Tag Archives: engineeringreview

Learning from China a must to promote sustainable development of chemical industry

on 03/01/2024

Moazzam Ghurki, president of Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI), said during a think tank session held at PCJCCI Secretariat the other day that Pakistan does not have mature technology to produce petrochemical complex facilities or cracking units, which is a very big constraint to the development of its chemical industry. He stressed that Pakistan can collaborate with China and learn from China’s experience to promote the sustainable development of the chemical industry and give full play to the industry in the national economic construction. President PCJCCI also highlighted that there is a vast potential of Pakistan in chemical manufacturing and processing. Our vision was to transform the chemical industry of Pakistan from an import-oriented to an export-oriented industry. Fang Yulong, senior vice president PCJCCI, further added that with the rapid development of biotechnology, the biochemical industry has injected new vitality into the traditional chemical industry and opened up new development directions and insights. He further explained that China has a growing influence in the field of biochemical industry globally. Both approaches will be of great benefit to Pakistan. Zafar Iqbal, chairman Standing Committee on Chemical Industry (PCJCCI), said that with the continuous growth of economy and population base, the demand of Pakistani citizens for chemical products is increasing day by day. The country is highly dependent on imported oil products, and the shortage of oil products has even affected national security. He added that China’s successful chemical park model can provide Pakistan’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the necessary resources and facilities, so as to achieve cluster development. Hamza Khalid, vice president PCJCCI, said that Cracker is an important link in the transfer of chemical production to downstream and upstream operations. It is significant to establish a chemical industrial park with facilities such as common effluent treatment plant, a sound supply network of water, electricity, centralized steam generating facility to reduce capital & operating expenditures for chemical manufacturers. With the promulgation of the SME Policy, Pakistani government is taking rational and challenging steps to develop SMEs for their growth.

AIIB approves US$250 m loan after WB’s US$350m to help Pakistan

on 03/01/2024

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s (AIIB) Board of Directors have approved a loan of $250 million to help Pakistan strengthen its response to the social and economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, said the financial institution in a press release at the end of year 2023.
The AIIB said that the loan is co-financed by the World Bank, adding that this development policy financing will help bolster the government’s Resilient Institutions for Sustainable Economy Program.
The RISE Program is a part of a set of measures Pakistan has undertaken towards recovery from the impact of the pandemic. The program aims to stimulate investment in human capital, expand social safety nets, improve the emergency health infrastructure and foster economic growth.
The investment bank stated that the latest loan brings AIIB total support to Pakistan’s Covid-19 response to $750 million.
The statement mentioned that the health crisis is expected to have far-ranging and long-term repercussions on growth, which may undermine the hard-fought progress the country has made in restoring macroeconomic stability.
The AIIB said that pandemic has taken a toll on employment in the formal and informal sectors, with the poor, women and other vulnerable groups disproportionately affected.
“The pandemic has rapidly evolved in Pakistan and now threatens to undo many of the hard-won gains made in reducing poverty over the past two decades,’ said AIIB Vice President, Investment Operations, Konstantin Limitovskiy.
“Our immediate support is critical and will contribute to the government’s efforts to mitigate pandemic-related shocks, so that the country may continue on its path to sustainable development,” he said.
The AIIB said it does not have a regular instrument for policy-based financing, the Bank is extending such financing on an exceptional basis under its Covid-19 Crisis Recovery Facility to support its members through projects co-financed with the World Bank or the Asian Development Bank.
It merits mentioning that The World Bank had announced in December 2023 that its board of directors had approved the long-awaited $350 million loan ‘2nd Resilient Institutions for Sustainable Economy (RISE-II) Operation’ to Pakistan to support key macroeconomic reforms in energy, taxation and business environment.
As per the announcement of the bank, the financing was aimed to strengthen fiscal management and promote competitiveness for sustained and inclusive economic growth
The operation contributes to better fiscal management by improving fiscal policy coordination, enhancing debt transparency and management, strengthening the taxation of property, and improving the financial viability of the power sector, the bank had said, adding that the financing seeks to foster growth and competitiveness by reducing the cost of tax compliance, improving financial sector transparency, encouraging the use of digital payments, and promoting exports by lowering import tariffs.
The bank believed that Pakistan needed urgent fiscal and structural reforms to restore macroeconomic balance and lay the foundations for sustainable growth.
“RISE-II completes the first phase of tax, energy and business climate reforms geared to raising additional revenues, improve the targeting of expenditures and stimulate competition and investment.”
World Bank’s team leader for the operation Derek H. C. Chen said that based on the foundations laid through RISE II and parallel support by other international financial institutions, Pakistan had the opportunity to tackle long-standing structural distortions in its economy after the upcoming general elections. “Failing to use this opportunity would risk plunging the country back into stop-and-go economic cycle,” he said.
Importantly, the combined $600m program would help Pakistan shore up foreign exchange reserves while taking measures to enhance the policy and institutional framework for improved fiscal management and regulatory conditions that support growth and competitiveness.

