INVITED LECTURES AT AL-FARABI KAZAKH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY, CATALYSISAND PETROCHEMISTRY (1-30 NOVEMBER, 2022)

Associate Professor Qamar Abbas is a well-known scientist and expert in the field of energy storage i.e., hybrid supercapacitors, nanoporousmaterials, battery electrodes, nanoporouscarbonmaterials and electrochemical methods. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University invited Prof. Abbas to deliver lectures at its campus during the period from 1^st - 30^th November 2022, with a broad topic of electrochemical energy storage and materials chemistry. Keeping in view the vast research and teaching experience of Prof. Abbas at various European Universities, lectures and practical classes on these main topics were conducted at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology. These lectures were aimed at providing guidance and consultation to master and doctoral thesis students as well as the faculty staff members. In addition to that, the foreign professor conducted training seminars for poster and oral presentations from master and doctoral students.

The titles of the selected lectures from Dr. Abbas were the following:

• Ø Introduction to Materials Chemistry and Carbon Materials
• Ø Introduction to Electrochemistry
• Ø Fundamentals of charge storage in porous carbons
• Ø Methods and equipment used for characterization of materials
• Ø Role of Electrolytes in Supercapacitors
• Ø Methods and Equipment used in Electrochemical Testing

The scientific content of the lectures attracted great attention of students and young scientists to enhance their knowledge and utilize it in their research works. At seminars, students and young scientists were provided with a great opportunity to present their own works and to interact with Dr. Abbas in face-to-face discussion about their research topics which were followed by short Q&A sessions.

During his month-long stay in Kazakhstan, Prof. Abbas also visited three research centers in Almaty, KazNITU named after K. I. Satbayev, Institute of Combustion Problems (committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of Republic of Kazakhstan) and Center of Physico-Chemical Methods of Research and Analysis (CFHMA, a leading multidisciplinary research organization of the Republic of Kazakhstan). During meetings with heads of the above-mentioned facilities, it was planned to develop incoming and outgoing academic mobilities well as to exchange master and doctoral students. Besides, it was planned that joint research proposals would be prepared in order to obtain funds for enhancing scientific cooperation.

Prof. Abbas was also invited at a local school near Almaty, Al-Farabi Specialized Lyceum, Almalybaq, to give motivational speech for the students. After a brief introduction of his background and achievements, young students curiously asked many questions about his career in science, life in international research groups and scientific collaborations. They also asked why Dr. Abbas had selected Chemistry as his field of research, to which he answered, because he liked Chemistry from his high school times. Overall, this trip was quite informative for the students and staff of the school.

Supiyeva Zh.A.

PhD, senior lecturerof Faculty of Chemistryand Chemical Technology

Dyussenkulova B.Zh

second-year student of Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology