Mujaddid Ahmed Ijaz

Mujaddid Ahmed Ijaz
Dr. Mujaddid Ahmed Ijaz in 1987
Born(1937-06-12)June 12, 1937
DiedJuly 9, 1992(1992-07-09) (aged 55)
NationalityPakistani
CitizenshipUnited States
Alma materGovernment College Lahore
B.Sc. Physics, 1957
Florida State University
M.Sc. Nuclear Physics, 1962
Ohio University
Ph.D. Particle Physics, 1964
Known forDiscovery of Isotopes
Atoms for Peace Program
Pakistan civil nuclear power
Spouse(s)Lubna Razia Ijaz, Ph.D.
Children5 including Musawer Mansoor Ijaz
AwardsFulbright Grant, 1975
Honorary Citizen, Tenn, 1972
Scientific career
FieldsIsotope research
Experimental physics
Particle physics
Accelerator physics
Symmetry (physics)
InstitutionsVirginia Tech
Oak Ridge National Labs
Brookhaven National Labs
Los Alamos National Labs
Argonne National Laboratory
Fermilab
I.C.T.P. (Trieste, Italy)
Univ. Petroleum & Minerals
Doctoral advisorBasharat A. Munir, Ph.D.

Mujaddid Ahmed Ijaz, Ph.D. (Urdu: مجدد احمد اعجا ز; June 12, 1937 – July 9, 1992), was a Pakistani-American experimental physicist noted for his role in discovering new isotopes[1] that expanded the neutron-deficient side of the atomic chart. Some of the isotopes he discovered enabled significant advances in medical research, particularly in the treatment of cancer, and further advanced the experimental understanding of nuclear structures.[2][3] Ijaz conducted his research work at Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL).[4] He and his ORNL colleagues published more than 60 papers in physics journals announcing isotope discoveries and other results of their accelerator experiments from 1968 until 1983.[5]

Ijaz participated in the U.S. Atoms for Peace initiative during the 1970s.[4] The program provided a number of third-world countries, including Pakistan, with civilian nuclear reactor technology to develop energy for peaceful purposes.[6] As a tenured professor of physics at Virginia Tech, he acted as thesis adviser to graduate students from around the world in experimental physics disciplines. Ijaz made extensive trips abroad during his career, including sabbaticals as a visiting professor at Saudi Arabia's King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.[7][8] in the early 1980s and as a visiting faculty member at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy in 1985. He retired Professor Emeritus of Physics from Virginia Tech in December 1991 after a 27-year career in teaching and research.[5] Ijaz and his wife emigrated to the United States and settled in Virginia, where they had five children. He died in 1992 after a battle with cancer.

  1. ^ Robert B. Sears (1970-10-17). "Tech Physicist Helps in Finding New Isotopes". The Roanoke Times.
  2. ^ Ni, Wen-Xiu; Man, Wai-Lun; Cheung, Myra Ting-Wai; Sun, Raymond Wai-Yin; Shu, Yuan-Lan; Lam, Yun-Wah; Che, Chi-Ming; Lau, Tai-Chu (2011). "Osmium(vi) complexes as a new class of potential anti-cancer agents". Chemical Communications. 47 (7): 2140–2. doi:10.1039/C0CC04515B. PMID 21203649.
  3. ^ Shnyder, Steve D.; Fu, Ying; Habtemariam, Abraha; van Rijt, Sabine H.; Cooper, Patricia A.; Loadman, Paul M.; Sadler, Peter J. (2011). "Anti-colorectal cancer activity of an organometallic osmium arene azopyridine complex" (PDF). MedChemComm. 2 (7): 666. doi:10.1039/C1MD00075F.
  4. ^ a b Mansoor Ijaz (2004-02-11). "Not all of Pakistan's nuclear scientists were rogues". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  5. ^ a b "Obituary: Mujaddid Ahmed Ijaz, Nuclear Scientist". The New York Times. 1992-07-14. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  6. ^ Peter R. Lavoy (December 2003). "The Enduring Effects of Atoms for Peace". Arms Control Association. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  7. ^ Mishkin, E. A.; Ijaz, M. A. (1982). "Physics in Saudi Arabia". Physics Today. 35 (12): 15. Bibcode:1982PhT....35l..15M. doi:10.1063/1.2914875.
  8. ^ Alamy, F. A. S.; Ijaz, M. (1983). "Saudi research center". Physics Today. 36 (4): 94–95. Bibcode:1983PhT....36d..94A. doi:10.1063/1.2915628.