Profile
As a leading academician and scientist of the country, Prof. Dr. S.M. Imamul Huq is involved in research on transfer of Arsenic from groundwater to the food chain. His extensive research in this field has been addressed by Department of Physics, University of Harvard. Prof. Imamul Huq is the Founder Director of the Bangladesh-Australia Centre for Environmental Research at the University of Dhaka. Prof Imamul Huq has been the Chairman, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) from August 09, 2009 to August 08, 2011. He has been chairing the Department of Soil, Water and Environment of the University of Dhaka from 18 August 2005 to 17 August 2008. He has been the Provost of Shahidullah Hall of Dhaka University for more than six years. He has been and is the member of syndicate, governing body, regent bodies of many public and private universities. He is a Fellow of the National Defense College of Bangladesh. He is one of the elected Senate members of Dhaka University and President’s nominee for Rajshahi University senate. With more than 295 research and technical publications to his credit in various International and National Journals, Prof. Dr. S.M. Imamul Huq has been awarded the prestigious Bangladesh Academy of Sciences Gold Medal for his outstanding contribution to the Agricultural and Biological Sciences. He has been awarded the 2007 Bangladesh UGC Award in the Physical & Biological Science/Agricultural Science for his work on Bioremediation of arsenic toxicity by algae in rice culture. He has also been honored as the Best Educationist by a local monthly magazine "Protifolon" in 2007. He has been elected as a "Distinguished Alumni" by the AITAA 2008. He has been awarded the "Bangabandhu Krishi Padak 2008" (Bangabandhu Agriculture Trophy) in the discipline of Soil and Environment by the Bangabandhu Diploma Agriculture Association of Bangladesh. He has been awarded with the “Bangabandhu Swadhinata Padak 2009" (Bangabandhu Independence Award 2009) in the discipline of Environment by the Bangabandhu Diploma Agriculture Association of Bangladesh. He has been awarded the "Soil Scientist of the year 2010" and the "Valiant Son of Soil Science" by EDAPHOS, the Ex-students' association of the Soil Science Department, University of Dhaka. He has been awarded the Soil Scientist of the year 2010’s trophy by the alumni association of West End High School in 2011. He has been the Potential supervisor of more than 100 research students for their MS, M.Phil and PhD theses not only in his domain but in the domain of other related subjects like Botany, Zoology, Geography, Chemistry, Chemical Metrology etc. Prof. Imamul Huq has been rendering consultancy and advisory services to many national, international and governmental organizations including the Ministry of Agric., Ministry of Water Resources, FAO, UNDP, DANIDA, UNICEF, IUCN etc. In almost all the cases, the works pertained to local or regional agricultural development and technology transfer.
He has been the Chief Editor of Dhaka University Journal of Biological Sciences, Joint Editor of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (Science), Bangladesh Journal of Soil Science, member of the editorial board of the Journal of Soil Science Society of Bangladesh and reviewer of many national and international scientific journals. He is the President of Soil Science Society of Bangladesh and is the immediate past President of the Bangladesh Association for the Advancement of Science.
Prof. Imamul Huq has excellent supervisory and managerial experience in various Local and international projects funded by World Bank, ACAIR (by Australian and Bangladesh Govt.), Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology and many other prestigious agencies. With excellence in conceptual thinking, problem-solving skills and common sense/pragmatism, Prof Imamul Huq has good communication skills, able to communicate effectively in writing and verbally and to explain complex concepts and analytic techniques in Bangla, English and French. He has very good ability to work independently as well as in a team environment. He is accurate, organized and has proven ability to meet deadlines.
Academic Experiences
1. Professor (Selection Grade), Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, since August 25, 1992.
2. Associate Professor, Department of Soil Science, University of Dhaka, 7 Jan 1987 to 24 Aug., 1992.
3. Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Science, University of Dhaka, 1 Dec. 1977 to 6 Jan, 1987.
4. ‘Assistant Associé’ (Associate Professor) in Plant Physiology at the University of Nancy I, France, 1 Oct. to 31 Dec., 1983.
5. Lecturer in Soil Science, University of Dhaka, 19 Nov. 1973 to 6 Dec, 1977.
6. Post-doctoral fellow, Plant Physiology laboratory, University of Nancy I, France, 1 July to 14 Dec, 1984.
7. Post-doctoral JSPS visiting fellow, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Japan, 10 August to 9 October, 2003.
8. Part-time teacher in French Language at the Institute of Modern Languages (IML), University of Dhaka, since November 1986 till date.
9. Dean (honorary), Radio Today Academy, since 2012.
Professional Experience
1. Principal Investigator of a BARC coordinated and World Bank financed research project on ‘The evaluation of the production potentials of the coastal saline soils of Bangladesh’ (1986 to 1992): the project assessed the temporal and spatial salinity regimes and changes in three coastal districts and evaluated the possibility of crop diversification; one of the important outcomes was the introduction of potato cultivation in saline area.
2. Part-time consultant on Soil Science and Agronomy for one year in Bottom line Co., a consulting farm at Dhaka. (CHT rehabilitation program): the project aimed at evaluating the agricultural and ethnic rehabilitation possibility in Khagrachari- a hill district.
3. Part-time consultant on Agronomy for EIP of BWDB (six months) (Agronomic feasibility study in the Shakpaldia Drainage and Flood control project):the study resulted in a local flood control and agronomic rehabilitation.
4. Worked as consultant of FAO (1986) in Bangladesh (Accelerated cereal production in Bangladesh and Conservation based land use practices in Bangladesh) : the work was on the present cereal production in the country and the means and ways to accelerated cereal production including soil testing programs.
5. Part-time consultant in the Soil Testing, Management and Development of DANIDA- SRDI for 2 man months (December 1998): preparation of ToT and manual for economic evaluation of fertilizer use.
6. Part-time consultant for Waste Concern during July-December, 2001 on Soil Science for component 3.3.2 of SEMP, entitled Community Based Urban Solid Waste Management in Dhaka funded by UNDP: developed a best possible management of urban solid wastes.
7. Project Director, ACIAR sponsored research project on “Arsenic Transfer in Water-Soil-Crop Environment of Bangladesh and Australia, January, 2000 to June, 2006: the project aimed at identifying the Arsenic hotspots in the country, plants and vegetables that show hyper-accumulation of As, transfer of As in the food chain, exposure pathways to As other than drinking water and remedial possibilities.
8. Chairman, Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, 18 August 2005 to 17 August 2008.
9. Chairman, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), 09 August 2009 – 08 August 2011.
10. Founder Director, Australia-Bangladesh Centre for Environmental Research, University of Dhaka.
11. Team Leader, an IUCNproject on the preparation of an Atlas on Biozones
(Delineation of zones on biodiversity) of Bangladesh, February-December, 2000: the outcome is an
IUCN publication
12. Dean (acting), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Dhaka University.
13. Librarian (in charge), University of Dhaka, 30-09-2013 to 30-12- 2013.
14. Dean (Honorary), Radio Today Media Academy.
15. Provost, Shahidullah Hall, Dhaka University, from August 16, 1996 to March 01, 2002: the work was mostly administrative and managerial – had to look after the day to day affairs of more than 1000 students and 70 employees,
16. House Tutor, Shahidullah Hall, Dhaka University, August, 1988 to June. 1993: administration and management.
17. Assistant House Tutor of the same hall from July, 1985 to July, 1988: administration and management.
18. Assistant House Tutor, F.H. Hall, Dhaka University, Sept. 1976 to January 1979: administration and management.
