A Seminar on "Prospect funding opportunities for FYPs"

10/02/2020 - 11:02am

A Seminar on “Prospect funding opportunities for FYPs” conducted by Dr. Attiya Baqai,  organized by the Department of Electronic Engineering on 27.01.2020  

As per objectives of the Departmental Final year Project Committee, Department of Electronics organized a seminar on “Prospect funding opportunities for FYPs” on 27-01-2020 at Audio Video Conference Hall, IT Building for the final year students of Electrical, Electronics, Computer Systems, Software, Biomedical, Telecommunication, Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering departments. The resource person of this seminar was Dr. Attiya Baqai, Associate Professor in Department of Electronics Engineering who is also working as alternate focal person for NGIRI-Ignite since 2019 at MUET. Numerous final year projects have won different national and international competitions and grants under her supervision. Three of her recently supervised projects are incubated in various incubation centers and registered with their own startup companies. Dr. Attiya is also working as convener final year project committee at department of Electronics Engineering MUET.

The seminar started with the recitation of the Holy Quran. Dr. Tayab Din Memon, Chairman Department of Electronic Engineering opened the session and welcomed students, faculty, resource person Dr. Attiya Baqai and departmental coordinators Dr. Samar Zai (CS), Dr. Fahim Aziz Umrani (TL), Dr. Mohsin Memon (SW), Dr. Abdul Qadir Ansari (BM), Dr. Samiullah Samo (MTE), Engr Javed Larik (ME), Engr. Shafi Jiskani (EL). He shed some light on importance of learning the skills of writing grant winning applications and encouraged students to apply for funding not just for the sake to follow supervisor’s instructions but for the sake of their own recognition and career development. He appreciated the efforts of Dr. Attiya for picking up this important topic and invited her to start the session.

Dr. Attiya Baqai thanked the students for participating in such large number and showing their interest. She divided her session into two halves. In the first half she enlisted and briefed the upcoming competitions, events and opportunities within well-known universities of Pakistan and their requirements. She also discussed some of the international opportunities and highlighted some examples of Pakistani students receiving accolades at international level. She motivated MUET students to become such successful achievers brightening name of their own university and country.

In second half of the session she presented some tips for writing grant applications and proposals. She conversed some of the key points that must be considered for grasping attention from the panel of evaluators. She encouraged students to take their FYP to the next level and commercialize their project or product. She said in this highly competitive world we should become well aware and well prepared with the techniques to contest various rounds currently being tested by the judges like rocket pitch, investor meeting, marketing pitch and marketing video etc. In the end she also deliberated on how to fill National Grass root ICT Research Initiative (NGIRI)-Ignite template/online form for FYPs as a case example followed by a question answer session.

The seminar ended with the vote of thanks by the Chairman Department of Electronics and a group photo with the participants.