Engagement 2016

2015 – 2016

Texas A&M Engineering BuildingEducation CityPO Box 23874, Doha, Qatartel. +974.4423.0010fax +974.4423.0011 www.qatar.tamu.edu

Published May 2016

ContentsTexas A&M at Qatar’s Response to Qatar National Vision 2030

Human Development ................................................. 4

Social Development ..................................................... 20

Environmental Development ................................. 34

Economic Development ........................................... 46

2015– 2016

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Engineering is a patriotic profession. That’s because Qatar isn’t just a place to work. This is home.

This is national pride.

Our engineers are made in Qatar, and they are ready today for the challenges of tomorrow. Join them.

Mais Yousef Taha Senior Reservoir Engineer Maersk Oil Qatar

Class of 2009 Petroleum Engineering

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WELCOME LETTER

To Our Community Partners —

W elcome to the newest issue of Engagement, Texas A&M University at Qatar’s annual report of outreach and community engagement impact. At Texas A&M at Qatar, we have a clear purpose

when it comes to the scope and depth of our engagement and outreach. We strive to provide meaningful and sustained engagement with the Qatar community and our partners. We accomplish this at a range of levels that builds relationships and trust, and provides real value and learning opportunities.

The feature articles and student and faculty profiles you will see in this issue represent exceptional achievement. Our faculty, students and research programs focus on creating solutions to Qatar’s challenges, and we view contributing significantly to Qatar’s future as our primary goal.

We are in the process of finalizing Texas A&M at Qatar’s 2016 – 2021 Strategic Plan that will guide the institution’s goals and programs. It will become the new roadmap of our outreach and engagement. This dynamic document addresses the needs of the State of Qatar, its communities and its industries as they continue to grow and develop. It will also outline how we will contribute to our main campus’ vision for the future, Vision 2020, and substantially influence progress for the noble goals put forward in Qatar National Vision 2030.

Everything we do as a branch campus supports our mission according to Texas A&M University’s core values of integrity, loyalty, excellence, leadership, respect and selfless service. We are committed to being a valuable partner to Qatar Foundation and Hamad bin Khalifa University, as well as to our academic and research collaborators in Education City and throughout Qatar.

We are grateful to the visionary leadership of Qatar Foundation for its guidance and collaboration. Their generous partnership makes it possible for Texas A&M at Qatar to create leaders of character who — as undergraduates, graduate students and Aggie engineers — are making a difference locally, regionally and globally.

Most importantly, Texas A&M at Qatar works to serve the State of Qatar and enrich its greatest natural resource — its people — and we will continue to provide leadership in creating the engines of Qatar’s development. Thank you for your partnership in our education, discovery, development and collaboration efforts.

Thank you for being partners in our efforts to be a part of Qatar’s future.

— Ann L. Kenimer, Ph.D. Interim Dean

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“Human development is the one pillar that can sustain itself in the future. If you improve the standards of education, the next generation will carry this on and apply and implement this themselves. It’s a virtuous cycle. I want Qatar to be a source of innovation and contribution and giving back to society. I believe this can be done through human development.”

ABDULLA AL-MOHANNADICLASS OF 2017, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

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QATAR NATIONAL

VISION 2030

Populating the workforce with world-class Aggie engineers and leaders, training researchers to solve critical problems, and providing

continuing education opportunities to serve local industry

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

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G raduates of Texas A&M at Qatar are well-rounded engineers with the leadership,

critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to lead Qatar’s transformation into a modern, knowledge-based society. Since 2003, Texas A&M at Qatar has awarded 650 degrees to Aggie engineers who are now working in Qatar’s industrial, commercial and governmental sectors, while other graduates are enrolled in some of the top graduate schools in the world. These exceptional Aggie engineers are uniquely positioned to play key roles in Qatar’s development and help achieve the goals set out in Qatar National Vision 2030.

Leading human development by

GRADUATING well-rounded engineers

Aggie petroleum engineering majors compete locally in the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) annual paper contest, which is judged by industry professionals. Students compete for the chance to represent Texas A&M at Qatar at the regional paper contest — and maybe even advance to the international contest. Aggie engineers have a winning tradition when it comes to this competition: Ghaida Al Farsi won the regional contest in 2014 and Abdul Rauf won in 2015. All petroleum engineering student activities are sponsored by Occidental Petroleum of Qatar (Oxy).

A hallmark of the Aggie engineering education is the integration of the arts and humanities into the curriculum. The STEAM initiative puts the “A” for “arts” into STEM education, and helps students develop the skills they need to succeed in the workplace, such as reading comprehension, writing, and oral and visual communications. Just as importantly, STEAM fosters critical thinking. By taking classes in anthropology, history and ethics, Aggie engineers gain important skills for asking broader, reflective questions about the meaning and impact of what they do as they pursue their careers.

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88

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LEADING by example

T exas A&M at Qatar’s Aggie engineers have a new role model, one of their own: Dr. Nayef

Alyafei, Class of 2009, has returned to his alma mater as a faculty member in the Petroleum Engineering Program. A native Qatari, Alyafei is the first Texas A&M at Qatar graduate to join the faculty of the branch campus after earning master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Imperial College London, all in petroleum engineering.

As an undergraduate at Texas A&M at Qatar, Alyafei excelled in the classroom but discovered his real passion when he participated in undergraduate research. He says it was this experience that inspired him to pursue post-graduate studies, which he says are essential

for the future success of Qatar — and which he hopes to inspire in his own students. And now, as a faculty member, Alyafei is contributing to Qatar’s growth and National Vision by teaching and by serving as a role model and example of success to his students.

“I don’t want my students to simply get their bachelor’s degrees and go straight to work. I want to encourage them to pursue post-graduate studies before applying to jobs in Qatar, because we need high-caliber people in this country. Hopefully, students will see me and know that if I did it, they can do it, too, and if I can inspire one student to get a Ph.D. then I’ll have done my job.”

Other role models for Aggie engineering students are the Aggie engineers who have come before them, such as mechanical engineering graduate Haitham Al-Haidari, Class of 2015. Through the Real World Speaker Series, successful Texas A&M at Qatar graduates who are working in industry, government or the community talk about what they really do in their careers, giving current students a better idea of what to expect after they enter the workforce. During his talk, “The Secrets of Networking,” Al-Haidari discussed how forming relationships and being adept at networking were at the core of his successes as a student, entrepreneur and job seeker.

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L eadership is one of the six core values of Texas A&M. This spirit of leadership is

instilled in all current and former students so that all Aggies have the confidence, experience and values to promote change in the world.

Developing exemplary engineers and leaders is Texas A&M at Qatar’s vision. To accomplish this, Texas A&M at Qatar is broadening students’ horizons and nurturing leadership in each student by providing opportunities for each student to experience and learn from outstanding leaders in Qatar through the Dean’s Leadership Series.

