27-year-old Usman was awarded the Commonwealth’s highest honor for young achievers by its newly appointed youth ambassador, Prince Harry of England in recognition of his efforts to promote and advance entrepreneurship.

Usman an engineer of the Ghulam Ishaq Khan (GIK) Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology went onto pursue his Masters in engineering management from Australia. After the completion of his degree with Distinction from the University of Wollongong he faced major roadblocks in pursuing a career in his new home country.

He then went on to cofound Catalysr a first of its kind startup incubator for refugees and migrant workers in Australia that enables and empowers migrants to start their own businesses using the skills and talent they already possess. It is a social enterprise that seeks to cultivate the mindset and skillset necessary for becoming a future business leader.

“A lot of migrants and refugees who come to Australia can’t get into employment for various reasons, cultural barriers, language barriers, helping them say there’s an alternative solution to employment which is entrepreneurship,” he said. He added “We don’t tell people what to do. We find a problem they’re trying to fix through their business, then help them with mentoring and capital to help it become a reality.”

Dozens have budding entrepreneurs and innovators have gone through the program so far ranging from an Egyptian food truck, to people trying to print 3D diamonds.  His venture extends support to a diverse community of migrants with entrepreneurial ideas. His enterprise operates with the goal “to provide an alternate pathway to people and unleash their untapped potential to help change the landscape not just for them but also their communities.”

The Accelertaor program is also complimented with a podcast that features Migrapreneur Stories of different startups in the industry to help other adopt best practices.

References:

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1688706/3-pak-australian-engineer-bags-commonwealth-young-person-year-award/

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/australian-who-empowers-migrants-in-business-takes-out-commonwealth-youth-award

https://nation.com.pk/18-Apr-2018/commonwealth-young-person-of-the-year-pakistani-australian-engineer-steals-the-show?show=preview/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/usmaniftikhar/

https://www.dawn.com/news/1402339

The Transform Fund, launched last month in Tunisia aims to foster sustainable solutions through funding innovation and entrepreneurship in developing Muslim countries. Its mission is in alignment with UN’s Sustainable Development Goals that also aim to make provision for greater food security, healthy lifestyle, inclusive and equitable education, sustainable management of water and sanitation, access to affordable and clean energy, and sustainable industrialization across the developing world.

The fund was launched at the IsDB group’s Annual General Meeting in Tunisia. Speaking at the event H.E. Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank said: “The Islamic Development Bank understands that people living in the developing world need more than just grant funding. They need sustainable solutions to help them build their own way out of poverty. At the same time, we do need to offer access to the resources they need to realize their goals and change the world. That is why we have launched Transform. We know that real financial support in the science and technology sectors is needed in order to drive inclusive and sustainable development. Transform will ensure our members have access to a vital flow of financing facilities to help finance innovative ideas linked to real development solutions.”

In addition the IsDB has also established two high level boards that constitute the world’s leading scientists, thinkers and policy makers who will provide counsel and expertise to ensure the fund is able to achieve its ultimate development objective.

The IsDB Scientific Advisory Board includes ten leading scientists including Prof. Zakri Abdul Hamid, Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia and Abdallah Daar, Professor of Public Health Sciences and of Surgery, University of Toronto. They will provide guidance in setting the Bank’s Science, Technology and Innovation strategy and will review applications for funding.

Moreover a Board of Trustees that constitutes dignitaries like Dr. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank Group and Mr. Mehmet Simsek, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey among others has been set up to ensure that the fund works to accelerate economic and social progress in the developing world through the power of science, technology and innovation.

The launch event featured a host of prominent leaders including Dr. Hayat Sindi, Scientific Advisor to the IsDB and member of the UN Scientific Advisory Board. He said: “The projects supported by the Transform Fund will greatly benefit local communities in our member countries, as well as Muslim communities in non-member countries. We know that science and technology are critical enablers of every Sustainable Development Goal, which is why we are focusing so much of our attention on innovative partnerships built around science and tech-led solutions. Through Engage and the Transform Fund, we look to foster collaboration from all around the world to help ensure that everyone has the right to live in dignity and with access to basic human needs.”

Applicants who are interested in securing seed money for their startups or SMEs are invited to submit their business proposals by July 31, 2018.

