Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK): (Parliament Times) Seasoned academician Prof. Dr. Rehana Asghar, (Tamgha-i-Imtiaz), has been appointed as Vice Chancellor of the state-run Mirpur University of Science & Technology (MUST), Mirpur, it was officially said.
Dr. Rehana Asghar, sitting Dean Faculty of Sciences, Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST), Mirpur, has the long distinguished career in the field of higher education in the sciences discipline, with over 35 years teaching/ research and administrative experience, MUST officially announced here on Sunday said.
She did M.Sc. in Botany from the University of Balochistan, Quetta. She not only got 1st Class 1st position in M.Sc. Botany but also scored first position in the Faculty of Science. She started her career as Lecturer in the Department of Botany, University of Baluchistan in 1984. Dr. Rehana was awarded merit (Quaid-e-Azam) scholarship for higher studies in the USA.
She did her MS and Ph.D. from the University of California, USA in 1988 and 1992, respectively. After serving for 16 years in the University of Balochistan, she shifted to the PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi. She served the Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi as Chairperson for more than six years. After serving about 9 years in the PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi she was shifted to the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir then transferred to the Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST), Mirpur.
She received the Honour Society of Agriculture ‘Gamma Sigma Delta’, USA in recognition of her high scholarship and outstanding achievements in the field of Plant Sciences. She has also been presented honorary resident certificate of the city of Riverside by the Mayor of the City. She also received the outstanding student presentation award in 1st California State University Electron Microscopy Colloquium, USA in 1991.
She was awarded International fellowship for graduate studies by the American Association of University Women Organization in 1991. In recognition of her outstanding research work in the field of Botany, she was awarded the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Award. In 2015 she was awarded Best Teacher Award by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
In acknowledgement of her outstanding achievements and contributions she was awarded Civil Award Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in 2014. She has over 50 papers published in research journals of international repute. So far, she has produced 7 Ph.Ds. and 28 M.Phils besides, supervising over 30 M.Sc. research students. She presented her research work in numerous national and international conferences. She also served as resource person in a number of workshops and training courses.
She is a member of various professional societies. She also represented the universities as member and chairperson of national level committees and bodies. She did her first Post doctorate from the University of California in 1993. During her Post Doctoral Studies, she worked as Research Associate in the university. She did her second Post-doctorate from the same university. Her academic and research achievements are unequivocal.
The faculty members, students and administrative staff have congratulated her for her appointment as Vice Chancellor of MUST and hoped that the University will progress further under her dynamic leadership.