The 2015-2016 series kicked off with H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry and Chairman of the Board of Qatar Petroleum. During his talk, H.E. Dr. Al-Sada advised students to have a positive outlook on life, as a positive outlook provides inspiration. He shared some valuable management mantras with students for succeeding in their personal and professional lives; challenged students to always make efforts to see the bigger picture of a particular task or challenge; and advised students to understand the value and importance of leadership, teamwork and clarity in communications.

H.E. Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber, former Minister of Information and Communication Technology, gave the second talk 24 Nov. She talked about her experience as one of the first Qatari women to earn a degree in engineering as well as some lessons she’s learned throughout her career. Among her ovservations: how young people “are

outsourcing their thinking” and their opinions to adults. “It’s good to read something that you don’t like or to hear an opinion that you don’t share. The tools we are using are driving us only to like-minded individuals, so we must teach our our students the importance of seeking out other opinions. It’s okay to question things.”

The third speaker in the 2015-2016 series was former Minister of Environment His Excellency Mr. Ahmad Amer M. Al-Humaidi. He said the key to leadership is listening to every person in an organization, not just those at the top, and to approach each challenge with patience and thorough consideration. Lastly, he discussed his participation in the most recent climate talks in Paris and advised students, faculty and staff on how they can get involved in environmental sustainability in Qatar.


LEADERSHIPNURTURING

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“His Excellency Dr. Al-Sada’s career is an excellent example of how good leadership impacts personal and institutional development. As we go about creating the next generation of engineering leaders, having His Excellency share his experience as an inspirational leader is invaluable to our students as they create their own vision for the future.” — DR. MARK H. WEICHOLD, FORMER DEAN AND CEO

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The Texas A&M at Qatar faculty members who are teaching Qatar’s brightest students

are known as outstanding, highly respected edu-cators. These faculty provide Aggie students with skills and experiences to succeed in a competitive and rapidly evolving work environment. Faculty are recognized for teaching and academic achieve-ment, intellectual rigor, vigorous publication and active conference participation, all which work to share knowledge locally, regionally and globally. Their breadth of knowledge is diverse and attracts opportunities for discourse and critical thinking.

Several faculty members have been recognized for their dedication to teaching by the Texas

A&M University Association of Former Students and with endowed chairs and professorships, which give universities a competitive edge by providing funds to attract top faculty — which in turn helps attract other top-notch faculty and students. These faculty demonstrate Texas A&M at Qatar’s dedication to sharing knowledge internationally by bringing the best and brightest minds to enrich Qatar’s industrial and economic growth. The knowledge shared by such minds helps to create well-rounded leaders of tomorrow and advances Texas A&M at Qatar’s vision and mission of being the premier provider of engineering education in the region.


EXCELLENCERECOGNIZING TEACHING

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATION OF FORMER STUDENTS DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS IN TEACHING

University-level2015 — Dr. Ahmed Abdel-Wahab2012 — Dr. Mohamed Nounou

College-level2015 — Dr. Nimir Elbashir 2014 — Dr. Hazem Nounou 2013 — Dr. Dave Seapy2012 — Dr. Mansour Karkoub

As the inaugural speaker in the Reflections on Teaching Series, Dr. Nimir Elbashir shared pointers on being an effective teacher and how to engage students in a variety of college-level courses, from the introductory to more advanced levels.

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Dr. Hussein Alnuweiri

Maersk Oil Qatar Professor in STEM Leadership

Dr. Milivoj Belic

Al Sraiya Holding Professor

Dr. Eyad Masad

Zachry Professor in Design and Construction Integration II

Dr. Hazem Nounou

Itochu Professor Dr. Patrick Linke

Qatar Shell Professor

Dr. Paul Anastas

QAFCO Chair in Green Chemistry and Green Engineering

Dr. Robert H. Grubbs

QAPCO Chair of Polymer Science and Engineering

PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRY FOR CHAIRS AND PROFESSORSHIPS

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“QBWA is employing all their efforts and capabilities to enhance the role of women and to enable them to participate and compete in various fields. We have found in Texas A&M University at Qatar an important and capable partner who can develop the new generation of women in Qatar and qualify them to play their key roles in further developing the country. We are confident that this partnership will have positive impact on Qatari women in particular, and Qatari society in general.” —— QBWA VICE CHAIRWOMAN AISHA ALFARDAN

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A new partnership between Texas A&M at Qatar and the Qatari Businesswomen

Association (QBWA) is supporting female students and educating girls and their families about engineering to attract more girls to study engineering. QBWA will also work with current and former Texas A&M at Qatar female students through activities such as a speaker series, mentoring, internships, a self-development program, and other professional and social networking events.

The partners will deliver a set of projects and programs that mainly focus on the empowerment of students by offering QBWA membership to interested students, which will give them access to various events organized by QBWA, as well as working to provide a number of

internship opportunities for Texas A&M at Qatar female students through the network companies and institutions owned or run by members of the QBWA.

Dr. Mark H. Weichold, dean and CEO of Texas A&M at Qatar, said, “Texas A&M at Qatar is proud that nearly 40 percent of our enrolled students are female and of the contributions our current and former female students are making in Qatar. We look forward to working with QBWA to attract even more girls to engineering, and to support and empower women once they’ve graduated from Texas A&M and entered the workplace. We are excited for our female students and the opportunities presented to them by this partnership.”


WOMENEMPOWERING

UNDERGRADUATE FALL 2015 ENROLLMENT

* nearly double the U.S. national average of female engineering students.

By Nationality

Non-

Qatari 46%

Qatari 54% By GenderFemale*

41%Male 59%

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T exas A&M at Qatar is leading human development by providing new ways for

students, faculty and the wider community to think about new and old ideas. This culture of knowledge built by the branch campus is enriched by sharing expertise and bringing in world-renowned scholars to share theirs. Lectures and seminars on topics of cutting-edge technology, cultural examinations and anthropological topics help to create the well-rounded, world-class Aggie engineers who will drive Qatar toward its goal of being a modern, knowledge-based society.

Texas A&M at Qatar is invigorating the scientific community through its robust slate of conferences, workshops and symposia — visible examples of its commitment to being a valued resource and major contributor of knowledge and expertise to Qatar. These major events showcase the State of Qatar to the global academic community while promoting Qatar’s leadership as a center for scientific research.

Texas A&M at Qatar is also enhancing the professional workforce in Qatar by providing expertise and training in the form of short courses. These continuing education courses offer remarkable value for professionals in local industry amid tightening training budgets. Texas A&M at Qatar is uniquely positioned to offer advanced training and professional development to help Qatar’s technical workforce maximize value. Local industries are increasingly looking to

Texas A&M at Qatar to enhance the knowledge and productivity of their employees. Knowledge is transferred to professionals in Qatar through world-class faculty and given in state-of-the-art facilities unique to the region, directly supporting the needs of industry professionals by promoting continuing growth and development ,and applying novel techniques and cutting-edge technology.


