گرین یوتھ مومنٹ کلب عبد الولی خان یونیورسٹی مردان نے جامعہ میں جنگلی حیات کا عالمی دن منایا

 گرین یوتھ مومنٹ کلب عبد الولی خان یونیورسٹی مردان نے جامعہ میں جنگلی حیات کا عالمی دن منایا۔ اس موقع پر شعبہ ماحولیات میں ایک روزہ سیمینار، ادبی مقابلہ جات اور آگاہی واک کا بھی انعقاد کیا گیا جس میں جامعہ کے مختلف شعبہ جات کے طلبہ نے حصہ لیا۔ اس دن کو منانے کا مقصد جنگلی حیات کی نسل و افزائش، اس کے ماحولیات پر اثرات اور جنگلی حیات کے تحفظ کے بارے میں شعور اجاگر کرنا تھا۔ طلبہ وطالبات نے کثیر تعداد میں تحریری اور تقریری مقابلہ جات میں حصہ لیکر ماحولیاتی تبدیلی اور تحفظ پر اپنے خیالات پیش کئے۔

تقریب سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے ڈاکٹر شمس علی بیگ چترالی کا کہنا تھا کہ چترال کے پہاڑوں میں جنگلی حیات کی نایاب نسل موجود ہے جن میں قومی جانور مارخور، قومی پھول چنبیلی، قومی پرندہ چکور اور قومی درخت دیار پائے جاتے ہیں۔ ان کا کہنا تھا کہ جنگلی حیات کے تحفظ سے پاکستان کو نہ صرف ماحولیاتی فوائد بلکہ معاشی فوائد بھی حاصل ہورہے ہیں، جنکی زندہ مثال سالانہ ٹرافی ہنٹنگ اور وائلڈ لائف سائٹنگ کیلئے آنے والے سیاح ہیں۔ تقریب سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے مہمان خصوصی پروفیسر ڈاکٹر دلاور فرحان شمس نے طلباء کو اس بات کی ترغیب دی کہ وہ جنگلی حیات کے تحفظ کے لیے معاشرے میں شعور بیدار کریں اور لوگوں کو اس بات کا احساس دلائیں کہ وہ جانوروں کے غیر ضروری شکار سے پرہیز کریں، فصلوں میں کھادوں اور کیڑے مار ادویات کے استعمال کو کم کریں اور پانی کے ذخائر کا تحفظ کریں۔ انہوں نے ملک میں وسیع پیمانے پر شجر کاری اور جنگلات کے تحفظ کی اہمیت پر بھی زور دیا تاکہ خطرے سے دوچار جانوروں، پودوں اور کیڑوں کو بچایا جا سکے۔ فوکل پرسن گرین یوتھ مومنٹ حیدر علی جاوید نے پوزیشن لینے والے طلبہ کو مبارکباد دی اور ماحول کے تحفظ کیلئے کئے جانے والی کوششوں کو سراہا۔

تحریری اور تقریری مقابلہ جات میں پوزیشن لینے والے طلباء وطالبات کو انعامات سے نوازا گیا جن کی تفصیل درج ذیل ہے

پوزیشن ہولڈرز اردو تقریری مقابلہ

پہلی پوزیشن: عائشہ، زوالوجی ڈیپارٹمنٹ

دوسری پوزیشن: شریح قاضی، انگلش ڈیپارٹمنٹ 

تیسری پوزیشن: صادقہ، انوائرمنٹل سائنسز

انگلش تقریری مقابلہ: 

پہلی پوزیشن: لائبہ شاہ، کمسٹری ڈیپارٹمنٹ

دوسری پوزیشن: ہانی عالم، انوائرمنٹل سائینسز

تیسری پوزیشن: وقاص، انگلش 

اور شرکاء میں اسناد تقسیم کیے گئے۔ اس تقریب کے آخر میں آگاہی واک کا بھی انعقاد کیا گیا۔

Department of Environmental Sciences’ Research Students Received “National Climate Action Award”

 

Research Students of the Department of Environmental Sciences (AWKUM), Ms. Farzeen Sajid, Mr. Luqman Hakeem, Mr. Adil Khan received National Climate Action Award for their contributions in promoting environment-friendly biomass briquettes making from agro-wastes in nomadic communities living in Mardan. The idea is the outcomes of the research works carried out under the supervision of Dr. Shams Ali Baig, Associate Professor at the Department of Environmental Science, AWKUM.  The research team had conducted a month-long awareness campaign and demonstration sessions during November-December 2022 in the targeted communities with the support of Pakistan Red Cresent Society (PRSC).  

