ISSUE 8: JAN 2012

Welcome to Qatar National Research Fund's Quarterly Newsletter

Director's Message

Welcome to this eighth issue of the QNRF Newsletter, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the launch of QNRF's first funding program the Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP). In such a short time, QNRF has played an integral role in supporting and connecting researchers throughout Qatar, the region and the wider world. Specifically, we have ushered over 8,700 investigators through our funding programs, which support and encourage the participation of world-class talent and Qatar's young investigators alike. The fruit of such efforts is clear in the vital Qatar-based research being shared both through presentations and an array of respected publications. More...

QF's new President for Research and Development visits QNRF headquarters

Mr.Faisal Al-Suwaidi, Qatar Foundation's new President for Research and Development, recently visited QNRF's headquarters in downtown Doha to meet higher management and senior staff in order to connect with the vital partner and learn more about the funding agency's programs and objectives. In addition to getting to know the QNRF management team, Mr. Al Suwaidi attended a presentation describing QNRF's business model and the highlights and achievements of the first five years. More...

Qatar-based learning styles study sheds light on key gaps

A team of researchers at the University of Calgary in Qatar surveyed students and faculty to gain insights on how they prefer to learn. Their results not only highlight differences in learning styles among the different student classes but also a large gap in the way students and professors approach learning. Presenting their findings around the region and Europe, the team hopes their findings will inspire larger studies and will promote increased awareness about how to more effectively transfer knowledge. More...

QNRF celebrates Qatar National Day

The Public Relations Department of QNRF held a ceremony for QNRF's employees and partners to celebrate Qatar National Day and learn more about the past, present and future of the dynamic country. A traditional tent was set up in one of QNRF's meeting spaces at its office location in downtown Doha. Guests gathered to enjoy the festive and warm environment. More...

Majd Sakr, Ph. D. Giving Qatar a technological and entrepreneurial edge

Majd F. Sakr, Ph.D., is the Assistant Dean for Research at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q). He is also the co-founder of the Qatar Cloud Computing Center. His research specializations include data-intensive scalable computing, computer microarchitecture, compiler optimizations, scientific computing, embedded systems, reconfigurable systems and human-robot interaction. More...