Tuesday, 1 November 2011

[pakgrid] Muslim-Science.Com [12]: Muslim-Science.Com Founder Wins World Technology Network Award at United Nations in NYC

 

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

I thought you'd find the following of interest.

I received the World Technology Network Award (WTN) for my contribution to science and innovation in the Islamic World - primarily my ground breaking work on Islam Analysis - the first ever regular column in science policy and politics in the Islamic World published by a mainstrean (western) media outlet SciDev.Net (spin-off from journal Nature) and at Muslim-Science.Com.

Please help spread the word around to support the cause of development of science and innovation in the Islamic World. Feel free to pass on to colleagues and friends in media in both the Islamic World and the West.

A greater awareness of this cause can only help create a stronger coalition of support.

Best,
Athar

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Muslim-Science.Com Founder Wins World Technology Network Award at United Nations in NYC



PRESS RELEASE: IMMEDIATE

(October 28, 2011; Woking, United Kingdom):  Wednesday night, in a gala "black tie" ceremony at the United Nations, Science Policy scholar and practitioner and the founder and editor of Muslim-Science.Com won the 2011 World Technology Award for Science and Innovation Media and Journalism category.

The Awards were announced from the stage by James P. Clark, Founder and Chairman of the World Technology Network ("The WTN") and Poppy Harlow, Anchor, CNNMoney.com. At the same time, Clark officially inducted those who were selected as Award finalists into the WTN membership as newly elected fellows. Dr. Osama joins the ranks of over 1000 fellows across 60 different countries that include individuals such as Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the internet), Mark Zuckerberg (Founder of Facebook), Larry Page and Sergei Brin (Founders of Google), Vice President Al Gore, and Prime Minister Tony Blair.

World Technology Network is a curated community of some of the most creative and leading scholars and practitioners as well as corporates in various disciplines of science and technology and related fields (such as media, ethics, finance, and public policy) selected by their peers as doing some of the most innovative work of potential long-term impact in the world. Founded in 2001, the World Technology Network has made annual awards in up to 20 different categories for individuals (and 10 corporate categories). Each year, WTN identifies – through an extensive vetting process nominees for WTN Awards and then selects 5 (or six) finalists who are then inducted as fellows of WTN. The Winners in each category are announced in an Oscar-style gala event.

The World Technology Awards were presented at the culmination of the two-day World Technology Summit & Awards, convened by the WTN in association with TIME, Fortune, CNN, Technology Review, Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), New York Academy of Sciences, and Novartis. Among other winners of the night were Dr. Alex Dehgan, the first Science Advisor to the USAID and APPLE, AMAZON, SKYPE, 3M, and SpaceX Corporations in various individual and corporate categories.

Dr. Athar Osama won his award for his ground breaking contributions to science and innovation policy in the Islamic World – in particular through a ingenuous and courageous use of new social media and science journalism to create an awareness of and change mindsets about science and innovation policy in the Islamic World. Although a long time in the making through his writings over the last two decades, Dr. Osama began writing a regular column on science policy and politics in the Islamic World and launched Muslim-Science.Com – an online journal and portal dedicated to the revival of science and innovation in the Muslim World. In a very short amount of time, Muslim-Science.Com has been able to put together an illustrious group of advisors, including, Dr. Atta ur Rahman (Coordinator General, COMSTECH), Dr. Mohammed Hassan (former Execute Director, TWAS), Dr. Farook El-Baz (former Science Advisor, President Anwar Sadaat of Egypt), Mr. Moneef Zou'bi (Secretary General, Islamic Academy of Sciences), Mr. Ellis Rubenstein (President, New York Academy of Sciences), among others. It also boasts among its ranks a talented group of emerging scientists and practitioners as its editorial committee.

In his acceptance speech in front of some of the leading scientists, technologists, and innovators and New York's elite, Dr. Osama made a fundamental point that drives his passion for reviving science and innovation in the Islamic World:

"We cannot have a world that is more developed, better, and safer without where 1.5 billion Muslims around the world are unable to benefit from the fruits of science and technology."

The Islamic World has a very rich and proud history of science and innovation. However, it has lost its way in modern times and it is absolutely critical that it rediscovers the right direction and fully participates in the global scientific and economic enterprise not only as a user but also as a producer of new knowledge and technology. Many of challenges facing the Muslim World today of under-development, malnutrition, disease, unemployment, and natural calamities can be addressed by tapping into the power of science and technology.

Dr. Osama sees Muslim-Science.Com as merely a start of a long and ardorous journey. "The portal is just the beginning," he said at the WTN Awards Ceremony. "We are planning to launch a series of strategic initiatives to address a range of challenges and gaps within the science and innovation eco-system in the Islamic World."

"It is a great honor to be selected among some of the leading thinkers and creators of science and technology from around the world. I was truly amazed by the amount of talent and creativity in the room between people who were busy altering human biology to growing hearts and vital organs, to creating computer architectures of the 21st century.", said Dr. Osama after the WTN Awards Gala.

"It almost feels like I have just won an Oscar for a movie whose first scene has only been written", he added.

To see the full list of 2011 World Technology Awards Finalists and Other Nominees, go to:

On-demand video webcast of the 2011 World Technology Summit & Awards will be available at:

T

Dr. Athar Osama
Founder / Publisher / Editor
Muslim-Science.Com

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Athar Osama, PhD (Public Policy, RAND)
London, United Kingdom
Email: athar.osama@gmail.com
Internet: http://www.atharosama.com
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* Understanding Pakistan Project: http://www.understandingpakistan.com
* Muslim Science: http://www.muslim-science.com

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