Pride of Islamic University: Country's ASM Ambassador Ebir Zakaria

Zakaria Alam Bappi, a student and young researcher of the Islamic University, will spread the glory of science on the world stage from Bangladesh. He was recently selected as the 'Young Campus Ambassador' for the year 2026 by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). This achievement of his is not just a title but an important responsibility in the promotion and spread of microbiology around the world.

Zakaria Alam Bappi was born in Nageshwari Upazila of Kurigram district. Bappi was addicted to science since childhood. Later, after crossing the boundaries of primary, secondary and higher secondary, he was admitted to the Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering of the Islamic University of Kushtia. The mysterious world of science attracted him since childhood. After admission to the university, he engaged himself in research activities. His special passion for microbiology has brought him to this international platform today.

The American Society for Microbiology or (ASM) is one of the oldest and largest life science organizations in the world. It is basically a global network of microbiologists and related professionals. Being selected as the ‘Young Campus Ambassador’ of this society is a highly competitive matter. Bappi will now work as a representative of ASM on his campus and will bring various international opportunities in science to the doorsteps of students.

Zakaria Alam Bappi’s goal in this new journey is very clear. He wants to keep himself involved in various activities including creating connections between students with local and foreign microbiologists, motivating students about the importance of microbiology and career opportunities in this field, and helping students improve the quality of research by organizing various science-based workshops.

Bappi’s classmates and teachers are very happy with this achievement. The teachers of the department feel that Bappi’s success will inspire other students of the university in their research and will make the name of Islamic University shine in the international arena.

American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Country Ambassador to Bangladesh, Islamic University

Professor Dr. Mohammad Minnatul Karim Akand, Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, said, "We are very happy that Zakaria Alam, a student of my department, has been appointed as the International Young Ambassador of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). Being selected for this prestigious position from a small number of emerging scientists worldwide is a recognition of his talent, leadership qualities and his significant contribution to the field of microbiology. In this, he will play a role in the expansion of microbiology education and research, strengthen international scientific cooperation, encourage young researchers and students, and play an important role in connecting ASM with the global scientific community. At the same time, I hope that he will play an effective role in increasing scientific awareness at the local and international levels."

Expressing his feelings, Zakaria said, "This achievement is the result of love for science and hard work. I want to create new opportunities for my university and the students of the country with the knowledge I have acquired. My main goal is to make this vast world of microbiology more understandable and necessary for the common people.

He also said, I am mainly working on modern and complex branches of life sciences. My main areas of interest are - Nano-Biotechnology and Molecular Neuroscience, Cancer Biology and Infectious Diseases, Computational Biology.

It is known that Bappi has received numerous national and international recognitions in his academic career. He has achieved the honor of becoming the champion in oral presentation at Agriventure 2025 and poster presentation at the Chemical Engineering Conference. He has also achieved runner-up and top positions in various science fests and conferences organized by BRAC University and Barisal University. He is a founding member of the Islamic University Research Society (IURS). Several of his research papers have been published in international journals and are in process. Among them, his work on diabetes and neurological disorders and oncoproteins is particularly noteworthy.