Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) showcased its thriving interdisciplinary collaborative research culture at its first annual Research Day on September 7. Organized by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), the event honored the accomplishments of HBKU faculty and scientists, early-career researchers, and students.

A series of oral presentations, a poster session, and live demonstrations offered a glimpse of academic and applied research in the thematic areas of social progress, artificial intelligence, progressive education, precision medicine, and sustainability. Researchers showcased novel methodologies, technology solutions, and international publications that are creating opportunities for Qatar to be a knowledge leader in important fields, across the region and globally. 

In his opening remarks, Dr. Richard O’Kennedy, HBKU Vice President for Research, said: “HBKU is home to extraordinary research efforts that directly address the global challenges of our time. Establishing an annual Research Day demonstrates a commitment to creating a nurturing environment that stimulates these discoveries and innovations, as well as celebrates research impact achieved by our outstanding researchers. It is an opportunity to enhance interdisciplinary collaborations across our colleges, research institutes and our partners - and build our niche strengths as a globally-minded and results-focused research university.”

Innovative research and development were the focus of keynote addresses by Dr. Belgacem Haba, Senior Technical Fellow and Vice President of Xperi, and one of the world’s top tech inventors, and Dr. Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, Executive Director at Earthna: Center for a Sustainable Future.   

A panel discussion considered how research can support a knowledge-based economy in Qatar and the region. It was moderated by Dr. Rachid Zaffou, Senior Planning and Research Director, HBKU; and featured Dr. Huda Al-Sulaiti, Senior Research Director, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, HBKU; Dr. Mariam Al-Maadeed, VP for Research and Graduate Studies, Qatar University; Dr. Nasser Al Mohannadi, Professor, Texas A&M University at Qatar, and VP Corporate Planning and Development at North Oil Company; and Dr. Hisham M. Sabir, Acting Executive Director, Qatar National Research Fund.

Research Day was an opportunity for HBKU to recognize outstanding faculty and student achievements, with the presentation of research awards in six categories. 

The Best Research Project Awards were presented to “SDG Education and Global Citizenship in Qatar: Enhancing Qatar’s Nested Power in the Global Arena”; “Advancing Environmental Law Education for Sustainable Development”; and “Pyrolysis of Qatar Solid Waste Materials to Produce Agricultural/Landscaping Biochars”. 

The Best Researcher Poster Awards were presented to “Advanced MED Pilot Plant for Seawater Desalination and Brine Concentration”, in first place, “Applying Stem Cell Technology and Functional Genomics to Dissect the Molecular Pathophysiology of Autism” in second place, and “Compromised or Attacker-Owned: Learning to Detect the Hosting Types of Malicious URLs” in third place.

The Early Career Researcher Award was presented to Dr. Tanvir Alam, Assistant Professor in Information and Computing Technology, CSE, in first place, and Dr. Wajdi Zaghouani, Assistant Professor in Digital Humanities, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, in second place. Dr. Kashif Rasool from the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute came in third place.

The Individual Inventor Awards were granted to Dr. Amine Bermak, Professor and Associate Dean, College of Science and Engineering (CSE), Dr. Hicham Hamoudi, a Senior Scientist at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), and Dr. Roberto Di Pietro, Professor of Cybersecurity, CSE.

The Tech Team Award was presented to the Bfore.AI Team at Qatar Computing Research Institute, comprising Dr. Issa Khalil, Dr. Ting Yu, Dr. Mohamed Nabeel, and Dr. Eui J. Choo.

The Best Student Poster Awards were presented to Bushra Memon, student at the College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), as well as Majed Hadid from CSE, and Hibah Shaath at CHLS.