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SPECTRANewsletterIssue 12May 2012

WATERH20

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Welcome to this new issue of engineering spectra. This issue tackles the important theme of “Water” which is important from a strategic and policy point of view as well as from a research one. As mentioned in the Quran, “Water” is the root of life, and hence it is criti-cal that countries like Qatar approach the issue of water in a comprehensive way.

Qatar hosted the 10th annual GCC conference on water last month, and I had the chance to attend part of the conference. In addition to the many technical challenges (related for example to waste water treatment, desalination,etc.), consumption habits are a key issue when it comes to water management. As engineers, and educators in general, we have to touch on those issues when addressing the water issue with students.

This issue of Spectra comes after a series of high level achievements of CENG students in different fields. Our students scored first place in the UREP annual competition, the GCC annual engineering competition, and the Microsoft Imagine Cup competition. The stu-dents proved their ability to compete on all levels, which is in line with the college vision to graduate students with global competency.

Our college community continues to work hard on all aspects. We have started receiving applications for our master and PhD programs, and preliminary numbers are promising. In addition, the results for the NPRP fifth cycle are around the corner, and we hope to keep our tradition of receiving a recognizable share.

Finally, I want to thank Dr. Anna Grichting and Miss Niveen Al-Attar for their efforts in transforming Engineering Spectra to its new look for two issues now.I wish you all a fruitful end for the academic year.

Dean’s Message

ContentsDean’s Message 2Spotlight Editorial: From Green to Blue 5Spotlight on Research 7 FirstPilotPlantonDesalination 7 Greywater and AC Condensate Reuse 9 Water Management in Arid Regions 11 MembraneDistillationDesalination 12 From Laundry to Landscape: Greywater recycling 13 AbuNakhla:LandscapeRegeneration 14 Gardens Beneath Which Rivers Flow 17College News 19Student News 25Department & Programs News 27 Architecture and Urban Planning 27 Chemical Engineering 31 Civil and Architectural Engineering 33 Environmental Engineering 35

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering 37 Computer Sciences & Engineering 39Gas Processing Center News 41FACECommittee 45TakeaBreak... 47ScientificMissions 49CENG in the Press 51

Managing Editor: Dr. Anna Grichting SolderEditor: Neveen TahaContact: neveen.a@qu.edu.qahttp://www.qu.edu.qa/engineering/newsletter.php

College of Engineering “proud to be ABET accredited”

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DistributionPipesforDesalinatedWaterQatar

KhorAl-AdaidQatar

IrrigationPatternsforAgricultureintheDesert

Fountain Aspire Park Doha

Spotlightthe average for West European countries. The industries requiring the most water are petroleum refining, food processing, metals, chemical processing, and pulp and paper production. The industrial use of water creates toxic and hazardous pollutants that renders the waste water unfit for subsequent human consumption or use in the agricultural sector. Qatar has become increasingly dependent on water produced from seawater, by means of costly and energy-intensive thermal desalination, the production of which has a negative effect on the marine and coastal ecologies.

Water LandscapesFor those Qataris who have lived in symbiosis with the sea – fishing, sailing and swimming - “The sea is our blood” to borrow the words of the oceanographer Dr Mohsin Al-Ansi, director of the Environmental Studies Center at Qatar University. Just as we analyse our blood to see the condition of our health, we must also monitor the sea water and measure the effects of global warming, urbanization, brine from desalination and pollution from the petrochemical and gas industries on the ocean and its ecosystems. Inaugurated by President Sheikha Misnad and Dean Mazen in March, the newly constructed Marine Research Vessel Janan will be used by QU’s Environmental Studies Center to advance marine environmental studies and research in Qatar and the Gulf region.

Water: From Green to Blue

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Dr. Anna Grichting, Managing Editor SPECTRA. Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning.

This 12th issue of Spectra focuses on the theme of Water and includes a series of short presentations and articles related to faculty and graduate research projects, ad-dressing a wide range of themes from de-salination and the treatment of waste wa-ter and produced water to the integration of water systems in landscape and design.

Is Blue the new Green ?Is Green really the color of sustainability in a country like Qatar? As all that glitters is not gold, all that grows is not green. Is a green lawn that consumes much water and is maintained by pesticides and herbicides that are harmful to people, animals and birds, really Green? A landscape which looks very green may be regarded as unsustainable, depending on the fresh water it consumes. While we continue to measure environmental impacts by means of Carbon Footprints, a new concept of Water Footprint is being developed, that might be an even more important indicator in arid countries like Qatar which have virtually no natural water sources and depends on desalination of sea water for potable water. Qatar has a very high Water Footprint and one of the highest per capita household water usages with an average of 310 litres per day, more than double

“What does Blue mean to us as individuals? That we all have to commit, and commit quickly to leaving a smaller footprint on our planet…We want to keep the parts of green that have brought us change and innovation, but let go of the narrowness. Blue builds on the founda-tion that green has laid but lets go of its baggage”. Adam Werbach, CEO Saatchi and Saatchi

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Coral Reefs named the “rainforests of the sea” –because of their extraordinary biodiversity – are at risk of melting if CO2 levels continue to rise and are in jeopardy from development projects such as artificial islands. It is reported that 65% of the Arabian Gulf’s reefs might already be lost, while 30% are at a “threatened critical stage.” A new technology that is being used to bring back life to Okinawa, Japan’s largest coral reef, the Sekisi Lagoon, is being installed in the waters of Saadiyat Island and Al Dhabeiyah in Abu Dhabi. Made of calcium carbonate, of which coral skeletons are composed, the donut shaped disks have certain cracks and crevices that encourage coral larvae growth. They are then stacked on top of one another, creating a coral architecture that is compared to condominiums. Likewise, The Emirates Wildlife Society, (WWF), the Supreme Council for the Environment and National Reserves (SCENR) of the State of Qatar, the EAD and the National Coral Reef Institute have instituted a plan to restore the reefs of Qatar before they are completely eradicated.

While Qatar has no natural surface water, it has some man-made lakes that are fed by treated sewage effluent located in Al Khor and Abu Nakhla. These artificial wetlands filled with grey water and surrounded by dense reed beds have developed into new ecosystems as nesting sites and habitats for indigenous and migratory birds and have become an important contribution to the bird life in the Gulf Region. They are also potential sites for ecological regeneration and landscape design and as future green spaces and networks.

Food, Water, Energy Nexus.At the 10th Gulf Water Conference (ACWUA) held in April in Doha, the focus was on the Food, Water and Energy Nexus, underscoring the increasing need to develop

integrated approaches to sustainable food, energy, water production and preservation. Qatar’s National Food Security Program is taking the lead in developing a sustainable and holistic approach to producing food, working on solar desalination plants to produce water for domestic use and urban farms that use treated waste water. They are also investigating aqauponic farming, a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish and prawns) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. The systems usually contain fresh water, but salt water systems are plausible depending on the type of aquatic animal and which plants. Greenhouse organic farming is also a water-saving production method, which reduces evaporation and allows crops to be better monitored and protected from pests. Organic agriculture is increasingly embraced as it minimizes environmental degradation, the use of pesticides andchemical residues.

