Molecule of the Week: Myosin

Myosin is a kind molecular motor. It exists as a dimer with two myosin monomers twisted around each other. It is an interesting molecule because it takes the energy from ATP hydrolysis in an Ca dependent manner and helps to slide the actin molecule. This amazing molecular mechanism is responsible for muscle contraction. The structure of the molecule in the image shows the ATP binding site and different domains of myosin molecule as well as myosin head which binds to the Actin filament. Watch a video about myosin below.

Binod Pandey 

University of Missouri-St. Luis

"Chemistry—It’s Elemental!" Celebrate National Chemistry Week

American Chemical Society (ACS) is one of the largest professional organizations in the world. Along with other works, ACS celebrates "National Chemistry Week (NCW)" every year in October. This year's NCW is being celebrated from 18–24 October with a slogan  of “Chemistry—It’s Elemental!". According to ACS, National Chemistry Week (NCW) is a community-based annual event that unites ACS local sections, businesses, schools, and individuals in communicating the importance of chemistry to our quality of life. Last year's theme was "The many faces of Chemistry". 

Celebrating such national week about chemistry will help to attract young generation involved in science and popularize chemistry in the society.

Elements are the important and essential building blocks of matter. In total, 117 elements have been observed as of 2008, of which 94 occur naturally on Earth. One has to start from elements to learn chemistry.

I was going through some websites about NCW and found one very interesting was TierneyLab. They have come up with a quiz for this year's NCW. Here is the question for the quiz.

Your task in the quiz is to match the chemical element to the product in which it is found. Here are the nine elements to consider:

1. Aluminum (Al)
2. Copper (Cu)
3. Magnesium (Mg)
4. Potassium (K)
5. Rhenium (Re)
6. Scandium (Sc)
7. Selenium (Se)
8. Titanium (Ti)
9. Zinc (Zn)

And here are the objects in which these elements can be found:
A. Bananas
B. Electrical wires
C. Green plants
D. Hip implants
E. Jet turbine blades
F. Lightweight bicycle parts
G. Nickels
H. Pennies
I. Photocopiers

To win prize please visit this site and submit your answer.

Happy National Chemistry Week 2009!!

2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry announced

Indian born Scientist shares Nobel in Chemistry with 2 other Scientists.

Nobel prize in chemistry for this year of 2009 has been awarded to Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cambridge, United Kingdom-born in India), Thomas A. Steitz (Yale University New Haven, CT, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute) and Ada E. Yonath (Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel)"for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome". Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm announced in a press conference web-casted live. Three scientists will share the prize equally.


This is the 101st Nobel prize in chemistry since it was started in 1901. It was Alfred Nobel's wish to award to “the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement”.

Science is changed a lot since Nobel prize started. Chemistry back in 1900 is different from chemistry now. So the question has raised whether Nobel Prize in chemistry is still relevant to this time? There are some arguments about Nobel given to chemistry. There is an in-depth analysis about this issue in Analytical Chemistry. If you are interested, here is the link. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/ac9018457

P.S.: Linus Pauling, a Oregon State University graduate, had received Nobel prize two times. One for chemistry and next for peace. Proud to be at OSU.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry to be announced tomorrow!!

Time has again come to announce the most prestigious awards in the world-the Nobel Prize. October is the month to announce most anticipated prizes. Two (Nobel for medicine and physics) prizes have been already given for this year of 2009. Nobel in physics has been awarded for groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication (to Charles K. Kao-1/2 of the money) and for the invention of an imaging semiconductor circuit – the CCD sensor (Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith-each will receive 1/4th of the money). Whereas Nobel for Medicine or physiology went for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase to Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Carol W. Greider and Jack W. Szostak. It is interesting to note that the discoveries made both in physics and medicine were couple of decades back.

Nobel prize in chemistry will be announced tomorrow-Wednesday, October 7, 2009) at 11.45AM CET, 9.45AM GMT, 2.45AM PST (west coast of the USA) and 3.30PM Nepal time during a press conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. The announcement is web cast live at Nobelprize.org

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry had been awarded 100 times to 154 Nobel Laureates between 1901 and 2008. A total of 153 individuals have received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. You can see the list of chemistry Nobel laureates here.

Last years Nobel in Chemistry was awarded for the discovery of green fluorescent protein.

Lets wait and see who will grab this years chemistry Nobel.

