16 February 2004	Monday	24 Zilhaj 1424

SWABI, Feb 15: The National Centre for Physics Islamabad's director Dr Riazuddin has exhorted youngsters to adopt science as a career because the progress of a country hinged on the development of science and technology.

Addressing the concluding day of All Pakistan Science Contest 2004 as chief guest at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology here on Saturday, he said in the process of becoming scientists "you need to understand the natural rules and regulations governing the universe we inhabit."

"You (young scientists) can learn the values of honesty, creativity and focus on researches which are the hallmarks of science. Science is really special. It really is the best way of understanding how the world works", he observed.

Knowledge acquired by basic science yields a vast technical return and there is not a single industry today that does not make use of the results of atomic physics or modern chemistry, said the co-author of three reputed books.

The advances and breakthroughs of 20th century ushered in a new era of discovery. "They have touched every aspect of our society from health care to national security and understanding of earth's environment," he said, adding that the continued breakthroughs "have brought in the information age."

He urged scientists to learn about the history of science which could make them feel why it was worthwhile to study the subject. As a scientist, he said, "you are probably not going to get rich but you will have the satisfaction of being knowledgeable."

Science, he said, could contribute to economic welfare because scientific knowledge and innovation "are the key elements" buttressing production and economic development.

The human life, he said, was transformed much more drastically than it was the case 50/60 years back. As a consequence the jobs will become increasingly more sophisticated and would use new knowledge. An individual would be expected to have more than one career during his life-time.

He said: "It plays a great role in making science more exciting for young students. We have the talent but what we need to do is to organize it to make it more productive."

Rector of the institute Prof Dr Muhammad Naseer Khan said the educational institutions "are known for the quality of their faculty and the students they produce."

Earlier, Dr Riazuddin gave away prizes to the winners of the Science Contest. Anna Arbab, Qandeel Malik and Javeria Hayat of Jinnah College for Women, Peshawar, won the science trophy and kasoti round while the winners of eureka round were Sayed Muhammad Abbas Sherazi, Usman Jawaid and Sabibur Rehman of Saint Mary's Academy, Lalazar, Rawalpindi.