The research team received the National Climate Action Award from UNDP Pakistan and SDGs Academy Islamabad, Pakistan, in the ceremony “National Youth Policy Dialogue on Climate Change” help on September 13, 2023, at Marriot Hotel Islamabad. His Excellency Mr. Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem AlZaabi (Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Pakistan) and Mr. Khalil (Federal Minister for Human Rights and Women Empowerment) and the Chairman of SDGs Academy Pakistan were the guests of honor in the ceremony.

The Department of Environmental Sciences, AWKUM congratulates the research team for their incredible accomplishments.

Keep shining and inspiring others with your brilliant community services!

Department of Environmental Sciences - WALK-IN INTERVIEW for Visiting Faculty

World Water Day 2023 Celebrated at The Department of Environmental Sciences, AWKUM

 

Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan with the financial support from WaterAid Pakistan organized one day seminar after concluding a week-long awareness campaign in Schools and Colleges in District Mardan to commemorate and contribute the global movement for accelerating change to achieve SDG 6 – clean water and sanitation for all.  This was a part of the series of events organized by WaterAid Pakistan across the country to celebrate and contribute toward the global observance to raise awareness about the importance of fresh water and issues around poor WASH services. Participants from academia, civil society organizations, NGOs, water and sanitation service providers, practitioners and government line department officials attended the event.

Dr. Dilawar Farhan Shams, Chairman Department of the Environmental Sciences, AWKUM welcomed the participants and discuss the aims and objectives of the seminar. It was revealed that globally over 3.6 billion people, almost half of the world population, do not have access to safely managed sanitation at their home. Similarly, in Pakistan 4.5 million population don’t have access to drinking water along with 141 million to safe drinking water and 70 million people have limited access to sanitation facilities. Dr. Shams Ali Baig delivered a keynote talk on the theme of accelerating change to achieve the SDG targets. He highlighted the reason of the off track in achieving SDG 6 and linked with the climate change induced disasters. The importance of adequate WASH services in adhering good hygiene practices to improve the overall quality of life were briefly discussed by the panelists including, Dr. Wali Ullah Khan, Department of Chemistry, Dr. Dilawar Farhan Shams, Department of Environmental Sciences, and Mr. Rahat Ullah, Customer Service Manager WSSCM Mardan in the panel discussion.

At the end, Dr. Muhammad Idris, Director Administration, AWKUM in his closing remarks reiterated the importance of clean drinking water and thanked WaterAid Pakistan for the financial support and choosing AWKUM for this event. He also distributed certificates of appreciation and shield among the participants and organizer. The event ended with a walk within the campus to raise awareness on the World Water Day.

A week-long awareness campaign on the eve of World Water Day 2023

 

Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan with the financial support from WaterAid Pakistan has started a week-long awareness campaign in Schools and Colleges in District Mardan to commemorate and contribute the global movement for accelerating changes to achieve SDG 6 – clean water and sanitation for all.  The awareness campaign will continue till March 20, followed by a seminar on March 21, 2023. AWKUM teams conducting comprehensive awareness sessions covering the role of students in awareness raising around the theme; like, clean drinking water, adequate sanitation facilities and hygienic behavior in approving the overall health and hygiene conditions of the society. Overwhelmingly responses were received from the students and they took keen interest to interlink the poor WASH services with poor health and adequate WASH services with improved health and hygiene conditions’ conceptual model. WaterAid Pakistan and the Department of Environmental Sciences will continue to play their due roles in accelerating awareness among different stakeholders to put on track the SDG 6:  clean water and sanitation for all.

Walk-in-Interview for haring visiting faculty for the department of Environmental Sciences

Department of Environmental Sciences, AWKUM and WaterAid Pakistan Organized One Day Seminar

 

A joint seminar and painting competition was organized on the 24^th of November 2022 at the Department of Environmental Sciences, AWKUM with the support of WaterAid Pakistan to commemorate the World Toilet Day 2022. This was a part of the series of events organized by WaterAid Pakistan across the country to celebrate and contribute toward the global observance to raise awareness about the impacts of sanitation on groundwater. The aim is to make the invisible visible and promote making groundwater protection a reality. Participants from academia, civil society organizations, NGOs, water and sanitation service providers, practitioners and government line department officials attended the event.