Talk with Dr. Bishnu Khanal

Dr. Bishnu Khanal has finished his PhD in chemistry from Rice University on August, 2009. He has published many journal articles on reputed journals in his repute and are highlighted by many scientific media. He is the recipient of The Norman Hackerman fellowship in Chemistry by Chemistry department Rice University in 2009 and 2009 MRS Spring meeting Graduate student Gold award. As the number of Nepalese chemists coming to the US as graduate students is increasing and as a result number of Nepalese Chemistry PhD graduates is also increasing. Dr. Khanal represents many of the successful Nepalese Chemists. In an effort to recognize Nepalese Scientists around the globe NepaChem has initiated to put their experiences and thoughts by which we hope will benefit Science and science students in Nepal. NepaChem presents talk between NepaChem and Dr. Khanal.

NepaChem: First of all congratulations for the successful completion of your doctorate degree. And welcome to NepaChem. 

Dr. Khanal: Thank you very much Basant. I appreciate your warm words. It has been always a pleasure to be a part of NepaChem since you have started it.

NepaChem: How do you feel now? What is the difference between Bishnu Khanal and Dr. Bishnu Khanal? Tracking back: starting from a rural village from Nepal to one of the top research institutes in the US.

Dr. Khanal: Honestly, I am not feeling any big difference between Bishnu and Dr. Khanal. I think it is a part of the journey of life. I completed this part of journey successfully and I am happy about it.

As you mentioned, it was a privilege working in Rice University which is among the top research institutes in the USA. I feel very lucky that I had an opportunity to pursue my graduate study in such a reputed institution. I am grateful to Rice, my adviser Dr. Eugene Zubarev and my master’s degree adviser Dr. Mohan Bikram Gewali for all their support and encouragement. Growing up in a rural village of Nepal was never been a big issue. I learned a lot from the people out there. Especially my high school teachers Bijay Mishra and Shambhu Gautam have been a great source of inspiration.

NepaChem: We heard that you have job (postdoc) lined up for you. How difficult was it to find job in the US especially in this bad economy?

Dr. Khanal: Finding a good job is always a difficult task. Fortunately, I did not have to struggle much and got a job easily. 

NepaChem: You have discovered a polymer-coated version of gold-platinum nanorods, the first catalysts of their kind that can be used in the organic solvents favored by chemical and drug manufacturers. This has possible broad industrial application. Could you tell our readers about your research work? And, what do you think what contribution you have given to the science?

Dr. Khanal: My graduate research work was mainly focused on the synthesis, structural manipulation, surface modification and self-assembly of gold nanostructures. During my graduate study, I mainly worked on the development of different methods for the synthesis of nanostructures. Among them one project was the synthesis and surface functionalization of bi-and tri-metallic nanorods. We found a method for the deposition of platinum on gold nanorods which results in the formation of core-shell platinum on gold nanorods. The surface functionalization technique which I developed in Zubarev’s group allowed us to synthesize polymer-coated version of platinum-on-gold nanorods. We studied the catalytic properties of these noble nanostructures in organic solvents and found that they are very good catalyst for several organic reactions which has a potential application in the drug manufactures.  

NepaChem: Generally achievement in scientific research work is measured by journal articles you author. You have authored three and co-authored several journal articles during your four year graduate study. Most of them are published on high impact factor journals and are *hot paper*, *cover article* etc. How was this success possible?

Dr. Khanal: The answer to this question could be keep working hard and never give up. Think all the possibilities, try to understand what is going on in a reaction, try to find possible mistakes and correct them.

NepaChem: What do you suggest prospective and current graduate students to achieve successful graduate study? Tell us 5 ‘sutra’ or ‘mantra’ of success.

Dr. Khanal: First of all understand your potential, work hard, be honest, be optimistic, respect other people and their work.

NepaChem: Selection of adviser and research area is critical and very important for new students particularly for international students coming from countries like Nepal. What are your experiences?

Dr. Khanal: Selection of adviser and research area are the most important factors for the success of graduate study. It totally depends on the student.  According to me, the selection of adviser and research area should be chosen according to student’s personal interest.

NepaChem: Anything you want to tell to the students who want to come to the US for graduate studies?

Dr. Khanal: Get yourself prepared to work really hard.

NepaChem: At last, how do see the future of scientific research in Nepal. As being a Nepalese citizen, do you have anything to say?

Dr. Khanal: A lot of scientific research is going on in Nepal. Despite the fact that there are limited resources, investment and instruments, I really appreciate the research accomplished by researcher in Nepal. I am satisfied with the research I have done during my Master’s in Tribhuvan Univesity. I am quite optimistic that one day we will have a stable government which will start investing on science. 

