Lunch and Learn with Dr. Murtaza Taj

July 22, 2026

In July 2026, we hosted our first Lunch and Learn featuring our guest speaker, Dr. Murtaza Taj, a visiting researcher from LUMS School of Science and Engineering in Pakistan. The event opened with introductions by Dr. Homa Kheyrollah Pour and Dr. Jason Neelis, followed by Dr Taj’s engaging presentation titled “Watching the Glacier’s Edge: An AI Early Warning System for Human-Snow Leopard Conflict in the Karakoram.” Dr. Taj discussed how he uses a network of solar-powered camera traps and computing nodes to detect snow leopard presence in real time and deliver SMS alerts to nearby herding families.

This Lunch and Learn was held in a hybrid format, with more than 25 attendees participating in person and additional participants joining online. It was a great opportunity for staff, faculty, and students to come together over lunch, connect with one another, and learn something new.

We look forward to welcoming you to our next Lunch and Learn. Follow @coldregionsresearchcentre on social media to stay tuned for updates and more information!