Engr. Najeeb resolves to contest for second term, expects allies’ support Contesting for the last time; Oldies should leave space for younger lot, PEC Chairman PEC advices former chairmen bracing for polls

on 03/01/2024

Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) Engr. Muhammad Najeeb Haroon is determined to contest PEC Elections 2024 for the second term and expects that his key allies—National Engineers Association (NEA), led by Engr. Abdul Qadir Shah and Engr. Mukhtar Sheikh will support him.
‘Contesting for the second tenure is my right {by the Act} and also necessary for the continuity of the programs, of them a number are very innovative ones like the On Job Training (OJT) Program and have benefitted engineers in Pakistan’, Engr. Haroon told Engineering Review.
I have already announced in clear terms that I would contest the PEC elections and also communicated this to my allies, friends, and my team, now it’s their decision if they continue to support me, says Engr. Haroon. However, he said he expected his allies to stand along with him like they did in the last elections.
”The PEC Elections 2024 would be my last election which I shall contest in the PEC he declared saying he would never cling to it and leave space for younger generations.
Chairman PEC who presided over the council’s last GB meeting of the year 2023 with a major decision to declare the Year 2024 as the Year of Information Technology, aimed to transform the council into a technology-driven headquarters of engineers in Pakistan where colonial-style files tied with red ribbons have outplaced the offices at Islamabad advised all ‘oldies’ aspirants of top office who have already held the office of the chairman should step down for the younger generations.
Engr. Najeeb says Pakistan’s young engineers are not impotent that the older lot is clung to power and never allowed their younger generations to take the reins. Without taking their names, he advised previous chairmen of the PEC, for floating younger leaders from their camps for the next PEC Elections.
Engr. Haroon justified his candidature for the next term on the basis of what he termed as his performance which included his efforts to transform the council into a well-connected organization at the national as well as the international levels.
He said he brought professionals to the council in various departments especially in Finance and IT. Now, they will celebrate the year 2024 as the year of IT and shall computerize all departments from top to bottom so that transparency is ensured in all processes of registrations and services to engineers and create swift connectivity with consultants both at the national as well as international levels.
Engr. Haroon claimed the PEC is now connected with international engineering organizations and has earned appreciation at various forums including the one held in Dubai recently.
A Washington Accord Review team has recently visited various universities in Pakistan and we are sure to be able to have a 6-year extension in the program, he says.
Engr. Haroon said he launched the On Job Training (OJT) Program under which over 4000 young engineers have been trained and many have gotten jobs in those organizations. This program would continue until all engineers are accommodated in their jobs, he declared.
The PEC chairman who inaugurated the council’s Lahore Regional Office, an 8-storey building in the heart of the city on the eve of the GB moot believes he has sufficient performance points to claim the second stint in the office revealing that the council has decided to fund 593 final year projects of the students of engineering universities across Pakistan. Never has happened and no one has ever taken such decisions, he says. This is an outcome of a grand moot of 102 engineering universities of Pakistan that was organized in Faisalabad by the council . Capstone 2024 will be held in Islamabad and all the provincial capitals showcasing final year engineering projects which in the past mostly become part of decorative objects in universities’ shelves, Engr. Najeeb says.

Variants of Electrospray Ionization

on 20/11/2023

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry or, less frequently, electrospray mass spectrometry are the two names for ESI-based mass spectrometry.
ESI is referred to as a “soft ionization” approach because there is hardly any fragmentation. Although the molecular ion (or more precisely, a pseudo molecular ion) is almost always detected, this can be helpful because very little structural information can be gleaned from the straightforward mass spectrum. Electrospray is used to disperse the liquid containing the target analytes into a fine aerosol. The usual solvents for electrospray ionization are made by combining water with volatile organic molecules since the ion production requires considerable solvent evaporation (e.g. methanol acetonitrile). Compounds that improve conductivity, such as acetic acid, are typically added to the solution to reduce the initial droplet size. Additionally, these species serve as a source of protons to speed up the ionization process. In addition to the high temperature of the ESI source, large-flow electrosprays can benefit from the nebulization of a heated inert gas like nitrogen or carbon dioxide.
The ions detected by mass spectrometry may be quasimolecular ions, which are denoted [M + H]+ when a hydrogen cation is added, [M + Na]+ when a sodium ion is added, or [M H] when a hydrogen nucleus is removed. Multiple-charged ions, such [M + nH]n+, are frequently seen. Numerous charge states can exist in massive macromolecules, creating a distinctive charge state envelope.
Because of the significantly smaller initial droplets created by the electrosprays when they are operated at low flow rates, ionization efficiency is increased. Significant sensitivity gains could be achieved with lower flow rates, as low as 200 nL/min, according to a 1993 study by Gale and Richard D. Smith. Two research teams came up with the term micro-electrospray (microspray) in 1994 to describe electrosprays that operate at low flow rates. Emmett and Caprioli showed that operating the electrospray at 300–800 nL/min resulted in increased performance for HPLC–MS analyses. Wilm and Mann showed that an electrospray at the tip of emitters made by drawing glass capillaries to a few micrometres may be sustained at a capillary flow of less than 25 nL/min.
In a two-step procedure called laser-based electrospray-based ambient ionization, material from a sample is desorbed or ablated using a pulsed laser, and then a plume of that material interacts with an electrospray to produce ions. The sample substance is deposited on a target close to the electrospray for ambient ionization. Material from the sample is ejected from the surface and into the electrospray, which creates highly charged ions, when the laser desorbs or ablates it. These include laser ablation electrospray ionization, matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization, and electrospray laser desorption ionization. The study of noncovalent gas phase interactions also makes use of electrospray ionization. It is believed that noncovalent compounds from the liquid phase can be transferred into the gas phase using the electrospray method without affecting the non-covalent interaction. When analyzing ligand substrate complexes by ESI-MS or nanoESI-MS, issues such non-specific interactions have been found. Investigating the relationships between enzymes and medications that function as their inhibitors is a fascinating example of this. ESI has been employed in competition experiments between STAT6 and inhibitors to screen for potential novel medication candidates. Smaller droplets are produced and only a few microliters of a sample are consumed during nano-electrospray ionization. The reduced electrospray droplet size made it possible to perform successful desolvation and ion production at low flow rates, which was a specific advantage of operating at low pressure.

