THE CENTRE of excellence in the energy sector is constituted with the aim of institutionalizing the human resource development, research and outreach strategy. Collaborating universities will identify fields in which they want to mentor the human resource talent, develop technologies to attract capital investment necessary to create and sustain excellence, on collaboration with the private sector, to grow the economy of the country and the region as a whole. A motivated team of professionals is to embark upon national programmes in the energy sector defines the primary outfit for this centre.
NUST is one of the few Pakistani universities to practically engage in industry collaboration. It has a longstanding relationship with the Pakistani industry. Much of the research adopted by the various schools at NUST derives from the necessity to maintain a high level of skill and technical RandD capability to fulfil the requirements of Pakistan’s industries.
The objective of the centre is to introduce and consolidate new programsme, especially national projects that can be directly integrated with larger initiatives in the country. Biofuels from energy crops (non-edible) and coal gasification and conversion to high quality motor fuel are relevant examples.
Goals of the centre include increasing the number of highly qualified and award winning tenure track faculty at NUST, assembling an outstanding additional pool of science and engineering regular research faculty with relevant expertise in the form of visiting industrial chairs, and attracting the best and brightest students to NUST focused on energy related and environmental sciences and research. This critical mass and intellectual capital will greatly enhance our range of expertise, educational programmes, research capabilities, the potential of increasing rapid development of additional breakthrough technologies activities, the long-term research and educational activities in energy and environment-related discipline, the ability to propel our current research strength to the next level, and the ability to form a focus area for University research in all fields, including those outside of the sciences and engineering.
The energy centre outreach is triggered by its interaction with its multiple research and technical collaboration partners both at home and abroad. The Center at NUST is already connected with counterparts in the US and elsewhere in the world. Under the current HEC-USAID initiative NUST is committed to make this centre a world class energy identity of excellence, whereby pilot plants in the areas of accelerated biofuels, more efficient microhydel turbines, gas to liquid processes, solar modules and thin films, and indigenous development of windmills will be rigorously taken up.
The centre will focus on meeting advanced research needs of the energy industry through expansion of research activities, joint industry academic research and technology development, flexibility in intellectual property agreements and additional graduate student fellowships. It will work as an international knowledge harbinger to prop up the information exchange of energy ideas and technology developments. Educational and research activities will engage energy companies and academic and government organizations to associate with research groups and project teams at the NUST. Such partnerships will solve pressing front line research problems and engage in long term high risk research projects important to our energy future.