Cerdanyola del Vallès, 27th November 2018. Shamila Imtiaz (31 years old, PhD candidate and Chemistry junior scientist at PINSTECH Islamabad) and Sidra Ibadat (25 years old, MS Physics Student at the International Islamic University Islamabad) happily describe their experience during their research internship at ALBA. They come from Pakistan and have been granted by the H2020 Open Sesame project to spend 8 weeks at our facility in order to widen their expertise in synchrotron-based Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy SR-FTIRM at the infrared beamline MIRAS. For both of them, this is their first experience in Europe and, apart from their scientific activity, they are enjoying their walks, their talks and taking care of Shamila's 9-month old baby. Additionally, ALBA is "proud to help in the development of the scientific careers of young mothers here and elsewhere", says Miguel Ángel García Aranda, ALBA Scientific Director.
"The situation in Pakistan has greatly changed in the past years, there are more women than men in science studies but it's not easy to find funding opportunities to continue with the studies", says Sidra. "The Open Sesame project has been a great opportunity for us for visiting and seeing how a synchrotron light source works and bring back all this knowledge to our country", according to Shamila. "Having access to more sophisticated tools that those in Pakistan can boost our research projects", continues Sidra.
Shamila's project is aimed at studying at the MIRAS beamline the absorption bands of functional groups of composites samples that she has designed. In particular, she is studying how these materials can absorb toxic dyes (pigments) in order to remove them from water. Sidra is collecting data at MIRAS beamline and has been also granted a slot of beamtime at MSPD beamline to analyse a single doping materials that can have future applications in transpirant electronic devices, for example.
"My goal is to finish my PhD while continuing with my job as junior scientist as well as to prepare a proposal as a user for SESAME and, of course, having my second baby very soon", says Shamila. "In my case, once I finish my Master, I'd definitely go for a PhD and become a SESAME user as well", says Sidra who insists on acknowledging the persons who support her in this opportunity like her family, Dr Javed Akhter (DCS, Head EMMG PINSTECH), Dr Sohail Ahmed Janjua (Director CERN & SESAME PAEC), Dr M. Younas (SS EMMG, PINSTECH), Dr Shaista Shahzada (HOD Physics department IIUI) and Prof. Miguel G. Aranda and Dr. Ibraheem Yousef from ALBA.
At the left, Shamila Imtiaz at the endstation of the MIRAS beamline. At the right, Sidra Ibadat checking the microscope of the same beamline.
