Qatar Foundation annual research conference offers unique opportunities for budding researchers

Qatar Foundation Research & Development (QF R&D) has announced opportunities for student researchers to gain valuable exposure at the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference (ARC’13). The conference will open its doors to young researchers to showcase their projects, network with peers and learn from the local and international research community.

Held under the theme “Qatar’s Cross-cutting Research Grand Challenges,” this year’s edition of ARC’13 will bring together renowned researchers, experts from the public and private sectors, academia and budding scientists with the aim of finding solutions to the challenges outlined in the Qatar National Research Strategy.

“We see in many of these students a strong talent that will propel Qatar to the forefront of research excellence,” said Dr Wyatt Hume, Executive Director for Education, Training and Development at QF R&D. “As a premier platform for local young scientists to gather, the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference2013offers talented students the opportunity to develop, learn and fulfil their potential.”

Nearly 1170 abstracts have been submitted and a total of 517 have been accepted. Of these, 125 abstracts will be presented by students at ARC’13.

In addition to the annual conference, QF R&D is behind several capacity-building initiatives which aim to support and sustain a vibrant ecosystem of research and innovation in Qatar.

QF R&D recently launched its first PhD programme, entitled Qatar Foundation Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Energy Sciences. This competitive doctoral programme is a collaboration between QF R&D and Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), the first university to join the programme, and will provide its graduates with an excellent platform for a successful career in the field of energy sciences. QF R&D is also liaising with other universities interested in joining the programme.

An impetus constituent of QF R&D,Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), also runs a number of funding programmes aimed at providing opportunities for young researchers, from high school students to graduates. Itrecently launched the Graduate Student Research Awards (GSRA), a new funding programme which will help to develop human capital in research for Qatar, and to encourage PhD programs inside the country.Its Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) and its Junior Scientists Research Experience Program (JSREP)are two of many other programmes which fund competitively selected projects in basic and applied research that relate to Qatar’s national priorities.

QF R&D’s Qatar Science Leadership Program (QSLP) aims to foster a research culture among youth in Qatar. It encourages young people interested in science and research to pursue careers inthis field. The programme facilitates unique opportunities for its trainees to work and intern at research institutes such as Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI) and Qatar Energy and Environment Research Institute (QEERI), and offers students the opportunityto study at prestigious institutions such as the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford,Imperial College London, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, among others. 

“Qatar Science Leadership Program offers full-scale support for students interested in science and research, where they can join our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes,” said Dr Ayman Bassil, Head of Research Training at Qatar Foundation R&D, who also oversees QSLP’s programmes.

“It is through the exposure to, and participation in, conferences such as the QF Annual Research Conferencethat students gain valuable experience helping them to pursue a career in science and research, a significant field on Qatar’s journey to a knowledge economy. This year one of our students, who has participated in the past three editions of the conference, will be the first student in QSLP’s Research Scientist Track to receive a PhD from Imperial College London, a testament to the huge benefits students can gain from these programmes,” Dr Bassil continued.

The conference will be held from 24-25 November at the Qatar National Convention Centre, and will provide national stakeholders, as well as international partners, with the opportunity to network, learn about and get involved in Qatar’s latest research initiatives. The event will also feature poster sessions, as well as stands for local and international exhibitors, offering all attendees an exciting opportunity to interact directly.