EXPERTISEin Qatar & worldwide

SHARING

Prof. W. Ketterle, the winner of Nobel Prize in Physics in 2001 and the John D. MacArthur Professor of Physics at MIT, gave the distinguished lecture at the Photonics Middle East Conference, Qatar’s first-ever conference on the topic. Bringing world-renowned experts and scholars is one way in which Texas A&M at Qatar plays a vital role in encouraging the sharing and exchange of knowledge.

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Texas A&M at Qatar’s continuing education workshops and courses range from advanced leadership concepts and practices to emerging engineering technologies, techniques and tools. Topics have included process safety in the chemical-processing industries, modernized power systems, technical writing and presentation skills, and project management.

9 COURSES OFFERED

117 ATTENDEES

38% QATARI

24 TRAINING

DAYS

192 TRAINING

HOURS

2015–2016 CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES

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BEST WRITING

Texas A&M at Qatar’s graduates are exceptional well-rounded engineers with broad skills. The branch campus celebrates these skills in Best Writing, a collection of writing by students, working in genres from poetry to personal essays, short stories, technical papers and research reports. Best Writing showcases the variety of writing talents, interests and ideas of engineering students on a platform to highlight critical thinking and creativity.

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D eveloping exemplary engineers and leaders through internationally respected degree

programs is Texas A&M at Qatar’s vision. But Texas A&M at Qatar further broadens students’ horizons through innovative teaching and enrichment that provide learning opportunities students can find nowhere else in the region.

Engineers are creative problem solvers who shape the future, and the Engineering Enrichment Program aims to enrich classroom engineering education and help innovators and entrepreneurs bring their imagined projects to life. Through a series of training courses, students learn the skills necessary for building prototypes and products, including machining, electronics, fabrication

and programming. Then, once students have mastered the Pro level with these skills, they move up to the Mentor level to help their fellow students learn these valuable skills while solving their own design problems. And in the third level, Inventeers have the opportunity to bring their ideas to fruition — and possibly have their projects sponsored.

And as part of its commitment to developing exemplary engineers, Texas A&M at Qatar is proud to offer the Fundamentals of Engineering (F.E.) Exam, the first step in the process to becoming a licensed professional engineer (P.E.), which is the engineering profession’s highest standard of competence, a sign of achievement and an assurance of quality. As laws and international agreements concerning the requirements to be licensed are adopted a P.E. license is becoming more of a necessity.

Vamsi Vegamoor (pictured), a Class of 2016 mechanical engineering major, became the first Texas A&M at Qatar student to pass the exam. Vamsi says this milestone begins the process for him to become a professional engineer. “By passing the F.E. Exam, I am now eligible to work under a P.E. for three years so that I can then take the P.E. exam. Becoming a P.E. allows me to independently analyze and approve designs and plans. More important to me, it’s a certification to prospective employers that I’m a qualified engineer.”


ENGINEERINGeducation

ENHANCING

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“I want to do something that makes my country proud of me. It’s not just about having a job, it ’s about contributing. Qatar has spent so much to give us opportunities like Education City. Our nation trusts us to develop our country; we should return the favor.”

LOLWA AL-MAJIDCLASS OF 2018, ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

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QATAR NATIONAL VISION 2030

Producing well-rounded learners with broad historical perspective and high ethical values capable of addressing grand challenges and

participating in local and global society and institutions

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

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By supporting our partners at Hamad bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation

and other Education City branch campuses, Texas A&M at Qatar plays an important role in the development of human capital in Qatar, meeting the changing needs of industry and enhancing growth opportunities for students.

Texas A&M at Qatar’s cooperation with Hamad bin Khalifa University’s academic programs is broad and growing. Texas A&M at Qatar faculty experts support HBKU’s Executive Master in Energy

and Resources and its new bachelor’s program in computer engineering, which aims to produce globally competitive computer engineering professionals. Other efforts, such as student cross-registration, represent significant collaboration between Texas A&M at Qatar and the branch campuses in Education City. Through these strategic, collaborative partnerships with HBKU and its Education City partners, Texas A&M at Qatar is supporting synergy in Education City and beyond.

Leading social development by

PARTNERINGwith Qatar Foundation

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QATAR NATIONAL DAY

About 40 Texas A&M at Qatar staff members welcomed local families and children during Qatar Foundation’s Qatar National Day celebrations 8-20 Dec. Visitors to Texas A&M at Qatar’s area participated in three major activities and learning opportunities: green energy, in which different age groups observed and experimented with alternative green energy sources, such as wind and solar power; electronic circuits, in which participants built a simple circuit using an educational kit; and the Robo Writer Competition, in which participants built a robot using LEGO-NXT controller to perform certain tasks.

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PARTICIPATING IN THE EDUCATION

CITY CAREER FAIR

This year Aggie engineers participated in the Education City Career Fair, which aims to foster valuable connections between industry recruiters and Education City students. The joint effort among Education City branch campuses allows students who will contribute to Qatar’s future growth and development to meet a variety of potential employers.

TEACHING COURSES FOR HBKU’S COMPUTER

ENGINEERING PROGRAM

Texas A&M at Qatar is also providing HBKU expert knowledge to HBKU’s new bachelor’s program in computer engineering, which aims to produce globally competitive computer engineering professionals. The HBKU students are taking correlating engineering courses at Texas A&M at Qatar.

PREPARING QATAR STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE

The Academic Success Center at Texas A&M at Qatar collaborates with HBKU to offer community education programs targeted at future students. The center teaches ACT preparatory classes for grade 11 Qatari nationals in the HBKU Promising Students Program, which prepares students to matriculate to all of the Education City branch campuses.

CONTRIBUTING EXPERTISE TO HBKU

MASTER’S PROGRAM Texas A&M at Qatar is proud to be an integral contributor to Hamad bin Khalifa University’s Executive Master in Energy and Resources, which integrates knowledge gained from understanding technical, management and political factors involved in energy resources.

LEVERAGING VCU’S BRANDING EXPERTISE

Recognizing the expertise available at fellow Education City universities, Texas A&M at Qatar partnered with Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar to brand its Dhia: Engineering Leaders program that seeks to help Qatar’s youths develop the skills they will need to help build their country’s future.

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REACHING OUT TO HIGH SCHOOL QATARIS

Interim dean Dr. Ann Kenimer spoke to high school students from local girls’ schools from across Qatar in February as part of HBKU’s outreach day. Her talk touched on the personal and professional fulfillment one can find in studying engineering at Texas A&M at Qatar, emphasizing all the learning opportunities afforded students inside and outside of the classroom.