NepaChem: Thank you for your time and sharing your thoughts and experiences with us.

Dr. Khanal: It is my pleasure, thank you very much.

New *Topic* in NepaChem

NepaChem is planning to launch a new topic. From now we will publish interviews with successful, inspirational and important Nepalese Chemists, well wishers and other related personals. Our hope is that Nepalese Chemists, Chemical education and industry will benefit from such talks.

For the first time, we will present Dr. Bishnu Khanal, one of the most successful Nepalese Chemists. Please keep visiting NepaChem.

ACS meeting: An experience

Mahesh Paudyal, University of Missouri-St. Louis

I was excited to participate in national meeting of American Chemical Society (ACS). There were three reasons of my excitement: first, I was going to the nation’s capital for the first time, second, it was my first participation in national level meeting and, third, I was delivering my first oral presentation, here in the United States. I was becoming one of the eyewitnesses of society’s 238^th national meeting from August 16-20 at Washington, D. C.

I found Washington, D. C. very hot and humid when we landed there. I do not hesitate to say that we could not figure out the way to the Hotel from web like map of subway train (and we did not bother to ask anybody) which forced us to take the easiest way, taxi (We were aware that boss has still got the NIH fund). We looked each other’s face when we figured out that it (the Hotel) was actually very near from airport and there was a train station just across the street.

From left (up): Lekh N Sharma Gautam, Basu Dev Panthi, Ravi Adhikari, Krishna Panthi, Mahesh Paudyal

I felt like the wave of chemistry is wading me to the shore of sea (full of chemicals) when I went to the Walter E. Convention Center of Wash. D. C., the meeting place and saw huge crowd of chemists (14,234 attendees, C&EN, August 24, 2009). Registration followed by attending the selective sessions of oral presentation (from “BIG” guys of Chemistry) and poster sessions was really helpful, academically. 

“Your English is good but you still have got very thick accent.” This was the first comment that I got from my adviser when I was presenting my talk in front of him few days before leaving to D. C. This, of course, brought lines of disappointment on my face but I did not defend as I knew that it was true. In spite of my nervousness and rush (my greatest demerit), I talked quite well (my own judgment, because I know myself). So I was happy for my first oral presentation in national meeting in front of a medium sized crowd.

I also met some Nepali students. We (Raj K Malla and I) were together in the journey which later was accompanied by my dear dai (Basu Dev Panthi, Baylor University) and Lekh Nath Sharma Gautam (from West Virginia University). We met Mr. Kirshna Panthi and Ravi Adhikari (from Ohio) and Jib R Acharya (from Louisiana).

We took this opportunity to visit nation’s capital. The White House (very simple white colored house, from outside), National space and air museum were among the few but important places that we visited. Vending and mobile shops, beggars at every corner of the street, some narrow and untidy roads and very unclean fast food restaurants were forcing me to ask one question (with obvious answer), Is this the world’s most powerful country’s capital? 

Some facts and figures about this meeting: the largest ever meeting at a Washington, D. C., national meeting, 14,234 attendees (8,531 regular registrants, 3,152 students, 1,438 exhibitors, 458 guests and so). There were 453 booths, 307 exhibitors, and six work-shops at the exposition. (C&EN, August 24, 2009).

From left (down): Mahesh Paudyal, Basu Dev Panthi, Raj K Malla, Lekh N Sharma Gautam

New Nepalese Chemistry Graduate Students, 2009

As in the previous years, dozens of Nepalese students flew from Kathmandu for graduate studies. Below is the list of some of them that we have. If you know more names, please add on the list.

Krishna Prasad Sharma Southern Illinois University
Laxman Devkota Baylor University, Texas
Archana Mishra Wichita Sate University
Surya Adhikari Toledo University
Surja Ghale New Mexico State University
Prabodh Satyal University of Alabama in Huntsville
Deepak Subedi New Mexico State University
Bishnu Paudel Wayne state University
Mahesh Bhatta University of Texas at Dallas
Arjun Sharmah University of California at Davis
Birendra Dhungana Baylor University
Bishnu Dhakal New Mexico State University
Dayanidhi Kharel Wayne Sate University
Rajendra Mahat University of Wyoming
Deepak Chand University of Idaho
Jay Kishan Bhattarai University of Missouri, St. Louis
Bal Kumari Khatiwada Uuniversity of Oklohama, Norman
There is a list of Nepalese chemists around the globe here.

