The Qatar University (QU) Young Scientists Centre (YSC) participated for the third year in a row in the International Innovation Exhibition (ISIF 2023), which was held recently in Istanbul, Turkiye, in conjunction with the TEKNOFEST Festival, which is the largest event in the country to showcase inventions and innovations in different fields.
It is also a scientific and social event to raise awareness of the importance of innovation and creativity for all ages, and a cultural event to gain knowledge through various workshops.
This year, 424 projects and innovations participated, which were presented to a committee of specialised arbitrators and festival officials. The centre displayed in a special booth three research projects that were developed at QU by researchers and high school students. It received a total of four medals - two silver medals, a bronze medal and a special award - in recognition of the projects.
The silver medal was won by Ahad Abdullah and Waad Abdullah from Zubaida Secondary School for Girls for their research titled 'Synthesis of BaTiO3/CoFe2O4 nanocomposite using hydrothermal method for photo-electrochemical water splitting', under the supervision of Dr Arti Mishra and Dr Jolly Bhadra from the Qatar University Young Scientists Centre. In this study, the BaTiO3/CoFe2O4 nanocomposite material was synthesised using the hydrothermal photoelectrochemical water splitting method to provide accessible energy sources.
A group of students from Omar Bin Al Khattab Secondary School for Boys, namely Mubarak al- Kamali, Khalifa al-Rumaihi, Ahmed Mahmoud and Abdul-Rahman al-Kaabi, won the silver medal and a special prize for a project titled 'Game Theory in Artificial Intelligence: Innovation in Football Game', through their participation in the Science in Sports programme offered by the YSC.
The project revolves around the application of Artificial Intelligence to collect multiple data during football matches, to be used in developing plans and strategies.
Finally, the bronze medal was won by a research titled 'Study of NaCl concentration effects on carbon steel at elevated temperatures'. This study examined the epoxy coating of carbon steel, and the coating was able to prevent corrosion with different concentrations of sodium chloride at different temperatures. Students Jassim Al-Kuwari and Abdulaziz al-Kaabi participated in the research under the supervision of Dr Bhadra from the YSC.
On achieving this great success, Prof Dr Noora Jabor al-Thani, director of the YSC, congratulated the students of the centre, and said: “We have seen the great and positive impact of the programmes and efforts of the Young Scientists Centre, and their importance in refining students' research and practical skills and creating an environment that develops their passion for creativity.
"Today, we see our students innovating globally and locally, finding applied solutions in various fields, and raising the country's status at the largest international platforms and forums for invention and innovation.”
Prof Dr Noora thanked the sponsors of the centre, namely the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and Unesco, Doha office.
QU-YSC won four medals - two silver, a bronze and a special award - in recognition of its projects.
