Qatar Foundation’s director of institutional research, Dirar Khoury
Over 350 research abstracts have been submitted ahead of the second Annual Research Forum to take place in Qatar next month, according to Qatar Foundation (QF) officials, who explained that the pieces cover a range of topics from water desalination processes to the impact of autism on families in Qatar. 
QF’s director of institutional research and chair of the abstract review committee, Dirar Khoury said: “The response to our call for abstracts this year shows that we are slowly but surely achieving exactly what this forum is about – a more thriving research culture.”
The number of abstracts represents a 35% increase compared to last year, and sixty-seven of the abstracts submitted were from students.
“We received a significant increase in submissions in every category – including abstracts in the environment research category, which is a separate track this year reflecting the growing need for environmental research,” he explained.
Applications were received in the fields of biomedicine, computing, energy, environment, arts, humanities, Islamic studies and social sciences, which are the main tracks for this year’s forum. 
The abstract review committee is currently reviewing the abstracts, and its members will select the pieces to be presented at the forum based on the quality of research, its originality and merit, and its relevance to Qatar. 
Priority will be given to research performed in Qatar, conducted in collaboration with an organisation in Qatar, or carried out with the support of a Qatari institution.
“We were pleased to see such high quality abstracts submitted by students.  At this year’s forum, meritorious student abstracts will be selected for either oral or poster presentation to an expert review panel of international scholars, giving more opportunity for the students to interact with top scientists and researchers,” said Khoury.
“At Qatar Foundation, we look for ways to inspire young people to be a part of the research and science culture, and through events like the Annual Research Forum we recognise and celebrate their research efforts,” he added.
This year’s submission and review processes was facilitated through the QScience.com platform, an open peer-reviewed online publishing platform launched at the 2010 Annual Research Forum by Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals, a member of Qatar Foundation.
 “A very important objective of Qatar Foundation is to initiate and conduct primary research in Qatar – to find home grown solutions for Qatar and the region,” explained Khoury, adding “we recognise the pressing need to move away from adapting outside research conducted in environments that are not similar to Qatar’s own in order to ensure practical application and sustainability.”
The forum will take place at the Qatar National Convention Centre from November 20-22, and is sponsored by ExxonMobil, Total, Chevron and Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, among others.