Update 01/09/14: We have now decided to target for a double beam UV-Vis spectrophotometer (similar to LT-2900 model).
It costs about NRs 650,000 in Nepali market plus 13%VAT, total NRs 734500. With a current exchange rate between US dollar and Nepali rupees of $1 = NRs 100, it comes to ~$7345 (the exchange rate may change). The FundRazr is charging us ~8-9% for each transaction we receive as a service fee. Therefore, our target to $8100.
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Why our help needed for UV-Vis spectrophotometer?
Institutions in Nepal (specially outside Kathmandu valley) lack proper teaching and research scientific-instrumentations/equipments.
UV-Vis spectrophotometer is considered as one of the basic instruments needed in many disciplines including chemistry. Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple Campus in Biratnagar in eastern Nepal does not have this instrument. Dr. Ajaya Bhattarai, assistant professor of chemistry at Biratnagar campus, TU, needs our help to buy this instrument. According to him, the modern UV-Vis is needed in teaching laboratories for BSc and MSc courses so that our new generation students will learn and be familiar with this instrumentation. In addition, it will be used for research works. Currently he has two PhD students.
MMAM campus does not have source to buy new instruments. Therefore external funding is crucial in acquiring this instrument. Please help him get this instrument by donating here.
If you have any questions, contact me (01-307-2236217, chembasant@gmail.com) or Dr. Bhattarai (9842077434 in Nepal, bkajaya@yahoo.com, bkajaya@gmail.com).
All money raised will be utilized for this cause only. Once the instrument is bought, details of the instrument (including a photo of the handover ceremony) and a thank you letter on behalf of campus will be sent to all donors.
About Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple Campus
Mahendra Morang Adarsh Multiple Campus (MMAMC) in Biratnagar, Nepal has played a vital role in educating and training students especially from eastern part of Nepal. Biratnagar being an industrial area, collaboration between industries and departments in the campus is important to help research activities in campus and producing trained and skilled manpower for the industry. We have undergraduate programs in all basic science subjects including chemistry, physics and biology. Recently, Master’s programs in Chemistry and Physics have been started.
The department of chemistry at MMAMC has also started Ph.D program. Right now, two Ph.D research scholars, Sujit Kumar Shah and Tulasi Prasad Niraula, are working under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Sujeet Kumar Chatterjee and Dr. Ajaya Bhattarai as co-supervisor in the field of surfactants. Surfactants are widely used in food processing, emulsions and suspensions. These compounds are found in industrial products including engine degreasers, floor cleaners, and car wash soaps at high concentrations and in household products like toothpaste, shampoo, and shaving cream at lower concentrations. Research works in chemistry department also focus on the interaction of cationic and anionic surfactant in mixed solvent media, polymer chemistry and natural products chemistry. Students in both MS and PhD programs are working in the research projects.
About Dr. Bhattarai
Dr. Ajaya Bhattarai will be responsible for purchasing the instrument, installing and overseeing the regular use of the instrument in MMAM campus. He is assistant professor of chemistry at MMAMC, Tribhuvan University. Dr. Bhattarai is one of the very active chemistry faculties in Nepal involved in research and teaching. He currently supervises PhD and undergraduate students.
Dr. Bhattarai completed his BS and MS in chemistry from Tribhuvan University and PhD in polymer chemistry from North Bengal University, India. Last year he went to University of Warsaw, Poland for post-doctoral research. He has authored and co-authored more than 40 journal articles.