HBKU EXECUTIVE MASTER IN ENERGY AND RESOURCES

1 MODULE TAUGHT

43 PARTICIPANTS

88% QATARI

7 TRAINING DAYS

56 TRAINING HOURS

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SHARING EXPERTISE WITH EDUCATION CITY

Texas A&M at Qatar’s Distinguished Lecture Series attracts world-class experts to campus, encouraging discourse among faculty and researchers in Education City and the local community on important topics in science, engineering and technology. This sharing of scholarship fosters intellectual discourse and encourages the development of critical thinking, lifelong learning and a responsibility to global awareness.

SUPPORTING WOMEN IN EDUCATION CITY

Females from across Education City attended “Qadha! Ladies’ Strategies for Workplace Success” hosted by the Women’s Faculty Forum. Attendees learned real-life strategies for overcoming struggles as females in industry and academia, and how to support other women to have faith in their strengths and capabilities.

COLLABORATING WITH HBKU

RESEARCH INSTITUTES

Faculty from Texas A&M at Qatar have joint appointments with the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute and the Qatar Computing Research Institute. These prestigious placements further strengthen the existing partnerships between the institutes and Texas A&M at Qatar, help achieve further cooperation in the areas of research and development, and create initiatives in the interest of students and faculty members.

Yale University professor Dr. Menachem Elimelech was the first speaker in Texas A&M at Qatar’s 2015-2016 Distinguished Lecture Series. Elimelech’s lecture, “Energy Efficiency of Desalination Processes,” explored the energy efficiency of desalination and presented possible solutions to reduce those energy demands. His talk was attended by Texas A&M at Qatar faculty, staff, students and researchers, as well as representatives from local industry and other research institutes.

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While current and future engineers work to address the many challenges the world

faces, they have to keep more than just the technical side in mind. Engineers also need to stay mindful of various ethical issues — such as environmental impact, labor laws and confidentiality — because as positive as engineering breakthroughs can be, they sometimes have unintended effects. This is why Texas A&M at Qatar, like many other universities, requires that engineering students study ethics.

Through TIPE, The Initiative in Professional Ethics, Texas A&M at Qatar is instilling the highest ethical values in each of its graduates. Dr. Hassan Bashir and his colleagues worked to transform ethics education at the branch

campus from a single course to a multifaceted teaching approach. TIPE is tasked with promoting awareness of ethics in fields ranging from science and technology to public policy, which it does primarily through events and activities — such as an annual Ethics Week, guest speakers and workshops — that highlight ethical issues and build relationships between the branch campus, other universities and Qatari industry. And now with the support of the Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO), TIPE continues to develop partnerships with Qatari industry leaders in order to grow into a national and international leader in ethical research and continue to make ethics an integral part of Texas A&M at Qatar’s curriculum.


EMPHASIZINGprofessional ethics

“Engineering is by definition a social experiment,” says Dr. Hassan Bashir, associate professor in the Liberal Arts Program and director and founder of The Initiative in Professional Ethics (TIPE) at Texas A&M at Qatar. That’s why Bashir says that engineers have to keep more than just the technical side in mind.

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“Our outreach programs are motivating students to pursue academic achievement. By encouraging Qataris to succeed in STEM disciplines, we can contribute directly to the transformation of Qatar’s workforce and ensure our continued prosperity.” — JOWAHER AL-MARRI, COORDINATOR OF TEXAS A&M AT QATAR’S STEM OUTREACH EFFORTS

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C reating the next generation of qualified scientists, engineers and leaders who will

sustain Qatar’s development and success into the future is a key challenge put forward in Qatar National Vision 2030. As part of its commitment to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, Texas A&M at Qatar has partnered with Maersk Oil Qatar for Dhia: Engineering Leaders, an outreach education program that illustrates how industry and academia can work together to support Qatar’s children and achieve the goals put forward in Qatar National Vision 2030.

Dhia initiatives are already engaging hundreds of Qatari students in grades 5–12 and their teachers in an array of academic programs designed to help students find pathways for academic

success, particularly in engineering and science. The partnership also includes sponsorship of the Engineering Leaders Conference on Engineering Education as well as Engineering Education Letters, a collection of articles from leading engineering education experts that reports results of the latest teaching methodologies, innovative teaching and learning techniques, and academic successes observed by local, regional and global experts in engineering education and the STEM fields. The journal provides a resource for local educators and experts to support the continuing development and delivery of high-quality technical education in Qatar. Texas A&M at Qatar faculty Dr. Hamid R. Parsaei and Dr. Nimir O. Elbashir edit the journal.


FOCUSING ON

STEMeducation

In 2015, Texas A&M at Qatar hosted

530+ STUDENTS

100% QATARI, in grades 5-11 from

70 schools in Qatar for

8,600 HOURS

of innovative learning

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T exas A&M at Qatar is building human capacity in Qatar by reaching out to its

best and brightest young minds to ensure they are prepared and excited to enter one of the best engineering programs in the world — right here in Qatar. In the summer of 2015, 23 Qatari high school students arrived on the Texas A&M at Qatar campus for an intensive STEM education program known as the Summer Engineering Academy. The students, set to enter grade 12 in September, took part in this 10-day education event. SEA presented these students five research problem areas: renewable energy, water, environment, robotics and cybersecurity, all of which are considered to be some of Qatar’s biggest research challenges. Students then joined one of five teams tasked with developing

a project addressing their chosen research area. The students got a crash course in engineering

concepts, giving them a close look into the field and had an opportunity to work closely with faculty members. The team of Salem Al-Marri, Ebrahim Al-Muhannadi, Ali Al-Sayed, Ahmed Al-Sumaiti and Ghanem Al-Yafei that investigated the application of robotics technology in the energy industry won the prize for best research project . The five Qatari high school students studied how robots could be used to ensure pipeline integrity or fight fires, and they developed prototypes for those applications. A panel of judges selected the robotics team from among the five projects related to Qatar’s grand research challenges in energy, environment and cybersecurity.


YOUNG QATARISENGAGING

In addition to the technical engineering work, students also learned about topics such as engineering ethics, communications and how to prepare presentations and posters, which was important because each group had to present their project to a panel of judges at the end of the program. Dana Alali, who won the prize for best presenter during the teams’ demonstrations of their research findings, says, “I was excited to come and learn new things every day. This experience made me excited to pursue engineering as my future career and to excel in it.”

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“Involving students in the grand research challenges of Qatar at an early age not only helps them choose a career path, but they also learn to appreciate the importance of the decisions they make with regard to their future. I am excited to be working with talented young Qataris as they explore engineering through a project that can contribute to their country’s growth and development.”