From Green to Blue. The future of design. The term “green to blue” was coined by Saatchi & Saatchi, a branding and communications company. Blue design creates places that are not just neutral in their take, but actually add back to our world. Residential buildings with PhotoVoltaic cell panels or a geothermal unit can provide energy to a neighbourhood’s power grid; a green roof planted with pollution–eating superplants can improve air and water quality; a front lawn can be used for a vegetable garden that contributes to the local food bank. In corporate buildings such as the DaimlerChrysler headquarters in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz, architect Renzo Piano and landscape architect Herbert Dreiseitl have collaborated to create an intricate symbiosis between building and landscape, with water being the primary unifying element. Through its use of

Fig : Principal investigators at the research agreement between Qatar University and ConocoPhillips

First Pilot Plant on

Desalination

Dr. Farid Benyahya, Head - Department of Chemical Engineering

The college of engineering signed a research agreement in October 2011 with the Global Water Stainability Center at ConocoPhillips to engage in state of the art research on a new and energy effective desalination technique called membrane distillation. The college team of researchers, in association with Conocophillips researchers, include Drs. Majeda Khraisheh and Farid Benyahia assisted by research assistants Yahya Menawy and Ahmed Fard. The novelty of the approach consists of identifying low grade heat sources from process plants, including desalination plants, to extract useful energy and utilize it to preheat the feed brine into the membrane distillation system to produce quality fresh water. The recovery of low grade heat considerably reduces the energy and carbon footprint of the desalination process, thus making it particularly attractive in association with existing desalination plants or other process plants. The secret of the membrane distillation process rests on the membrane

Spotlight on Research

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vegetated roofs, cisterns, mechanical tanks, and biofiltering pools, the project captures and retains rainwater, provides greywater for toilets and irrigation, cleanses recycled water and creates new wetland habitat in the surrounding urban landscape.

This new approach to design represents a fundamental shift in how engineers, designers and architects should view the challenges of their projects. The successful design of the future will go beyond carbon neutrality to a new symbiosis between buildings and landscapes, with projects that produce energy, recycle waste and incorporate natural and constructed wetlands that serve as on-site water treatment facilities. Constructed as part of the landscape of educational facilities, these installations can both serve as laboratories for teaching and to develop local ecosystems that provide a wildlife habitat for nesting and while contributing to landscape regeneration. Let us explore these opportunities for innovative design and engineering research and new approaches to education, by forging new interdisciplinary alliances within and beyond our college to reduce Qatar’s Water Footprint and improve the quality of the urban and rural environment.

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surface properties and water vapor pressure below the normal boiling point. The project scope includes a whole range of laboratory bench scale, pilot plant scale experiments as well as state of the art process modeling aimed at identifying optimum process parameters that can help scale up a full scale integrated desalination plant. The research assistants employed in the project benefit from a sponsorship by ConocoPhillips into the college Master of Science in Environmental Engineering.

The first pilot plant was delivered by Memsys (Germany) and commissioned in March 2012 by the joint QU and GWSC team. The sec-ond pilot plant is due to be delivered in April 2012 by Xzero of Sweden. The QU team and its associates at GWSC are actively engaged with QEWC to manage low grade heat and to find ways to integrate this new desalination technology with existing power and desalina-tion plants in Qatar. The project will last for 2 years and may be extended by a further two to proceed to full scale production. This is a major milestone in desalination technology in the state of Qatar.

Dr. Hazim Qiblawey - Department of Chemical Engineering

The hypothesis of our current research is to find a strategy for collecting, treating and resuing greywater and air conditioner (AC) condensate. This will result in considerable savings in water and meet a significant portion of the water needs in both office and residential buildings thus reducing desalination needs in Qatar.

Greywater is the washwater that has been used in the home, except water from toilets. It includes wastewater from bathtubs, showers, wash basins, washing machines, and laundry tubs (Photo 1). Air conditioning condensate is the water condensed due to the passage of ambient air on cold surfaces in the A/C.

Qatar is one of the world’s lowest levels of rainfall. The country relies on desalination

by 99% to meet the domestic and industrial water demand. Water consumption on average is 310 liters each day per capita according to Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-2016. Compared to Western European countries this is more than double of the average daily consumption. The annual production of desalinated water has more than quadrupled over the past two decades to 2009. With the current rapid population growth and urbanization, the use of desalinated water has tripled since 1995, reaching 312 million cubic meters in 2008. The new power and water station commissioned in 2011 increased the capacity for desalinated water to 539 million cubic meters.

These statistics about the water status in Qatar makes water reusage a particularly urgent need. Greywater volume will be continuously monitored and water sample collecting apparatus is built to collect

Greywater and AirConditioner

Condensate ReuseSpotlight on Research

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Dr. Abdelmagid Hamoudah - Associate Dean for Research and graduate studies

The scarcity of water resources of good quality is becoming an essential issue in the arid regions. Thus, water resource management systems are rapidly advancing fields of study. The application of Artificial Neural Network (ANN), decision making systems and intelligent controlling systems have gained attention recently due to the fact that it can optimize water quality, distribution and insure a reliable water supply for different consumers. Irrigation systems are among the important research fields due to the amount of water required to supply the increasing needs for irrigation and due to the crop yield-salinity tolerance. The proposed system in this research is a viable option for managing water resources used for irrigation purposes. The aim of this work is to propose the neural network (NN) solution to connect many tanks in a network topology, where each tank is supplying a specific crop field and mixes the water inside the tanks to provide the required salinity in each tank and consequently reduce the fresh (pure) water consumption. The NN will be implemented to find the optimized solution for the amount of water needed to be transferred from tank to other tanks to balance the salinity. The system will provide a mechanism to extend the blending unit to produce water with different grades of salinity to meet different standards to be used for irrigation, aquariums, poultry and livestock - aside from human use.

ArtificialNeuralNetwork in Water Management in Arid Regions

Spotlight on Research

a reasonable composite sample size of greywater at regular intervals. AC condensate will also be collected continuously (Photo 2). Water samples will be tested for pH, EC, phosphorus, nitrogen, BOD5, COD, total and fecal coliforms and compared with Qatari as well as with international standards. Based on the water quality results, a combination of treatments including different membrane technologies and UV light will be used to treat the greywater effluent. Finally, the benefits of greywater recycling for Qatar can be summarized as follows:

• Lower fresh water use• Less strain on septic tank or treatment

plant• Highly effective purification (Grey water

is purified to a spectacularly high degree in the upper, most biologically active region of the soil)

• Greater usage of sites formerly deemed

unsuitable for a septic tank (For sites with slow soil percolation or other problems)

• Less energy and chemical use • Increasing green infrastructure• Reclamation of otherwise wasted

nutrients • Increased awareness of and sensitivity

to natural cycles

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Partnership between QatarUniversityand AspireZoneFoundationto support students

Yahya Menawy and Ahmed Fard are Masters students who are honored to work as research engineers in the college of engineeirng to develop the novel method of desalination which is known as Membrane Distillation . Yahya Menawy said: “It is a great opportunity to learn about unconventional Membrane Technology for the production of fresh water and the main focus of our contribution will be to improve the environmental aspects of producing fresh water from the rejected brine. Our approach is very different from current desalination techniques. We apply our chemical engineering knowledge to identify and exploit waste heat - also known as low grade heat - to preheat the brine

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From Laundry to Landscape Greywater recycling

for about 60 to 80 % of wastewater generated by a household. It is less polluted (containing only 30 % of the organic fraction of wastewater), low in salt and therefore can be easily treated compared to the costly sewage treatment process.

