Umar Saif
Encyclopedia
Umar Saif is a Pakistani computer scientist
and entrepreneur, who is known for his work on using ICT solutions for developing-world problems. Saif holds a BSc. from the Lahore University of Management Sciences
and PhD in Computer Science from University of Cambridge, where he was a Commonwealth Scholar at Trinity College
. Saif is a tenured associate professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences
, Lahore
, Pakistan and established one of the first startup incubators in Pakistan, called the Saif Center of Innovation (SCI). Saif’s work on grassroots technologies received the MIT Technovator Award in 2008 and he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum
in 2010
In August 2011, the MIT Technology Review named Saif among its list of the 35 "World’s Top Young Innovators for the year 2011". The list recognises the works of the world’s top young innovators that are radically transforming technology; it was also the first time in the past decade that a Pakistani had been featured. By featuring in the list, Saif now joins an elite group of researchers and technologists including the likes of Google’s Sergey Brin
and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg
.
, Lahore
, Pakistan. This was followed by three years at Lahore University of Management Sciences where he studied for his BSc. in Computer Science. He received his PhD from Trinity College, Cambridge
when he was only 22 years old
. Saif worked and taught at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
between 2001–2005 before moving back to Pakistan
. At MIT, Saif worked at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
where he was part of the core team that developed system technologies for the $50 Million Project Oxygen
. He also managed the $5 Million collaboration between University of Cambridge and MIT, funded by Cambridge-MIT Institute
, on Pervasive Computing technologies. Saif’s work on Pervasive Computing received the prestigious Mark Weiser Award in 2008
At LUMS
, Saif runs the Dritte Initiative, focused on using technology to solve the problems in the developing-world. Saif’s research in ICTD is funded by a Microsoft Research Digital Inclusion Award and a grant by the US State Department (in collaboration with the TIER group at UC Berkeley).
Saif and his students developed BitMate, a BitTorrent client designed for the low-bandwidth clients in the developing-world. BitMate has been downloaded more than 20,000 times by users from 173 countries. BitMate doubles the performance of low-bandwidth clients while drastically improving their fairness (upload capacity) by enabling low-bandwidth peers to help each other download faster
Saif is also the co-founder of ChOpaal.pk http://www.chopaal.pk, Pakistan’s first mobile social network. ChOpaal (now called SMSall) is one of the fastest growing SMS networks in Pakistan, used by hundreds of thousands of people to stay in touch, coordinate relief efforts and enable mobile communities. Over 3 Billion SMS have been sent using SMSall in Pakistan.
Computer scientist
A computer scientist is a scientist who has acquired knowledge of computer science, the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their application in computer systems....
and entrepreneur, who is known for his work on using ICT solutions for developing-world problems. Saif holds a BSc. from the Lahore University of Management Sciences
Lahore University of Management Sciences
The Lahore University of Management Sciences, usually referred to by its acronym LUMS, is a university located in Lahore, Pakistan. LUMS was established in 1984 by a group of industrialists and people belonging to Pakistan's leading private and public sector corporations, to provide rigorous...
and PhD in Computer Science from University of Cambridge, where he was a Commonwealth Scholar at Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. Saif is a tenured associate professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences
Lahore University of Management Sciences
The Lahore University of Management Sciences, usually referred to by its acronym LUMS, is a university located in Lahore, Pakistan. LUMS was established in 1984 by a group of industrialists and people belonging to Pakistan's leading private and public sector corporations, to provide rigorous...
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Pakistan and established one of the first startup incubators in Pakistan, called the Saif Center of Innovation (SCI). Saif’s work on grassroots technologies received the MIT Technovator Award in 2008 and he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
in 2010
In August 2011, the MIT Technology Review named Saif among its list of the 35 "World’s Top Young Innovators for the year 2011". The list recognises the works of the world’s top young innovators that are radically transforming technology; it was also the first time in the past decade that a Pakistani had been featured. By featuring in the list, Saif now joins an elite group of researchers and technologists including the likes of Google’s Sergey Brin
Sergey Brin
Sergey Mikhaylovich Brin is a Russian-born American computer scientist and internet entrepreneur who, with Larry Page, co-founded Google, one of the largest internet companies. , his personal wealth is estimated to be $16.7 billion....
and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur. He is best known for co-creating the social networking site Facebook, of which he is chief executive and president...
