(NOTE: Blog posted by me - Faiz Alnajdi who is the Middle East Bureau Chief of PKonweb.com and DesPardes.com. I am pesently in USA and have attended an engineering conference in Las Vegas and read my latest research paper (17th) on low cost roof design).
The ISEC-5 Conference was held at Las Vegas between Sep 22 and Sept 27 . It was as usual well-attended.
I also attended this Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction (aka: ISEC-5). It was hosted by University of Nevada at Las Vegas.
I also presented my research paper entitled, "Precast Ferrocement Barrel Shell Planks as Low Cost Roofs" in the afternoon session of 24th Sept 24th.
The Conference was attended by professional engineers, researchers and academics from over 33 countries in which over 170 research papers on latest Structural Design & Engineering matters were accepted, read and presented to the attendees.
Being a Pakistani professional civil and structural engineer living and working in Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, I am very proud to have represented both Saudi Arabia as well as Pakistan at this august international forum.
However, it was very sad to notice that Pakistani professional engineers both from
the industry and the academics either from Pakistan or living elsewhere were conspicuously absent at this forum.
On the other hand I could see an active participation from a large number of Indian professional engineers, researchers and academics both from within the United States and outside - that is from India itself.
Even several Bangladeshi delegates were seen at this forum. Some from the Arab countries, that is from Egypt and Syria also participated.
The question that immediately came to my mind and I am still very perturbed at this phenomenon was, "why Pakistani professional engineers, researchers and the academics remain so conspicuously absent in such international forums?"
I think this is too serious a matter to be ignored at any level of our society. Such absentism leaves a very bad impression on both Pakistan and Pakistani professionals, engineers, researchers and academics.
It is also very important to mention here that this is not the first occasion where I had observed such a conspicuous absence of the Pakistani engineers, researchers and the academics.
I regret to mention here that on similar international forums in the past also I have observed the same scenario.
To substantiate it, I must mention here that I was not able find a single Pakistani, either coming from within the United States or from Pakistan, at the 5th International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering (aka: 5icchge) which was hosted by the University of Missouri at Rolla in New York during April 13 thru 16 2004.
On that occasion too I had proudly presented my research findings both as a Pakistani and as a Saudi engineer and had presented two papers.
In my opinion, these are not lone incidents. I hate to say here that I see a pattern - a pattern of regression. We see Pakistan as a state and Pakistanis as a nation regressing instead of progressing.
While our neighbors and all others are continuously marching ahead and progressing in all fields, we unfortunately seem to be regressing fast on this front at least if not all fronts.
Pakistani professional engineers, researchers and academics also seem to find themselves trapped under the same regressing influence and cycle.
I must say this trend of regression must be confronted otherwise very soon Pakistan and the Pakistanis would find themselves forgotten by the international community and we would continue to remain in the news related to "terrorism activities alone".
With a vibrant media now and unhindred access to the web, we Pakistanis should collectively do something about this malaise. In a high technology global village now being backwards in related areas is a sure sign of disaster. Merely wearing tie and suit and Italian shoes and acting as leaders of the people means we are a disconnected whole and in a state of denial. Let's all do something about this disconnect by vowing to raise awareness of this latest scenario at the very least.
Posted by: Syed Faiz Ahmad aka: Faiz Al-Najdi
MEngg, MASCE
(Mmber: International Executive Committee - ISEC-6 in Zurich in 2011)
Chief Structural Engineer
Saudi Oger Ltd
Riyadh-Saudi Arabia
Now reporting from: New York; 29 Sept-09
The ISEC-5 Conference was held at Las Vegas between Sep 22 and Sept 27 . It was as usual well-attended.
I also attended this Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction (aka: ISEC-5). It was hosted by University of Nevada at Las Vegas.
I also presented my research paper entitled, "Precast Ferrocement Barrel Shell Planks as Low Cost Roofs" in the afternoon session of 24th Sept 24th.
The Conference was attended by professional engineers, researchers and academics from over 33 countries in which over 170 research papers on latest Structural Design & Engineering matters were accepted, read and presented to the attendees.
Being a Pakistani professional civil and structural engineer living and working in Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, I am very proud to have represented both Saudi Arabia as well as Pakistan at this august international forum.
However, it was very sad to notice that Pakistani professional engineers both from
the industry and the academics either from Pakistan or living elsewhere were conspicuously absent at this forum.
On the other hand I could see an active participation from a large number of Indian professional engineers, researchers and academics both from within the United States and outside - that is from India itself.
Even several Bangladeshi delegates were seen at this forum. Some from the Arab countries, that is from Egypt and Syria also participated.
The question that immediately came to my mind and I am still very perturbed at this phenomenon was, "why Pakistani professional engineers, researchers and the academics remain so conspicuously absent in such international forums?"
I think this is too serious a matter to be ignored at any level of our society. Such absentism leaves a very bad impression on both Pakistan and Pakistani professionals, engineers, researchers and academics.
It is also very important to mention here that this is not the first occasion where I had observed such a conspicuous absence of the Pakistani engineers, researchers and the academics.
I regret to mention here that on similar international forums in the past also I have observed the same scenario.
To substantiate it, I must mention here that I was not able find a single Pakistani, either coming from within the United States or from Pakistan, at the 5th International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering (aka: 5icchge) which was hosted by the University of Missouri at Rolla in New York during April 13 thru 16 2004.
On that occasion too I had proudly presented my research findings both as a Pakistani and as a Saudi engineer and had presented two papers.
In my opinion, these are not lone incidents. I hate to say here that I see a pattern - a pattern of regression. We see Pakistan as a state and Pakistanis as a nation regressing instead of progressing.
While our neighbors and all others are continuously marching ahead and progressing in all fields, we unfortunately seem to be regressing fast on this front at least if not all fronts.
Pakistani professional engineers, researchers and academics also seem to find themselves trapped under the same regressing influence and cycle.
I must say this trend of regression must be confronted otherwise very soon Pakistan and the Pakistanis would find themselves forgotten by the international community and we would continue to remain in the news related to "terrorism activities alone".
With a vibrant media now and unhindred access to the web, we Pakistanis should collectively do something about this malaise. In a high technology global village now being backwards in related areas is a sure sign of disaster. Merely wearing tie and suit and Italian shoes and acting as leaders of the people means we are a disconnected whole and in a state of denial. Let's all do something about this disconnect by vowing to raise awareness of this latest scenario at the very least.
Posted by: Syed Faiz Ahmad aka: Faiz Al-Najdi
MEngg, MASCE
(Mmber: International Executive Committee - ISEC-6 in Zurich in 2011)
Chief Structural Engineer
Saudi Oger Ltd
Riyadh-Saudi Arabia
Now reporting from: New York; 29 Sept-09
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