Treatment of greywater does not aim at producing drinking water quality. Treated grey water can be used in non-potable water applications such as the irrigation of landscapes, toilets flushing, washing and fire extinguishing.

Technologies for greywater treatment vary in complexity and performance. They include chemical, physical and biological methods. The treatment method is usually based on the greywater characteristics and on the required reuse standard. The recycled greywater should be safe to use and aesthetically acceptable.

Greywater should be considered as a source of water that can help to address some of the shortage in fresh water in Qatar. It can reduce the gap between supply and demand and increase the green areas in the country. Public awareness should be increased about the need for greywater treatment and reuse.

Environmental Engineering Master Students Engaged in Membrane Distillation Desalination

feed into the membrane distillation. There are many economic and enviornmental benefits found in exploiting low grade heat that would simply be wasted.”

Ahmed Fard said:” I am very pleased to be given the opportunity to be sponsored to study for a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering and to work with a novel desalination technique that will no doubt benefit Qatar and the whole region. Water scarcity in the Gulf means desalination is the only way to produce fresh water. Traditional desalination has a high energy and carbon footprint. So, our approach is an ideal way to reduce both of these environmental concerns.”

“We have been privileged to work with a great team here in Qatar University and ConocPhillips and this is a great learning experience for us” said Ahmed and Yahya.

Dr. Ibrahim Abu Reesh - Department of Chemical Engineering

The main source of drinking water in Qatar is seawater produced by desalination process. This process is energy intensive and causes environmental pollution and carbon dioxide emission. The average water consumption in Qatar is about 310 liters per day per capita - which is double the average for western European countries. The demand for fresh water is expected to increase which puts even more pressure on the limited water resources in the country.

Greywater recycling is now accepted worldwide as a sustainable solution to the shortage of fresh water. Greywater or graywater is defined as domestic wastewater from showers, baths, hand basins, dishwashing, kitchen sinks and the laundry. It does not include black wastewater from toilets, which is heavily polluted. Some people exclude kitchen wastewater from greywater because of its high organic content. Greywater accounts

Spotlight on Research

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By: Rana Al Amawi, Architect and Candidate for a Masters Degree in Urban Planning & Design

Qatar is considered an arid country with limited fresh water resources. As the country’s population is increasing, expanding the urban fabric and the demand on local water supplies; the pressure on local authorities and stakeholders to provide sufficient water capacity is a serious challenge. Therefore, recycled water, wastewater management, and treatment of wastewater are of a great importance as they are considered to be sustainable water solutions. However, in the case of Doha, two water treatment reservoirs are prominent - Abu Hamour Pond and Abu Nakhla Pond.

Abu Nakhla wetland is a treated wastewater pond that was established in 1982. The wetland is located approximately 12 kilometers on the outskirts of the city of Doha, Qatar along the southern borders of Abu Nakhla Village. Twice treated municipal water discharged from Doha-West and Doha-South treatment stations

are dumped at the pond on a regular basis. The water in Abu Nakhla is treated for a third time following high quality standards and then pumped back to Doha. The recycled water is used for irrigation purposes for green areas and gardens across the city. The reservoir is considered as an artificial, yet unconstructed, wetland with natural topography. However, its physical form changes annually due to the rate of water effluent discharge. This research is required by MUPD 653-Design and Regeneration, an elective course of the Master of Urban Planning and Design Program taught by Dr. Anna Grichting. The term urban regeneration is referred to as a result of several factors of influences and challenges presented by urban degeneration in a particular place at a certain moment in time. It involves improving current conditions and challenges facing an urban space. It aims to make the best possible out of the present urban conditions in terms of economic,

Abu Nakhla Pond

physical, social and environmental aspects.

The research involves detailed analysis of the existing treated wastewater pond, Abu Nakhla Reservoir, Qatar. It consists of a study regarding the social structure, physical features and quality of the present urban fabric. However, based on these analyses, the research suggests an urban design proposal and recommendations targeting the regeneration of this urban area. It will result with proposing a positive contribution to the national aspects in terms of economical, environmental and social performances on the long term as urban changes occur gradually. It develops regeneration scenarios and strategies for implementation to be taken into consideration. It demonstrates the understanding of the course contents through following the strategies of urban regeneration. Moreover, recommendations of the research, as well as regeneration concepts, will be finally implemented through the urban design of the regenerated area. The wetland acts as a vibrant ecosystem known for its occupancy by a variety of birds and several animal species. Therefore, the site highly contributes to improving the wildlife habitats in an arid zone such as Qatar.

Spotlight on Research

A Comprehensive Study of Urban Design and

Regeneration

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Ashraf M. Salama, Head, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning

The Arabic proverb cites “al ma’a ”—water as one of the three most enjoyable things in life, the other two being greenery and a beautiful face (al khodra, wa Al wajh Al Hasan) while the Hungarian biochemist and Noble Prize Winner Albert Szent said in the 1930s, “Water is life’s mater and matrix, mother and medium…. there is no life without water.” (…) Arabic poetry and song lyrics infused the tranquil atmosphere of Islamic gardens combining with their pavilions, flowers, and water channels, producing a state of elation and spirituality. In Muslim faith, water is a representation of life, and is often referenced to as such in the Qur’an: “And we made everything alive from water…”, “…Gardens beneath which rivers flow…” and in many other verses. (…) Al Kisa’i speaks of God’s placing his throne upon the surface of water, depicting the Qur’anic verse (11:7) that says that when God created the heavens and the earth in six days, His throne was upon the water. Al-Tabari, a famous early commentator of the Qur’an interpreted the same verse to mean that God created water first and then, from it, created heaven and earth,

The open courtyards and gardens in Andalucía illustrate great examples to the supreme level of utilizing water in design. Wealth and fertility were associated with the use of water and form an essential part of the Islamic garden in Andalusia. Water is further used in Alcazar Cordoba – in the form of terraced pools flanked by the glowing green of myrtles, palms, and cypress trees. Channels and pools of water can be seen in the Court of Oranges in the great Mosques of Cordoba and Seville. Water was seen as a life-giving element to the Jianan Al Arif (Generalife) or ‘the paradise of the overseer’ in Granada.

the Nasrid Dynasty. Historically, the palace is often praised for its balanced composition of architecture, vegetation, and water by historians such as Grabar, Dickie, and Moreno who all draw attention to the use of water in the palace’s fountains and water courses as a dynamic element that adds to the spiritual experience and quality of space and relate its design to the long evolving tradition of ornamental and palatial water use in the Muslim societies of the Mediterranean and Persia. Moreover, the effect of water is also quoted as imparting mobility to the structure and that fountains invoke nature’s images inside the geometric enclosure – a conscious endeavor for integrating human made and God made environments.