— DR. MANSOUR KARKOUB, PROFESSOR OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

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“I always wanted to be a teacher, and I’m proud to be one. I always look for the latest techniques to relate learning to my students’ life experiences so they can be the best they can be. This initiative is a strong form of motivation for teachers in Qatar to deliver the best they can throughout the year.” — WASAN YOUSIF MUHSIN AL-ANI, 2015 STEM EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

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T exas A&M at Qatar, through its Dhia: Engineering Leaders partnership, is fostering

innovative STEM instruction and high teaching standards, which are crucial in equipping students for successful and rewarding careers in private industry. Teachers and principals from independent schools in Qatar participate in workshops that give participants new skills and tools for integrating problem-based learning exercises and activities into science, math and engineering teaching. Numerous research studies have identified elementary school as a critical crossroads for students’ attitudes toward STEM disciplines. Seeing how math and science relate to real-world problems motivates students to learn, so these workshops aim to help teachers connect those ideas in their classrooms — thereby preparing young people to enter universities that will educate this country’s future leaders and build Qatar’s workforce.

But just as important is recognizing excellence in STEM education and encouraging successful instruction. The Engineering Leaders STEM Educator of the Year award presented by Texas A&M at Qatar and Maersk Oil Qatar commends the commitment of teachers and the positive impact they are having on young people in Qatar. This initiative encourages educators to instruct students in innovative ways and represents direct efforts to support Qatar’s human and social development, which will drive the country’s

economic and environmental development through engineers and scientists.

Wasan Yousif Muhsin Al-Ani, a chemistry teacher at Amna Bint Wahab Secondary School for Girls, was named the 2015 Engineering Leaders STEM Educator of the Year. She was nominated for the award for her inclusive educational strategy — which is described as “hands-on and minds-on” — that has enabled many of her students to achieve top rankings in the national comprehensive exams during the past five years. Other finalists were Eddy Nicolas Chouity from the International School of Choueifat, Doha; Loai Abdelrahman Jebril from Al-Wakra Independent Secondary School for Boys; and Lubna Shahid from the Al Maha Academy for Girls.


NURTURING STEM

TEACHERS

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“GTL fuel is of great importance to Qatar, and it’s a clean fuel so it is environmentally friendly. The area of energy and the environment is an area that I would like to pursue in my master’s studies. Technology comes with penalties in terms of the environment and health, such as pollutants. Making a change in this can make a change in real life. As engineers, we solve these challenges.”

WAJDI AHMED CLASS OF 2016, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

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ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT

Promoting a culture of environmental responsibility for today and innovative solutions for tomorrow through classroom and laboratory

education, field research and the transfer of new technologies

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D r. Robert S. Balog — who joined the Texas A&M at Qatar faculty in fall 2015 from Texas

A&M’s main campus — has brought his expertise in power electronics for renewable energy and technology commercialization to Qatar for the benefit of his students and the branch campus’ research program, and the State of Qatar itself.

Balog works in the area of power electronics, with a focus on renewable energy and advanced energy systems — specifically, how to integrate renewable energy into how we use and create electricity, all for the betterment of society. Balog is the principal investigator on a project funded by the Qatar

Leading environmental development by

INNOVATING smart PV

National Research Fund to develop a smart PV skin, a thin fabric that can be used in clothing or terracotta roof tiles — or even in Qatar’s planned World Cup stadium roofs — to efficiently capture solar energy to generate electricity.

“Solar cells used to be very expensive to produce,” Balog said. “If solar cells are now mass-produced so that cost is no longer a concern, what are some other interesting things we can do with them? A holy grail is to integrate PV directly into an aesthetically pleasing structure, such as a domed sports stadium, so that the PV actually becomes part of the stadium in an unobstructed way. There are numerous scientific and engineering challenges that need to be overcome before this vision becomes practical.”

Balog is collaborating researchers from Texas A&M’s main campus and Turkey to embed power electronics and controls directly into the structure of thin-film PV. This research concept is even driving a capstone design project for a group of electrical engineering seniors. The Aggies are applying the concepts to a solar canopy for a park bench at Katara that can provide shade to visitors while also providing power to charge their smart phones. A local company is working with the students to help construct the canopy.

“Function follows form,” Balog says. “The students are applying innovative technology to a real-world problem with direct relevance to society and transferable to industry for commercialization. That is the essence of engineering.”

A prolific inventor, Balog earned his first U.S. patent at age 23 and now holds 14 U.S. patents in power electronics with additional patents pending. “We are engineers who reduce to practice scientific principles to benefit society,” Balog says. “Patents are more than a mark of intellectual contribution, it’s an identification of an engineering solution.”

37

Texas A&M at Qatar graduate Morcos Metry, Class of 2014, is now part of Balog’s research team as a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M’s main campus in College Station, Texas, as part of Qatar Foundation R&D’s Qatar Research Leadership Program. Metry is co-advised by Dr. Haitam Abu-Rub with whom he began his research career as an undergraduate at Texas A&M at Qatar. In November 2015, Metry won the best presentation award for a paper he presented at the Annual Conference of the Industrial Electronics Society in Yokohama, Japan.

“My Ph.D. studies only began when I appreciated that learning in depth about a small detail is the most impactful and capable of improving already existing technologies. A research career is something new every day, in which creativity is vital for survival and there is always a new challenge. Research is a very dynamic process and requires one to keep up with latest advancements. I am blessed to be where I am with people who are always willing to encourage me and push me to achieve better.” — MORCOS METRY, CLASS OF 2014

38

Among the many benefits fo Dr. Reza Sadr’s research is that it helps describe and forecast the dispersion of pollution, which is vital for cleanup and safety efforts after possible accidents in the Gulf. The data can also be used to predict the future of artificial beaches, and create and plan beaches and artificial islands.

39

T he global climate is changing continuously and Qatar has been getting warmer in the

past few decades. The future climate in this region is sensitive to change in atmospheric circulation, shoreline and wind intensity.

Dr. Reza Sadr’s weather and atmospheric phenomena research has been enhanced by a new measurement facility at Al Ghariyah coastline. The facility includes several high-tech measurement instruments on a tower along the undisturbed coastline to measure weather conditions such as atmospheric turbulence, wind velocity, temperature and humidity. The tower is part of a research program that is studying the atmospheric conditions of wind, its effects on ocean waves, and how these waves affect the shape and nature of the shoreline around Qatar and in the Gulf region.

The tower collects data to enable the team to understand climate patterns and coastal effects to build more accurate weather and ocean wave-predicting models. The team has found that northwesterly and easterly winds dominate in late summer, while northwesterly are prominent in autumn and winter. Wind speed has been observed up to 13 m/s, with stronger wind in wintertime. Prominent sea breeze effect results in daily highest air temperature and heat index in late morning, and humidity and mean sea level pressure increases as winter progresses. Finally, the team noted that Shamal wind has a strong impact on local weather and possible turbulence nature in the surface layer.

