Dr Sarah Alam Malik is a postdoctoral associate in Experimental Particle Physics. Her research interests can be found at http://www.sarahalammalik.com
Dr Abdus Salam, a Pakistani physicist, proposed a mathematical model that unified two of the four fundamental forces in nature and described them as different aspects of a single force. The unification of two forces into a single theory, known as the electroweak theory, was a major stepping stone and earned Dr Abdus Salam, Sheldon Lee Glashow and Steven Weinberg the Nobel Prize in 1979.
Dr Salam wanted young scientists from developing countries to have opportunities to contribute to the forefront of research without becoming part of the brain drain. His devotion and commitment to the advancement of science in his homeland was exemplary, yet puzzling, given the treatment he received in his later years.
The growing religious intolerance in the country has served to shed light on a number of issues, particularly our ability as a country to shoot ourselves in the foot time and time again. However, no amount of name-calling or religious blacklisting can take away from the genius that was Dr Salam. He is regarded the world over as an outstanding physicist who played an instrumental role in furthering our understanding of the most fundamental area of science. Our inability to capitalise on his success or indeed give him his due regard represents a dismal failure. Had Dr Salam been born in another country, things may have been different.
What can anyone say. His accomplishments are lost on most Pakistanis to begin with. But even so, had he been a Sunni he would have been exalted, even if they could never understand what he did.
when religion plays an all important role in the lives..this is bound to happen. ahmadis are an exceptional minority..they r regarded as apostates.theyr are nt ur average non-muslims.they r non-muslims who pose to be muslims..u can do the math.
[note]Thread moved from World Affairs to Pakistan Affairs… posters can make their contribution here. Please avoid religious talk, and hate talk against main stream and minorities. [/note]
Absolutely true ----- what a great way to acknowledge our national heroes ----- while he was still alive and young ----- he was not granted permission to establish research institute to encourage the pursuit of knowledge in his own country ----- yet his picture was printed on a postage stamp to honor his achievements as one of the greatest scientists of all times ----- highly hypocritical ----- on the contrary Italians were smart enough to pick him up to institute research lab in Italy.
Sad but true ----- our prosperous terminations of endeavors and triumph await beyond the wall of separation between religion and state ----- or ultimate destruction awaits us all.
I am telling you if that institution was in Pakistan…it would have been so great for the country…we have a lot of talent just no place to experiment…the student from all over the world would have come to Pakistan to learn from Pakistani teachers…ohh man Pakistan could have been so difference country…we are very happy to create more Madarassah then academic institution…I feel sad for the country…its getting worse and worse by day.
I think if for once we all RESPECT every HUMAN and their FAITH in PAKISTAN then everyone … Christian, Hindu, Jew, Muslim and athiest will come out and give 100% for the nation. At the moment they all dont care as there is no respect for anyone. If you come and slap me today would you expect me to help you out tomorrow? Absolutly not…Lets get everyone on one platform and rebuild the nation…the way forward would be to let everyone practice their faith freely.
At the moment due to bad goverence…everyone is unsafe…
Dr. malik’s area of research is the same as that of prof. abdus salam. and as she mentioned
and
so she realized the importance of dr. salam’s work while pursuing her phD and she was surprised by the fact that a person of his stature is downplayed in his home country.
Looks like we are a little adrift here ----- my thread was originally contemplated to precisely identify far flung and way out of control folly of discrimination in Pakistan ----- all on the basis of religious beliefs ----- ethnic backgrounds ----- and origins -----
Here are a couple of other references that might hold more weight to some than of Dr Malik’s ----- yet to me Dr Malik ----- my fellow Pakistani would be as credible ----- competent and trust worthy as Miriam Lewis -----
In 1950 he received the Smith’s Prize from Cambridge University for the most outstanding pre-doctoral contribution to physics. He also obtained a PhD in theoretical physics at Cambridge; his thesis, published in 1951, contained fundamental work in quantum electrodynamics which had already gained him an international reputation.
Salam returned to Pakistan in 1951 to teach mathematics at Government College, Lahore, and in 1952 became head of the Mathematics Department of the Punjab University. He had come back with the intention of founding a school of research, but it soon became clear that this was impossible. To pursue a career of research in theoretical physics he had no alternative at that time but to leave his own country and work abroad. Many years later he succeeded in finding a way to solve the heartbreaking dilemma faced by many young and gifted theoretical physicists from developing countries. At the ICTP, Trieste, which he created, he instituted the famous “Associateships” which allowed deserving young physicists to spend their vacations there in an invigorating atmosphere, in close touch with their peers in research and with the leaders in their own field, losing their sense of isolation and returning to their own country for nine months of the academic year refreshed and recharged.
In 1954 Salam left his native country for a lectureship at Cambridge, and since then has visited Pakistan as adviser on science policy. His work for Pakistan has, however, been far-reaching and influential. He was a member of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, a member of the Scientific Commission of Pakistan and was Chief Scientific Adviser to the President from 1961 to 1974.
Since 1957 he has been Professor of Theoretical Physics at Imperial College, London, and since 1964 has combined this position with that of Director of the ICTP, Trieste.
The biography was written by Miriam Lewis, now at IAEA, Vienna, who was at one time on the staff of ICTP (International Centre For Theoretical Physics, Trieste).
From*Les Prix Nobel. The Nobel Prizes 1979, Editor Wilhelm Odelberg, [Nobel Foundation], Stockholm, 1980
This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and later published in the book seriesLes Prix Nobel/Nobel Lectures. The information is sometimes updated with an addendum submitted by the Laureate. To cite this document, always state the source as shown above.
“All who are not lunatics are agreed about certain things. That it is better to be alive than dead, better to be adequately fed than starved, better to be free than a slave. Many people desire those things only for themselves and their friends; they are quite content that their enemies should suffer. These people can only be refuted by science: Humankind has become so much one family that we cannot ensure our own prosperity except by ensuring that of everyone else. If you wish to be happy yourself, you must resign yourself to seeing others also happy.”
Such wankers. You do realize that on Abdus Salam’s death anniversary everybody covered the man? From the express tribune to the dawn and it was covered on Pakistani news media channels as well? Yet we have the same lamenting anyway.
Dr. Salam received three different awards for his work for the country from three different governments. He was received at the government offices numerous times including at the President’s office etc. When he was alive he got the highest national distinction a civilian can get in the country.
How is that discrimination? That is more than the US does for its Nobel laureates.
^
i think for Dr. Abdus Salam all those Awards didn’t meant that much but rather his try to set up research institute in Pakistan and/or other Muslim and/or 3rd world country … that’s why he went to different head of states
IMHO: The best tribute to any scientist is to continue his work and Abdus Salam wanted it to be done in Pakistan
Whatever US does on government level is irrelavant … it’s more the opportunities that r offered to brilliant minds or why do u think thousands from sub continent try to get access to these institutions