VASSCAA-6 ends: Pak students need better career counselling

'Students select various fields in science, technology, but due to lack of career counselling are unsure of direction'

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has resources to excel in the field of science and technology, all it is lacking is the awareness regarding which direction to move in.

Talking to The Express Tribune after the concluding ceremony of the five-day Vacuum and Surface Sciences Conference of Asia & Australia (VASSCAA-6) Conference on Saturday at Pak-China Friendship Centre, Dr Javaid Ahsan Bhatti , secretary of the conference, said currently, very few people in Pakistan are aware of vacuum technology, which is the base of many other advanced technologies.

“It is used in nanotechnology, plasma technology, microelectronics, communications, biomedical and other modern manufacturing industries,” he said.

“Our students select various fields in science and technology, but due to the lack of career counselling, they are unsure of the right direction to move in,” Dr Bhatti added.

The concluding ceremony was attended by a large number of scientists and engineers from 30 countries including the US, Japan, South Korea, France, the UK, Russia, Kazakhstan, Argentina, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, Austria and Saudi Arabia along with 250 local delegates from various educational and research institutions.

Meanwhile, speaking on the occasion chairman senate, Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, said, “The Pakistan Vacuum Society can help in the development of renewable energy sources. We have to join our hands to utilise the potential of this technology in achieving such levels of reliability so as to export our products with pride.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2012.