National Centre for Physics

Not to be confused with Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics.

National Centre for Physics
ادارہِ عبدالسلام برائے مطالعہِ علومِ طبیعات
Established27 January 1999 (1999-01-27)
BudgetFederally-funded
Field of research
DirectorQaisar Ahsan
LocationIslamabad, Pakistan
Collaborations
AffiliationsGovernment of Pakistan
Operating agency
Quaid-i-Azam University
Websitewww.ncp.edu.pk

The National Centre for Physics[nb 1] (NCP) is a federally funded research institute and national laboratory co-located near Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan.[1][2]

Founded in 1999,[1] the site is dedicated to the understanding and advancement of the physical sciences and mathematical logic.[1][3] It closely collaborates and operates under the quadripartite supervision of International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Italy, CERN in Switzerland, and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC).[2]

History

INSC and INP

In 1974, Salam envisaged the need for an institution where experts from industrialised nations and learners from developing countries could gather for a couple of weeks once a year to exchange views on various subjects of current interest in physics and allied sciences. His suggestion was accepted by the chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Munir Ahmad Khan, and in 1976 the International Nathiagali Summer College on Physics and Contemporary Needs (INSC) was inaugurated at Nathiagali, co-sponsored by ICTP and PAEC, under the directorship of Professor Riazuddin, a student of Salam. The same year, Ishfaq Ahmad established the Institute of Nuclear Physics at the University of Engineering and Technology of Lahore, where Salam was invited to give the first lectures on particle physics and quantum mechanics.[1][4]

Since then, it has been regularly held without break.[1]

Foundation

The National Centre for Physics was founded after Riazuddin arranged a one-day symposium on Frontiers of Fundamental Physics on 27 January 1999 at the Institute of Physics of Quaid-e-Azam University, seven months after Pakistan's first successful nuclear weapons test. Many leading scientists of Pakistan and some visitors from CERN attended this symposium and provided their support.

Riazuddin was NCP's first director-general, and it was inaugurated by Ishfaq Ahmad, chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission during this period, on 16 May 2000. The director general of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Luciano Maiani, was among those to witness the inauguration.[2] NCP's first academic faculty included Munir Ahmad Khan, Pervez Hoodbhoy, Fiazuddin, Masud Ahmad, and Ishfaq Ahmad, who first presented papers to the institutes and CERN.

In 2008, Hamid Saleem became its director-general and Riazuddin was made lifetime director general emeritus..

NCP is responsible for research in branches of physics including particle physics, computational physics, astrophysics, cosmology, atmospheric physics, atomic, molecular, and optical physics, chemical physics, condensed matter physics, fluid dynamics, laser physics, mathematical physics, plasma physics·, quantum field theory, nano physics and quantum information theory.

Collaboration with CERN

NCP is collaborating with CERN in the field of experimental high-energy physics.

International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)

NCP signed a memorandum of understanding during dr. K. R. Sreenivasan, Director ICTP's visit to Pakistan from 26 to 30 June 2005. In addition, the Centre carries out research in areas that are not covered by any institute of Physics. One such area being pursued by the Centre involves a number of activities in Experimental High-Energy Physics through a co-operative agreement with CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. Besides this, NCP has collaborations with several international institutes and universities in the field of theoretical physics including AS-ICTP, Trieste, Italy; Centre for Plasma Astrophysics (CPA), K-Leuven University, Belgium; Tokyo University, Tokyo, Japan; Ruhr University, Bochum (RUB), Germany and many others. Several research papers are published in reputed international journals each year from NCP through national and international collaborations.[1]

Global co-operation

RNCP and the Other independent countries have signed formal Memorandum of Understanding agreements are below:

See also

Notes

Notes
  1. ^ Previously known as Riazuddin Centre for Physics.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Pakistan creates national centre for physics". European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN Courier) website. 25 February 1999. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Profile of National Centre for Physics (National Centre for Physics)". Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  3. ^ Hoodbhoy, Pervez (24 January 2016). "A Pakistani's candid report after visiting India's IITs". Scroll.in website. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  4. ^ Muhammad Aftab Alam (29 July 2019). "Scientific spring arrives in capital in full bloom". Daily Times (newspaper). Retrieved 8 August 2020.
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