A student from MES Indian School, Doha, has brought pride to Qatar by earning an invitation to present her scientific work at Indoor Air 2026, a prestigious conference of International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate to be held in Singapore from June 14 to 18, 2026.
Grade 6 student Alima Bint Hashir PK (11) first developed an innovative, low-cost air filter during her Grade 5 school exhibition. Using a simple tiffin box, a car AC filter, and a small DC fan, and inspired by the Corsi–Rosenthal box concept, she created an affordable air-cleaning device aimed at making public awareness about improving indoor air quality using easily available materials.
Her project was subsequently featured on the official platform of the Corsi–Rosenthal Foundation (USA), along with her photograph in school uniform, and was widely appreciated and shared by leading international experts in the field.
Impressed by her enthusiasm and potential at such a young age, Dr Asit Kumar Misra, Research Fellow at University College Cork, Ireland, mentored Alima in converting her school project into a full research paper. The paper was submitted to Indoor Air 2026 and has now been accepted for presentation at the conference, where she will share the stage with senior researchers, academics, and professionals from around the world.
Indoor Air 2026, organised under the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ), is recognised as one of the world’s leading scientific platforms dedicated to healthy indoor environments. Alima’s participation highlights not only her individual talent and dedication, but also underscores the growing role of students from Qatar in global scientific and environmental discourse.
The management and staff of MES Indian School, along with Alima’s teachers and family, have expressed immense pride in her achievement. They described her success as a powerful inspiration for other students in Qatar, demonstrating how a simple classroom idea, when nurtured with curiosity, guidance, and hard work, can reach an international stage.