Presentations at the symposium covered topics such as corrosion of carbon steel, materials selection, aluminum alloys, hydrogen embrittlement, thermal spray coatings, and corrosion education in the region. The symposium also featured several panel discussions.

Dr. Ghassan Kridli, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Texas A&M at Qatar and symposium co-organizer, said, “The goal of the symposium is to establish a venue for communication and knowledge-sharing among materials researchers working in different sectors in Qatar – including industry, government and academia – in order to identify materials solutions that are relevant to the national economy. The focus on corrosion for the 2012 symposium is an example of how we are addressing Qatar’s specific needs because of the importance of this topic in oil and gas extraction and processing.”

Kridli added that the symposium’s aim is to promote awareness of materials resources available in Qatar and the challenges the country faces in this area.

HE Dr. Al-Sada lauded the organizing universities, saying, “I applaud the collaborative work of Texas A&M University at Qatar and Qatar University in organizing this event. Joint initiatives such as this between local academic institutions demonstrate a commitment to the development of the State of Qatar’s industry and economy. They are active players in moving the State of Qatar forward towards achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030 set forth by the visionary leadership of His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.”

Dr. Mariam A. Al-Maadeed, head of QU’s Materials Technology Unit (MTU) and symposium co-organizer, commented on the event, saying, “Collaboration between academia and industry is needed for a better future for our community, and this is what the symposium is supporting. Involvement of industry and government in the symposium is also very high, from giving presentations to selecting keynote speakers and choosing relevant topics. The number of industry attendees at presentations and panel discussions usually exceed our expectations, and we will continue discussions with this sector after the symposium to receive feedback and advance collaboration in research projects, consultations and student programs.”

Presentations will cover topics such as corrosion prediction and risk assessment, hydrogen embrittlement of steel, environmentally friendly coatings for corrosion protection and corrosion education in the region. Dr. Ghassan Kridli, associate professor of mechanical engineering and symposium co-organizer, said, “The goal of the symposium is to establish a venue for communication and knowledge-sharing among materials researchers working in different sectors in Qatar.”

For information contact Dr. Ghassan Kridli: ghassan.kridli@qatar.tamu.edu, +974.4423.0233.

Dr. Srinath Iyengar, SAC chair, said, “This gathering aims to encourage University staff to take a few minutes out of their day to socialize with their colleagues.” The event is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.

For information contact Dr. Srinath Iyengar: srinath.iyengar@qatar.tamu.edu, +974.4423.0497.

The papers, titled “Modeling the Performance of ECM and SCR Series Fan-Powered Terminal Units in Single-Duct VAV Systems” and “Modeling the Performance of ECM and SCR Parallel Fan-Powered Terminal Units in Single-Duct VAV Systems,” came from research funded by the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) in its first cycle.

The papers were the result of experimental work by Jake Edmondson, mechanical engineering graduate student, Texas A&M University, and CFD modeling efforts by Dr. Michael Davis, director of laboratories, New York University, Abu Dhabi, UAE. The awards will be officially presented to Bryant and his co-authors, Dr. Dennis O’Neal, agency deputy director of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station, and Davis, at the ASHRAE Summer Technical Conference in San Antonio, TX, US.

For information contact Dr. Hamid Parsaei: hamid.parsaei@qatar.tamu.edu, +974.4423.0014.

For information contact Akanksha Menon: akanksha.menon@qatar.tamu.edu.

Faculty, former students and industry representatives will discuss with students career opportunities connected to each respective major. Shannon McNulty, program coordinator for academic services and event organizer, said, “Career Exploration Days help students find exciting careers in their fields and encourage students in other majors to learn more about various disciplines within the University.” The Petroleum Engineering Program will host its Career Exploration Day on 16 Jan. The Chemical Engineering Program will welcome students on 19 Jan. The Mechanical Engineering Program’s event will take place on 23 Jan., and the Electrical Engineering Program’s on 24 Jan.

For information contact Shannon McNulty: shannon.mcnulty@qatar.tamu.edu, +974.4423.0193.

Faculty, former students and industry representatives will discuss with students career opportunities connected to each respective major. Shannon McNulty, program coordinator for academic services and event organizer, said, “Career Exploration Days help students find exciting careers in their fields and encourage students in other majors to learn more about various disciplines within the University.” The Petroleum Engineering Program will host its Career Exploration Day on 16 Jan. The Chemical Engineering Program will welcome students on 19 Jan. The Mechanical Engineering Program’s event will take place on 23 Jan., and the Electrical Engineering Program’s on 24 Jan.

For information contact Shannon McNulty: shannon.mcnulty@qatar.tamu.edu, +974.4423.0193.

Mechanical engineering students Bassam Ahmed and Jaber Henzab, former student Omar Al-Qatami and Dr. Andrew Conkey, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, attended the inauguration. The car was displayed to His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, local government representatives, officials from Shell and the Netherlands and stakeholders of the Pearl GTL facility. The University and Shell Eco Marathon Car were also featured in a video showcasing Shell’s involvement in the Qatar community.

For information contact Dr. Andrew Conkey: andrew.conkey@qatar.tamu.edu, +974.4423.0458.

The 8-wheel robot was fully designed and manufactured by Texas A&M at Qatar students. Its capabilities include carrying heavy payloads and performing search tasks in rugged terrain with rocks or other barriers. The robot can currently carry and actuate two mine search sensors including a metal detector and ground penetrating radar wirelessly for up to two hours at a time. The robot is also equipped with a high-resolution camera for visual inspection of the field and can detect unexploded ordinates and above-surface mines.

The team, led by Dr. Mansour Karkoub, professor of mechanical engineering, consists of mechanical and electrical engineering subteams. The role of the mechanical subteam was to design, build and control the robot wirelessly. The electrical subteam, advised by Dr. Mazen Saghir, interfaced the metal detector sensor and ground penetrating radar and programed the robot to perform automatic scanning of the field.

“The students have learned from this experience how to work on a humanitarian effort, perform tasks beyond classroom experience, put theories they have learned into practice and innovate solutions to engineering challenges,” said Karkoub.

Hussein Zahreddine ′12, a mechanical engineering student on the team, said, “For engineering students, our engineering knowledge and skills are our capital, and I feel that I invested this capital efficiently when I joined the mine detection robot team. I learned to set deadlines for myself and meet them, as well as make decisions and apply changes without always going back to my supervisors and asking them about every detail.”

Planet NI is a National Instruments initiative aimed at encouraging economic development through providing technology to the developing world at an affordable cost. The goal of the NI Mine Detection Robot Design Contest is to bring visibility to the landmine problem that the developing world faces and to encourage engineering students to use their skills to create positive change in their communities. This goal aligns with Texas A&M at Qatar’s efforts to empower its students to “engineer a world of difference.”

As the frontrunners in the competition, the Texas A&M at Qatar team traveled to Austin, Texas, in the first week of August to showcase the robot at NI Week 2011, a conference and exhibition with over 3,000 engineers and scientists from around the world.

The final results of the competition will be announced in October.