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Our paper “Aloe barbadensis-mediated green synthesis of trimetallic Ni–Mg–Zr nanocomposites: phytochemical profiling, comprehensive biological evaluation, and photocatalytic malachite green degradation” is now published online in Chemical Papers, with me as first and corresponding author.

We made a nickel–magnesium–zirconium nanocomposite in two water-based stages, using aloe vera leaf extract to bind and stabilise the metals, and freeze-dried it without calcination. It inhibited Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 25 µg/mL), cut the growth of the tomato pathogen Alternaria solani by 60.6%, showed antioxidant activity (DPPH IC₅₀ 38.0 µg/mL), and decolorized 93.4% of the dye malachite green within 120 minutes under UV light.

Completed “Mexoxo Take the Lead” through eCornell, Cornell University’s online learning platform, and received a Cornell University Recognition of Achievement.

The programme adds formal leadership development to the coordination roles I have held at UCP — Academic Coordinator, Social Media & Events Coordinator, and organiser of international events for students and researchers.

Our paper “Aloe barbadensis-Mediated Green Synthesis of Zirconium Nanohybrids for Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Wistar Rats” is now published in BioNanoScience, with me as corresponding author.

We used aloe vera gel extract as a green reducing and capping agent to make crystalline ZrO₂ nanohybrids (about 27–33 nm), characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD and EDX. In Wistar rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury, the nanohybrids significantly reduced liver-enzyme and oxidative-stress damage; the chronic treatment restored antioxidant defences to about 90% of control values and prevented necrosis entirely.

Published “Synergistic effect of Zn and Mo co-doping in ZrO₂ for efficient photodegradation of Congo Red and Ciprofloxacin under visible irradiation” in Chemical Papers.

The work co-dopes zirconia with zinc and molybdenum to build a visible-light photocatalyst that degrades both a textile dye (Congo Red) and a pharmaceutical pollutant (the antibiotic ciprofloxacin) in water.

Published “Vanadium-Doped Zirconia as an Efficient Visible-Light Photocatalyst for Advanced Treatment of Dye-Loaded Wastewater” in the Iranian Journal of Catalysis.

The paper develops vanadium-doped zirconia as a visible-light photocatalyst for the advanced treatment of wastewater loaded with synthetic dyes.

Took part as a Faculty Partner in the Student Pedagogy Partnership (SPP) Programme run by the Learning Innovation Centre (LIC) at the University of Central Punjab.

Working alongside a student partner, I co-designed an AI-resilient, interdisciplinary Environmental Chemistry course, embedded AI-resilience strategies across the curriculum, and assessed student performance collaboratively with my student partner. The partnership was recognised with a Certificate of Appreciation.

Attended the capacity-building webinar on Intellectual Property Rights held by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) with the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO).

The session built on my earlier ORIC workshop on patents, copyrights and commercialisation, strengthening awareness of how academic research outputs can be protected.

Promoted from Lecturer to Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Central Punjab, in recognition of performance, dedication, and contributions to the university.

Alongside teaching, the role continued my work as Academic Coordinator and Social Media & Events Coordinator for the Department of Basic and Applied Chemistry.

Received the Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry at the 135th Convocation of the University of the Punjab, Lahore — the culmination of doctoral research at the School of Chemistry (Oct 2018 – May 2025), completed with an A result.

My thesis, “A Green Approach for the Removal of Textile Dyes from Simulated Wastewater”, developed eco-friendly remediation techniques — biosorption, phytoremediation, and nanomaterial-based adsorption — for removing textile dyes from water. The research involved monitoring dye removal with UV–Vis, FTIR, and AAS; studying adsorption kinetics, thermodynamics, and surface chemistry to optimise process conditions; and assessing the economic feasibility and scalability of green wastewater treatment.

Participated in a faculty development training on theories of learning and student engagement, organized by the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Learning Innovation Centre at UCP.

The session is part of a series of teaching-practice trainings I attended to strengthen active, student-centred teaching in chemistry.

Completed “Quality Control and Regulatory in Cosmetic Science”, an online non-credit course authorized by Olay and offered through Coursera.

It is the fourth course in my Olay cosmetic-science learning path, supporting my research interest in cosmetic formulation chemistry and herbal product development — an area I also supervise student projects in.

Completed “Cosmetic Product Development”, an online non-credit course authorized by Olay and offered through Coursera, as part of my cosmetic-science learning path.

It is the third course in the Olay series, following Cosmetic Formulation Science and Introduction to Cosmetic and Skincare Science — relevant to the student projects I supervise on herbal cream formulations.

Served as an Organizer of “LabXpert 2025: Hands-on Training and Skill Development in Laboratory Instrumentation & Practices”, held by the Department of Basic and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab.

The training gave participants practical exposure to advanced analytical instruments, laboratory safety, and modern research techniques to build their experimental and technical skills. I also led the UV–Vis spectroscopy session as a Resource Person, guiding participants through hands-on work on the instrument. Both roles were recognised with Certificates of Appreciation.

