DOHA: The Office of Education, Training and Development (OETD), part of Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D), organised the third annual United States gathering for its Qatar Research Leadership Programme (QRLP) students enrolled in undergraduate through post-doctoral programmes in the US.
This year saw the attendance of 31 students and representatives from Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI) and Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP).
The gathering was held in Houston, Texas. Its objective was for the students to learn about research and development activities in Qatar and discuss their academic progress and career plans.
“It was a great gathering in Houston, where future QF leaders, bright minds and ambitious scholars came together for scientific exchange and interaction with the determination to succeed and build a research culture in Doha,” said Dr Walid Qoronfleh from QBRI.
The Qatar entities addressed the students with presentations on overview, objectives, internships, and research and development programmes. Also, selected PhD students presented their works to each institute separately.
“Meeting QEERI-affiliated QRLP fellows provides a great opportunity to connect with the fellows, discuss their academic and research progress and offer advice and support to their future plans.
“It also gives QEERI a chance to present an update on research programmes and advances and help them align their studies and research with Qatar’s national needs. This event provides an opportunity for the fellows to bond and establish a network that can be very beneficial to them. The one-to-one meetings were useful in providing the fellows with a support platform to ensure their success,” said Dr Marwan Khraisheh, QEERI Representative.
In line with the capacity-building goal of the Qatar National Research Strategy, the gathering guided and provided advice to students, particularly with regard to their career plans.
“It’s inspiring to connect with the future leaders in science in Qatar, the QRLP members,” said Ahmed Abushaikha, a QRLP Post-doctorate at Stanford University. “I’m grateful for QRLP for the great efforts they put together to have these gatherings. They not only reduce distances by updating us on what is going on back home, they also motivate us to do our best to achieve excellence,” said Kholoud Saleh, a QRLP Member. The Peninsula