Some photos from projector donation program

Laptop computer and multimedia projector were donated to the central department of chemistry, TU for educational use on Asar 5th of this year. Money to buy these items was collected from the alumni of CDC around the globe. If you want to see how this was started, then just click on here and here.You can click here to read the details of the handover event. In this post, you are going to see some of the photographs taken during that event.

Binod Pandey handovers to Prof Tulsi Pathak, Head of the department

Looks like, Rishi announced and Binod is ready for Speech.

Binod Pandey took the responsibility to collect money, buy the items and donate to the CDC. But we can not forget the help from other friends.

Prof Krishna Manandhar delivering his speech

New generation of Nepalese chemists

Thank goes to Binod Pandey for these photos.

Congratulation to Dr. Kosh P Neupane

We have one more Chemistry Doctorate in our community. Dr. Kosh P. Neupane completed his PhD Degree form University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in May 2009. He had been working in chemistry department of UNR in the field of Bio-inorganic Chemistry.

The title of his dissertation is " Nickel Superoxide Dismutase: Insight Into the Metalloenzyme Gained from Functional Metallopeptides Models". The Nickel superoxide dismutase (NiSOD) is a bacterial metalloenzyme that possesses a mononuclear Ni-center and catalyzes the disproportionation of O₂^•- by cycling between Ni^II and Ni^III oxidation states.

He is currently doing his Postdoc at the Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. http://www.umich.edu/~vlpecgrp

Congratulations to Dr. Neupane on your great achievement and we all wish all the best for your bright future!!!!!!!!

Congratulation to Dr. Gopal Prasad Ghimire

Nepalese Chemists community has got one more PhD graduate. Congratulations Dr. Gopal P Ghimire. He has finished his doctoral degree from Sun Moon university, South Korea. His worked in the field of Biochemistry.

Title of his thesis was "Identification of cryptic genes from genome mining of Streptomyces peucetius ATCC 27952: Gene expression, functional characterization and application”. It deals with the identification of such genes, which remain orphan or silent in the whole genome but activated and used to produce pharmaceutically important compounds using genetic engineering tools.

He is working as Lecturer in Chemistry, Institute of Engineering, Lamachour, Pokhara, Nepal. We hope his knowledge will be a great asset to the development of chemistry education and research in Nepal.

All the best Dr. Ghimire.

Congratulations Dr. Sailesh!!!!!

It’s really very great news to know that one of our friends Sailesh Malla recently completed his Doctoral course from Sun Moon University, South Korea with biochemistry major.

The title of his Thesis is “Genetic Engineering of Streptomyces peucetius ATCC 27952: Enhancement of Doxorubicin Production and Generation of Anthracycline Analogues” which deals with the development of most widely used anticancer drug Doxorubicin overproducing strains and establishing a new metabolic route for the development of hybrid doxorubicin analogues for clinical and commercial implication.

Congratulation Dr. Malla for your achievement and we all wish him for his bright future.

Projector and Computer Donated to CDC!!

It is a matter of pleasure to announce that we have successfully collected donation of amount $1586 and had bought a projector for $767.18 and one laptop in $600.00 , one mouse and laptop case $34. Rest of the money is still in the payapal account. Initially we had planned to purchase a screen and some laser pointers but because of my schedule I couldn't do that, I beg your pardon for this.

Eventhough I had planned to organize a handover program on Asar 5th ,2066 but because of the conflict in schedules of Department Chief, I had to postpone it and later on I myself became very busy and had to organize a small program on Asar 19th right before by departure from Kathmandu.

ChemSA was asked to organize that program but it didn't show much interest. So Mr. Rishi Sapkota went there and asked students to be there and informed all the faculties. The program was chaired by Dr. Tulsi Prasad Pathak and addressed by several speakers like Dr. Mohan Bikram Gewali, Dr. Krishna Manandhar, Mr. Binod Prasad Pandey and Mr Mahendra Thapa. Our effort was praised by all the faculties and all professors have said thanks to all the donors. Dr. Tulsi Prasad Pathak has asked me to convey his appreciation to everybody and had said that was the pioneer donation work in the history of CDC done by alumni as a combined effort.

I do have some pictures but I forgot them in Nepal, I have asked Mr. Mahendra Thapa to bring them so I will upload few pictures after some time. Once again thank you everybody for your help and support. We take pride to be a part of such a good work in the history of CDC.