References:

https://www.isdb-pilot.org/

https://aa.com.tr/en/economy/islamic-bank-idb-officially-launches-500m-science-fund/1107046

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-islamic-development-bank-launches-500m-innovation-fund-to-fuel-economic-growth-in-developing-world-678838373.html

https://www.isdb-engage.org/en/challenge/call-for-innovation-via-transform-fund

With the global introduction of high speed modes of transportation the UAE government sprang to the challenge of advancing these highly automated future transport systems on its home ground.
Which is why the first ever hyper loop passenger pods were unveiled at UAE’s Innovation exhibit at the final week of UAE innovation Month. The exhibit which was open to the public gave visitors a chance to witness the futuristic transportation system that is believed to revolutionize all aspects of terrestrial transportation.

Previously, a prototype of the Hyperloop which was initially conceptualized as a low cost, energy efficient model was unveiled by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with Virgin Hyperloop One at City Walk. This move comes in the wake of one of many tangible efforts by the country to make 25 per cent of all journeys to be driverless by 2030.
The Hyperloop pod which is slated to be launched by 2020, is furnished with leather seats and high definition screens for displaying information. Each pod has the capacity to accommodate 12 passengers who will be travelling at speeds of over 1,000 kilometers an hour, making the normal 2 hour journey in under 12 minutes only. The Hyperloop will initially make journeys between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah and Dubai.

The hyperloop is designed in a way that the passenger pod is enclosed in a tube under a partial vacuum. The pods are made to levitate through the vacuum tube with the help of an electromagnetic propulsion system. The system hovers above the ground and is held in place by concrete columns thereby maintaining a straight trajectory. The pods do not have windows to avoid motion sickness.

A statement revealed that His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, director general of the RTA, said: ‘When introduced in future, the hyperloop technology will impact the town planning and the availability of parking spaces. ‘It will revolutionize people mobility between various destinations in the city, logistical hubs like airports and ports, and shipping patterns.

‘These pods, the first of their kind worldwide, have been designed to travel over short and medium distances on dedicated lanes. ‘They can be coupled in 15 to 20 seconds or detached, depending on the destination of riders, in five seconds. ‘They are fitted with cameras and electro-mechanical technologies to carry out the coupling and detaching processes, and this feature can be activated in-motion.’

Sources:
https://www.thenational.ae/uae/transport/first-look-prototype-for-hyperloop-unveiled-in-dubai-1.706889
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/transport/video-rta-unveils-hyperloop-prototype-in-uae-innovation-month-

This year’s edition of the World Science Forum was held under the banner of ‘Science for Peace’ – a theme that may have appeared out of place only a decade ago but not in present times and certainly not in the Middle East which, today, is again one of the most volatile regions of the world and stands at a crossroads.  Nobody could ignore the irony of what had happened just over the preceding weekend as the bitter rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran promised to throw the region into yet another conflict, this time in the neighboring Lebanon.

The regional context notwithstanding, this was the first and the largest ever gathering of science policy makers in the Middle East, in particular, and the Islamic World, in general, and Jordan could be immensely proud of its achievement to accord science, often neglected in the region, with the status at the center stage that it did, albeit only for a short period of a week.

The WSF 2017 was held under the patronage of HRH King Abdullah ibn Al Hussein of Jordan and HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, Chair of WSF 2017 and President of the Royal Scientific Society. Welcoming the audience to the event King Abdullah expressed his hope that Jordan will act as an accelerator of global scientific collaboration, opportunity, and peace.

The focus of the four day Forum was on global issues like water scarcity, food security, energy and the right to education. Participants emphasized that science plays a vital role in creating equality and provides opportunities for growth. A partnership on Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) was also initiated to promote research and development in water availability and sustainable food production.

The event’s opening ceremony was marked by the entrance of “Pepper” the first humanoid robot in Jordan. The robot rolled on the stage accompanied by the Japanese-American physicist and futurist Michio Kaku. Speaking to the audience it announced its plans to stay in Jordan where it would be working with a team of students in the field of robotics, hardware and programming at the Princess Sumaya University for Technology. Later in the evening, Professor Michio Kaku, a keynote speaker at the event, declared that science is the engine of prosperity and called for all nations to capitalize on its remarkable benefits.