Dr. Dilawar Farhan Shams, Chairman Department of the Environmental Sciences, AWKUM welcomed the participants and delivered a talk on the domestic wastewater treatment. Engr. Pervaiz Nasir from Water Aid Pakistan briefly discussed the aims and objectives of the event, and WaterAid interventions in Pakistan. During the session, both national and international researchers and academicians presented their research findings that broadly covered the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) thematic areas. It was revealed that over 3.6 billion people, almost half of the world population, do not have access to safely managed sanitation at their home. Similarly, in Pakistan about 30% of the population live in poor sanitation condition, 75% of toilets are not linked with septic tank, and 19% defecate in the open.

Lack of proper drainage system, poor hygiene and inappropriate latrines contribute to raising water borne diseases. The researchers explicitly linked WASH related disease transmission routes in their presentations. Dr. Cheng, a researcher from the Center of Environmental Sanitation in the Beijing University of Science and Technology China, joined remotely and gave a brief lecture on the non-sewered sanitation system as an alternative option to the conventional sewer sanitation system. Dr. Shams Ali Baig of AWKUM presented his research on the prevalence of sanitation-related pathogens in drinking water distribution systems in Mardan and highlighted that it is one of the alarming issues in present drinking water distribution networks. Mr. Muhammad Ishaq, Solid Waste Management Manager of Water Supply and Sanitation Services Mardan (WSSCM) delivered a talk on the provision of water and sanitation services in urban Mardan.

In parallel, about 16 Pakhtunkhwa College of Arts (PCA) AWKUM students participated in watercolor painting competition. The objective was to develop and highlight the links of WASH and environmental pollution issues with human health. Keynote speakers and the painting competition students sensitized the audience well on how an adequate sanitation system can improve public health and has long lasting beneficial impacts on social and economic development by timely achieving the SDG goal 6, Clean Water and Sanitation.

At the end, Prof. Dr. Sultan Ayaz, Pro-vice Chancellor AWKUM in his closing remarks reiterated the importance of toilets in social life and thanked WaterAid Pakistan for the financial support and choosing AWKUM for this event. The Pro-vice Chancellor also distributed certificates of appreciation and shield among the painting competition position holders and the keynote speakers. The event ended with a walk within the campus to raise awareness on the World Toilet Day.  

Advertisement: Walk in Interview For Visiting Faculty For Semester Fall 2021 "Department of Environmental Sciences"

ICIMOD to grant HUC membership to AWKUM

 

An e-meeting was held between the delegates of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) to discuss Himalayan University Consortium (HUC) membership for AWKUM and collaboration in various other areas of common interest. The meeting was led by Dr. Dilawar Farhan Shams, Chairperson, Department of Environmental Sciences (AWKUM) who was accompanied by Dr. Zia Ullah, Chairperson, Department of Tourism & Hospitality and Dr. Shams Ali Baig, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences. From ICIMOD, Dr. Chi Huyen Truong (Programme Coordinator-HUC), Mr. Muhammad Ismail (ICIMOD Country Representative, Pakistan) and Dr. Sher Muhammad (Remote Sensing Specialist) joined the meeting. Dr. Truong explained in detail the purpose and activities of HUC, the thematic working groups, and the benefits HUC has for the participating universities. Dr. Shams Ali Baig presented an overview of AWKUM and its potential to contribute to mountain and climate change issues. Dr. Dilawar Farhan and Dr. Zia Ullah thoroughly reflected on what AWKUM can offer, the capacity and facilities the university has to effectively participate as an HUC member, the coverage of thematic working groups in the existing curricula of Environmental Sciences, Tourism and Hospitality, and other departments of the University, and future plans to commence academic programs in these areas. The ICIMOD showed keen interest to grant HUC membership to AWKUM and stressed on initiating the collaborative work immediately while the membership process is underway. Dr. Truong also extended ICIMOD’s strong support to AWKUM in various other activities falling in their domain. It is worth mentioning that a memorandum of understating between ICIMOD and AWKUM is already initiated and will be concluded soon.

Position Vacant Research Associate (MS student) Department of Environmental Sciences

Dr. Javed Nawab Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences, Published a Research Paper

Dr. Javed Nawab Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences Published a Research Paper in 2.518 Impact Factor.

