga Khan University.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2011.
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