.
Life and education
Saif attended Aitchison CollegeAitchison College
Aitchison College, Lahore, is one of the most prestigious educational institutions of its kind in South Asia. Established in 1886, it has retained its character over the years, maintaining the public school tradition of providing an education that uses academics, sports and co-curricular activities...
, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Pakistan. This was followed by three years at Lahore University of Management Sciences where he studied for his BSc. in Computer Science. He received his PhD from Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
when he was only 22 years old
. Saif worked and taught at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
between 2001–2005 before moving back to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. At MIT, Saif worked at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is a research laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology formed by the 2003 merger of the Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory...
where he was part of the core team that developed system technologies for the $50 Million Project Oxygen
Project Oxygen
Project Oxygen is a research project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop pervasive, human-centered computing. The Oxygen architecture is to consist of handheld terminals, computers embedded in the environment, and dynamically configured networks which connect these...
. He also managed the $5 Million collaboration between University of Cambridge and MIT, funded by Cambridge-MIT Institute
Cambridge-MIT Institute
The Cambridge–MIT Institute, or CMI, is a partnership between the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
, on Pervasive Computing technologies. Saif’s work on Pervasive Computing received the prestigious Mark Weiser Award in 2008
Academic career and research
Saif is a tenured Associate Professor at the LUMS School of Science and Engineering. The school is modeled along the lines of the world's leading tech universities such as MIT and Caltech and is expected to produce a new generation of scientists and engineers, to help transform the economic and technical landscape of Pakistan.At LUMS
LUMS
LUMS or lums may refer to:*London Universities Mooting Shield*Lancaster University Management School*Lahore University of Management Sciences*Lum's - A defunct U.S. family restaurant chain*Plural of lum...
, Saif runs the Dritte Initiative, focused on using technology to solve the problems in the developing-world. Saif’s research in ICTD is funded by a Microsoft Research Digital Inclusion Award and a grant by the US State Department (in collaboration with the TIER group at UC Berkeley).
Saif and his students developed BitMate, a BitTorrent client designed for the low-bandwidth clients in the developing-world. BitMate has been downloaded more than 20,000 times by users from 173 countries. BitMate doubles the performance of low-bandwidth clients while drastically improving their fairness (upload capacity) by enabling low-bandwidth peers to help each other download faster
Entrepreneurship
Saif has co-founded several startups at his incubator SCI http://www.saifcenter.com. Two of his startups have played an important role in supporting civil society during political turbulence and natural disasters in the recent times in Pakistan. Saif co-founded See`n`Report http://www.seenreport.com, Pakistan’s first citizen journalism service, during the political turmoil (and subsequent media bans) at the tail-end of the Musharraf era. Amidst media bans, See`n`report was used by civil society activists to report eyewitness accounts, using their cell-phones, during the historic lawyer’s movement. See`n`Report’s platform is now used by leading news and TV channels in Pakistan (and elsewhere) to run citizen journalism initiatives, including Geo TV (GeoDost) and Samaa TV (iSamaa). See`n`report was used by reporters and NGOs to report events live during the massive floods in Pakistan in 2010.Saif is also the co-founder of ChOpaal.pk http://www.chopaal.pk, Pakistan’s first mobile social network. ChOpaal (now called SMSall) is one of the fastest growing SMS networks in Pakistan, used by hundreds of thousands of people to stay in touch, coordinate relief efforts and enable mobile communities. Over 3 Billion SMS have been sent using SMSall in Pakistan.
Public Service
In Nov 2011, Dr. Umar Saif was appointed as the Chairman of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and Secretary IT of the Government of Punjab, Pakistan. In this role, Dr. Saif is responsible for all public-sector IT projects in Punjab, including e-governance, capacity-building of the IT industry, IT-enabled citizen services and IT R&D in universities in Punjab.Awards and recognitions
- 2011 MIT TR35: World Top 35 Young Innovators
- 2010 Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum
- 2008 MIT Technovator Award (Grassroot Technologies)
- 2008 IDG Technology Pioneer Award
- 2008 IEEE Percom Mark Weiser Award
- 2006 Microsoft Research (MSR) Digital Inclusion Award
- 2001 Fellow, Cambridge Commonwealth Trust
- 1998 National Commonwealth Scholar, University of Cambridge