Scientific Calendar Event



Description This is the second activity within PWF Pakistan: Advancing Optics and Photonics Education for Women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, this time at Women University Swabi. The project is organized in collaboration with Active Learning in Optics (ALO) Group, OPTICA Student Chapter and ICO territory Pakistan based at Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University.

Women universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) have limited access to experimental physics and emerging fields such as quantum electronics and quantum optics. This project introduces affordable hands-on activities and crash courses in introductory and advanced Optics and Quantum Optics to strengthen practical skills and conceptual understanding. Using the Active Learning in Optics (ALO) approach, the program builds local capacity, boosts student confidence, and prepares young women for advanced studies and future opportunities in photonics, quantum science, and high-technology sectors.

The activity will include a course on Laser physics, with pre-requisites courses on Waves and Optics. The following subjects will be covered:

Fundamentals of lasers: spontaneous and stimulated emission, absorption, pumping schemes, gain coefficients, properties of laser beams: monochromaticity, coherence, directionality, brightness
laser resonators: plane-parallel (Fabry-Perot), concentric, confocal, generalized spherical, ring-resonators, matrix formulation of geometrical optics: wave reflection and transmission, stability conditions, rate-equation approach: threshold condition laser types and techniques: q-switching, mode-locking, applications of lasers.

Demonstrations of optical phenomena using web-cam and hands-on activities related to theory will be included.

Project coordinator: Dr. Imrana Ashraf, Department of Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University 
Local organisers: Ms. Maria Tabrez, Dr Samina Bibi, Ms. Nazish and Ms. Nayyab Ali, Department of Physics, Women University Swabi, Gulo Dheri, Kpk

Registration form:  https://forms.gle/rShv3Zx2dFYj2RGz6

Speakers:
 Dr. Imrana Ashraf, Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan
 Dr. Raheel Ali, Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan
 Dr. Mohammad Zahid, Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan
 Prof. John Dudley, Université Marie et Louis Pasteur
 Prof. Joseph Niemela, ICTP
 DrAmal Kasry, PhD , Chief of Basic Sciences & Engineering. 
 Natural Sciences Sector, UNESCO
 Dr. Abdul Rahman, Department of Physics , Szeged University Hungary 


Tutors/facilitators:
Mr. Masad Qayyum, Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Mr. Raja Sanwal, Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan
Mr. Zeeshan Ali, Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan
Ms. Nimra Ghazanfar, Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan
Ms. Hamna Shoaib, Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad
Ms. Syeda Hamna, Department of Physics Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad
 

Go to day
  • Monday, 13 April 2026
    • 07:30 - 10:30 DAY 1 - Laser Physics Intensive School - Morning Session
      • 07:30 Lecture 1: Basics of Quantum Electronics 1h30' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Introductory Concepts; Historical sketch; Wave Mechanics; Dirac Notation; Two-Level Atomic System; Pauli Spin matrices
        Speaker: Dr. Imrana Ashraf (ICTP/Quaid-i-Azam University)
      • 09:00 Lecture 2: Special Talk - Science for Sustainable Development 1h0' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Chief of Basic Sciences & Engineering Natural Sciences Sector, UNESCO
        Speaker: Dr. Amal Kasry (UNESCO)
      • 10:00 Lunch Break 30'
    • 10:30 - 12:30 DAY 1 - Laser Physics Intensive School - Afternoon Session
      • 10:30 Lecture 3: What is Light? 1h0' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Electromagnetic waves and photons; Wavelength and frequencies; Spontaneous emission; Stimulated emission; Stimulated Absorption
        Speaker: Dr. Imrana Ashraf (ICTP/Quaid-i-Azam University)
      • 11:30 First Demonstration of Optical Phenomenon 1h0' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
  • Tuesday, 14 April 2026
    • 06:00 - 10:30 DAY 2 - Fundamentals of Lasers - Morning Session
      • 06:00 Lecture 1: Maser Principle 1h30' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Population Inversion; Threshold Condition; The Laser Idea; Introduction to Lasers; Properties of Laser Light; Basic Components; Pumping Schemes; Gain coefficient; Saturation
        Speaker: Dr. Imrana Ashraf (ICTP/Quaid-i-Azam University)
      • 07:30 Coffee Break 15'
      • 07:45 Lecture 2: Optical Resonators 1h15' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Online; Types of resonators; ABCD Matrix; Stability Condition; Monochromaticity; Coherence; Directionality; Brightness
        Speaker: Dr. Raheel Ali (Quaid-i-Azam University)
      • 09:00 Lecture 3: Special Talk - Photoacoustic Spectroscopy for Ambient Aerosols Characterization 1h0' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Special Lecture
        Speaker: Dr. Abdul Rahman (Szeged University, Hungary)
      • 10:00 Lunch Break 30'
    • 10:30 - 12:30 DAY 2 - Fundamentals of Lasers - Afternoon Session
      • 10:30 Lecture 4: Laser Beam Output 1h15' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Laser Q-switching; Mode-Locking; Types of Lasers; Applications of Laser
        Speaker: Dr. Imrana Ashraf (ICTP/Quaid-i-Azam University)
      • 11:45 Second Demonstration of Optical Phenomena 45' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
  • Wednesday, 15 April 2026
    • 06:00 - 10:00 DAY 3 - Advanced Topics - Morning Session
      • 06:00 Lecture 1: Semi-Classical Treatment of Atom-Field Interaction 1h30' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Speaker: Dr. Imrana Ashraf (ICTP/Quaid-i-Azam University)
      • 07:30 Tea Break 30'
      • 08:00 Lecture 2: Line-Broadening Mechanisms 1h30' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        In person; Homogeneous broadening; Inhomogeneous broadening; Doppler Broadening; Transition Cross-section; Spontaneous Emission Transition Rate
        Speaker: Dr. Raheel Ali (Quaid-i-Azam University)
      • 09:30 Lunch Break 30'
    • 10:00 - 12:30 DAY 3 - Advanced Topics - Afternoon Session
      • 10:00 Discussion with Speakers 1h0' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Speaker: Dr. Imrana Ashraf and Dr. Raheel Ali (ICTP/Quaid-i-Azam University)
      • 11:00 Hands-On Session 1h30' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Speaker: Masad, Sanwal (Quaid-i-Azam University)
  • Thursday, 16 April 2026
    • 06:00 - 10:00 DAY 4 - Hands-On & Assessment - Morning Session
      • 06:00 Lecture 1: Rate-Equation Approach to Laser Theory 1h30' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Population rate equations; Photon density equation; Steady-state solution; Threshold Condition; Gain = losses; Threshold inversion
        Speaker: Dr. Imrana Ashraf (ICTP/Quaid-i-Azam University)
      • 07:30 Coffee Break 30'
      • 08:00 Hands-On Session II 1h30' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Speaker: Sanwal Masad
      • 09:30 Lunch break 30'
        Lunch Break
    • 10:00 - 11:30 DAY 4 - Hands-On & Assessment - Afternoon Session
      Location: DAY 4 - Hands-On & Assessment - Afternoon Session
      • 10:00 MCQs Session 1h0' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
      • 11:00 Concluding Remarks and Certificate Distribution 30' ( Lecture Hall, Swabi Women University )
        Speaker: Dr. Imrana Ashraf