Malaysia hosts forum for Muslim science award

Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is hosting a forum of the Science and Technology Exchange Program among Muslim Countries (STEP).

The forum has been organized by the University of Putra Malaysia (UPM) in collaboration with the Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF). A number of prominent Muslim scientists from around the world are attending the five-day event which will run through December 23.

The Mustafa Prize is a science and technology award granted to top researchers and scientists from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states biennially.

The award is meant to encourage education and research in Islamic nations and forge cooperation among science and technology institutions of OIC member countries. The forum has been held with an aim to enhance the links among academics and researchers in scientific realms and facilitate the growth of science in OIC member states.

Jackie Ying, a nanotechnologist from Singapore and Omar Yaghi, a chemist from Jordan – who received the 2015 Mustafa Prize in a ceremony in Iran’s capital Tehran – are also attending the current event in Malaysia.

The Mustafa Prize is awarded in the four categories of “Life Science and Medical Sciences,” “Nano Science and Nanotechnologies,”  “The Information and Communication Science and Technologies,” and “Top Scientific Achievement in other fields.” Winners in each category are entitled to a cash prize of $500,000.

The basis for the selection of nominees is a thorough review of their qualifications including the number and quality of publications, innovations, patents, etc.

The Mustafa Prize was launched in 2013, with high-profile universities and academic centers of the OIC member states defining its policies.