A two-day international conference on “Material Science and Smart Materials” at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) started on Saturday. Speakers emphasized the need to strengthen linkages between industry and academia for the country’s development and wider economic interest. They added that this initiative will also help in developing new business models as economic stability is not possible without it. The speakers appreciated Dr Syed Zafar Ilyas for his scientific services at Allama Iqbal Open University and congratulated him for holding this conference. The conference was organized by the Department of Physics, AIOU. Nuclear scientist Dr NM Butt was the chief guest of the opening ceremony. Other speakers included Dr Asghari Maqsood, Syed Javed Khurshid and Chairman, Department of Physics, AIOU, Dr Syed Zafar Ilyas. Dr NM Butt, while presenting a paper on nanotechnology, said that revolutionary changes will take place with the help on nanotechnology in the field of science and technology in the 21st century. He said that human life is going to face an unimaginable revolution and companies from different fields around the world have started making different products through nanotechnology. He added that we must prepare our next generation as technology is evolving daily. Dr Asghari Maqsood, while presenting a paper on material science and smart materials, called the X-ray machine the best invention of medical science. He gave a detailed lecture on X-ray machine reflection, radiation, X-ray equipment and Its operation. Dr Syed Zafar Ilyas explained the aims and objectives of the conference. He said that this is the 135th conference of the Department of Physics in the last 12 years, the Department of Physics has produced 600 MPhil and 10 PhD scholars in this short period, while 35 PhD scholars are currently enrolled. He added that Scholars from 3 international and 70 national universities a will present papers in this conference.