The utilization of water is illustrated best in the Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre of Rome as a contemporary example. Designed by Sami Mousawi, Paolo Porteghesi, and Vittorio Gigliotti in the 1970s and completed in the 1990s, it is one of the outstanding contemporary mosques in Europe and has been nominated for several international awards. (…) Water plays an important role in articulating the outdoor spaces surrounding the main masses: a water channel runs along the longitudinal axis of the H-shaped mass and connects two pools, one located in the centre of the mass and another to the north-east. The channel steps down forming a chute as it moves from the upper pool to the lower that has a central water nozzle circumvented by 16 smaller nozzles laid out to mirror the arrangement of the domes above the prayer hall. All of these elements add to the spiritual atmosphere of the mosque environment while at the same time foster the sensory-spiritual experience of worshippers.

The message that is conveyed by this article is that water within the Islamic faith and within

Inspired by the Persian gardens, Taj Mahal’s is a large 300-metre square with raised pathways that divide each of the four quarters of the garden into 16 sunken flowerbeds. A raised marble water tank at the center of the garden, halfway between the tomb and gateway with a reflecting pool on a north-south axis, reflects the image of the mausoleum. The naming of the raised marble water tank is named “Hawd Al-Kawthar” or the pool of the river named Kawthar, in reference to the tank of abundance promised to the Prophet in the revelation. The garden is set with avenues of trees and fountains symbolizing the four flowing rivers of “Jannah”— Paradise.

During the Mughal period, mystic Islamic texts described Paradise as an ideal garden of abundance with four rivers flowing from a central spring or mountain, separating the garden into north, west, south and east. While the majority of Mughal gardens are rectangular in shape with a tomb or pavilion in the center, the garden of Taj Mahal is unique in that the main element—the tomb is located at the end of the garden.

Al Hambra is an outstanding example that skillfully illustrates the use of water as a design element (…). The Nasrid system of water supply through the royal canal with its tripartite division, its water wheels, and its cisterns, made the development of Al Hambra palace and gardens (the Palace of the Lions) possible. Water was brought to the site from the River Darro, at the foot of the Sabika Hill by a complicated canal system and a series of aqueducts built by the Ibn Al Ahmar, the founder of

Gardens Beneath Which Rivers Flow

Water in the Constructed Muslim Landscape

Spotlight

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the culture and built environment of Muslims can be seen in several terms; as a life giving element, as a representation of paradise, as an element of settlement and hierarchy, as an indispensable ritual for purification and cleansing. Water was and continues to be a key design element of Islamic gardens of mosques and palaces, shrines and mausoleums; it was referred to in the Qur’an many times and was also depicted in traditional Arabic poetry and proverbs to illustrate its spirituality and functionality.

The utilization of water in Islamic gardens fosters the multi-sensory experience where a walk through an Islamic garden can be invigorating and healing due a constant interaction of all sense modalities. Water can be seen, heard, tasted, touched, smelled. Water within the Islamic garden can be seen as a physical element that extends nature—God made environment—into the human made realms offering the basis for perception and comprehension and the horizon of experiencing and understanding the Islamic faith and the world around it.

Extracts from: Salama, A. M. (2010). Gardens Beneath Which Rivers Flow: Water in the Muslim Constructed Landscape. Faith and Form, Inter-Faith Forum on Religion, Art, and Architecture – IFRAA, Connecticut, United States, Volume 43, Issue 3, 2010, PP.30-36, ISSN # 0014-7001.

Full Text and references: http://qu.academia.edu/AshrafSalama/Papers/305197/Gardens_Beneath_Which_Rivers_Flow_Water_in_the_Muslim_Constructed_Landscape._Ashraf_M._Salama_2010

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HHSheikhaMozabintNasservisitsQatarUniversityand the College of Engineering

College News

Sunday April 29 was a very special day for QU, as HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser graced the University with her presence engaging with members of the university leadership team, faculty and students in an open dialogue session. During the meeting a number of impor-tant topics were addressed most notably Qatar University’s role as a national university in addition to discussion on the recent decision to change the language of instruction into Arabic for a number of programs as well as the university’s role in the scientific research field. HH Sheikha Moza was presented the racing cars designed and built through the Life is En-gineering Program LIE Projects leaders

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Aspire Academy and College of Engineering sign an agreement to build a new facility

The College of Engineering and the Aspire Academy signed a partnership agreement on Tuesday 14 February 2012 to establish a laboratory facility, described as “revolutionary”, that will assist in designing world-class stadia.

The facility - to be known as ‘Aspire Laboratory’ - will feature a wind-tunnel and associated research equipment which can be used to assess and improve designs of stadia in Qatar, the region and even internationally.

One feature of Aspire Laboratory will be its ability to produce and evaluate open stadium cooling technologies which will provide significant benefits to organisations that are designing sporting and other venues requiring outdoor cooling systems. The new facility is to be located at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at QU’s College of Engineering (CENG), Aspire Laboratory and is set to be operational from early 2013.

MoU with Aspire

Total-QatarUniversityProjectManagement Short Course

TOTAL in CENG is supporting academia by sponsoring courses that will be organized by TOTAL Professors Associates (TPA). Their first sponsored course “Project Management” was successfully conducted during a one week lecture, starting from the 25th of March through the 29th of March at the College of Engineering in Qatar University. A ceremony followed the course completion where recognition certificates were awarded to all the participants. The Dean of the College of Engineering, Dr. Mazen Hasna, other faculty members and TOTAL representative, Abdulla Mohsen were all present for the ceremony.

Developing Women in the Workplace

College News

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ssssss

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New Appointments Manager of Industrial

RelationsOffice

The College of Engineering recently announced the appointment of Chemical Engineering Assistant Professor Dr Mohammed Al-Marri as Manager of the College’s Industrial Relations Office (IRO). The appointment comes as the College is seeking to enhance its communications and relationships with industries in Qatar. The role of Dr Al-Marri is key to our stated mission to keep abreast with emerging issues that emanate from the industrial sector and to advance collaboration with the sector, with researchers in Qatar, and improve our outreach activities to high schools in order to attract more students, especially Qataris, to the field of engineering

Associate Dean forAcademicAffairs

Dr. Ramzi Taha recently joined the College of Engineering as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Dr. Ramzi completed his B.Sc., M.Eng., and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University. and graduated with the doctoral degree in December 1989.

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (ADAA) serves as the chief officer responsible for coordinating, executing, evaluating and refining the academic plan, assisting faculty in developing their instructional abilities, and assessing the learning outcomes of the students in all degree programs within the College.

College News

Life is EngineeringAt an event held last Sunday, Qatar University’s College of Engineering (CENG) announced the 5 selected schools that will go on to compete in the challenge race in the final contest of its 2012 Life is Engineering Project (LIEP). The project is led by the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE) Department and is one of the initiatives of the College designed to engage high school students in the appreciation of science and engineering.Omar bin AlKhattab Secondary Independent School for Boys, Al Shahaneya Secondary Independent School for Boys, Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim Secondary Independent School for Boys, Tareq bin Zeyad Secondary Independent School for Boys, Khalifah Secondary Independent School for Boys, and Al Furqan Secondary Independent School for Boys were chosen from 13 schools that participated in the Project.