‘Global Leader Panel Discussion: Charting STEM Career’ at MUET Jamshoro 70 pc females in STEM not contributing due to different reasons Striking balance between professional work and the family; extremely difficult to give 100 percent either side.

on 20/11/2023

A group of highly regarded women engineers working with leading engineering universities and organizations around the world came to a consensus during a panel discussion at Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro that it is almost impossible to strike a balance between professional work and the family and thus it turns extremely difficult to give 100 percent either side.
They talked about launching proper training for women so that they took active participation in working committees, created resilience and assertiveness, and have potential work-from-home opportunities to balance family needs and thus reduce stress.
Titled as ‘Global Leader Panel Discussion: Charting STEM Career’ was part of the International Women Engineers Conference, organized by the Women Engineers Development Committee (WEDC) of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) held at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro.
The panelists included Dr. Mamiko Reeves, International Programs Strategist, Northwood University, Midland, Michigan, United States, Dr. Alex Lockwood, Strategic Content Integrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Dr. Alberta Adjebeng Biritwum-Nyarko, Director, Policy Planning Monitoring & Evaluation, Division, Ghana Health Service Headquarters, Shelley J. Bausch, Senior Vice President, Global Industrial Coatings and Prof. Dr. Khadija Qureshi, Convener, Women Engineer Development Committee, PEC, Chairperson, Department of Chemical, Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology Jamshoro. Dr. Mamiko Reeves moderated the session.
They were of the view that engineering plays an important role in solving global challenges, and driving innovations for its continuous success a diversified pool is needed. Women Engineer Development Committee (WEDC) of the Pakistan Engineering Council contributes to a diverse and innovative engineering workforce.
The panel discussion started with the sharing of the journeys of the panelists and how they could manage to reach these leadership positions. They emphasized the challenges of balancing work and family, discussing their commitment to caring for both their families and professional roles. Early experiences in taking care of younger siblings were highlighted as formative. The panelists addressed the importance of promoting healthy relationships within working teams, effective interactions with women in various positions, and the development of a nurturing culture to support one another in organizations. While talking about balancing work and family, the panelists said that it is quite difficult rather impossible to give 100 percent to both.
Panelists were asked about the values they would like to impart through their work, and they underscored commitment, teamwork, creating a friendly workplace culture, integrity, adaptability, honesty, effective coordination, respect for coworkers, and encouragement of those striving for the organization’s success. They also emphasized the idea that a leader’s success lies in building other leaders.
As per the recent survey, 30 percent of women in STEM are employed whereas 20 percent are unemployed and 50 percent are not working or taking part in any activity due to various reasons. Collectively, 70% of females in STEM are not contributing due to different reasons. There is a high need for improvement and working for the empowerment of these ladies so effective output should be obtained for the women in STEM.
The panelists recommended mentoring as crucial for women’s career development and higher education, the importance of doing good and being good, self-assessment for daily progress, and the significance of both formal and informal mentoring. They stated that mentoring is very important and it gives important life lessons also.
Regarding opportunities to change things for women in work organizations, the panelists supported proper training for women, active participation in working committees, resilience and assertiveness, potential work-from-home opportunities to balance family needs and reduce stress, and the encouragement of the younger generation to gain skills, seek opportunities, and inspire leaders to recognize their potential.
It’s high time academicians, government and industry can work together to develop strategies to help demystify engineering making it more accessible to women and young people and empowering them to realize their potential in the field of engineering.n