Innovation and Enterprise

The fruit of scientific research and development are brought to light in the form of industrial innovation. Many of our faculty and their research groups enjoy strong ties with the industry. On this web page, we exemplify some of these industrial connections which are cherished by the school.

Department of Physics Department of Electrical Engineering Project Briefs for TDF

IL

 

Dr. Tauqeer Abbas, Associate Dean of Innovation and Enterprise, has briefed the vision for industrial partnership in a presentation, please have a look:

Department of Physics

The Physlab, which is Dr. Muhammad Sabieh Anwar's research group in the Department of Physics, actively develops technology for education and research. The startup Qosain Scientific has translated some of the work done in the laboratory to the production of commercial gadgets, devices and instruments that can be employed both inside the laboratory as well as in industrial settings. 

For further details: Qosain.pk | Physlab.org

p1
p2
p3

 

 

Department of Electrical Engineering

Philosophy

Engineering education has traditionally focused on the model-based understanding of the fundamental principles that govern the working of our universe. In most cases, the scope of a particular course is limited to its defined boundaries and system-level aspects that cut across course boundaries become harder to grasp. Students, even those dedicated to the learning process, are sometimes unable to relate the classroom learning to the real-world considerations of a commercial organization and industry. This important gap can be bridged through industry-academia linkages which allow the students to look at the application of their learning to solving real-world problems.

Modes of Engagement

In the following, a few modes of engagement are listed in which collaboration between LUMS and industry can be explored:

1- Customized short trainings/workshops for Scientists/Engineers: EE faculty members can design customized short courses and workshops for employees of a company based on their needs and requirements communicated by them in advance.

2- MS/PhD Program for Employees: Many organizations have focus on Research and Development (R&D) and they invest on these aspects of their Human Resource. Such organizations can sponsor their employees to pursue higher studies (MS or PhD) at LUMS. The candidates would need to pass the LUMS admission test. The faculty should be allowed to publish research or file joint patents after getting approval from the company.

3- Industrial Sponsored MS Program (Company Scholars): A company can select candidates through interviews or any other suitable mechanism from the cohort of graduate students inducted in EE program. The fee, research expenses and nominal stipend for selected candidates will be paid by the company for two years. Selected candidates may or may not enter into a contract (depending upon the Company’s policy/requirement) for serving the company after graduation. Such students may be called “COMPANY Scholars” (e.g., SUPARCO Scholars). 

4- Industrial Sponsored PhD Program (Company Fellows): If a company plans to explore a long-term fundamental research problem, it can consider funding PhD program (tuition fee + research expenses and stipend). These candidates would be called “Company Fellows” (e.g. NESCOM Fellows). Selected candidates may or may not enter into a contract (depending upon the Company’s policy/requirement) for serving the company after graduation. PhD program aims to develop technical scholarship by performing fundamental research. 

5- Research Projects: Faculty members can also get engaged with a company through research projects. A company can identify specific projects/problems of interest and discuss them with the interested faculty and in turn, the faculty members will submit research proposals or feasibility reports. These projects are typically applied in nature with a possibility of research as a side product. The duration of these projects could be typically from 1 to 3 years (could vary depending upon the nature of the project). Typically, in such projects, full-time RAs are hired with the possibility of partial funding of MS or PhD students. The faculty should be allowed to publish research or file joint patents after getting approval from the company.

6- Consultancy: A company can also engage EE faculty in consultancy mode. These are mainly short-term engagements with little or no possibility of research publication. The IP is completely owned by the company.

7- Senior Year Design Projects: A company can sponsor senior design projects of EE students on certain short-term problems that the company wants to explore. The project scope should be of 9 months at least with an understanding that 8-10 hours of work in a week can be performed because of students’ other academic engagements.

8- Internship Program: A company can offer internships to a certain number of EE students during the summer. This will be a 12-week long engagement. If worked out earlier, the work assigned to the internee may also result in a senior design project.