Leading environmental development by

UNDERSTANDING QATAR’S

CLIMATE PATTERNS

40

T hrough research, innovation and industry-collaborated development, the master’s

program in chemical engineering at Texas A&M at Qatar is creating a new generation of engineers who will provide solutions to critical challenges in Qatar and the region. The graduate program is an example of Texas A&M at Qatar’s commitment to address the needs of the State of Qatar in partnership with Qatar Foundation and industry, and is critical to the success of Texas A&M at Qatar’s ambitious research program.

Student-driven research is an integral part of an engineering education, and Texas A&M at Qatar’s graduate student researchers are already making a difference in Qatar — and these contributions are being recognized internationally. A paper, “Systematic Multiperiod Carbon Integration in an Industrial City,” by Dr. Patrick Linke and graduate student Dhabia Al-Mohannadi won the best poster competition at the Conference Process Integration, Modeling and Optimization for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction 2015 (PRES 2015). The paper proposes a pioneering new approach that enables the efficient management of industrial carbon dioxide emissions toward achieving future footprint reduction targets at low cost.

“We are very pleased that the quality and impact of our work has been recognized at this leading international conference,” Linke said. “The integrated and efficient management of carbon footprints is a major challenge for the future. Our approach can support decision-

Leading environmental development through

AWARD-WINNING graduate student research

makers in identifying effective strategies towards low industrial sector carbon footprints. The award is a testimony to the excellent quality of graduate studies at Texas A&M University at Qatar, which provides an ideal environment for our graduate students develop into well-rounded and leading researchers.”

Al-Mohannadi earned her master’s degree in chemical engineering in 2015 and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Texas A&M’s main campus in the United States as part of the Qatar Research Leadership Program.

“WE ARE DEDICATED TO ACHIEVING THE GOALS SETS FORWARD IN QATAR NATIONAL VISION 2030, AND OUR GRADUATE PROGRAM IS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMAN CAPITAL QATAR NEEDS TO SUPPORT THE COUNTRY’S VISION AND FUTURE.”

— DR. EYAD MASAD, VICE DEAN

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Potential master’s students were welcomed to campus 25 Jan. for the Graduate Studies Open House, which aimed to answer questions for prospective students about Texas A&M at Qatar’s two master’s programs in chemical engineering. Attendees interacted with current students and recently graduated students and faculty, and also toured Texas A&M at Qatar’s world-class facilities and state-of-the-art laboratories to get a better perspective on being an Aggie graduate student.

42

“The QAFCO – Texas A&M Conference 2016 is a confluence of ideas. I believe conferences such as these can help give better insights into issues wherein institutional learnings of industry and academia can mutually benefit. I hope the conference becomes the platform for sharing ideas to find solutions for short- and long-term issues facing us.”— KHALIFA AL-SOWAIDI, FORMER QAFCO CEO

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S haring expertise and exchanging knowledge is essential to fueling innovation and new

thinking. In working to help Qatar reach its goal of becoming a global hub of knowledge, Texas A&M at Qatar proudly partners with industry and institutes in Qatar to help realize sustainable solutions to real-world problems.

One of the most visible examples of the benefits of collaboration is the annual QAFCO – Texas A&M University at Qatar Conference, which in 2016 focused on managing CO2 and renewable energies. With fossil fuels such as oil and gas diminishing, renewable energy is more important than ever. But renewable energies such as wind and solar are limited by weather conditions. At the

same time, pollution caused by the consumption of fossil fuels — mainly due to the high emission of greenhouse gases, such as CO2 — results in a series of problems such as global warming and poor air quality. Conference organizers said that given this dilemma, it is imperative to find new ways of managing CO2 to make emissions friendlier to the environment and our health.

The conference featured an impressive technical program, and sessions showcased opinions and research from some of the world’s most respected names in managing CO2 and energy. The conference also provided a forum for the exchange of ideas and opportunities for future collaborations.


RESEARCH

COLLABORATIONin Qatar

MAJOR CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS IN 2015-2016:✔ Photonics Middle East Conference

✔ QAFCO – Texas A&M University at Qatar Conference

✔ Liberal Arts International Conference

✔ International Workshop on Computational Methods with Applications for Oil and Gas

✔ Materials Science and Engineering Symposium

✔ IEEE Wireless Communications and Netwroking Conference 2016

✔ Texas A&M University at Qatar Research and Industry Partnership Showcase

✔ Qatar Process Safety Symposium

✔ Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Workshop

✔ Workshop on Advances in Pavement Friction Measuring and Modeling

The culture of knowledge built by Texas A&M at Qatar is enriched by sharing expertise and bringing in world-renowned scholars to share theirs, helping to create well-rounded Aggie engineers and driving Qatar toward its goal of being a knowledge-based society.

10 CONFERENCES

34 WORKSHOPS

17 SHORT COURSES

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When Dr. Bing Guo arrived in Doha in 2013 from Texas A&M’s main campus,

he says he found a new research project to work on when he toured a solar power testing facility. He saw that most of the facility’s photovoltaic (PV) panels were covered in a thick layer of dust, which the solar industry calls soiling. Guo and his students are studying the degree to which soiling affects PV power generation and the role that airborne dust concentration, wind speed and relative humidity might play.

Airborne dust that deposits on PV panel surfaces blocks sunlight, reducing the panel’s electrical output by as much as 15 percent per month, and even more as dust accumulates during Qatar’s dry summer season. After studying performance and environmental variables over 24-hour cycles, Guo’s team found a few trends. First is a correlation between increases in airborne dust and lower levels of soiling. Second, the team found that humid air helps dust particles stick to panels, leading to further degradation of power output.

Washing dust off the panels with water is one

SOLAR POWERsolution, but because water is a precious resource in Qatar, Guo and his team decided to use a small fraction of the electricity that the panel generates to displace the dust by sending alternating electrical pulses through electrodes embedded in a transparent layer covering the PV panel. The idea has its roots in decades-old work intended for use in Mars rovers, but “no one has tested this on Earth in a dusty environment,” Guo says.

Preliminary tests of the electrodynamic dust shield have shown promise and Guo’s next step is to carry out a larger assessment in a testing facility, which he plans to do early in 2016. His team will use an identical pair of dust-shield–equipped arrays, each consisting of 15 panels measuring 1.2 meters by 0.6 meters. One array will run power to the dust shield while the other will stay unpowered as a control. Guo says if the tests show promise, people will take it more seriously. The idea is to create a flexible electrical dust shield that uses relatively inexpensive technology that’s widely available.


STUDYING HOW DUST AFFECTS

45

Dust on PV panels blocks sunlight and reduces the panel’s electrical output by as much as 15 percent each month, and even more during Qatar’s dusty, dry summer season. Technology developed for space exploration is being tested by Texas A&M at Qatar researchers to shake the dust off PV cells by sending a small electrical current through a plastic overlay on top of the panels, thereby improving efficiency in solar power generation.

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“I want to work on cutting-edge projects, like a new system or a new chip that will change the world. In 10 years, I don’t want to be the same person. I want to continually grow and be as successful as I can, and reach high ranks in industry and research.”

