QNRF invites undergraduates to apply for new cycle of research programme

Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) has invited undergraduate students to apply for grants to conduct original research on topics relevant to Qatar, as part of its Undergraduate Research Experience Programme (UREP). Applications for the 15th cycle of the programme can be submitted from September 25. Launched in 2006, UREP is QNRF’s longest running programme with two cycles per year. It is aimed at developing student capabilities in science and research and serves an important role within QNRF’s overall mission to foster a vibrant research culture in Qatar. Under faculty mentorship, students gain hands-on experience - an essential component of QNRF’s “learn by doing” approach towards undergraduate research education.  Participation in UREP continues to grow among both Qatari and international students, demonstrating a growing interest in undergraduate research and an increasingly competitive research environment among Qatar’s educational institutions. To date, almost 1,700 proposals have been submitted by undergraduate students and approximately 700 projects have been awarded grants by QNRF. UREP has also witnessed high levels of participation by Qatari females, with more than 500 young women applying for grants. Previous UREP projects have focused on a wide range of topics such as the treatment of wastewater produced by Qatar’s oil and gas industry, electricity consumption in residential and industrial sectors in Qatar, methods for screening gastrointestinal pathogens among expatriates working in Qatar and the nature and extent of emotional and behavioural disorders present among students in Qatar’s Independent schools.QNRF is a centre within the Research and  Development establishment at Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. In line with the Qatar National Research Strategy, UREP supports basic and applied undergraduate research and projects in the fields of natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, agricultural sciences, social sciences and the humanities.