 

Dr. Wasif Tanveer Khan

Ongoing Engagements
Prospective areas
NESCOMPrinted Electronics, RF Front end and Antenna Design


Dr. Hassan Mohy-ud-Din

Ongoing Engagements

Prospective areas

Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center

Healthcare and Medicine, Medical Imaging, Oncology


Department of Computer Science

Dr. Naveed Arshad

Ongoing Engagements
Prospective areas
  • Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA)
  • Power Information Technology Company (PITC)
  • Fatima Group
  • Hadron Solar
  • Engineering Development Board (EDB)
  • Ministry of Climate Change
  • Songuo Motors, Korea
  • Energy Informatics including Energy Forecasting, Energy Optimization, Energy Planning, and Energy Efficiency using Advanced Data Analytics.
  • Electric Vehicles including Two and Three Electric Wheeler Development, Grid Optimization in EV Charging Optimization of Four Wheelers, Trucks and Buses.

 

Industry
Nature of Partnership
Central Power Purchasing AgencyEnergy Forecasting
Power Information Technology CompanyEnergy Data Analytics
Fatima GroupEnergy Efficiency
Hadron SolarRenewable Energy
Engineering Development BoardElectric Vehicles
Ministry of Climate ChangeElectric Vehicles
Songuo Motors, KoreaElectric Vehicles

 

Dr. Asim Karim

Ongoing Engagements

Prospective areas

Consultancy in the areas of machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics.

  • Natural language processing
  • Machine learning
  • Deep learning

  • Descriptive and predictive modelling

Industries: information technology, software, government, healthcare, financial. 

 

Dr. Hamad Alizai

The natural gas crisis in Pakistan behoves us to find innovative ways to improve consumption efficiency. In light of this, Dr. Hamad Alizai, Assistant Professor and Head of the Internet of Things (IoT) lab at LUMS, is working with a dedicated team of researchers to develop natural gas-saving devices and technologies. Dr. Hamad has also has joined forces with Dr. Nouman Ahmed Zaffar and 'Zaheen Machines' to introduce the concept of a smart geyser called Ashray. Dr. Nouman Ahmed Zaffar, who is currently Associate Professor and Director of Energy and ower Systems at the Department of Electrical Engineering in LUMS, will work on the power electronics of Ashray.

Ashray is the extension of an existing product of Zaheen Machines known as Jul Bujh; a programmable geyser thermostat that allows users to control the temperature settings of the geysers through a smartphone app. One of the main aims behind the design of Ashray is to minimise gas wastage which will help us save millions of rupees in foreign exchange that are otherwise spent on the import of liquid gas.

 

Dr. Fareed Zafar

Ongoing Engagements
Prospective areas
  • Descon Engineering (Data analysis)
  • Oxford Policy Management (Child Protection, Information management system)
  • DFID(Data Analytics for finance department)
  • Media Logic(Television Audience management)
  • Network Security
  • Big Data Analysis
  • Machine Learning

 

 

Dr. Murtaza Taj

Ongoing Engagements
Prospective areas

1. Group Aid:
Group Aid is an architectural firm work with renowned Architect Yasmin Cheema on documentation and restitution of ancient shrines in Uch Sharif

2. Mission Archéologique Française du Bassin de l'Indus  (http://www.arscan.fr):
We are working with archaeological from ArScAn for the last few years mainly in KPK and GB. Recently we have signed an MoU and submitted multiple proposals to local and internal funding agencies including HEC-Peridot and MSH MONDES (accepted).

3. Directorate General of Archaeology, Punjab
Currently, we are working on documentation and digital preservation of the Sikh Gallery and Princess Bhabha collection at Lahore Fort.

4. Director of Archeology and Museum, KPK
Documentation and digital preservation of cultural heritage sites in KPK

5. Environmental Protection Department, Punjab (https://epd.punjab.gov.pk/)
In this collaboration, we are looking at various factors which result in the degradation of air quality particularly winter SMOG. Currently, we are studying the effect of emissions due to Brick Kilns.

 

1. WWF-Pakistan (www.wwfpak.org)
We are starting a new project with WWF Pakistan in which we aim to develop a Computer Vision and Machine Learning based early warning system to avoid human-wildlife conflict particularly for the protection of Snow Leopard in Pakistan as well as across Asia. The details of the project are agreed in principle and currently, a legal agreement between LUMS and WWF is being prepared.

2. Millat Tractors:
As part of the National Agriculture and Robotics Lab, we have been approached by Millat Tractors for precision agriculture provision in their tractors. Currently, we have submitted a proposal that is being evaluated by Millat Tractors.