Contributed to “Exploring Global Scholarship Opportunities in Sciences (Lecture 2): Spotlight on Commonwealth Scholarships”, a hybrid seminar in the Global Scholars Connect Series organised by the Department of Basic and Applied Chemistry, UCP.

The series, which I helped organise and coordinate, connects science students with international study and scholarship opportunities. The department presented a Certificate of Appreciation for my time, insights, and support in making the session meaningful for everyone involved.

Completed training on the use of artificial intelligence in academic work and research, jointly organised by the Office of Research, Innovation & Commercialization (ORIC) and the Learning Innovation Centre (LIC) at UCP.

It complements my work on AI-resilient course design in the LIC Student Pedagogy Partnership Programme.

Completed “Introduction to Cosmetic and Skincare Science”, an online non-credit course authorized by Olay and offered through Coursera.

It is the second course in my Olay cosmetic-science learning path, building on Cosmetic Formulation Science.

Completed “Role of AI in Open Access Publishing”, a one-hour research training delivered by John Wiley & Sons, looking at how artificial intelligence is shaping open access scholarly publishing.

It complements the AI in Academic and Research Training I completed at UCP the following month.

Completed “Cosmetic Formulation Science”, an online non-credit course authorized by Olay and offered through Coursera — the first course in my cosmetic-science learning path.

Successfully completed the MS/M.Phil/PhD Supervision Course at the University of Central Punjab, conducted as per the Higher Education Commission’s Graduate Education Policy 2023 guidelines, and received a Certificate of Achievement.

The course prepares faculty to supervise graduate research under HEC’s policy framework — complementing my supervision of MPhil and BS research students in chemistry.

Arranged an Environmental Chemistry project exhibition where students turned everyday waste into useful, attractive products — linking what they learn in class about waste and pollution to practical ideas for reduction and reuse.

Student teams displayed and explained their work: “Bloom Cycle” flower planters and “Bottle Bloom” vases made from plastic bottles, a tiered planter built from used paper cups, a pot woven from drinking straws, a miniature bench planter from wooden sticks, and a lamp, pen holder, and mirror crafted from discarded materials. Projects were presented alongside posters explaining the waste problem each one tackles.

Completed “The World of Classroom Assessment and Testing”, an online non-credit course authorized by the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan, and offered through Coursera — strengthening my approach to fair, purposeful assessment in chemistry teaching.

Defended my doctoral thesis, “A Green Approach for the Removal of Textile Dyes from Simulated Wastewater”, at the School of Chemistry, University of the Punjab, Lahore.

The defence presented the outcomes of my PhD research on eco-friendly biosorption, phytoremediation, and nanomaterial-based adsorption methods for cleaning dye-contaminated water.

Attended “Enhancing global sustainability through the EU Green Deal and Global Gateway: Opportunities for international collaboration”, organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture through the Erasmus+ National Focal Points.

The session explored how the EU’s sustainability agenda opens routes for international academic collaboration under Erasmus+.

Presented at CHEMSMART-2025, held at the International Expo Centre, Lahore.

Joined the live UNESCO Master Class “From Glaciers to Communities: Sustainable Water Resource Management in Pakistan”, a session on managing water resources sustainably — from glacier-fed sources to the communities that depend on them.

Water quality and treatment sit at the heart of my research, so the session offered useful policy context for my work on wastewater remediation.

Received a Springer Nature reviewer certificate in recognition of reviewing a manuscript for Microchimica Acta in 2025.

Completed “Nanotechnology: A Maker’s Course”, authorized by Duke University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and offered through Coursera.

The course explores nanoscale materials and fabrication techniques — directly relevant to the nanomaterial-based adsorbents and doped-oxide photocatalysts in my research.

Completed “Entrepreneurship Strategy: From Ideation to Exit”, authorized by HEC Paris and offered through Coursera, covering business ideation, growth, and exit strategies — useful background for teaching Entrepreneurship to chemistry students.

Received a Certificate of Appreciation at the 5th International Conference on Emerging Science and Technology & 8th Science Exhibition (ICEST-2025).

The conference was organised by the Department of Physics, Govt. Islamia Graduate College Civil Lines, Lahore, together with HIBA International University and the Ontario Learning Centre, Canada.

Participated in faculty training on mentoring and counselling skills, organized by the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Learning Innovation Centre, UCP — supporting my role guiding undergraduate and postgraduate research students.

Received a Springer Nature reviewer certificate in recognition of reviewing a manuscript for Nanotechnology for Environmental Engineering in 2025.

Participated in faculty training on the purpose and techniques of assessment and grading, organized by the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Learning Innovation Centre, UCP.

The training supports my work as Academic Coordinator, where I coordinated faculty examinations — question papers, scheduling, invigilation, and transparent evaluation.

Participated in faculty training on interactive teaching using the BOPPPS lesson-design model, organized by the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Learning Innovation Centre, UCP.