A plenary session was also held on ‘The opportunity and Challenges of Digital Transformation’. Damon Horowitz a philosophy professor and serial entrepreneur stressed on the need to devise innovative approaches to problem solving. He remarked, “We cannot solve the problems of today with the same mindset we had when we created them”. Abier Amarin Director CRDF Global MENA emphasized on the need to build a trust relationship between policy makers and young scientists. The forum also featured a panel discussion on cross disciplinary areas of science.

A number of international science organizations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),  International Council for Science (ICSU), World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, also featured at the Conference and organized several sessions.

One of these side events was also a Meeting of the Task Force on the Culture of Science in the Muslim World – an initiative of the Muslim World Science – that brought together 12 leading scholars from around the Muslim World into a two-day huddle to discuss ideas and issues that form the culture of science in the Muslim World.

The Task Force is being chaired by HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan and was convened by Prof. Nidhal Guessoum, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at American University of Sharjah and co-Convened by Dr. Moneef Zou’bi, Director General, Islamic World Academy of Sciences. Its members included, Dr. Muhammad Sabieh Anwar Associate Professor of physics at Lahore University of Management Sciences Pakistan, Dr. Athar Osama member of the Planning Commission, Government of Pakistan and also the Founder and CEO of Pakistan Innovation Foundation, Dr Dato’ Ir. Lee Yee Cheong, Honorary Chairman, International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre, Dr. Rana Dajani, Associate Professor at Hashemite University, Mohammed Yahia, the Executive Editor at Nature Middle East and President of World Federation of Science Journalists, Professor Jelel Ezzine Founding Chair Holder of UNESCO Chair on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, among various other eminent scholars, thinkers, practitioners, and science communicators from Jordan, Algeria, Tunisia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, and Lebanon. Participants discussed the reasons why a culture of science has failed to flourish in the Muslim world.

Speaking at the event Dr. Rana Dajani remarked that, “In the Muslim World, we always want quick results. We need to have a long-term view and need to strategize and implement initiatives to encourage scientific and critical thinking.”

Other task force members opined that there is a dire need of science communicators in the region who could communicate science related topics. Dr. Sabieh Anwar a proponent of quality science education in Pakistan heads an initiative that aims to develop and strengthen the science culture in Lahore’s educational institutions. He explained how his association that organized around 200 events used social media to market and promote the popular image of scientific content and method. He also shed light on the modern scientific edifice remarking that “a bulk of modern day scientific endeavors are translational”.  Other speakers noted that despite rapid global advancements in the field of science, a scientific culture has failed to take root in the Muslim world. Dr. Moneef Zou’bi, Director General, Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS) revealed that “few universities in Muslim countries have a department of science and technology studies”. He pointed out that the IAS is committed to promoting scientific and inquiry based education in these schools and universities.

Closing Declaration from the World Science Forum 2017

At the concluding session of the World Science Forum 2017 participants issued a global call to action for science and society to facilitate the role of science in addressing global challenges through science and evidence-informed policy. Members adopted a unanimous declaration in which they pledged to make sustained efforts to preserve and promote scientific capacities and harness the potential of science, technology and innovation to promote equal opportunity based sustainable and peaceful development. Partner organizations, scientists and decision makers offered their support and commitment for the launch of an Arab Science Forum to bring together science and research communities as they attempt to address critical regional challenges.

A Declaration adopted at the end of the conference highlighted five main areas on the theme of ‘Science for Peace’ for future implementation.

• The equitable and sustainable management of natural resources is essential to avoid conflicts and to promote peaceful development
• The preservation of scientific capacities, threatened by global migration trends, is key to peace, sustainable development, resilience and recovery
• Diversity is a key enabler of excellence in science, technology and innovation and is essential to optimize its relevance and impact
• A commitment to the fulfilment of the universal right to science
• Support of the launch of a regional science forum for the Arab World.

Sources:

https://worldscienceforum.org/

http://www.sciforum.hu/

https://twas.org/tags/world-science-forum

Image taken from: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/science-technology/science-governance/world-science-forum/

Team members Muhammad Dawood, Ushma Farooq, Hassan Raza, Hassnain Qasim, Ayesha Khan and Babar Nawaz were awarded a Silver medal at an award ceremony that was held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.

