Tribune News Network
Doha
Since inventions and discoveries are crucial for national development, renaissance and progress, all countries attach immense importance to scientific research. This led the Qatar University Young Scientists Center (QU-YSC) to launch a research funding programme titled ‘National Science Promotion Programme (NSPP)’ for the promotion of scientific research among Qatari youth. The programme enabled students to work under the supervision of skilled researchers in various research projects of national interest for a duration of six months, from September 2021 to February 2022.
The closing ceremony of the first cycle of NSPP was conducted on March 29, 2022, at the Ibn Khaldoon Hall of QU, where the winners of NSPP in different categories -- high school students, undergraduates, winning researchers -- were acknowledged. The event saw the presence of Prof Mariam Ali Al-Maadeed, Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies at QU, and Garisa Al-Suwaidi, Scientific Research Consultant, Department of Curriculum and Learning Resources at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
The renowned judging panel consisted of Dr Mohamad Ussama Al Homsi, deputy medical director of Medical Education, Research and Quality at National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR); Prof Mohammed Abu-Dieyeh, acting head of the Biological and Environmental Sciences Department at the College of Arts and Sciences, Prof Ahmed Massoud, associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies at the College of Engineering, Dr Latifa Ali Al-Darwish, organization development consultant and coach and a successful businesswoman; and Dr Nikhil Navkar, senior research scientist at the Department of surgery at Hamad Medical Corporation.
High school students were acknowledged for their oral presentations and outstanding contributions to the research projects. Saqer Hamad Al-Rumaihi and Essa Ahmad Al-Mohannadi banged the first prize in high student category; Hajar Aljumaily and Maha Al-Meraghi hit the second prize in high school student category; and, Mohammad Yousef Al-Jaber and Mohammed Khalid Al-Hajri were awarded the third prize in the high student category. Khadija Muhammad Abdul Quddus from QU was awarded for the best poster presentation in the undergraduate student category, along with QR10,000 as an allowance for the international scientific conference. The winning professors/researchers were also honoured for their outstanding research contributions and supervision.
In her speech, Prof. Mariam Al-Maadeed said, "Qatar University is witnessing immense progression in research and innovation as the result of its researchers’ efforts and achievements in scientific fields. We are proud of our students who participated in NSPP. We believe such opportunities for Qatari youth would definitely contribute to a better knowledge-based economy.”
Prof Noora Jabor Al-Thani, director of QU-YSC expressed her pride, saying, "The National Science Promotion Programme has provided a valuable opportunity for Qatari youth to experience the sophisticated research of national interest and attain the skills to contribute to the progress of the country.” Prof Noora also thanked the programme partners, researchers, student participants, event managers and the QU-YSC team for the successful completion of the programme.