TAIF MOHAMMED CLASS OF 2018, ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Contributing to a knowledge-based economy by educating individuals, helping to develop community, creating knowledge and disseminating expertise that supports the national industries toward

the diversified, balanced economy that is Qatar’s future

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Two annual competitions hosted by Texas A&M at Qatar aim to encourage creativity

and innovation through the use of cutting-edge technology to help realize sustainable solutions to real-world issues with high relevance to Qatar. The competitions — which are open to innovators from Education City and across Qatar — aim to encourage the most innovative uses of 3-D visualization and printing techniques, and enable

Leading economic development by

INNOVATION through advanced technology

users to develop and port their applications to visualization and 3-D printing systems. Projects are judged on several criteria, including creativity and innovation, functionality and usefulness, feasibility, and student involvement. In 2015, the participants who submitted entries were from the Qatar Science and Technology Park, Qatar Robotic Surgery Center, Hamad Medical Corporation and Texas A&M at Qatar.

2015 WINNERS

FIRST PLACE“Patient-specific Implant

Spacer in Infected TKR Using 3-D Technology” Hamad Medical

Corporation

SECOND PLACE“Smart Planter”

Texas A&M at Qatar

THIRD PLACE “Quadcopter Airframe” Texas A&M at Qatar

PROMOTING

3-D PRINTING COMPETITION

The 3-D printing industry is growing at a fierce rate and is changing the way people conduct their day-to-day lives. 3-D printing services are playing a key role in creating new businesses and new business opportunities. It was with this understanding that Texas A&M at Qatar established its unique 3-D printing facility — the first of its kind in Qatar — to allow students, designers, researchers and engineers to step beyond the virtual barriers and interact with real-world objects, and this competition supports this goal.

49

2015 WINNER“3-D Visualization for Planning Neurosurgical Interventions”

Qatar Robotics Surgery Center

VISUALIZATION DEVELOPMENT COMPETITION This contest invites researchers to submit proposals to develop research projects using Texas A&M at Qatar’s powerful 3-D Immersive Visualization Facility, which utilizes scientific visualization to create three-dimensional images and graphics that aid in analyzing complex numerical representation. This technology helps scientists see data sets in new ways so that they can find patterns or relationships and communicate their data to others. Viewers feel completely immersed in the experience, and all images are displayed in 3-D with the use of special goggles.

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Leading Texas A&M at Qatar’s HPC efforts is Dr. Othmane Bouhali, who was recently given a joint appointment to QCRI and elected a member of the publication committee of the Compact Muon Solenoid Gas Electron Multiplier international collaboration at the Large Hadron Collider at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Bouhali and mechanical engineering professor Dr. Sami ElBorgi co-organized the International Workshop on Computational Methods with Applications for Oil and Gas in February 2016.

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A s Texas A&M at Qatar emerges as a hub for exchanging knowledge and ideas, it

is working to expand and strengthen research partnerships and collaborations for the benefit of the State of Qatar. And this research is being recognized on an international scale.

In 2015, the branch campus was accepted as a member of the HPC500, an exclusive community of high-performance computing (HPC) user organizations. The HPC500 comprises the foremost entities that bring high-performance computing technology to bear on challenging problems in science, engineering and business. And as an HPC500 member, Texas A&M at Qatar is at the vanguard of high-performance computing in the region.

HPC plays an inevitable role in the nation’s research strategy. The Qatar National Research Strategy has included HPC and computational science as one of its major achievement goals, to enable more complex problems to be tackled and to carry out more extensive and realistic simulations. With the commitment Texas A&M at Qatar has made for the contribution to the development of the State of Qatar, the branch campus has acted proactively and established dedicated programs to promote HPC in the country, starting in 2005 with the acquisition of the first HPC computer cluster — Qatar’s first.

Texas A&M at Qatar’s HPC team is also supporting the needs of HBKU researchers. About 30 computational scientists from HBKU

and its research institutes, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute and Qatar Computing Research Institute — work closely with the branch campus’ HPC experts and facility, currently using 45 percent of CPU time and 48 percent of the facility’s storage. The collaboration is so seamless that an HPC committee has been formed with membership from HBKU and Texas A&M at Qatar, and an extension of the existing hardware resources is planned for April 2016 based on a collaboration between QCRI and Texas A&M at Qatar.


GROWING QATAR’S

INTERNATIONAL scientific reputation

Former Texas A&M at Qatar dean and CEO Dr. Mark H. Weichold brings his rich background of international experience and leadership in Qatar to his new post as

executive director of the Halliburton Global Engineering Program at Texas A&M’s main campus in College Station,

Texas. Weichold is known for his contributions to international engineering education based on his nine years

as dean of Texas A&M at Qatar.

52

T he commercialization of new technology plays a large role in Qatar’s plans to diversify

its economy and grow its workforce. Creating cutting-edge intellectual property that can revolutionize key industries is one way in which Texas A&M at Qatar is helping to lead Qatar’s transformation into a modern, knowledge-based economy.

Last year, Texas A&M at Qatar’s Dr. Shehab Ahmed saw that sort of success when a project he worked on led to a new patent that in turn has been licensed for use by Modus, an oil-and-gas product design and development startup Ahmed co-founded in 2013. The technology is part of a suite of equipment used to collect data


RESEARCH to the marketplace

from inside wellbores. The new part can bend, allowing it to move past obstacles that might be created by rock cuttings that clog the wellbore as it’s being drilled.

Next up for Modus is a new drill bit called Almas, which the company developed with its proprietary drill bit design software. Designed and manufactured entirely in Qatar, Almas has had a number of successful field trials. The next step for Modus is to market the technology and its design and development services to other companies in the region. This research is part of an overarching goal to move Qatar from an economy based on oil and gas to one based more on technology.

BRINGING

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYTexas A&M at Qatar patent applications and invention disclosures in 2015-2016

21patent disclosures

3patents

14provisional patents

53

In March 2016, Ahmed received the Best Research Project of the Year Award at Qatar Foundation’s Annual Research Conference 2016 for his project, “HVDC Architectures for Offshore Grid Connected Wind Energy Systems,” in which he and his team of researchers developed a suite of novel power conversion technologies that aid in integrating renewables into the power grid. The developed technologies spanned power generation as well as transmission enhancements that aim to decrease system cost, improve system efficiency and defer system upgrades by making better use of available infrastructure.

5454

“I have witnessed many major accomplishments in the establishment of strong relations between academia and industry, but this step is unique in the form of its academic, research, service and community outreach programs. This collaboration goes further to partner with us to build knowledge in a field of critical interest to Qatar’s economy and the future of global energy.”

