Investing in women leads to more sustainable future, says QF alumna

An alumna of Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU), part of Qatar Foundation (QF) and winner of the Education Excellence Award twice, feels that investing in women is a way forward to more sustainable future."As a woman and a mother, I believe when you invest in women you invest in a more sustainable future because we all just want to leave the world a better place for our children. I can already see the fruits of my efforts and the investments of others in me reflecting in the pride of my daughters. I hope they follow in my footsteps and have every opportunity to contribute back to our beloved Qatar, and to the world,” said, Dr Hanadi Ghanim Mohammed Jassim al-Thani.Dr al- Thani says that pursuing change has been the impetus for her many successes and invaluable contributions to sustainability research in Qatar, according to a story published on QF website.An alumna of College of Science and Engineering Master’s in Sustainable Energy at HBKU, Dr al-Thani, who also holds a PhD in sustainable environment programme from the university – was inspired to shift from her previously chosen academic field because she wanted to make a difference."I hold a bachelor's degree in computer engineering which is a different specialisation from sustainable environmental engineering altogether. But I was inspired by the Qatar National Vision 2030 and all of the monumental achievements leading up to, during, and after the FIFA World Cup Qatar to do more. I wanted to leave this world a better place for everyone,” she explained.Pursuing her newly paved academic path, Dr al-Thani realised that at that time there was no extensive research being conducted on air quality in Qatar and she aimed to fill that gap. Ultimately, her research investigated the source and impact of air pollution in an urban context which could lead to the development and implementation of applicable mitigation policies.She focused on traffic emissions in terms of actual and projected values in order to determine mitigation strategies that can be adopted to reduce air pollution in Qatar. It was this unique niche that she carved for herself that led to her double Education Excellence Award win. The annual award is an initiative of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education that honours Qatari high school, undergraduate and graduate students for the remarkable work they are doing to contribute to addressing the challenges outlined in QNV 2030.She was recognised first in 2019 as the recipient of the 12th Education Excellence Award in the Scientific Master’s Degree, and more recently she won the Platinum Medal for PhD holders in March 2023 for the impact of her PhD work. "The great learning environment provided by QF, and more specifically by HBKU, further motivated me to pursue my higher degree in sustainability. Despite completely shifting fields, HBKU has provided me with a quality education that enabled me to accomplish my research and my goals. I am extremely grateful for the inspiring environment within QF,” she remarked.Dr al-Thani extended her gratitude to her many mentors at HBKU and feels that their investments in her will be a source of inspiration for other women as well. "With my mentors by my side, I hope my journey is a motivation for others who are considering changing paths. My mentors’ belief in me and continuous support, coupled with my own hard work and perseverance, is the foundation for my success,” added Dr al-Thani.