In a lead-up to the final selection, student representatives from all participating schools attended workshops conducted by the LIEP team and several industry partners on such topics as Health and Safety, Roads Engineering, Engine Dynamics, Aerodynamics, LNG, and Kit Car Assembly. Led by Head of LIEP 2012 Activities Committee Eng Omar Al Jamal and assisted by Engs Ali Alsamhari and Mohammed Ali Aroussi , the contest engaged students in test questions on car assembly based on the workshop topics. The selected schools started their internal workshops towards assembling the cars in preparation for the Challenge Race in April. All cars will be tested at QMMF before joining the race to guarantee that they are safe, well-assembled and suitable for racing

Dr. Tahir Khan, Professor, QatarPetroleum Research chair in Materials

Dr. Yasser Mahgoub was appointed as the coordinator to the Master of Urban Planning and Design program

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of Qatar’s sports until present days and presents the national anticipated plans regarding hosting international mega sporting events. It analyzes the Aspire Zone as a case study in relation to the facilities provided and its impact upon the space users and the community. However, the mega sporting event happening currently is The Arab Games Doha 2011. This particular example will be studied according to organizers’ preparations, spectators’ experience, volunteer’s participation and citizens’ satisfaction. Several challenges will be faced throughout the event and the paper will investigate how the event’s organizers are planning to overcome them and what lessons could be learned from the past –such as Asian Games 2006– to overcome the present and upcoming ones.

On the other hand, sports infrastructure development mirrors the city’s values and goals. Utilizing the concept of “Sports for Life”, added to Qatar’s strong belief in sports resulted in the implementation of various sports infrastructure across the city of Doha. For instance, running tracks are provided within several public parks and bike lanes are constructed along a few of the city’s important streets. Such examples create a broader motivation for the public to be more engaged with sports. It unconsciously develops a deeper knowledge about the importance of sports to every citizen, as well as adapting healthier and more sustainable life styles.

Rana Al Amawi, Masters Program in Architecture and Urban Planning, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning

The continuous urban expansion of Doha, Qatar due to the construction of mega projects and infrastructure development that targets all fields is attracting multi-cultural nationalities throughout the world. Qatar is seeking global recognition and aiming to become a leading nation in all aspects. Using sports as a catalyst for change, Qatar has been competing for being a global stage for several international mega sport events. This motive of creating a world-class image provides a great opportunity for Qatar’s development in terms of economic, educational, social, and environmental aspects.

However, these ambitious plans and strategies have played a major role in the quality of urban life. As a semester’s journal article required by MUPD 610 Urban Planning Legislation – a core course of the Master of Urban Planning and Design Program in Qatar University – this research aims to investigate the impact of mega sporting events and sport facilities on the quality of urban life. This research relates to the course in terms of studying contemporary urban planning incidents in Doha: hosting mega sporting events by administrative acts. It discusses the role of legislation in providing a better quality of urban life, explains the development

Impacts of Mega Sports events and sports facilitiesonthequalityofurbanlifeinDoha

Choosingacademicmajorandcareerexploration

College of Engineering participatesinFifth

Engineering Forum at SultanQaboosUniversity

CENG participated in the in the activities of the Student Engineering Forum V. It was organized by the Sultan Qaboos University and was represented within the Engineering group and the opening ceremony was patronized by Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Futaisi Minister of Transport and Communications and Dr. Ali bin Saud al Bemani, the university president. Also in attendance were a number of officials, professors and students of the university. Additionally, there was an opening at an art gallery, which a exhibited information regarding companion governmental and civil institutions on this area about the Sultanate and the GCC.Our students Sara Jamal Qaffaf and Ohood Sameer Al-Amoudi won in the first prize with their project titled Assistive technology for people with hearing disabilities and were supervised by Dr. Amr Mohamad and Dr. Tarek Elfouly

The CENG organized “Choosing academic major and career exploration” for foundation and junior students at Qatar University. This event was on the 16th of April for males in Ibn Khaldoon Hall and on the 17th of April for female students in the engineering building.

The purpose of this event was to help students make a decision for selecting their major and to provide an overview of the academic advisement, course selection, registration, campus life opportunities, academic support services and the career services that are available within in the college of Engineering.

Students News

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CongratulationstoStudentsCongratulations to the CSE students for winning the Microsoft Imagine Cup in Qatar. The CSE students are: Fatma Al-Msaifri, Mariam Al-Ansari, Roqaya Al-Shaabi and Yesmin Halwani with the supervision of Dr. Osama Halabi, they managed to win the finals of the Imagine Cup competition in Qatar.

Congratulations to the CSE students Luban Al-Kailani, Sajeda Nahia and Khuzama Mahmoud, for being the runner up winner for the “Create an App” competition during Platform Doha yesterday. The Students were supervised by Dr. Osama Halabi, who has been encouraging and supporting our students’ participation in the platform competitions

Congratulations to Dr. Mohieddine Benammar with his students Mohammed Al-Saad and Monther Ghafel for winning the first place on their project “Design of a Digital Pleural Drainage System”.

CENGFacultiesattendingCosmoOilTrainingA group of faculty member attended the Cosmo Oil training program which is jointly or-ganized by Japan JCCP, Cosmo Oil and the College of Engineering of Qatar University. The training took place in Japan from 22/1/2012 to 31/1/2012. The subject of the training was Energy Saving and Environmental Management.

Students News

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Congratulations!ssssss

CongratulationstoDr.AhmedMassoudforhisPromotionof to the rank of Associate Professor.

CngratulatingtoDr.UvaisQidwaiforhispromotiontotherank of associate professor.

Congratulations to Dr. Tahir Khan, Professor for hisnominationasQatarPetroleumResearchChairinMaterials.

CongratulationstoDr.YasserMahgoubforhisappointmentas coordinator the Master of Urban Planning and Design program.

CongratulationsToDr.Mertforhavinganewbabyboyandbaby girl, twins.

CongratulationtoEng.Waledforhavinganewbabygirl.

CongratulationstoDr.RyanRileforhavinganewbabyboy.

CongratulationstoDr.AgatinoRizzoforhavinganewbabygirl.

Selena Waled Mukhahel Oswald Kent Riley

Helmi Stella Rizzo

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Planet Solar, a record-breaking sea vessel that is powered only by sunlight, recently arrived inDoha’sPortoArabia,aftersailingacrosstheAtlanticandPacificOceans,viathePanamaCanal, Australia and Singapore. The students and faculty of DAUP had the opportunity to visit the solar catamaran moored in Porto Arabia at the Pearl Doha on 10th of January. They were warmly welcome by Dr. Pascal Goulpié, Managing Director & Cofounder of Planet solar. They were given a detailed tour of the boat, including its architectural spaces and technologicalinstallations,aswellasthedeck,composedoffixedandslidingsolarpanels.Planet Solar is the biggest solar ship in the world with 537 m2 of photovoltaic panel power and6blocksof lithium-ionbattery, a technology thatoffersmaximalpower andenergydensity,thusenablinganavigationtimethatisunmatchedtodate.Thestudentsshoweda keen interest in this remarkable vessel and were curious to learn about the technical challenges facedby the crewand technicians, especially inextremeweather conditionssuchasmonsoonrains.PlanetSolarwillcontinueitsvoyagearoundtheworld,stoppinginAbuDhabiandDubaiandcontinuingthroughtheRedSeatoMonaco.