The global iGEM contest based on synthetic biology is a five-day event featuring oral presentations, poster presentations, workshops and social events.

This year’s participants were encouraged to design projects in the environmental/social context. The iGEM Peshawar team developed a “Reporter Fish” that is genetically engineered to detect mental contamination in water. The fish will change its color once it comes into contact with water contaminated with heavy metals or other pollutants – an indication that the waterbody is too polluted to support a population of fish for human consumption. The team self-engineered the genetic circuits for the said characteristic and tested its viability in bacterial cells. The project also featured a sensor system that alarms farmers through a text message upon detection of contaminated water.

Today, polluted seafood is a serious environmental issue. It contains an increasing level of contaminants that are causing serious health problems. The iGEM Peshawar students believe that this technology can be used by fish farmers to combat the problem of unhealthy fish and provide produce which is safe for human consumption.

iGEM is a global event that has been running for over a decade. It encourages students to solve some of the world’s most serious problems by building genetically engineered biological systems. The Pakistani cohort competed with over 90 teams whose projects were featured at the event – it also had over 3,000 synthetic biologists.  Speaking about the experience Omer Zeb from Swabi said: “Being the only electrical engineer in the team working with the undergrad biologists of Pakistan was a good experience.” Another member of the team, Hassan Raza, from Faisalabad said the project would help in combating a pressing environmental issue – water pollution.

‘I am super proud of the team who put in a lot of effort to win us a Silver medal this time. A lot of thanks to the Government of KP and CECOS university for the sponsorship and the all-out support throughout the competition this year, said Dr. Faisal Khan team supervisor and the director of the Institute of Integrative Biosciences at CECOS University. ‘We hope our industry will join hands with us in IGEM 2018 like all other teams here from different countries’, he added.

This is the second time a Pakistani team has participated and won in this competition. Previously, the Pakistani team was awarded a bronze medal for devising a BioSensor that recorded carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide levels being eliminated from vehicle exhausts.

Sources:

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1557867/1-pakistani-team-bag-silver-medal-igem-2017/

http://iib.cecos.edu.pk/igem-peshawar-17-wins-silver/

https://www.pakistankakhudahafiz.com/pakistani-biology-students-bag-bronze-medal-igem-world-championship/

The Dubai Media office announced plans to build the world’s biggest space simulation city to support its  Mars 2117 Project that aims to colonize the planet Mars in the next 100 years.

The ultra-modern Space City shall comprise multiple climate controlled domes designed to prevent direct exposure to solar radiation simulating Mars lack of a layer of protective gases to shield its inhabitants from solar radiation.

Scientists and engineers have considered transparent recyclable plastic material as viable option for constructing the giant inflatable dome like structures. Laboratories inside the facility will simulate temperature conditions similar to Mars which are much lower than on earth. However, it not clear how the City will simulate Maritian gravity at 38% of earth’s gravity.

The facility that will attempt to construct “a viable and realistic model to simulate living on the surface of Mars” is the brain child of the celebrated Danish architect Bjarke Ingels; and is a collaboration between his firm BIG, the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, and the Dubai Municipality.

The mock multi-domed Martian complex is set to house various scientific laboratories dedicated to space research and planetary exploration, a museum 3-D printed from desert sand, and an amphitheater for recreational and educational purposes. The laboratories will serve as testing sites for food and water security, agricultural farming and energy generation in the future.

UAE recently announced its plan to build a Mars Scientific City on the outskirts of Dubai

A museum to celebrate “humanity’s greatest space achievements” will also be built within the Space City. Its walls shall be 3D printed from the desert sand thus testing the concept on 3D printing human settlements from Mars own resources. An interactive educational zone will draw the attention of the youth and invoke a passion for outer space research and exploration.

One of the highlights of the space age Martian complex would be its inhabitants. It aims to house a team of earthly Martians for a year to work together on develop self-sufficient technologies in energy, food and water.

The UAE’s ambitious plan to build a prototype city as part of its vision to make huge strides in space exploration is one of the biggest initiative in planetary science and space travel from the Muslim world.