 

 

Industry
Nature of Partnership
Group AidConsultancy
Mission Archéologique Française du Bassin de l'IndusArcheology
Directorate General of Archaeology, PunjabDocumentation of Museums
Director of Archeology and Museum, KPKDocumentation of Heritage Sites
Environmental Protection Department, PunjabAir Quality
WWF-PakistanEarly Warning System - Snow Leopard
Millat TractorsPrecision Agriculture

 

Department of Life Sciences 

Dr. Safee Ullah Chaudhary

Ongoing Engagements
Prospective areas
Development of a continuous glucose meterBiomedical Devices

 

Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Dr. Irshad Hussain

Prospective areas
  • Antimicrobial products (i.e., textile and paints etc.)
  • Biopesticides (worth exploring)

 

Dr. Salman Noshear Arshad

Ongoing Engagements
Prospective areas
  • All Punjab Gem Merchants & Jewellers Association
  • TTI Testing Laboratories
  • Materials Testing
  • Quality Control
  • Process improvement

 

Industry
Nature of Partnership
All Punjab Gem Merchants & Jeweler’s Association
  • HEC-TDF joint project on improving electroplating process locally

 

Dr. Rahman Shah Zaib Saleem

Ongoing Engagements
Prospective areas
Dr. Rahman applied for a research grant in 2017, which component involved interaction with an industrial partner (Shafi Reso Chemicals Ltd) to work on the study effects of various protective methods on the quality of the nutrients present in fruits and vegetables and delaying the spoilage process thus addressing the wastage of agricultural products as a step towards food security.
  • Food, the agriculture and pharmaceutical industry

 

Project Briefs for TDF

Technology Development Fund (TDF) is a national scheme launched by the Higher Education Commission whose aim is to foster linkages between the academia and the industry.

Project TitlePrincipal InvestigatorIndustrial SponsorApproved Funds (million)Department
Design and Development of a Rotibot (An Automated machine/appliance to cook bread/chapatti roti)Dr. Wasif Tanveer KhanVenture Capital12.5Electrical Engineering
Internet of Things (IoT) based Conversion Kit for Motor LoadsDr. Tariq Mahmood JadoonHadron Solar Pvt Ltd13.9Electrical Engineering
Microfluidic Lab on a chip cytometer for point of care HIV/AIDS DiagnosticsDr. Nauman Zafar ButtShaukat Khanam Memorial Hospital and Research Center11Electrical Engineering
Li-Ion battery unit as replacement of Lead-acid batteries for existing and new storage-based electrical systems.Dr. Mohammad Jahangir IkramSozo Group of Companies, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry13.8Electrical Engineering
Design and production of scientific equipment for physics teaching and researchDr. Muhammad Sabieh Anwar Usman Engineers, Gujranwala (an offshoot of Sun Engineers)13.3Physics
Microgrid Interface Kit for Standalone Solar PV and UPS Backup SystemsDr. Hassan Abbas KhanEcoEnergy Solutions Pvt. Ltd12.4Electrical Engineering
Motorway to Safety: Design and Development of an Intelligent System for Active Traffic Management and Efficient Law enforcement on National Highways and MotorwaysDr. Zubair KhalidDigital Transformation Centre of Excellence (Pvt) Limited12.7Electrical Engineering
Value Addition for Local Artificial Jewelry Industry Through Electroplating Process OptimizationDr. Salman Noshear ArshadRay Gold Pakistan12.4Chemistry
Design and Development of a Wearable Continuous Glucose Monitoring System for Diabetes PatientsDr. Safee Ullah ChaudhryByonyks13.9Biology
Transforming industrial byproducts into commercializable technologiesDr. Basit YameenBulleh Shah PackagingN/AChemistry and Chemical Engineering
Developing functional coatings for application in synthetic leather, textile, and polymer filmsDr. Basit YameenATS SyntheticsN/AChemistry and Chemical Engineering
Upcycling of plastics, biodegradable polymers, antimicrobial products.Dr. Basit YameenSUFTECH InnovationsN/AChemistry and Chemical Engineering
In House utilization of Excess Lime/Development of Commercial use of lime being produced at FFLDr. Ali Rauf (co-leads: Dr. Muhammad Zaheer and Dr. Muhammad Shoaib)Fatima GroupN/AChemistry and Chemical Engineering