Vice Chancellor's Profile

Prof. Ir Dr Amir Azam Khan

PhD (France), PEng (Pak), CEng (UK), FIMMM (UK), EUR ING (Brussels)

Professor Ir Dr Amir Azam Khan has worked extensively on Surface Engineering of Materials and Advanced Ceramics during his last 35 years of professional academic career. He did his PhD at the Laboratory SPCTS (Sciences des Procédées Céramiques et de Traîtment de Surfaces) University of Limoges, France. His work was concentrated on the development and characterization of tungsten and molybdenum coatings through plasma spraying, sintering of nitride ceramics and ceramic based composites in the AlN/Mo system. This research was financed by General Electric Medical Systems (GEMS) USA, for producing High Energy X Ray tube anodes for continuous imaging in their CT Scanners. Prototypes of coated Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMS’s) were produced according to their design and patented by GEMS, USA. In addition to this application, these composites show excellent tribological properties, and are considered for their possible use under self-lubricating conditions. Later he worked under a project with SPCTS to produce and study the glass/metal composite films deposited over porcelain substrates with an objective to use these films for the induction heating of porcelain utensils. The work was carried out with the financial support of French porcelain manufacturer APILCO.

Prof. Khan has held several important Scientific and Administrative Posts in the past at other Universities, notably at NUST Islamabad and UNIMAS Malaysia. In Pakistan he provided consultancy and technology transfer services to ICI polyester Fiber, Sheikhupura and several other defense related industries. In Malaysia while working at UNIMAS he also provided consultancy to Sarawak Energy, the largest power producing and distribution company in Sarawak, Malaysia. Prof. Khan is on reviewer panel of Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Ceramics International, Materials Chemistry, Tribology, Biomedical Engineering and Surface Engineering among others. He worked as Editor in Chief of NUST Journal of Engineering Sciences (NJES). He was Editor of the Proceedings of International Engineering Conference (ENCON2013, 2017). He also worked as Editor of FENG Research Bulletin for 4 years, a research news publication of the Faculty of Engineering, UNIMAS. He has supervised more than 20 Masters and PhD students during his time at GIK Institute, NUST and UNIMAS, Malaysia. He owes to his credit publishing of three books and publication of over 60 research articles in International Journals and Conferences. His work has been frequently cited in top Q1 journals.

Prof. Khan, who is a Professional Engineer with Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), has illustrious professional career. He was awarded the Best Young Scientist award by the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Rabat, Morocco, in the year 2001, and was given the prestigious title of Chevalier dans l’ordre de Palmes Académiques by the French Prime Minister, also in the year 2001, for his invaluable services to the cause of research and education. He also obtained the fellowship at Max Planck Institute, Stuttgart, Germany, in 2001 and 2003. He is Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM), Chartered Engineer (CEng) and among very few engineers in the world who have been recognized with the coveted certification of European Engineer (EUR ING) by the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (Fédération Européenne d'Associations Nationales d'Ingénieurs, FEANI), Brussels, Belgium.