This is an extension of the same vision – the Emirates Mars Mission under which UAE will send an unmanned probe to Mars by 2020 which would make it the first Muslim country to send a probe to Mars. By announcing its Mars 2117 Initiative, UAE has now put a stake in for an even greater challenge of Mars Colonisation.

References:

http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/space-flight-news/united-arab-emirates-build-mars-science-city/

https://www.sciencealert.com/to-prepare-for-mars-the-uae-is-building-a-simulated-martian-city-on-earth

https://www.popsci.com/united-arab-emirates-mars-city-pictures?src=SOC&dom=

Nanotechnology, a field that attracts billions of dollars of research funding and thousands of scientists and engineers, has been hailed as the technology of the 21st century. With its revolutionary approach to problem solving by challenging the limits of engineering at smaller than micro-level, it gives us access to a hitherto untapped resource, the building blocks of matter themselves. It captures the imagination and affords us the luxury to dream of solutions to contemporary problems facing the human race such as acute diseases, the energy crisis, the food security,  and the scarcity of clean water.

How does Nanotechnology work?

The ‘Nano’ technology works through the manipulation of matter at the size and on a scale no bigger than 100 nanometers, quite literally atom-by-atom. When imagining the molecular construction of any object it is clear that atoms at the surface are but a small fraction of the entire collection . Through miniaturization, however, the ratio of surface to bulk atoms goes up. This allows the material that is being manipulated to exhibit new, sometimes novel and unique properties, as the surface atoms begin to exhibit a more dominant character within the overall scheme of things. Through rigorous scientific discovery and exploration, nanomaterials have improved the mechanical, electrical, optical, and chemical performance of many industry staples.

Wonder World of Nanotechnology

Fascinating examples of nanomaterials discovered thus far include: fiber stronger than spider web; metal that is hundredfold stronger than steel; plastics that conduct electricity; silicon that glows, catalysts that respond more quickly; coatings that are nearly frictionless, materials that change color and become transparent on demand. The impetus of funding nanotechnology is the exploitation of nano-materials as building blocks for manufacturing better products that are lighter, stronger and cheaper (at minimum cost) and with new functions that have applications in health, agriculture, energy, information, defense and security, providing jobs, economic growth and improvement in that standard of living.

These applications range from the mundane – nano engineered particles can make vinyl floors tough enough to last a lifetime – to the extraordinary – the biomedical applications speed drugs through the human circulatory system and improve diagnostics and treatment. Other applications are futuristic, such as nano-sized robots programmed to take care of our material needs.

The importance of nanotechnology is highlighted by the billions of dollars that are invested worldwide and by a projected market size of $1 trillion in the next 10 years. Western countries have established national initiatives outlining R & D and commercialization policy. Asian countries have since followed suit and some countries in the Muslim World have entered the race.

Nanotech hits Commercialization problems

While the promise of nanotechnology has been immense, it has hit a snag when it comes to commercialization. Fifteen years after the US Government launched its National Nanotechnology Initiative, nanotechnology in the hands of all and sundry has remained an illusive dream. While some household products with small applications of nanotechnology have been developed, it is yet to deliver a game changing application that is  both cutting edge and available to all those who need it, such as smart anticancer therapeutics that can destroy tumors, or lighter and thinner body armor to save the lives of soldiers. This has dampened the enthusiasm for nanotechnology. Indeed commercial targets have lagged behind.

The problem is not financial or managerial, rather one of fundamental mass production and safety. Nanotechnology as of today suffers from several basic problems that delay large-scale commercialization. The challenges include the ability to:

•    Create nano-materials with precision, control and repeatability, and  do so in a timely manner
•    Maintain a competitive price and a scale of production that meets consumer demand,
•    Remain conscious of safety and environmental sustainability.

Increasingly, governments – particularly in the United States which is both the largest spender and the biggest commercial market for technology products – are seeking to catalyse commercialization.

Early efforts on nanotechnology in the Muslim World
Generally, there is lack of significant presence of Muslim representation in nanotechnology. The majority of the countries are into the phase of mere fact-finding, and holding conferences. However, there are a few Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, and Malaysia that recently instated concerted initiatives to build knowledge-based economies as well as champion nanotechnology.

