HE Buthaina Al-Nuaimi, Minister of Education and Higher Education, honors students of Qatar University’s (QU) Young Scientists Center (YSC) for their exceptional achievements in scientific research capacity development programs and for winners of various local and international competitions.
QU President Dr. Hassan Al-Derham and Prof. Dr. Maryam Al-Maadeed, QU Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies also honored the students for their outstanding successes.
The honoring ceremony highlighted the most important achievements and initiatives of 2021, which contributed to the refinement of a generation of innovators and thinkers, capable of building an economy based on innovation despite the obstacles and difficulties imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the ceremony demonstrated the educational methodologies that involve students in an integrated scientific journey, starting from work in the university's laboratories, which stimulates innovation and helps in developing skills, until completing research and presenting results locally and globally.
It is worth noting that the center has distinguished itself globally and has received recognitions and appreciations from institutions specialized in innovation in education, such as the WISE Award for Innovation in Education and Reimagine Education.
During the ceremony, the winners of the Sixth International Inventions Fair (ISIF 21) Turkey, organized by the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology and the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TURKPATENT) were honored. Thajbeh Al-Hail and Sharifa Al-Mohannadi, students at the College of Engineering, won the gold medal for a project named ‘Making biodegradable plastic using soybean husks.’
In addition, Muhammad Al-Horr a student of the College of Medicine won a silver medal for a research titled ‘Development of memory-preserving chips from microfibers of organic and inorganic perovskite (OHPs).’
Students Abdul Rahman Al Kuwari, Hamad Al Shahrani, Salem Al Sulaiti and Turki Al Mutawa from the Jassim bin Hamad Secondary School for Boys, won the bronze medal for their innovation in which a traditional Qatari game and its accompanying tools were modernized using scientific techniques.
Winners in the International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX) 2021 in Malaysia were honored for winning eight awards out of 500 participating projects globally. Jibril Al-Mutairi, a student at the College of Engineering, received a silver medal for a research titled ‘Effect of UV/Ozone treatment on surface hydrophilicity and humidity sensing properties of PVDF-BaTiO3 composite films.’
Rashid Al-Asam a student at the College of Engineering also won a silver medal for a research titled ‘Developing Lightweight Al-SiO2 Nano Vehicles for Automotive Applications - Qatar Electric Cars 2022.’
Secondary school student, Baeina Al-Marri was honored with a gold medal and the Top 3 award for a project titled ‘Novel electrospun nanofibres scaffold for tissue engineering.’ The same prizes were won by Salwa Al-Kuwari and Fajr Al-Shamri for a project titled ‘Nanopolymer composite used for energy harvesting applications.’
Ali Al-Maadeed and Abdulaziz Al-Mohannadi were honored for winning the gold medal for a project titled ‘Super-hydrophobic membrane based on PVDF/ZnO composite Electrospun Nanofibers for wastewater & oil spill treatment.’
Maryam Al-Obaidly and Hind Al-Dosari, won the gold medal for a research titled ‘Coating from composite nanomaterials to protect iron from corrosion.’
Baeina Al-Marri, presented an innovative research project in the 6th International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada (iCan 2021) competition, winning a gold medal and a special prize. The competition, which was organized by the Toronto International Society of Innovation & Advanced Skills (TISIAS), had stiff competition, with 608 projects being submitted from 61 countries.
On this joyous occasion, Prof. Noora Jaber Al Thani, Director of QU’s YSC, expressed her great pride and happiness for the achievements of the center's students at the global level and for their honorable representation of the State of Qatar. In her speech, she said, “Today we are reaping the fruits of hard work, achieving a national vision and a scientific revolution led by our creative youth in the fields of science and innovation, to have their mark and a great impact on society.”
She added, “The center continues its interest in supporting and nurturing Qatari students and integrating them into the research environment at Qatar University, which provides them with high-level skills and knowledge under the supervision of researchers from the Qatar University Center for Young Scientists, and motivates them to consolidate their energies in research, discovery and innovation.”