Noor Muhammad Butt | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 3, 1936 |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Alma mater | University of Punjab, Pakistan University of Birmingham UK |
| Known for | Mossbauer Spectroscopy Mossbauer Effect Nanotechnology |
| Awards | Sitara-i-Imtiaz(1992) Khwarizmi International Award (1995) ICTP Award in Solid State Physics (1979) ICTP Award in Nuclear Physics (1970) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Nuclear Physics |
| Institutions | Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) National Commission on Nano-Science and Technology (NCNST) |
Dr. Prof. Noor Muhammad Butt or N. M. Butt is a Pakistani nuclear physicist, research scientist and chairman of Pakistan Science foundation from 2005 to 2008 and the Chairman of the National Commission on Nano-Science and Technology (NCNST) from 2003 to date. He is an elected fellow of Pakistan Academy of Sciences and Islamic Academy of Sciences. Butt is an eminent educationist of Pakistan. Dr. Butt is from amongst the very few in Pakistan who attained Doctor of Science, the highest degree of Science. He also has the distinction of being the first Pakistani to obtain this degree. His given names are usually abbreviated to N. M. Butt.
Dr. N. M. Butt has published far numbering research articles in national and international research journals. He has given credit to trained a large number of young scientists. Due to his contribution, he was conferred with Sitara-i-Imtiaz by then-Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif. Dr. N. M. Butt is also a representative in Pakistan Council for Meetings of Nobel Laureates, which he was elected in 2003. He is a highly cited researcher in the field of Mossbauer Effect.
Noor Muhammad Butt was born in Sialkot in 1936. He received his elementary and intermediate education from there. He completed his matriculation from Murray College. In 1951, he attended Punjab University, majoring in applied physics. He received his B.Sc in Applied Physics from Punjab University in 1955. In 1957, he received his M.Sc. in Applied Physics from the same institution. The same year he joined Government College, Lahore, as a physics Lecturer. He stayed there till 1961.
Dr. N. M. Butt joined PAEC in 1961 as a Principle Scientific Officer. The same year, he won Commonwealth Scholarship and PAEC Scholarship. Later, he went to United Kingdom where he attended University of Birmingham. In 1967, he recived his Ph.D in Nuclear Physics. He joined Department of Nuclear Physics, Birmingham University, where he earned the degree of D.Sc. Thereafter. In 1968, he became a distinguished professor of nuclear physics at University of Birmingham. In 1970, he left University of Birmingham and moved to Trieste, Italy, where he joined ICTP. In 1975, he won the Associate ICTP Award in Nuclear Physics. In 1979, due to his contribution to nuclear physics, he was awarded Senior ICTP Award in Solid State Physics.
Butt re-joined PAEC as a nuclear physicist in 1975. He was later transferred to PINSTECH, where he was appointed head of Nuclear Physics Department (NPD). In 1984, he became a Associate Director of PINSTECH; later he became a director in 1991. In 1996, he was appointed Director General of PINSTECH by then-PAEC Chairman dr. Ishfaq Ahmad. In 1995, he was elected President of Pakistan Nuclear Society. Dr. N. M. Butt visted Cern along with the-PAEC Chairman dr.Ishfaq Ahmad in 1997. The same year PAEC, under the leadership of dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, reached a with CERN after elaborate discussions an in-kind contribution worth one million Swiss francs for the construction of eight magnet supports for the CMS detector. Dr. N. M Butt closely worked with dr. Ishfaq Ahmad in the field of nuclear physics where they produced numerous physics articles. In 1998, he retired from PAEC as a Chief Scientist.and as Director General of PINSTECH. He was made Scientist of Emeritus in this Institute to which he is still attached. In 2000, he was elected President of Pakistan Physical Society. On October 2003, he was appointed as National Commission on Nano-Science and Technology (NCNST). In 2005 he was appointed as Chairman of Pakistan Science Foundation.