BOPPPS — bridge-in, objectives, pre-assessment, participatory learning, post-assessment, and summary — structures each lesson around active student participation, an approach well suited to active chemistry teaching.

Helped organise and coordinate the 21st Winter School of the Natural Products Research Network for Eastern & Central Africa (NAPRECA), hosted at the University of Central Punjab, and received a Certificate of Appreciation for the role.

The winter school brought together researchers working on natural products and medicinal plants. Sessions included “From Biodiversity to Medicines through Natural Products” by Prof. Dr. Mbala and “Contributions to the Standardization of Selected Phytomedicines Produced in Rwanda” by Dr. Vedaste Kagisha, both held on November 27, 2024.

Served as Media Coordinator and presented at the 2nd ICEHST-2024 international conference, organised by the Faculty of Science & Technology at the University of Central Punjab.

As Media Coordinator I led the conference’s media and outreach work, and was honoured on stage for the role.

Took part in the 2nd International Graduate Conference on Software Engineering and Physical Sciences (IGCSEPS-2024) and received a Certificate of Appreciation.

The conference was organised by the Departments of Physics and Software Engineering of Lahore College for Women University and Govt. Islamia Graduate College Civil Lines, Lahore.

Attended training at UCP on reference management with EndNote and the responsible use of generative AI in research — tools I use across my publications and research supervision.

Completed a six-session workshop on intellectual property — patents, copyrights, and the commercialisation of research — organised by the Office of Research, Innovation & Commercialization (ORIC), University of Central Punjab, and received a certificate at the closing ceremony.

Organized and took part in the one-day international webinar “Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR): Fundamentals to Applications”, hosted by the Department of Basic and Applied Chemistry, UCP.

The webinar covered NMR spectroscopy from its core principles through to its applications — a key analytical technique for chemistry students and researchers.

Attended “How to effectively use Researcher Academy and Elsevier Journal Finder”, an Elsevier Researcher Academy On Campus session for Pakistan state universities presented by Dr. Vinita Saroha.

The session showed how to use Elsevier’s free Researcher Academy learning modules and the Journal Finder tool to choose suitable journals for manuscripts.

Attended the one-day international seminar “Smart Materials for Future Data Storage Devices” at the University of Central Punjab.

The seminar looked at functional materials designed for electronic data storage — a useful counterpoint to the functional nanomaterials I design for water treatment.

Participated in the 2nd International Conference of Sciences, “Revamped Scientific Outlook of 21st Century, 2023”, at Rawalpindi Women University.

Received a Springer Nature reviewer certificate in recognition of reviewing a manuscript for Water Conservation Science and Engineering in 2023.

Spent six months (March–August 2023) as a Visiting PhD Researcher at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK, funded by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan through its competitive International Research Support Initiative Program (IRSIP).

Hosted by Gillian MacKinnon, Lecturer in Biogeochemical Tracers, I carried out PhD experiments, instrumental analysis, and material characterisation for my thesis research on removing textile dyes from wastewater, while on leave from the University of Central Punjab.

Received a Springer Nature reviewer certificate in recognition of reviewing two manuscripts for Scientific Reports in 2023.

Received a Springer Nature reviewer certificate in recognition of reviewing a manuscript for Archives of Microbiology in 2023.

Appointed Co-Patron of the Environmental Protection Society at the University of Central Punjab.

Took part in the 1st National Conference on Emerging Horizons, held at the University of Central Punjab.

Completed training on the teaching use and application of Turnitin plagiarism-detection software, run by the Learning Innovation Centre, UCP — now part of how I screen student and research work for academic integrity.

Attended an online training session on the ASTM COMPASS database, the platform for accessing ASTM International’s standards and testing methods used in analytical and materials work.

Standard test methods underpin reliable water-quality and materials analysis.

Participated in the International Conference on Chemical & Allied Sciences at The Women University, Multan.

Attended a seminar on chemistry and entrepreneurship at the Centre for Research in Ionic Liquids (CRIL), School of Chemistry, University of the Punjab, exploring how chemical research can grow into enterprise.

Attended a webinar on Wiley journals and the publication process, focused on publishing research with Wiley.

It supports my work both as an author and as a peer reviewer for international journals.

Completed the four-day Teaching Excellence Training Program run by the Centre of Professional Excellence at the University of Central Punjab, early in my time at UCP.

Participated in the International Symposium on Excellence in Science, commemorating the 80th birthday of Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman FRS.

The symposium was jointly organised by the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry and Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research) and COMSTECH, the OIC’s Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation.

Attended the session “Getting Your Research Published in High Impact Journals” at the University of Central Punjab, on strategies for publishing in leading journals.

It fed into my own publishing and my later peer-review work for Springer Nature journals.

Presented two posters at the International Conference Punjab University (ICPU2019), “Recent Innovations in Molecular Sciences”, held at the University of the Punjab, Lahore.

Presented a poster at the Environmental & Analytical Chemistry Conference at Lahore Garrison University.