Arshad Saleem Bhatti, Director of Academics, Virtual University, Pakistan
Discipline: physics and astronomy
Lecturing/Research: Growth and Characterization of Quantum Nano-Structures
Host: University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
October 2002 - July 2003

Bhatti with graduate students

Physicist Arshad Saleem Bhatti often travels to Europe from his home in Pakistan to do research; however, his experience as a Fulbrighter in the United States, he says, was unique. Besides gleaning valuable scientific information, he gained insight into how Americans work to make dreams come true.

"The wonderful institutions and the technology in the United States were once only dreams, but today they exist," he says. "The level of research and the dedication to it in the United States are astonishing."

Bhatti with Prof. Weaver

For nearly a year, Bhatti studied with John Weaver, an expert in the field of surface science, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). In its Materials Research Laboratory, the two worked on growing nanoparticles and clusters using a buffer layer. This technique, which Weaver pioneered, has great potential to be used in the microelectronic industry, which plans to miniaturize its devices. "For example, this research could result in drastically reducing the size of the magnetic memories used in computers," he says. "Similarly, semiconductor nanoparticles are being fabricated to develop electronic circuitry for quantum computers. But the direct application is their use as light sources for optical communication CD-ROM drives and LEDs (light emitting diodes), used in large advertising displays and traffic lights."

The work was not without challenges. The pair had to determine the roles of different buffer layers, buffer-layer thickness and diffusion of particles, as well as buffer-layer desorption. Once Bhatti and Weaver understood these key issues, they took the research further by growing semiconductor and magnetic nanocrystals. Their work has already been presented at a number of international conferences, and portions of it have appeared in several scientific journals.

Bhatti closely observed the teaching methods used at UIUC and is now establishing a new discipline in optoelectronics at his home institution of COMSATS Institute of Information Technology in Islamabad. "This new information will excite engineering, physics and materials students," Bhatti says. "I hope some of them will decide to do this type of research."

Bhatti's family vacation

The benefits of the exchange have been two-fold, however. Weaver has submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation for funding to continue the collaboration, which will include a student exchange and aid for Bhatti to set up a similar lab in Pakistan.

Much to his surprise, Bhatti found Americans kind, conservative, patriotic and sympathetic. He also found that, "despite the money race" in the United States, "people have dedication and sincerity to their causes, which can create miracles."

When his family joined him, they traveled to Chicago, Michigan and Disney World. "Disney World, too, shows the willpower of a man: to build a place for entertainment and for education," he says. "The best lesson I learned is we should dream great things for our nation, country and humanity. Look at the road networks, the fields and the technology in America. They were dreams at one point but were achieved through passion, hard work and dedication. What I am taking with me to Pakistan are dreams, passion and inspiration."

Please contact us if you would like to submit your own story and/or photographs.