Ashraf SiddiquiDohaPakistan Engineers Forum (PEF) Qatar, a Pakistani community group, has announced an initiative to organise a workshop for the students of Grades nine to 12 of Pakistani schools in Qatar and children of its members on sustainable and renewable energy concepts in a domestic environment and current global challenges.The initiative was announced at an event attended by Badar Sohail Khan, PEF chairman Advisory Board; Riyaz Ahmed Bakali, PEF president; Dr Akmal Rana, technical secretary; Ahmed Javaid Moghul, information Technology; and Bashir Ahmad.Speaking on the occasion, Bakali said the PEF executive body has planned a number of programmes to develop a thought process among youths because research and development (R&D) is of utmost importance for individual and national growth and development.He said that top three winners on model presentation will be awarded.Dr Rana, technical secretary and head of the workshop team, said the objective of the programme is to kindle the idea of sustainable energy generation in a domestic environment among the youths. He stressed the need for creating awareness among the youth on conservation of planet’s resources and reduce the pollution associated with unsustainable energy.He said that the fundamental difference between sustainable and renewable energy is that the renewable energy comes from the sources that the earth can naturally replenish, whereas, sustainable energy comes from sources that do not need to be replenished. Interested students may register their entry by September 10 through the form available on PEF website: www.pefqatar.org and may contact through Whatsapp: 55972022 for any further inquiry.Screening of the interested applicants will be finalised by September 20 followed by training programme from October to December, covering topics such as ‘Effective Communication Fundamentals’; ‘Sustainable Energy Concepts’; ‘Fundamentals of Research and Development and R&D methodologies’. Dr Rana added that proposal submission should be done by January 31, 2023 and wetting of proposals will be finalised by February 12, 2023. This will be followed by converting the ideas into model development by May 30.Evaluation and grading process will be concluded by June 20, 2023, followed by award ceremony on June 30, 2023.Ahmed Javaid Mughal, IT head, PEF, gave a presentation on the importance of R&D in the development of a country.Fahad Ismail, executive council member, PEF, conducted the meeting, and Engineer Bashir Ahmed, finance secretary, PEF, gave vote of thanks to the workshop team, the participants and the executive committee on their concern in the development of youths.
