Department of Polymer and Process Engineering, UET Lahore organized 1st Pak Polymer Symposium 2024 on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in the Chemical Engineering Seminar Hall at UET Lahore. The Symposium was sponsored by the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), Pak Petrochemicals Ltd., and chaired by Prof. Dr. Asif Ali Qaiser. Speaking at the Inaugural Ceremony, Prof. Qaiser welcomed the symposium delegates and gave an overview of the day-long program. As the chief guest, Mr. Kashif Anwar, President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industries (LCCI), highlighted the importance of strong linkages between industry and academia and applauded the efforts of the faculty and chairman of the polymer engineering department for establishing meaningful linkages with industry. Prof. Dr. John Verbeek, University of Auckland, New Zealand, delivered a Plenary Speech on’ A Transdisciplinary Approach to Solving Some of New Zealand’s Plastic Waste Problem’. At the end of the ceremony, Vice-Chancellor UET, Prof. Dr. Nasir Hayat, distributed shields among the guests. The Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Prof. Dr. Naveed Ramzan, also attended the symposium as a guest, along with the Dean of Engg. NTU Faisalabad, Prof. Dr. Yasir Nawab, and Director ITPE, PU, Prof. Dr. Shahzad Maqsood.
The subsequent program of the symposium comprised five technical sessions and a poster competition, as follows:.
1st Technical Session: Product Design and Injection Moulding: Prospects and Challenges
2nd Technical Session: A Sectorial Overview of Pipe and Profile Extrusion Industry
3rd Technical Session: Design and Recycling Challenges in Flexible Packaging
4th Technical Session: Advanced Polymer Composites for Industrial Applications
5th Technical Session: New Materials and Processing Techniques for Elastomers
Delegates from leading industries such as SPEL, FlexPac Association, RON Extrusion, Fibercraft Composites, Pakpetrtrochemical, FPCCI, Alka Chemicals, FiberCraft, Panther Tyres, Vital Polymers, Combine Packaging, ERL, Matrix Composites, and PCSIR, along with academia, attended the symposium. A large number of UET students were also present on the occasion.
In the poster competition, a total of 20 posters were presented, where COMSATS University Islamabad (Cof UI) secured 1st position (a cash prize of Rs. 25,000), whereas ITPE PU secured second position (winning Rs. 15,000 as prize money). After concluding the symposium, shields, and certificates were awarded to the organizers and volunteer students.