Have a great Day!!! Be happy!!

Nepalese Students attend ACS meeting

As being a Chemistry Graduate student, I wanted to attend the ACS meeting (National meeting of American Chemical Society). I got this opportunity this year to attend 237^th ACS National meeting in Salt lake City, UT. A week long conference with more than 10,000 attendees is a very big meeting for me. It was a crowd of chemists. For me the meeting was an experience to expose with intellectual persons as well as to meet some of my friends who I had not seen for a while and know some new friends. In the meeting, I met some Nepalese friends who are working in Chemistry and related fields. I could not see all the Nepalese Chemists who were there but I saw most of them. I want to list those Nepalese Chemists who I met there.

1. Subin Adhikari: Clark University, MA

2. Dambar Hamal: Kansas State University, KS

3. Sunil Hamal: University of Nevada, Reno, NV

4. Raj Kumar Malla: University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO

5. Bishnu Khanal: Rice University, TX

6. Rajendra Shakya: Oklahoma University, OK

7. Kosh P Neupane: University of Nevada, Reno, NV

8. Ramesh Pant: Naval Research Laboratory, DC

9. Yam B Poudel: University of Utah, UT

10. Pragya Adhikari: University of Utah, UT

11. Nirmal Pahadi: University of Kansas, KS

Lekh N Adhikari

University of Nevada, Reno

Prof Gewali Comes with New Book

Dr. Mohan Bikram Gewali-professor of Central Department of Chemistry (CDC) Tribhuvan University has written a new book entitled "Aspects of Traditional Medicines of Nepal". After his job as a director of RECAST (Research Center for Apllied Science and Technology) in Kirtipur, he went to University of Toyama, Japan as a visiting Professor and now he comes with this book. The book talks about the tradational medicines which are in practice for centuries in Nepal. The book gives more indepth about medicinal plants of Nepal. His past research focused on to finding chemical constituents of various medicinal plants of Nepal. One chapter of the book is devoted for folk medicines used in Manag district of Nepal which is more close to Tibet in terms of culture and geography. I liked the cover photograph of the book very much which is Thanka painting of 108 Meditating Medicine Buddha.


I was his student in my Master degree study at CDC and I have great honour and respect for him.


The book can be downloaded from following link.


http://documents.scribd.com/docs/pbaqobfv3iyua8j7pcb.pdf

Some Words for Good Work

Binod Prasad Pandey

Everybody wishes the everything that is related to him /her should be good enough to take pride of it. We, as alumni are not exception and want to see and say CDC is a world class institution, we were a part of it and we are. We are millions of mile away from it but we are stuck to it in our identity and in our daily life as our career. It is a shame for us to watch the drama that is being played in our political stage but it is our weakness and out of our expertise to change the trend. The only thing we could do is wish good and hope good. We are seeing and listening the big slogan of New Nepal and we are pretty much clear that it is not going to be a New Nepal that way. The main mantra for new Nepal is everyone learns his/her duty and responsibility and thinks beyond his only own self interest. I know we may not make big difference but at least we can try. I came to realize this truth, as everyone, when I was away from home, away from my country. As everybody I also started to be more patriotic when I found the big gap between us and others in this world.

I used to sit in a classroom with some 90 people, a lousy lecture used to be delivered in the far front stage without any enthusiasm and fun. Later I found that classroom is more fun and more lively just with some visual aids and just with a little effort. Even In this 21^Ist century we were lacking even a simple projector not only in a classroom but even for some seminars and such events.

These were the some motives to force me to think something that will be at least a little help for a better CDC. I was thinking this and thinking if we could do anything?? I asked my friends and said what if we could write this and ask our friends to make a little effort and collect money. It was not a big deal to collect money we could have asked 10 friends to donate some 100 dollars each and have donated a projector and a computer or could have asked even some strangers for help but as we were making plans we have a wonderful idea to collect all chemistry alumni and bring them together in this event and made some conspiracy to make an “alumni association of CDC”. As we see alumni association even in a High school, a business oriented +2 but not in that big institute. so this became another motive for this project.

