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Prof. Dr. Syed Arif Kamal, Senior-Most Professor of University,
Head, Anthromathematics
Group*, Department of
Mathematics, Dean, Faculty of Science and Caretaker Dean, Faculty of
Engineering, University of
Karachi, obtained his BSc (Honors) summa cum laude, MSc summa
cum laude (98.8% aggregate marks) and PhD from University of Karachi, MS from Indiana University, Bloomington,
United States and MA from the Johns
Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States as Quaid-é-Azam Scholar. He
held visiting and sessional faculty positions at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York,
United States, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden and the Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi.
His awards and honors include throughout First-Class-First Position, 4 gold
medals for scholastic achievements as well as Karachi-University-Syndicate
Appointments as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor, all
of them number one according to merit list. He is a member of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
(AIAA), International
Brain Research Organization (IBRO), the Karachi
University Senate, Academic Council as well as Board of Advanced Studies and
Research. As member of Expert Panel on Curriculum of Mathematics, Ministry of
Education, Government of Pakistan, he reviewed mathematics syllabi and
textbooks for Classes I-XII. He acts as Subject Expert (Mathematics) on the
Selection/Interview Boards of University of Balochistan, Pakistan Space and Upper
Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and Federal Public Service Commission. He is, also, a referee of Astrophysics and Space Science [Thomson-Reuters Impact Factor (2015) = 1.678], Clinical Biomechanics [Thomson-Reuters Impact Factor (2015) = 1.636],
Acta Paediatrica [Thomson-Reuters Impact Factor (2015) = 1.647],
Optics and
Laser Technology [Thomson-Reuters Impact Factor (2015) = 1.879],
Pakistan Journal of
Scientific and Industrial Research, Journal of Chinese Institute of Engineers and Proceedings
of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences.
His research, teaching and administrative experiences in institutions of higher learning and R&D
organizations span over 35 years. He had an opportunity to lead teams in
22 different capacities, with progressively-increasing
responsibilities (motivation, administration, crisis management, conflict
resolution, establishment of national projects/laboratories), through his
soft skills (communication, presentation, networking, ability to portray
vision, out-of-the-box solutions) and research in administrative and
leadership styles (conflict-resolution mechanisms linked to left- and
right-hemisphere functioning of brain, introduction of z axis —
innovative skills along with technical and managerial skills for job seekers,
mathematical modeling of corruption). A few key positions held by him are
Dean, Faculty of Science (2015-present), Caretaker Dean, Faculty of
Engineering (2015-present), Convener, BASR Sub-Committee for Synopsis Review
(2015-present), Chairman, Department of Mathematics (first term 2003-2006, second term 2012-2015), Project Director, the NGDS Pilot Project (1998-present), Chairman, Boards of Faculty (Engineering 2005-present;
Science 2015-present), Chairman, Boards of Studies (Applied Physics
2015-present; Biotechnology 2015-present; Chemical Engineering 2015-present;
Computer Science 2015-present; Mathematics 2003-2006, 2012-2015), Convener,
Program in Industrial and Business Mathematics (2003-2006, 2012-2015), Acting
Convener, Testing Services Committee (2008-2010, during absences of
Convener), Editor-in-Chief, Karachi University Journal of Science
(2015-present), Convener, National Curriculum Revision
Committee (Mathematics), Higher Education Commission, Government of Pakistan (2004-2012), which prepared BS, MS and PhD
curricula, Convener, Subject Committee (Mathematics), National Testing Service
Pakistan (2009-2012), Convener,
Sub-Committee (Academics), the Education Committee, Transparency International
Pakistan (2011-2014) and Convener,Dr. Mahmud
Husain Library Committee, University of Karachi (January 5, 2016-present). In
addition, he contributed in grooming future leaders as Program Convener of the Early Talent Research Participation Program, University of Karachi (2002-2010). He has 185 papers to his credit (177 as solo/first/corresponding author) in
biomathematics, astrodynamics, relativity, physical mathematics and algebra,
in Biological Cybernatics [Thomson-Reuters Impact Factor (2015) = 1.611], Journal of Biological
Physics [Thomson-Reuters Impact Factor (2015) = 1.394],
Chinese Journal of Physics [Thomson-Reuters Impact Factor (2015) = 0.464] as well as Matrix and Tensor Quarterly (Tensor Society of Great Britain).
