Executive Director’s Message | July 2021

Investing in the Present to Shape our Future

Advancements in the human ability to harness energy have been an important factor in shaping the world we live in today. Mankind's history is full of interesting and valuable lessons on the importance of energy production and use, and its role in the rise and fall of empires, human migration, and large-scale wars. While the history of the impact of energy on human civilization is highly fascinating and can inform our present, the decisions we make today will play a crucial role in dictating our future and how it will be impacted by trends in energy production and usage.

Presently, the global powerhouses of energy rely largely on fossil fuels to meet our ever-increasing energy demands. While still a relatively cheap and efficient source of energy, fossil fuels are finite, and processes to produce energy from them are detrimental to our environment and health. Therefore, developing sustainable means for energy production is inevitable for our future survival and development.

Realizing this, we have a dedicated pillar for Energy and Environment at QNRF, which has over the years produced innovative technologies to solve energy challenges faced by Qatar and around the world. This month, we bring one such project which has developed a unique process to improve the production of solar energy while increasing its efficiency and bringing the overall cost down. This project has been led by Dr. Mohammed Al-Hashimi from Texas A&M University at Qatar, who was recently selected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC).  The research team has successfully developed conjugated ladder polymers that have widespread applications in the renewable energy market and other industries. This project has received wide acclaim, and the team has successfully patented ideas related to their research project.

Patented research outcomes not only reflect the success and impact of the research but also signify its commercialization potential. Therefore, we are constantly helping our researchers learn more about the patenting process and assist them with the successful patenting of their innovations and inventions. To tell you more about the importance of intellectual property, we feature an expert discussion with our in-house IP and Innovation Program Manager, Dr. Nefissa Chakroun.

Lastly, we feature Dr. Ahmad Abushaikha, one of our QRLP graduates whose research promises a profound impact on Qatar’s energy market. His project has successfully developed an in-house oil and gas reservoir simulator that is able to forecast the oil and gas production for a giant field using 1 billion cells in under an impressive 36 hours of simulation time as opposed to years without a supercomputer. Moreover, Dr. Abushaikha, who is a founding faculty member at Hamad Bin Khalifa University holds the distinction of being the first QRLP graduate to become an Associate Professor. We learn more about his research and academic journey in an interview with him.

I wish you all an enjoyable and informative read.