Title: Organic and Inorganic Mercury in Biological Samples of Fluorescent Lamp Industries Workers and Health Risks

http://www.besjournal.com/en/article/doi/10.3967/bes2020.013

Dr. Javed Nawab Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences, Published a Paper

Dr. Javed Nawab Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences Published a Research Paper in 5.7 Impact Factor Title: Determination of dry deposition velocity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons under the sub-tropical climate and its implication for regional cycling IF: 5.7

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NRPU Project 8830 "Positions Vacant Research Assistants (MS Student) Department of Environmental Sciences"

NRPU Project 7019 "Positions Vacant Research Assistants (MS Student) Department of Environmental Sciences"

Research Publications of Dr. Javed Nawab Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences

Research Publications of Dr. Javed Nawab Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences in the Year 2017-19

Dr. Javed Nawab, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences during 2017-2019 published 20 manuscripts with a total Impact factor more than 66 in international peer reviewed journals such as, Journal of Environmental Management, Journal of Environmental Sciences, Science of the Total Environment, Microorganisms, Chemosphere, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Ecological Engineering, Frontiers in Physiology, Environmental Technology & Innovation, Jornal of Geophysical Research, Exposure and Health and Journal of Soils and Sediments. The detailed information about the research publications are listed below

Title: Contamination features, geo-accumulation, enrichments and human health risks of toxic heavy metal (loids) from fish consumption collected along Swat river, Pakistan. 

      Journal name: Environmental Technology & Innovation.

      IF: 2.8

      https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352186419306169

Title: Enhanced Production of Fatty Acid Ethyl Ester with Engineered fabHDG Operon in Escherichia coli. 

Journal name: Microorganisms 

 IF: 4.16

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31717929

Title: Release of perfluoroalkyl substances from melting glacier of the Tibetan Plateau: Insights into the impact of global warming on the cycling of emerging pollutants.

Journal Name: Jornal of Geophysical Research: Atmosphere.

 IF 3.6

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2019JD030566

Title: Antibiotics in poultry manure and their associated health issues: a systematic review. 

Journal name: Journal of Soils and Sediments

 IF 2.6

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11368-019-02360-0

Title: LCA of Hospital Solid Waste Treatment Alternatives in a Developing Country: The Case of District Swat, Pakistan. 

Journal name: Sustainability

IF 2.6

https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i13p3501-d243055.html

Title: Seasonal dynamics, record of ticks infesting humans, wild and domestic animals and molecular phylogeny of Rhipicephalus microplus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. 

Journal name: Frontiers in Physiology

 IF 3.2

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00793/full

Title: Influence of different organic geo-sorbents on Spinacia Oleracea grown in chromite mine-degraded soil. A green house study. Journal name: Journal of Soils and Sediments

 IF 2.6

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11368-019-02260-3

Title: Minimizing the risk to human health due to the ingestion of arsenic and toxic metals in vegetables by the application of biochar, farmyard manure and peat moss..

Journal name: Journal of Environmental Management

         IF:4.86

        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29525749

Title: Ecological and health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in the major rivers of Pakistan: General population vs. Fishermen.

Journal name: Chemosphere.

IF 5.20

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29567613

Title: Levels, dietary intake, and health risk of potentially toxic metals in vegetables, fruits, and cereal crops in Pakistan  Journal Name: Environmental Science and Pollution Research

IF: (2.80)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29222655

Title: Spatial distribution of toxic metals in drinking water sources and their associated health risk in district buner, Northern Pakistan

Journal Name:  HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT

IF. 2.206

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10807039.2017.1395684

Title: Potentially toxic metals and biological contamination in drinking water sources in chromite mining-impacted areas of Pakistan: a comparative study. 

Journal Name: Exposure & Health,

 IF 4.80

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12403-016-0240-8

Title: Ar/O2 plasma treatment of carbon nanotube membranes for enhanced removal of zinc from water and wastewater: A dynamic sorption-filtration process.

Journal Name:  Science of the Total Environment

 IF. (5.5)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969718346916

                                                                          

Title: A Critical Analysis of Bio-Hydrocarbon Production in Bacteria: Current Challenges and Future Directions," 

Journal name: Energies,

IF. 2.707

https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/10/2663

Title: The influence of various organic amendments on the bioavailability and plant uptake of cadmium present in mine-degraded soil. Journal name: Science of the Total Environment

IF. (5.5)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29727847

Title: Heavy metals effects on plant growth and dietary intake of trace metals in vegetables cultivated in contaminated soil.

