PESHAWAR: Prof Yaseen Iqbal, who heads the Department of Physics at the University of Peshawar for the last few years, has been awarded with the highest title of ‘Fellow of the Institute of Physics (IOP), UK’ in recognition of his extraordinary lifetime achievements in the subject of physics.

Fellowship of the Institute of Physics (FInstP) is an award granted by IOP to physicists who demonstrate a very high level of achievement in physics and make an outstanding contribution to the profession.

According to the IOP, the award of fellowship confirms one’s position as a leading physics professional and receives recognition among one’s peers for excelling in the relevant sector.

The outstanding achievements of Prof Iqbal include his more than 100 research articles in peer reviewed international impact factor journals of physics and related fields, the establishment of Materials Research Laboratory (MRL) with the state-of-art techniques at the University of Peshawar which is not only facilitating students coming from the higher education institutions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but all over the country, publication of 15 ICDD cards for new compounds published by the International Centre for Crystallography, Pennsylvania (USA) now used as reference data globally, establishment of the first mineral upgradation pilot plant of its kind in a higher education institution, supervision of several MPhil/PhD scholars, introduction of materials research in KP and science popularisation activities through media to educate the society about the significance of material sciences and education consistent with local resources.

Commenting on the award, Prof Iqbal acknowledged the support of his supervisors, notably Prof Ghulam Mohammad Khan, Prof William Edward Lee, Prof PF James and Prof HA Davies.

Prof Iqbal thanked his students as the only touchstone or tester of a teacher. He said that it was the guidance of Prof GM Khan and Prof Lee that enabled him to earn such a prestigious global honour.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2019