Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Assistant Professor of Physics Dr Sabieh Anwar has been appointed as the chair of the Physics Department at the LUMS School of Science & Engineering (SSE). The appointment has been made based on the strong recommendation of the SSE Dean Dr Sohail Qureshi and the School’s Search Committee. Dr Anwar’s tenure as Chair will span a period of three years, effective from December 1, 2011. He has already been leading the Department as acting-chair since April 2011. Dr Anwar is a Rhodes Scholar with a Doctorate from the Oxford University.
His dissertation titled, “Quantum Information Processing using Para-Hydrogen NMR” revolved around the preparation of pure quantum states for quantum computing. This work also constituted the first demonstration of quantum entanglement in the liquid state. His post-doctoral experience at the University of California, Berkeley (USA) involved the demonstration of hyperpolarised Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) using heterogeneous catalytic systems, micro-fluidic and “lab-on-a-chip” NMR, synthesis of precise magnetic fields for ex-situ NMR, algorithmic cooling, polarisation lifetime studies and hypersensitive nano-particle Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Dr Sabieh Anwar is also the joint secretary and one of the founders of the Khwarzimi Science Society, a non-profit organisation aimed at developing a science culture in Lahore’s educational institutions. He is the recipient of several awards including the aforementioned Rhodes Scholarship, GA Paul Scholarship (University College, Oxford), Aizaz-e-Sabqat (Government of Pakistan), Nishan-e-Haider Scholarship (GOP), Roll-of-Honour (Government College, Lahore) and gold medals from the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education and the Punjab Textbook Board.