Texas A&M at Qatar names Mariam Al-Meer fourth Alumnus of the Year
Published May 28, 2019Mariam Abdulrazak Al-Meer, a Class of 2012 chemical engineering graduate of Texas A&M University at Qatar, has been named the branch campus’s Alumnus of the Year for 2019.
While an undergraduate at Texas A&M at Qatar, Al-Meer worked on a research project in collaboration with Qatar Shell Research and Technology Centre and Shell Global Solutions. This work aimed to develop a new generation of synthetic aviation fuels obtained from natural gas via the gas-to-liquid (GTL) technology. She presented at several conferences and workshops and her work was well received by world-leading scientists in synthetic fuels and hydrocarbon processing.
This experience in GTL fuel characterization inspired her to join Qatar Shell in 2012 as a graduate engineer at the Pearl GTL plant. As part of the Shell Graduate Programme, she was trained in process technology and operations support. She supported the unit operations and optimization of a highly sophisticated plant, and worked with multidisciplinary engineers and operators to implement technical plant changes and improvements.
Fueled by a passion for higher studies, Al-Meer then went on to earn dual master’s degrees in business administration and mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Following graduation, she returned to Qatar Shell as a commercial advisor where she continues to deliver value to the company's bottom line.
Throughout her career, Al-Meer has remained an active campus ambassador for Texas A&M at Qatar, participating in various career fairs, university talks, recruitment campaigns, and the university’s Alumni Council. She also served as an alumni member of the university’s Chemical Engineering Industrial Advisory Board where she provided invaluable feedback to continue driving improvements for the program.
“I am truly honored to have received the 2019 Alumnus of the Year award,” Al-Meer said. "Texas A&M at Qatar has provided me with a solid foundation that formed the basis of an exciting and rewarding career. It remains a duty to give back to the university and to hold high its core values.”
Dr. César Octavio Malavé, dean of Texas A&M at Qatar, said, “Mariam is a true Aggie who exemplifies the Texas A&M core values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and selfless service. She leads by example and is a role model to future generations of Aggie engineering leaders in Qatar. We are proud of all that she has achieved and we look forward to celebrating her future achievements throughout her career.”
Al-Meer was recognized during the fourth annual Texas A&M at Qatar Alumni Suhoor, which was organized in collaboration with the Texas A&M at Qatar Alumni Council. More than 150 faculty and graduates (called “former students”) of Texas A&M at Qatar attended the event, which aimed to encourage graduates to connect and stay involved with the branch campus.
Dr. Hassan S. Bazzi, associate dean of research and executive director of development, engagement and outreach, said, “Since 2007, we have graduated more than 1,000 engineering leaders in Qatar, and our graduates are the most visible example of our success as a partner university of Qatar Foundation. Mariam is an engineering leader who represents the best her country has to offer, and we are proud to call her an Aggie engineer.”
The Alumni Suhoor also focused on the Al Shaheen Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to students studying at Texas A&M at Qatar. This scholarship fund creates an opportunity for current and former employees of the Qatar campus—as well as graduates of the university—to contribute directly to the education of young people in Qatar.
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