I made a initial plan, talked with friends in University of Missouri, Basant Giri , Bhanu Neupane and Lekhnath Adhikari and they said it is a good idea . I posted it in Hi5 where I had some 50 friends in CDC group and I got immediate response from Ritu Gurung and Arjun Poudyal. We sent emails from and got response and support from several friends. We were thinking and kind of silent but some friends were asking where is your plan? You just made it and left it?? Then I thought I should start it and with the suggestion from friends I opened a paypal account and deposited some dollars for initiation then immediately I got more money deposited from other friends. As soon as I sent emails I got immediate deposition from Dr. Durga Parajuli and some other friends. This all added additional energy and we reached here, where we are almost close to the set goal. The most exciting outcome of this project is that we all came to know we are equally devoted to see better CDC.

I was getting some comments like nobody there in CDC is really good, they already have some good instruments that also they never use they won’t use that projector also, there is a 16 our load shedding , there is birds poop in the seminar room, birds will poop in it and lot more but I have just one answer let’s try good and think good, it is not a big sacrifice to donate 10,20 or some box when you have got M. SC. degree for free yup absolutely free, you got recommendation from there that’s was also a great thing!!!! Lets try it, if we could that’s good, if not still we are not losing our life or our anything !!! Some friends trusted me, some did with some caution but they did. It was not only me behind this but we were a bunch of chemists, all those who have made donation and who are in the way to make. We can’t guarantee that it will be as good as we expect but at least it will be some.

We are still trying to get more people involved in it we have almost 50 people participated spontaneously. We were thinking we will call everybody and ask donation, this was a good idea because by this we will have direct contact with each other. We were also getting comments like how can we donate just based on that email? We had realized that money collecting or social service was not that easy as collecting for picnic or gambling but we were hopeful. The main reason we couldn’t call all is we didn’t have phone no and we asked friends to make personal requests to everyone. We tried to get email addresses from every possible source, we went to the college’s site to find it, we asked friends etc. We tried to include all and hoped that most of us got information and requested our friends to circulate emails. We did that and got more participation. We are not making any sacrifice by donating some bucks but we are making a big difference in the way of thinking, we are showing we have time to think for others and for new Nepal not only for our own career!!

This project is going on and now we are excited and curiously waiting to see an alumni association!! We will work on it and hope to get your support as for this project. There is no personal interest for me to get any additional advantage but it will be advantageous for all of us!! May god bless us!!

University of Missouri

binrit@hotmail.com

Molecule of the Week:Retene

IUPAC Name: 7-Isopropyl-

CAS Number: 483-65-8

Molecular Weight: 234.33 [g/mol]

Molecular Formula: C₁₈H₁₈

Retene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. It occurs naturally in the tars obtained by the distillation of resinous woods. It is one of the air pollutants.

This molecule is widely used as a bio-marker of wood combustion, specially forest fire. It is a major product of pyrolysis of conifer trees. Like some other chemicals, once it is released into the atmosphere, can travel to other places where it is not produced. For example one study shows the presence of retene in air at Marys peak, OR USA, which indicates there was some forest fire.

To know know more about Retene, click on following links.

Chemistry of Retene

Fund raising for Central Department of Chemistry, TU

Those who graduated from Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University Nepal now feel that there is something they can contribute back to CDC. Lately there are hundreds of Nepalese Chemists working and studying in different parts of the world. There is no alumni association of CDC yet.

Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University is the oldest institution in Nepal that started M.Sc. or Ph.D. degree courses in Chemistry. Now it has 180 students with ~35 faculty.

I came to know that former students of CDC have started collecting money to donate to CDC. They want to buy at least a multi-media projector. I know that CDC doesn't have its own MMP. It has couple of overhead projectors-OHP (assuming they are still working). Teaching and learning is still based on chalk and marker board. This is kind of shame but it is the reality of developing world. Use of multimedia and internet in teaching and learning process is vital in 21st century world. There are many things that couldn't be taught or learnt without these modern tools. When we have to give a seminar presentation-either we need to borrow the projector from others or have to present using overhead projector. There are dozens of master students who present their thesis each year, but they have to rely on OHP.

The fund raising campaign initiated by Mr Binod Pandey will help to solve this problem little bit. I hope so. Because there are lot of problems the CDC is facing. Many problems are common with other institutions and people faccing in Kathmandu. I think it would be great, if we could help one laptop with the MMP, so that they can use wherever they want.

If you are interested, you can just click on the donate bottom on up-right side bar of this blog. I did my part. Your small contribution is valuable. Money is collected to the Paypal account of Mr Binod Pandey. His Paypal email is binod_panchem@hotmail.com You can write cheque or give cash too.

If you want to contact him his phone number is 314-229-5619.

What do you think about this? Write comments on the comment box below.