Neglect of Science & Technology

Bashir A. Syed, Houston, TX

Johnson Space Center of National Aeronautics & Space Administration  (NASA), at Houston, TX has been holding  a free three-day show-and-tell exhibition of science and technology for all interested, for the last five years. In the same tradition, NASA held its sixth event called “INSPECTION 2000” inviting presenters from all NASA Centers, to share the latest technology with people in business/entrepreneurship, academia, and industry, so that they could benefit or apply this technology to further the frontiers of knowledge for the benefit of mankind. I informed the Pakistan Association of Greater Houston, and other organizations to let our Pakistani community know about this event on November 1,2 &3, 2000.

As a member of NASA community, I myself spent three days sharing our latest technology in MEMS, research in use of carbon nano-tubes for detecting minute traces of gases, toxicity, and radiation protection, using non-invasive techniques for early detection of effect on vision by diabetes and cataract, and photo-luminescent technology at ultra-cheap prices as safety lighting at night, etc.

In addition NASA had more than five hundred exhibition booths scattered all over Johnson Space Center, with excellent arrangement of free shuttle buses and other conveniences for the visitor.  During my three days, I saw and met many foreigners, including Indians, Arabs, Iranis, Chinese, French, Hispanic, Italian, Russian and German and other nationalities from local community and abroad, eager to learn about these technologies, except Pakistanis (with the sole exception of Mr. Mohammad Mukhtar, the President of Local Chapter of APSENA). It’s so sad that nearly 15,000 Pakistanis live in Houston, but in spite of informing them through community organizations hardly anyone made the effort to visit or bring their children to learn new technologies and perhaps benefit from them as business opportunities. It’s also worth mentioning that in spite of the fact that most of us have Quranic verses like “Rubbay zidnee ilmaa - O God! Increase my knowledge,” on walls and posters,  yet we seldom make an effort to make use of an opportunity that is not easily available to most of us. One seldom observes Pakistani parents bringing their children to public libraries on weekends, as compared to libraries flocked by Indian children/students to make full use of such free institutions.

In Quran, Surah Ra’ad 13, Verse 11says: “..... Verily  never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls)...........”

Let us join hands in changing the thinking of our “dormant” folks to inspire them for the acquisition of knowledge (science and technology, etc), since KNOWLEDGE is POWER. And this power ultimately has direct impact on our economies. I hope that Insha-Allah next year around the same time many people would benefit from such knowledge towards which we all contribute through our Federal Taxes. May Allah guide us to help mankind through knowledge! Amen!