DAUP Student and Faculty visit to Planet Solar in Porto Arabia

Department NewsArchitecture &

Urban Planning

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Women in the Sustainable Built EnvironmentOn the 8th of March 2012 the Qatar Green Building Council, the National Association of Women in Construction, the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, the College of Engineering, Qatar University, and the Royal Institute of British Architects-Gulf Chapter jointly organized a Conference titled “Women in the Sustainable built Environment: Qatar Prospects” in association with the International Women’s Day at the Qatar Foundation Student Center, Education City. The conference focused on issues of sustainability and the built environment through the unique lens applied by women in construction. The speakers involved women from different profiles including; Melanie Robson, from the NAWIC Qatar/RIBA Gulf Qatar who hosted the event; Kathryn Findlay, the principal director of Ushida Findlay Architects (UFA); Holley Chant, LEED AP, International Corporate Director of Sustainability at KEO; Paula

Boast, Solicitor, Trowers & Hamlin; and Ana Maria Nomico, a Senior Architect at Qatar Foundation.Dr. Rania Khalil, Assistant Professor, Qatar University, along with the Senior Students Rana Jamous, Mirna Ammar, Aya Shehada and Aysha Gammaz presented their Senior Project “Environmentally Sustainable Tourism in Qatar”. The presentation focused on the sustainable master planning, environmental upgrading of the project with relation to new urbanism and the impact of regulations on urban planning and development with regard to tourismDr. Anna Grichting, Assistant Professor, Qatar University together with the Senior Students from the Department of Architecture & Urban Planning Kaltham Al-Kuwari, Moza Al-Sheraim and Noof Abdulrahman Al-Mutawa presented on their topic “Planning & Improving the Quality of the Urban Environment: Creating New Centralities in Doha’s Urban Edge”.

Architecture & Urban Planning

DAUP Students, Faculty and the Crew

Pascal Goulpie, Managing Director, guiding the tour

DAUP students entering the solar Vessel

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New Chemical Engineering SocietySteetingCommittee

As a continuation of the success of theChemical Engineering Society (ChES) at Qatar University, new electionswere announced in both the male and female campus to elect the new steering committees. Candidates were up to thecompetionandpreparedthemselvesandtheir programs. Most of the ChE students were involved in the process of electingthe new steering committee by votingwhich took place during the period 27th-28th of Feb, 2012. Results were announced on the 6th March, 2012 and the new ChES steeringcommitteesare:

Female Chapter:• President:HaneenWadi• Vicepresident:BasmaMustafa• Secretary:SamahKamal• Treasurer:NurElMasri

Male Chapter:• President:KhalidAbouMaali• Vicepresident:Abdulrahman Abdulrahman• Secretary:FahdMohamed• Treasurer:MohammedShriar

Chemical EngineeringParticipationinthe3rdinternationalgassymposium

As part of their outstanding work some of the ChE facultymembers participatedin the 3rd international gas symposium–arrangedbytheGasCenter@QU- asauthors and speakers.

Dr. Majeda Khraisheh, Dr. Mert Atilhan,and Eng. Shaden Daghash participatedas paper authors and presenters as well. Eng.AhmedAlNoussparticipatedwithaposter that was one of the winners in the poster session. Eng. Hissan Elfaki, Dr. Ferdi Karadas,andDr.ErhanDenizparticipatedas speakers.

Dr.MajedaKhraishehwon thefirst prizeof best research award in the symposium. Congratulations to the winners andmany thanks to our faculty for honorably representing our department at thesymposium.

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DEMOCRATICDESIGNANDCOMMUNITYDEVELOPMENTBY

PROFESSORHENRYSANOFFA Public Seminar was organized by the Department of Architecture & Urban Planning on the 7th March 2012 at the Men’s ActivityBuildingonthetopic“DemocraticDesign & Community Development” by Prof. Henry Sanoff. Democratic designis an attitude about a force for changein the creation and management ofenvironments for people. Its strength lies in being a movement that cuts across traditional professional boundaries andcultures. Its roots lie in the ideals of a participatorydemocracywherecollectivedecision-making is highly decentralized throughout all sectors of society, so that all individuals learn participatory skillsand can effectively participate in variousways in the making of all decisions that affect them. This presentation includedexamplesofDr.Sanoff’sarchitectureandplanning case studies in Japan, Mexico and the United States that illustrate a variety ofparticipationmethodsbywhichpeoplecan be involved in shaping and managing their environment.

Professor Henry Sanoff is a worldrecognized specialist in the field ofcommunityparticipation.Heisanauthorof world published books, among them: Communityparticipationmethodsindesignand planning, Designing with Community Participation, Three Decades of Designand Community, Participatory Design:Theory and Techniques, Design Games,Methods of Architectural Programming and Visual Research Methods in Design. Hisotherfieldsof interest include:socialhousing, community art, children’s environment and aging populations. Heis the author of, among others: CreatingEnvironments for Young Children and School Design: Planning with People: Integrating Programming Evaluation andParticipation in Design. Another subjectofhisconcernisenvironmentaleducation,which resulted in the book Seeing the Environment. He was also one of the founders of the Environmental Design ResearchAssociation(EDRA)in1969

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OnSunday,the8thofApril2012,agroupofmale and female students (Hager Kinawy, Sara Kanoo, Al Hanoof Al Marri and Rami Hifnawy, Mohamed Baker, Abdelhadi Al Hajri, Hussein Mohamed) accompaniedby Head of department Professor Farid BenyahiamadeavisittoQChem’sethyleneplant in Messaeed as part of their plant design course. After receiving the safetyinduction and donning their personalprotection gear, the students walkedalong the full sequence of the ethyleneplant operated by QChem. The plant isone of the most advanced in the world. This visit enabled students to benchmark their design against a real plant and gain additional knowledge about industrystandardsonprocessequipment.Professor Farid Benyahia indicated that such visits are absolutely instrumental to the successful education and training offuture chemical engineers and that the department of chemical engineering at Qataruniversityenjoysaremarkableandstrongrelationshipwith local industry, inparticular with QChem. Indeed, Qchemhas been a regular supplier of industry guest lectures in plant design courses. The students also gained hands-on experience in process safety during the visit.