— DR. NIMIR ELBASHIR, ORYX GTL–GAS-TO-LIQUID EXCELLENCE PROGRAM DIRECTOR

55

A new program launched by Texas A&M at Qatar in collaboration with founding

supporter and longtime partner ORYX GTL will prepare the highly skilled engineers and technical staff needed to lead and operate Qatar’s world-class industrial facilities.

Globally, the ORYX GTL–Gas-to-Liquid Excellence Program is the first specialized university-industry program in gas-to-liquid (GTL) technology, and is supported by the TEES Gas and Fuels Research Center, both in Qatar and the United States. This is also the first Texas A&M at Qatar initiative to address all three pillars of the academic institution in one program, combining elements of teaching, research and community outreach. The partnership also supports the pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030 — particularly in developing the economy and human capacity

that will provide valuable expertise for Qatar’s growth and prosperity.

The program will advance Qatar’s leading role in the GTL field, and build teaching, training and research excellence in natural gas processing for value-added chemicals and fuels; enhance collaboration between ORYX GTL and Texas A&M at Qatar in terms of service, research, training and recruitment programs; facilitate the training of highly skilled engineers and technical staff to lead the GTL field in Qatar; provide professional services and training courses in Qatar in areas relevant to GTL; develop courses and programs for training highly skilled engineers, technicians and other staff in the area of GTL, as well as synthetic fuels characterization and processing; and support Qatar National Vision 2030 in building human and research capital in the clean energy field.


PREPARING A SKILLED

WORKFORCEto lead Qatar’s GTL future

Chairing the ORYX GTL – Gas-to-Liquid Excellence Program will be Dr. Nimir Elbashir whose research team handles many projects of critical interest to Qatar’s natural gas-processing technologies.

25+researchers

postdocs, research associates, graduate and undergraduate students

>$12million

in research funding since 2009

56

Texas A&M at Qatar’s research program is working to create solutions to Qatar’s most

pressing challenges by developing practical and sustainable solutions to real-world issues. One example is a new collaborative agreement between Texas A&M at Qatar, Qatar University and Ooredoo that promises new advances in wireless communications.

Ooredoo’s sponsorship will provide the opportunity for QU and Texas A&M at Qatar students to be exposed to the telecom industry and be engaged in real-world experiences during their academic studies in preparation for their future careers. The sponsorship was designed to foster research and development in Qatar and contribute toward the country’s development and technological advancement. By inviting students to participate, Ooredoo said it hopes to produce the country’s future leaders who are equipped with hands-on knowledge of next-generation technology such as 5G and even faster networks.

Students, faculty, and research associates at Texas A&M at Qatar will, thanks to this new partnership, contribute to the field and gain valuable hands-on experience in new technologies. Through these dynamic solutions, Texas A&M at Qatar has a direct, positive impact on Qatar’s industries and its people.


WIRELESS communications in Qatar

“GREEN” WIRELESS

The growing number of base stations in use calls for an increasing amount of electrical power. Improving how base stations manage network traffic and use wireless frequencies to reduce the number of base stations needed results in less power usage while giving wireless customers better service.

DISASTER COMMUNICATIONS

During a crisis, informing the public, coordinating first responders and contacting friends and family are a few of the activities that increase the load on communications networks, which may already be damaged because of the disaster. Researchers are developing portable wireless base stations that can restore communications during a disaster. These base stations would also be able to broadcast information to people’s mobile devices and use those devices to locate people who are unable to move due to injury or being trapped by wreckage.

REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS

In the field of medical communications, research is focusing on allowing people to remotely communicate with their physicians, and giving doctors a way to monitor patient vital signs through Bluetooth-enabled medical sensors and smart phone or tablet applications. When building those applications, however, researchers will need to make the way they use wireless networks as efficient as possible.

ADVANCING

57

Dr. Khalid Qaraqe (pictured far right) played a key role in securing the agreement that builds on previous partnerships with industry. Thanks to this new collaboration, undergraduate students from Texas A& at Qatar will gain experience in groundbreaking areas of wireless communications, building Qatar’s future workforce.

58

TECHNICAL & RESEARCH SERVICES

WATER & ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY

ENGINE RESEARCH AND TESTING LABORATORY

WETTABILITY RESEARCH LABORATORY

THE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND CLEAN AIR RESEARCH

LABORATORY

DIRECT DIGITAL (RAPID) MANUFACTURING FACILITY

CENTRAL ELECTRONICS SHOP

THERMOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES MEASUREMENT

LABORATORY

CENTRAL MATERIALS FACILITY

PETROPHYSICAL LABORATORY

CENTRAL MACHINES SHOP

TIME RESOLVED INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY

LABORATORY

FUEL CHARACTERIZATION LABORATORY

CHEMISTRY INSTRUMENTATION

LABORATORY

RESEARCH COMPUTING

59

T exas A&M at Qatar provides expertise and service to local industry and caters

to the needs of multiple scientific disciplines. Through its Technical Services, partners of the branch campus can access facilities, equipment and expertise of faculty and staff, benefiting Qatar in its progress toward prominence as an international hub for research.

Several Texas A&M at Qatar laboratories and facilities participating under Technical Services have received the prestigious ISO 9001:2008 Management Systems certification by Lloyd’s

Register Quality Assurance. This assures partners and collaborators that the quality of the branch campus’ processes and standards are on par with international management systems, and services and research quality remains at its best and most efficient. This commitment to excellence strengthens Texas A&M at Qatar’s vision of being a valued contributor to the State of Qatar as the branch campus provides sustained research and service of high quality for the benefit of Qatar.


GROWING QATAR’S

SERVINGindustry

PARTNERS & USERS

Bauer Emirates Environment Technologies & Services L.L.C.

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar

College of North Atlantic- Qatar

Dophin Energy

Energioprojekt

Engineering Solutions QSTP L.L.C.

ExxonMobil

GE International QSTP-B

Hamad General Hospital

Khayal Productions Co. (Stars of Science)

Maersk Oil

Metito

Ministry of Environment

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.

NALCO Qatar

Newtech International Co. W.L.L.

Norsk Hydro ASA

Oryx GTL

Petroltecnica Environmental Services

QAFCO

QAPCO

Qatar Airways

Qatar Cardiovascular Research Center

Qatar Computing Research Institute

Qatar Environment & Energy Research Institute

Qatar Fuel Additives Company – QFAC

Qatar Mobility Innovations Center

Qatar Petroleum

Qatar Shell (GTL and RTC)

Qatar Steel Company – QASCO

Qatar University

QSTP Research Division

Raetex Qatar

RasGas Company Ltd.

Saipem S.P.A. Qatar

Schlumberger S.A.

TOTAL E&P Qatar

URS

Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar

Williams Grand Prix Engineering QSTP-B

Worley Parsons Qatar W.L.L.

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Texas A&M Engineering Building, Education CityPO Box 23874, Doha, Qatar

tel. +974.4423.0010 fax +974.4423.0011www.qatar.tamu.edu

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