Journal name: International journal of Environmental Science and Technology.

IF 2.159

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-018-1849-x

Title: Prevalent fecal contamination in drinking water resources and potential health risks in Swat, Pakistan

Journal name: Journal of Environmental Sciences.

IF: (3.55)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1001074217321174

Title: Appraisement, source apportionment and health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pahs) in vehicle-wash wastewater, Pakistan.

Journal Name:  Science of the Total Environment

IF: 5.5

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28662424

Title: Congener-specific evaluation of biota-sediment accumulation factor model for HCHs and DDTs under small-scale in situ riverine condition. 

Journal name: Journal of Soils & Sediments

IF 2.627

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11368-016-1579-y

Title: Remediating industrial wastewater containing potentially toxic elements with four freshwater algae.

Journal name: Ecological Engineering

IF 3.406

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925857417301052

Climate week’s Event Celebrated at The Department of Environmental Sciences, AWKUM in Collaboration with Islamic Relief Pakistan

To commemorate and contribute the global moment to raise mass awareness about climate change and global warming, one-day seminar-cum-climate march was jointly organized by AWKUM Greens (Department of Environmental Sciences students’ society) and Islamic Relief (IR) Pakistan with the theme “Climate and Youth Activism”. The purpose was to highlights the roles of youth in achieving Sustainable Development Goals agenda for climate and vice versa.

In the morning session, seminar and painting competition under the theme “Climate Art Competition” was held. Dr. Shams Ali Baig, Assistant Professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences delivered a lecture on “Climate change adaptation and the roles of youth in awareness rising”. Afterwards, Mr. Said Usman, Area Program Manager Islamic Relief Pakistan delivered his talk on “Islamic Relief’s approach towards climate change” and also shared IR field projects success stories related to the seminar’s theme. In parallel, painting competition related to the theme was held. In two categories, the following students won 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd positions based on the competitive evaluation process performed by jury from PCA, AWKUM.

Position	Student’s Name	Affiliation
Climate Art Competition from Home Category
1st	Mr. Amir Khan	PCA, AWKUM
2nd	Mr. Suad Khan	ANSI College Mardan
3rd	Ms. Gulnaz	PCA, AWKUM
Climate Art Competition on Campus Category
1st	Ms. Sana Karim	Biochemistry Department, AWKUM
2nd	Ms. Muska	PCA, AWKUM
3rd	Ms. Rida	Environmental Sciences Department, AWKUM

In the afternoon session, Climate March was held with the theme “Climate March for Climate Actions”. Worthy Dean, Faculty of Chemical and Life Sciences Prof. Dr. Sultan Ayaz, Principal PCA, AWKUM Mr. Fazli Sattar, Area Program Manager Islamic Relief Pakistan, Mr. Said Usman and the faculty members of the different department participated in Climate March. In the closing ceremony, worthy Dean Prof. Dr. Sultan Ayaz distributed shields and certificates among the winners and painting competitions’ participants. And the event was concluded by reiterating the role of youth in climate activism as a take home message.   

Department of Environmental Sciences’ project stood second in the Regional Science Olympiad, Organized by DOST

Directorate of Science and Technology (DOST), Government of KPK under its program “Promotion and Support of Scientific Innovation” organized one day open competition for science based innovative ideas, projects and prototypes among universities in KPK. Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) participated in the event and displayed the findings and product of Mr. Sajjad Ali (MS scholar) project on “Integrated bio-briquetting technology and energy efficient stove for sustainable fuel supply and environment protection”. The project is supervised by Dr. Shams Ali Baig. It is worthy to mention here that the field based project activities are also in progress under the AWKUM-HEC joint Social Integration Outreach Program (SIOP-2018). Over 1000 local community members have been trained; several orientation activities have been organized in Schools and Colleges in Mardan District to disseminate knowledge and hands-on skills on bio-briquetting. In addition, one day workshop for Government Line Departments, NGOs, private companies and entrepreneurs was organized to strengthen networking and promotion of the scientific innovation (i.e. bio-briquette). So, the underprivileged communities get benefits of such prototype and it helps them to improve their livelihoods and promote environmentally sustainable living.