Civil and Architectural Engineering

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Department of Civil And architectural Engineering hosted a seminar titledConcrete Durability - Qatar case study by Mr. Lionel Linger from QDVC on7/3/2012

DepartmentofCivilandArchitecturalEngineeringhostedaseminartitled“BIMIntroductionpresentationbyHochtief-ViCon”on21/11/2011 Department of Civil AndArchitectural Engineering organized thefirstAlumnimeetingattheMovenpickHotel,28/12/2011

Dr.SalehMubarak-HeadoftheCivilEngineeringDepartmenttaughtanOFIDseminar:“TheSecretsofMotivationalPresentations”on14/2/2012

Dr. Saleh Mubarak - Head of Civil Engineering Department delivered a lecture: “Divide & Conquer; the Art of Breaking down the Project into Activities forCreatingaCPMSchedule”.ThelecturewassponsoredbytheQatariSocietyofEngineersandtookplaceintheDiplomaticClubon17/1/2012

Dr.SalehMubarakdeliveredalecture:“So,what’smypercentcompleteanyway?”ThelecturewassponsoredbytheProjectManagementInstitute(PMI)andtookplaceattheIbn-KhaldoonHallatQatarUniversityon30/10/2011

Department News

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FirstAlumnimeetingattheMovenpick

Dr.Salehdeliveredalecture:So,what’smypercentcompleteanyway?

Dr.Saleh’slectureatthediplomaticclub

Department News

Environmental Engineering Master Students from the College of Engineering at Qatar University visited Doha South Sewage Treatment Plant in March guided by Dr. Alaa Al Hawari from the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering. The tour started with a short presentation concerning safety issues in the plant, followed by a visit to the control room and the various treatment units on the plant. Students were introduced to the Odor Control units, Screening units, Grit Removal units, Sequential Batch Reactors (SBR) and Sand Filtration units. Students were also familiarized with the different treatment processes of the produced sludge (solid waste) from the plant. Most of the treated wastewater is used for irrigation purposes in Doha. Other treated wastewater is injected into the ground via deep wells. The students found the tour very educational and informative.

Doha South Sewage Treatment Plant Visit

Environmental Engineering

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ISEstudentsattendingPMS2012,Leuven, Belgium

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

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PMS 2012; 13th International Conference on Project Management and Scheduling, April 1-4, 2012. Leuven, Belgium

Linear ordering formulations for the arrival-departure aircraft scheduling problem. Ameer Al-Salem, University of Qatar, Qatar; Mohamed Kharbeche, Sara Al-Haidous, Fajr Aansari, Aalieh Ahmade, Mina Daneshvar

MIEStaffparticipatedasjudgesinthe1stLEGOLeagueatZeinabPreparatoryIndependent School for Girls

PDr. Saud Abdu Ghani, Eng. Waled Mukahal, Eng. Asma Hamad and Eng. Rania MaroufIbrahimparticipatedasjudgeswith

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Computer Sciences & Engineering

City Centre Mall. CENG Booth - Life is Engineering. Spectra Editors Dr. Anna Grichting and Neveen Taha.

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Seminars conducted by the CSE Department

RetrievinginformationinArabic:canitbeimproved?byProfessorJosephDichyLyon 2-Lumière University , France

AccesscontrolpolicyverificationandupdatebyDr.JinweiHU,QatarUniversity

The Changing Landscape of Enterprise Architecture in a Cloud-Enabled EnvironmentbyDr.KhaledM.Khan,QatarUniversity

FeaturesandInformationExtractionfromArabicandEnglishtextsbyDr.SamirElloumi,QatarUniversity

U-Cities:Doha’sFutureasaSmartCitybyDr.JunaidChaudhry,QatarUniversity

DataAnalyticsatQCRIbyHabIlyasfromQatarComputingResearchInstitute(QCRI)

Short introduction to ontology evaluation approaches by Prof. Sebti Foufou,QatarUniversity

TransliterationMiningfortheRealWorldHerebelowtheabstractandbio.byDrKareemDarwish,QCRI

MIEStaffparticipatedasjudgesinthe1stLEGOLeagueatZeinabPreparatory

Independent School for Girls

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Announcing the winners of the Computing Contest 2012 in an awards ceremony at Qatar University on Saturday 24/03/2012. The contest, aimed at high school students across the country, was organized by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at the College of Engineering CENG). The competition started at 10:00 AM and ended at 4:00 PM with three winners from three different schools.The ceremony was attended by CENG Dean Dr Mazen Hasna, Head of CSE Department Dr Qutaibah Malluhi, faculty, high-school teachers, students and parents. CENG Dean Dr Mazen Hasna handed out the awards and congratulated the winners

The first CSE Faculty/Students Annual Meeting took place on Monday, Nov. 14, 2011, 11am to 12:30pm, in the Male campus and on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011, 11am to 12:30pm in the Female campus. The events started with welcoming notes by the CSE department head, Dr. Qutaibah Malluhi, followed by discussions on various issues of concern to all. The event concluded with light activities and a lunch, which enabled informal interactions.

ComputingContestCompetitionDayandAward Ceremony

Department News

QatarUniversity’s3rdInternationalGasProcessingSymposiumopenedunderthepatronageofHHHeirApparentSheikhTamimbinHamad.TheopeningceremonywasattendedbyHisExcellencytheMinisterofEnergyandIndustryandChairman&ManagingDirectorofQatarPetroleumDrMohamedbinSalehAl-Sada.TheeventwasorganizedbyQU’sGasProcessingCenter (GPC) and follows the previous successes of 2009 and 2010. The theme of this year’s symposiumis“DiversityinNaturalGasUtilization”Over 3 days, participants discussed wide-ranging themes such as EnvironmentalSustainability,CleanProduction,efficientuseofnaturalresources,Sustainabletechnologiesforcarbonsequestrationandutilization,EfficientUtilizationofnaturalresources,Assessmentof sustainability and life cycle analysis, Technological and Natural Disasters and Gas and energy modeling. As a lead-up to the event, a series of pre-symposium workshops were heldonhydratesand“GTLfromwelltowheel”.The symposiumwas sponsoredbyQatar Shell as Elite SponsorandbyQatarPetroleum,ConocoPhilips,DolphinEnergyandExxonMobilasmainsponsors.OthersponsorsincludedOryxGTLaseventsponsorwithGPCpartnersGPA-GCC,EFCEandAICHEprovidingtechnicalsupport.

3rd Annual Gas Processing Symposium 5-7th March 2012

Gas Processing Center

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The Gas Processing Center organized a series of workshop between January and April 2012.• WorkshoponGasConversionandSeparation&CarbonDioxideCapture

Technologies• WorkshoponNewConceptofIntegritySolutions• WorkshoponImpactofHighResolutionWindProfile• Workshop on High Pressure Systems in the Gas Industry Workshop

NewConceptofIntegritySolutionswoskshop

High Pressure Systems in the Gas Industry Workshop

Gas Processing Centre Workshops

GPC Gasna Competition2012

Gas Processing Center (GPC) held its Gasna Competition 2012 closing ceremony on 25th April 2012 to announce the winning projects following the decision by the judging panel. This year’s competition was funded by Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Shell, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips.

The schools named as winners in the competition were: Category 1. Tied winners -- Bilal bin Rabah independent Model School, and IQRA English School for Boys; 2nd place – Al Khor International School British Stream; and 3rd place -- Philippines International School-Qatar (PISQ). Al Khor International School Indian Stream and Hajar Independent Primary School for Girls were named 4th place and 5th place respectively.