His contributions to mathematics include defining
determinant of a general tensor, introducing cardiac
coördinates to study heart function, developing astrodynamical
coördinates to study bounded keplarian motion, formulating Strong
Noether’s Theorem to study particle symmetries,
avoiding infinities from the Lorentz and the Poincaré transformations, constructing a Minkowski-type
metric for curved spacetime, proposing approaches to
generalize principle of equivalence and devising new control laws, the
extended-cross-product steering, the
dot-product steering and the
ellipse-orientation steering for spacecrafts and satellites,
making mathematical models of brain, heart, spinal column and growth of
children. In addition, he has written a
critical review of Richard H. Battin’s book, “An
Introduction to the Mathematics and (the) Methods of Astrodynamics”. Some of
the notable concepts put forward by him are the fourth law
of thermodynamics (physics/chemistry), the sixth
paradigm of physics, cross lattice (generalization of reciprocal lattice — condensed matter physics), smart-intelligent power (generalization of soft power, smart power and intelligent
power — international relations), modeling
money (flow) as a substance-like quantity (mathematical economics), edge-based
moiré (combination of moiré fringe
topography and edge-based algorithm — computer vision), air-spacecraft
of the third millennium (green engineering principles —
aeronautics and astronautics), mathematical
definition of brain death (exploring group structure of
covariant model of global electrocortical activity — mathematical
neuroscience) as well as the first- and the
second-generation solutions of childhood obesity (month-wise
targets to achieve specific heights and masses to be accomplished on checkup date
of each following month — anthromathematics). Aerospace,
health-care and security technologies are impacted by his research. He
supervised PhD dissertations and MPhil theses of students in mathematics,
information technology and physics. He has collaborative links with
Department of Applied Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Health, Physical
Education and Sports Sciences, International Relations as well as Institute
of Space and Planetary Astrophysics.
He introduced 11
new branches of mathematics, namely, anthromathematics (on March 22, 2010), astromathematics (on October 8, 2012), anthrotopology (on December 27, 2012), condensed-matter
mathematics (on December 28, 2012),
anthroalgebra (on April 10, 2013), anthrogeometry (on April 10, 2013), anthrodynamics
(on April 10, 2013), anthroimaging (on September 5, 2013), sport mathematics (on May 17, 2014), astro-anthromathematics (on December 29, 2015) and astro-anthrodynamics (on May 01, 2016). Anthromathemaics has matured since then with MPhil courses offered and two
conferences held on the subject — the first one on September 4 and 5, 2013
and the second one on September 4, 2014.
He has given 73 colloquia, guest lectures, presentations and seminars at
various institutions of higher learning, including Air War College, the Aga Khan University, Higher Education Commission, the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, the
Abdus-Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, Italy and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States. In addition, he has conducted 21 trainings and workshops as
well as in-service and professional-development courses and organized 17
exhibitions, grand seminars, seminar series and conferences (chair/co-chair of 6
conferences). He was keynote speaker in 7 conferences, invited speaker in 12 conferences, delivered 13 memorial lectures, session chair
in 11 conferences, panelist (panel discussion) in 3 conferences
and chief guest in 5 conferences/grand seminars. He, also, presided over 3 conferences/grand seminars. His
biography is listed in Marquis Who's Who in the World, Dictionary of
International Biography and 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the
Twenty-First Century. On November 4, 2010, he shared his life-long
achievements as Guest Scientist in the Pakistan Academy of Sciences Karachi
Chapter Program.
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