Scientific Bangladesh, in its pursuit, to give Bangladeshi researchers at home and in abroad scope to talk about their present research, future plan, giving directions to future researchers and government, has interviewed(by email) Dr Ramit Azad.
Dr Azad is presently teaching as Associate Professor in American International University Bangladesh, in Dhaka. He is a physicist and mathematician and did his PhD from Russian. He says that No research means no progress, no development.
Scientific Bangladesh: Would you like to tell us about your academic and research life?
Dr Azad: I completed my school education in 1988 from Sylhet Cadet College, Sylhet, Bangladesh. I completed the course of Russian Language, from Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia. I completed my basic university education and got the degree of Master of Science in Physics and Mathematics in 1996 from the Department of Theoretical Physics of Kharkov State University, Ukraine. I was conferred the PhD degree in Physics and Mathematics in 2001 by the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow. I also did Post-doctoral research at the same university.
I taught in the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow. In Bangladesh, I taught at East West University. I taught in DUET. Now I am teaching in American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) as an Associate Professor.
I have 14 international journal publications, 17 international and national conference publications and 1 book chapter. I have also written two books on physics, one terminology dictionary. I have also published another six E-books. I also write story, poems and articles in different magazines.
Scientific Bangladesh: What has made you researcher along with teacher?
Dr Azad: I consider research as a duty of a professor. Any university has two major tasks, one is to give knowledge and another one is to create knowledge. Doing research means creating new knowledge.
Scientific Bangladesh: How do you manage the fund for research?
Dr Azad: My researches are mainly theoretical research, accordingly I do not need significant amount of fund.
Scientific Bangladesh: Where does a major part of your research fund come from, home or abroad?
Dr Azad: I have already mentioned that for my research I do not need a significant amount of fund.
Scientific Bangladesh: Inadequate fund for research is a major problem in Bangladesh. What would you say in response to pointing fingers by many to this basic problem worldwide, not only in Bangladesh?
Dr Azad: I want to focus on Bangladesh mainly. Because I made a survey and found that the developed countries obviously, at the same time the developing countries also allocate a significant amount of fund for research. Basically, research is a crying need for development. The country or nation which can not run research they are compelled to depend on others.
Scientific Bangladesh: What is your research area? What type of research facilities/ infrastructures you have developed over the years and how?
Dr Azad: I am doing research on various fields. Since I am a physicist and mathematician accordingly my researches are mostly on physics and mathematics. Besides, I do research on business administration, nuclear medicine and philosophy of science.
Scientific Bangladesh: How many researchers (PhDs and Masters) have you developed by this time? What qualities do you focus to develop in the researchers who work with you?
Dr Azad: Till now I have co-supervised 2 PhDs and supervised 20 plus Masters. I believe, anyone cannot be a researcher. Someone can be a good writer, maybe a good teacher, but the researcher is something different. The person must have specialized knowledge or expertise, conceptual and intellectual capacities such as the ability to identify key problems, to think critically and analytically, and to generate and communicate interesting and original insights. So, I look for these abilities in a future researcher.
Scientific Bangladesh: If the government had asked for your suggestions/advice for the scientific advancement of Bangladesh, what would be three pieces of advice you would make as a researcher?
Dr Azad: 1. Must increase the social and economic status of the teachers and researchers,
2. Must increase the national fund for research,
3. Some necessary measurements and initiatives must be taken to motivate our school students to do research.
Scientific Bangladesh: What’s your suggestion for young graduates who want to be a researcher in general and in physics, in particular?
Dr Azad: I want to tell them that the ultimate goal of the meritorious students must be to become a researcher. For this reason, they must take much interest in their university life. And those who want to do research on physics, for them I should tell that physics is a very tough subject, so it needs more merit and more labour.
Scientific Bangladesh: Do you think different professional bodies of scientists playing their due role? What are your suggestions for the leading professional organizations of scientists?
Dr Azad: There are too many limitations in Bangladesh, however, they are doing not bad, but they must accelerate their activities.
Scientific Bangladesh: Have we missed any point that you would like to share with our readers?
Dr Azad: I teach research methodology to the students of business administration. I tell them that, “a good business starts with good research. Accordingly, for the success of any business, there must be continuous research.” The same for other fields as well. Actually, no research means no progress, no development.
Scientific Bangladesh: Thanks for your time.
Dr Azad: Thank you also.