Category 2. 1st place -- Al Khor International School Indian Stream; 2nd place -- Hajar Independent Primary School for Girls; and 3rd place – Al Khor International School British Stream. Fourth place winner was Jawan bin Jassim Model Independent School for Boys; while Salah Adeen Independent School for Boys and Abu Obaida Independent Elementary School for Boys tied for 5th place. Category 3. 1st place -- Abu Obaida Independent Elementary School for Boys; 2nd place -- Al Zubara Independent School for Boys; and 3rd place -- Hamad bin Abdullah bin Jassim Secondary School for Boys. Fourth place was tied between Qatar International School and Ibn Khaldoon Prep School for Boys, and 5th place was also tied between Abdullah bin Ali Al Mesnad School and Al Shaimaa Secondary Independent School for Girls. This year, Special Awards were granted to 3 schools -- Award for Energy Saving and Health Awareness to Abdullah bin Ali Almesnad Secondary School for Boys; Award for Improvisation in Project Display to Al Shehaneya Secondary School for Girls; and Award for Integrated Approach to Sustainable Development to Al Shehaneya Secondary School for Boys.

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FACECommittee

SealineIn a series of its activities to enhance communication, the faculty Affairs Committee in the College of Engineering, organized an Open Day for staff, faculty members, students and their families in the camp of the national Olympic Committee at Sealine. The purpose of the camp is to create a deep interrelationships between the employees and faculty of the col-lege and to foster an intimacy atmosphere outside of the daily routine. The participants numbered approximately 150 people and everyone enjoyed the atmosphere of the majestic desert and magical sea view at the Sealine Camp. The Open Day included sports games like football and volleyball, as well as children’s games and other activities in a family atmosphere with teams, families and children competing and enjoying the games and competitions that were organised for them.

Sports DayAs part of its activities to enhance the social environment in the college, the Faculty affairs Committee for Engineering (FACE) in collaboration with the Engineering Club organized the “Engineering Sports Day” on Tuesday 27th of March 2012 for the College faculty and their families, staff and students. The event took place from 4:00-8:00 pm at QU stadium. The pro-gram of the sports day included a wide range of activities such as: football, volleyball, kids games, face painting, fun shows, kids’ trampoline and much more in a family atmosphere where everybody enjoyed the games and competitions. In the football matches the dept. of Civil & Architectural Engineering has won the tourna-ment, ass the dept. of Electrical Engineering won the volleyball match.

46 47Engineers Got Talent. The Jury .

A view of the southern lights between Antarctica and Australia captured by Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers on board the International Space Station on March 3, 2012. (ESA/NASA via AFP/Getty Images)

A woman collects a sample of the water flowing from a sewer into the Jian River in Luoyang, China on December 13, 2011. Red dye was dumped into the city’s water network by two illegal dye workshops. (STR/AFP/Getty Images

Take a Break...

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A ladybug in flight spreads its wings as it flutters from grass blade to grass blade at Rooks Park in Walla Walla, Wash. on April 2, 2012. (Jeff Horner/Walla Walla Union-Bulletin/Associated Press)

Elephants forage on March 20, 2012 in the Tsavo-east National Park in the wake of a dramatic increase in elephant killings for their prized tusks. Kenya’s estimated 30,000 elephants are under growing risk as incidences of poaching continue to mount despite ef-forts by the government and international wildlife agencies. (Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Take a Break...

Workersdrain a leaking sewage tank at a copper mine in Shanghang, China on July 13, 2010. One of China’s biggest gold producers was ordered to pay $4.62 million by a local court for a toxic spill. The court also issued prison terms ranging between three years to 42 months to five staff who were found to be involved in the incident, which affected water supplies for 60,000 people

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ScientificMissions

• Dr.FaridBenyahiaon20/2/2012wenttoKuwaittoattendDownstreamtechnologyConference

• Dr.FaridBenyahiaon19/4/2012wenttoMissouritoattendABETSymposium• Dr.MertAtilhanon25/3/2012wenttoSanDiego,USAtoattendAmericanChemical

Society• Dr.MajedaKhraishehon23/4/2012wenttoSpaintoattendDesalinationforthe

Environment • Dr.MajedaKhraishehon13/3/2012wenttoUSAtoattendIEDEC2012 Department of Civil Engineering• Dr.KhaledShaabanon20/01/2012wenttoLosAngeles,USAtoattendthe6th

InternationalConferenceonDesignPrinciples&Practices• Dr.KhaledShaabanon22/01/2012wenttoWashington,USAtoattend90thAnnual

MeetingTheTransportationResearchBoard• Dr.AhmedSenoucion21/01/2012wenttoFlorida,USAtoattendConstructionCPM

Conference.• Dr.KhaledShaabanon23/4/2012wenttoAthens,GreecetoattendTransportation

Research Arena Conference• Dr.HishamEid on04-05-12wenttoVancouver,CanadatoattendNPRPCollaboration• Dr. Boualem Bouashash on 22/01/2012 went to Malaysia for NPRP Research• Dr. Mahmoud Abdelwahed on 02/12/12 went to Singapore for Networking &

CollaboratingVisittoSUTD• Dr.FaridTouation26/3/2012wenttoHammamat,TunisiaforREVEt2012 Department of Computer Science• Dr.RidhaHamilaon24/4/2012wenttoDubai,UAE toattendthe4thInternational

Conference on networked Digital Technologies• Dr.AnnaGrichtingon30/1/2012wenttoTeheran,IrantoattendaninvitedLectureon

Landscapes and Memory organized by ISLAP Iranian Society of Landscape Professionals andTeheranBeautificationCouncilandMunicipalityofTeheran.

• Dr.RaniaKhalilon25/02/2012wenttoCambridge,UKfor5thInternationalConferenceonUrbanPlanning&Transportation

• Dr. Djamel Boussaa on 03-03-12 went to Penang, Malaysia for ICWSAUD 2012 2ndInternationalConference.

• Dr.RaniaKhalilon23/3/2012wenttoDubai,UAEtoattendInternationalConferenceon

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Management, Applied & Social Science• Dr. Hatem Galalon 24/3/2012 went to Dubai, UAE for International Conference on

Management, Applied & Social Science• Dr. Fodil Fadli on 03-07-12 went to Budapest, Hungary for Invited Guest Lectures -

Urbanism Program• Dr.ShaligramPokharelon25/01/2012wenttoPhiladelphia,USAforLeadershipInstitute

VolunteerPlanningMeeting• Dr.FatihMutluon19/4/2012wenttoMissouri,USAfor2012ABETSymposium• Dr.TahirKhan on04-01-12wenttoCanadaforPhDStudentDefense• Dr.SaudGhanion04-04-12wenttoUKforMIRAWindTunnelVisit• Dr.Hamouda on04-11-12wenttoSingaporeforResearchMeeting

ScientificMissions

CENG in the PressA Sample of the Press Coverage

that the College of Engineering has received over the past months.

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Managing Editor: Dr. Anna Grichting SolderEditor: Neveen TahaContact: neveen.a@qu.edu.qahttp://www.qu.edu.qa/engineering/newsletter.phpCollege of EngineeringQatar UniversityP.O. Boz 2713Doha, Qatar Tel: (+974) 4403-3333www.qu.edu.qainfo@qu.edu.qa

WaterSportsQatarUniversity

“Proud to be ABET accredited”