University of Central Punjab’s Tech for Tomorrow (TFT 2024), held from October 17-19, 2024, empowered girls and underprivileged students by offering workshops and hands-on sessions in emerging technologies. The event aimed to make technology education accessible to all participants, including specific sessions for kids and girls.
Day 1 Highlights (October 17, 2024):
• The event opened with the recitation of the Holy Quran by IEEE RAS Student Chapter’s Interim Chair, Mr. Abdur Raffay, followed by a welcome note from Dr. Muhammad Amjad Iqbal, Dean, Faculty of IT & CS at UCP.
• Mr. Shazeb Rathore, Chair of the IEEE Lahore Section, delivered the opening address as Chief Guest, emphasizing the importance of IEEE and its initiatives for students, faculty members, and professionals.
• Dr. Tanweer Bukhari, Project Lead, highlighted that Tech for Tomorrow (TFT 2024) has been honored as one of the five recipients of the prestigious IEEE Computer Society (IEEE CS) Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Fund grants for 2024. This recognition celebrates TFT 2024’s dedication to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the global computing community. Out of 124 proposals, TFT 2024 was selected for its significant impact on educating and empowering underrepresented and underprivileged groups, especially women and girls, through transformative technology education. Dr. Bukhari emphasized that this grant enables TFT 2024 to advance its mission of providing dynamic learning experiences in robotics, programming, and digital literacy, further strengthening a commitment to building a more inclusive and innovative technological future. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the IEEE Computer Society for their support, which will enable the creation of meaningful, accessible learning opportunities that inspire the next generation of diverse tech leaders.
• Keynote speakers included Prof. Dr. Andrew Ware (University of South Wales, UK), discussing “Learning from Data,” and Prof. Dr. Yasar Ayaz (Chairman, National Center of Artificial Intelligence, Pakistan), presenting on “Robotics on the RISE.”
• An invited talk on “Environmental Data Science” was delivered by Prof. Dr. Saman Shahid (Fast NU, Lahore).
• Hands-on workshops included Internet of Things (IoT) led by Dr. Stefan Poslad (Queen Mary University of London), Remote Sensing ABC for Kids led by Dr. Adnan Siddique (Information Technology University), EV3 Lego Programming led by Ms. Ifra Ayesha (University of Central Punjab), Arduino Workshop led by Mr. Jawad Khalid, Programming Educational Robot in Webots using Python led by Dr. Syed Tanweer Shah Bukhari, and another Robotics Workshop led by Dr. Khawaja Fahad (NUST), all of which attracted great participation.
• A group photo and presentation of souvenirs closed the opening ceremony and the first day, leaving participants energized for the upcoming sessions.
Day 2 Highlights (October 18, 2024):
• Workshops were led by Dr. Adnan Siddique (Information Technology University), EV3 Lego Programming led by Ms. Ifra Ayesha (University of Central Punjab), and Programming Humanoid Robot (myBuddy280) led by Mr. Hassan Jahangir (University of Central Punjab), with sessions held at multiple times to accommodate enthusiastic participants.
Day 3 Highlights (October 19, 2024):
• Workshops continued with advanced sessions in AR/VR, Robotics, EV3 Lego Programming, Programming Humanoid Robot (myBuddy280), Arduino Workshop, and Programming Educational Robot in Webots using Python, showcasing the role of Robotics and AI in various applications.
• Invited talks included “Robotics and Sensing in Smart Agriculture – An ABC” by Dr. Yasir Niaz Khan (Punjab Safe Cities Authority) and “Changing Landscape of Cyber Security Due to Generative AI” by Ms. Asma Basharat (FCCU, Lahore).
• The closing ceremony featured a keynote address on “AI as a Catalyst for Change: Empowering Underprivileged Females in Pakistan” by Dr. Arfan Jaffar (Superior University) and “The Future of AI in Oncology: What We Need to Know” by Dr. Amjad Zafar (Allama Iqbal Medical College). Closing remarks were shared by Dr. Muhammad Amjad Iqbal, Dr. Sarwar Ehsan, Dr. Abbas Khalid, Dr. Andrew Ware, and Dr. Stefan Poslad.
TFT 2024 successfully delivered on its promise to provide valuable technological training to girls, kids, and underprivileged students. The variety of workshops and keynotes ensured a comprehensive learning experience, driving engagement and interest in technology.
