Qatar University’s College of Engineering hosted a celebration to honour sponsors and teams of the Shell Eco-Marathon which was held in Malaysia in July. QU Engineering students Abdel Rahman al-Siddig, Bilal AbdelLatif, Ghanim Alzewaidi, Khaled al-Adba, Rashid al-Marri, Mansoor al-Nuaimi, Mutaz Elbeh, Ajad Howlader, Nasser Alnunu, Duaa Abumaali, Eman Abouelezz, and Reem Badawi competed in the event in two teams – Gernas1 and Gernas2. The teams competed against university teams from Malaysia, India, Japan and Singapore, with Gernas2 coming second in the prototype alternative diesel fuel category and Gernas1 placed 10th in the prototype plug-in electric category. Celebrating their accomplishment were QU president Prof Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad, Qatar Shell executive vice-president Wael Sawan, QU vice president for research Dr Hassan al-Derham, QU College of Engineering dean Dr Mazen Hasna, Electrical Engineering Department head Prof Mohieddine Benammar, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department head Dr Saud Ghani, and several members of QU and Qatar Shell. Dr Hasna thanked Qatar Shell and other sponsors such as Qatar Airways, Qatar Science and Technology Park, Digital Company and Metalex Company. QU President said: “The Shell Eco-Marathon is a very special event, and I am certain that none of the students who participated in it will forget the experience. They learned so much more than designing, building and driving an energy-efficient vehicle although that in itself is no small feat. The bigger lesson was in working together as a team, planning, co-ordinating, collaborating, competing, and putting theory into practice”. She added: “All of these skills and the international exposure, produce the kind of creative thinkers and innovative doers that the industry needs and that the economy thrives on. “Equally important, the concept behind this event makes students think not only of design and execution, but also of their environmental responsibility and challenge. “The call for clean energy and for efficiency is one that can be answered by innovative educational experiences and by productive partnerships between industry and academia.”Sawan said his team at Qatar Shell were delighted to see Qatar University faculty and students wholeheartedly take up the challenge to compete in the Shell Eco-Marathon Europe in 2011. “The first year was filled with many challenges and learning experiences and we are very proud to see how this has been incorporated into the teams’ vehicles and performance this year.” Also recognised for their input in the students’ experience were Dr Ghani, Student Activities Department head Al-Jazzi al-Merri, associate professor of Electrical Engineering Dr Farid Touati and associate professor of Mechanical Engineering Dr Elsadig Mahdi Ahmed Saad.