Young Minds, Innovative Ideas: Celebrating Research and Innovation
The “Celebrating Young Minds in Research and Innovation” event was held at the University of Dhaka’s Microbiology Department Auditorium on Wednesday to mark the conclusion of initiatives by A.S. Islam School of Life, School of Bioinformatics, and Children Research Fund. The event featured 15 young scientists and university-level faculty members and scientists from both Bangladesh and abroad.
Organized by the Bangladesh Science Popularization Society (SPSB), the Global Network of Bangladeshi Biotechnologists (JNOBB), and the Maksudul Alam Science Laboratory (MASLab), this event celebrated the research and innovations of young minds.
The event began with 15 young scientists presenting their research posters, explaining the objectives, methodology, and effectiveness of their projects. They also answered questions from the audience during the exhibition. In the main segment, participants shared their experiences about what they learned through the programs, their future aspirations in research, and the plans they have for continuing their work. Mentors and volunteers who supported the programs also spoke about their experiences. All participants were awarded certificates for their involvement.
At the closing ceremony, Professor Dr. Khondkar Siddique-e-Rabbani, founder of the Department of Biomedical Physics, University of Dhaka, encouraged the students and provided insights into how research could be expanded in the country. He also shared stories from his own research career. Furthermore, Professor Dr. Abidur Rahman from Aoyama University, Japan, emphasized the importance of using research to address the country’s ongoing challenges.
Other notable attendees included Soumitra Chakraborty, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Biology Olympiad, and Munir Hasan, President of the Bangladesh Science Popularization Society. The event was also graced by Professor Dr. Lafifa Jamal from the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Dhaka, and Sajjadur Rahman Chowdhury, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Freedom Foundation, among many others.
The Children Research Fund was initiated at the beginning of last year by MASLab and SPSB to inspire children and adolescents to take an interest in scientific research from an early age. Over 200 students participated, with five winners selected from their research papers and provided with support for their projects. All the winners successfully completed their research.
Additionally, the A.S. Islam School of Life was launched to promote greater interest in life sciences. Students participated in online workshops in two categories (junior and senior), with 160 students involved. The top 25 students from these classes participated in an offline workshop where they received both theoretical and practical training. On the fourth day, students visited laboratories in the Genetic Engineering, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Botany departments of the Science Faculty at the University of Dhaka. The top six students from this workshop were later given opportunities for internships at leading research laboratories in the country. Additionally, School of Bioinformatics was organized to spark interest in the exciting world of bioinformatics and genomics for college students.
These initiatives were conducted as part of a collaborative effort between SPSB, JNOBB, and MASLab to foster research and innovation among young minds.