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) launched a national nanotechnology initiative and established a national center in 2005 just six years after the US’s initiative, which was followed by more initiatives by the King and the government to establish nanotech centers across the country. Iran entered the field as early as 2003, when it established a special committee under the direct supervision of the President to develop nanotechnology, which resulted in 40 nano companies. Iran ranks number 1 in the entire Muslim World and number 32 worldwide in nanotechnology development.

By 2008 Egypt, in collaboration with IBM, opened its first nanotech center. Turkey developed its national research facility and center of excellence in nanotechnology as early as 2006-2007 at Bilkent University. Malaysia introduced the NanoMalaysia Centers of Excellence in 2011, as well as NanoFund and Nano Malaysia Berhad (NMB), as the lead driver for the industry. The allocated resources are sizable, yet they fall short of the scale developed nations allocate. We believe time is of the essence since increasing market-based barriers, such as patents, and moderate or limited participation of Muslim countries may promote greater global technological divides.
Having fallen behind Muslim  countries need to play catch-up. However, they are still within striking distance. Difficulties can be alleviated by the adoption of integrated, aggressive processes of transfer, absorption, and re-innovation. The process can be accelerated if the Muslim World can pool resources or adopt an ‘Open Innovation’ approach to advance commercialization challenges.   Focusing on commercialization shall also pave way for greater government interest and bring resources to the table. Once it is clear that the development of nanotechnology can advance the broader national development agendas, the governments may rally behind this technology of great national importance.

Last word on Commercialisation
It is not sufficient to adopt aggressive national policies as the catch-up process proves to be inherently complex, incremental, and costly. What we need to quickly narrow the gap are strategies and mechanisms with potential to lead to significant breakthroughs.
Countries in the Muslim World must either focus on being an  innovator (i.e. the first to develop or patent an idea) or a  product pioneer (i.e. the first to have a working model). They must also constantly balance between the strategy of being either ‘First Movers’ or Fast Followers – each with its own strengths and weaknesses..
We believe, the Fast Follower model strategy is more suited for developing countries, especially when dealing with a technology that is new and targeting a world market where it is difficult to understand (i) the business model, (ii) the customer’s problems and (iii) the features needed to solve those problems. First Movers tend to launch without fully understanding customer preferences or the product features that meet the consumer’s more specific demands. They end-up being very susceptible to burning through their invested cash. Fast followers win more often because they learn from the first-mover problems.

Having said all, one fact remains true: Muslim countries cannot afford to stay as spectators any more, watching another technological revolution leave them behind.

Prof. Munir Nayfeh is a Palestinian American scientist working at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne. He is also one of our 14 most exciting nano-technologists in Muslim World. 

Iran is civilisation that is several thousand years old. Some believe that what was once Persia was the cradle of civilisation. Many of early contributions of Muslim Scientists originating out of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad were inspired by the works of now forgotten. Persian scholars and philosophers. Legend has it that a substantial part of Greek science and philosophy was also influenced by Persian scholars by virtue of their impact on Aristotle as he passed through Persia along with the army of Alexander the Great.

If all this were to be true, and it probably is, today’s science in technology is in debt of thousand of years of tradition of scholarship of unknown Persian scholars and philosophers.

In recent past, Persia (now Iran) has been through a difficult period in their history. An impasse with United States and the West has left them isolated in the World and hence falling somewhat behind in the realm of science, technology, and innovation, though this isolation has also had the effect of inspiring Iranians to not depend on the West and develop an indigenous capability in science and technology.

Despite the Western Sanctions, Iran has a fairly decent educational system that continuously produces some highly talented and hardworking people – particularly scientists and engineers for the social-system somehow favors STEM careers – that are not only capable of carrying out some quality science at home but are also in great demand abroad (see article on Sharif University of Technology).

Iran’s scientific, technological, innovative, and recently entrepreneurial capabilities are some of most well-kept secrets in the World. The following infographic illustrates some the key features of the Iranian STI eco-system.

(Click here to download the high resolution version of this infographic)

Infograhic by: Rimsha Ali Shah and Hifza Sajjad