(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Fazeena Saleem |
The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: In a demonstration of research excellence, Texas A&M University at Qatar, a Qatar Foundation partner university has embarked on a series of transformative projects that have made a lasting impact on Qatar.
The impactful projects have left an indelible mark on the nation, spotlighting the institution's remarkable research capabilities.
“A multitude of impactful projects have left a significant mark on Qatar, showcasing our research prowess,” Dr. Hassan S Bazzi, Senior Associate Dean for Advancement and industry Engagement, Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ ) told The Peninsula.
He exemplified the 'Cargen' reactor technology, which was conceived and designed by chemical and petroleum engineering professor Dr. Nimir O Elbashir and his research team at TAMUQ camin collaboration with faculty from the flagship campus, and is funded by Qatar National Research Fund(QNRF).
“This technology is believed to be the first of its kind that processes natural gas and captured carbon dioxide to produce both syngas, a valuable precursor to numerhydrocarbon feedstock that drive Qatar's economy, and high-quality solid carbon nanotubes. Unlike conventional processes, all without releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,” said Dr. Bazzi.
TAMUQ ensures that its research work aligns with the needs and priorities of the local industry and community.
“In the second half of 2021, Texas A&M at Qatar launched four five-year applied research projects to address major challenges for Qatar's industry, economy and society. The themes of the projects were decided in collaboration with the industry advisory board of each engineering programme and aligned with the priorities of the four pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030,” said Dr. Ioannis G Economou, Executive Associate Dean at TAMUQ.
“These projects refer to hydrocarbon industry de-carbonisation, smart manufacturing, artificial intelligence and data analytics in the energy industry. In each of these projects, TAMUQ faculty collaborates with industry partners while undergraduate and graduate students are engaged. Mature research outcomes contribute to the transformation of Qatari industry into a globally competitive player,” he added.
The research work at TAMUQ which have made an impact includes varifields. In chemical engineering, Dr. Ahmed Abdel Wahab's group at Texas A&M University at Qatar is dedicated to the reuse and recycling of water, harnessing Qatar's abundant solar radiation to treat both industrial and domestic wastewater for use in varisectors, including industry and agriculture.
In electrical and computer engineering, a research team has secured diverse funding from the QNRF. Dr. Haitham Abu Rub and his teams' cluster project, co-funded by Kahramaa, aims to devise solutions to address the cyber security challenges in Qatar's electric grid.
In healthcare, Dr. Khalid Qaraqe at Texas A&M University at Qatar is actively engaged in a project aimed at creating a noninvasive sensor for diabetes, focusing on hypoglycemia testing and tremour sensing.
Their goal is to develop a wearable device prototype that can detect trembling when blood sugar drops below a specific threshold.
In the field of mechanical engineering, the team led by Dr. Bing Guo has partnered with Agrico, with support from the Qatar National Research Fund, to significantly enhance tomato yield in Qatar, contributing to agricultural improvements. Dr. Eyad Masad's team achieved a milestone by pioneering 3D printing in the construction sector in Qatar. In the realm of petroleum engineering, Dr. AlberRetnanto is leading a QNRF-funded project focusing on comprehensive experimentation and modelling of impact acoustic waves, a method aimed at improving oil recovery in oil reservoirs. Dr. Thomas Seers has been instrumental in collaboration with key industry partners, such as Total E&P and North Oil Company (NOC), working on digital reservoir characterisation studies as part of a QNRF initiative.