Qatar University (QU) has announced the winners of the National Science Promotion Programme (NSPP-2021), a funding initiative to promote scientific research among Qatari youth.
NSPP, launched by QU Young Scientists Centre, enabled students to work under the supervision of skilled researchers in various research projects of national interest for a duration of six months (September 2021- February 2022).
High school students were acknowledged for their oral presentations and outstanding contributions to the research projects, with Saqer Hamad al-Rumaihi and Essa Ahmad al-Mohannadi bagging the first prize, Hajar Aljumaily and Maha al-Meraghi second prize and Mohammad Yousef al-Jaber and Mohammed Khalid al-Hajri third prize.
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 the final ceremony of the first cycle of NSPP, the winners in different categories (high school students, undergraduates, researchers) were acknowledged. 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 were present.
The jury comprised Dr Mohamad Ussama al-Homsi, deputy medical director of Medical Education, Research, and Quality at National Center for Cancer Care and Research; Prof. Mohammed Abu-Dieyeh, acting head, Biological and Environmental Sciences Department, College of Arts and Sciences, QU; Prof Ahmed Massoud, associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies, College of Engineering, QU; Dr Latifa Ali al-Darwish, organisation development consultant, coach and businesswoman; and Dr Nikhil Navkar, senior research scientist at the Department of surgery at Hamad Medical Corporation.
In her speech, Prof al-Maadeed said such opportunities for Qatari youth would definitely contribute to a better knowledge-based economy. Prof Noora Jabor al-Thani, director of QUYSC, added that the NSPP has provided a valuable opportunity for Qatari youth to experience sophisticated research of national interest and attain the skills to contribute to the progress of the country.