Tribune News Network
Doha
The College of Engineering at Qatar University (QU) has launched the third Global Congress on Engineering and Technology under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.
The congress will run from December 3 to 7 and encompass the 15th Global Conference on Energy Applications, the 15th Global Conference on Social Robotics, and the Global Conference on Resilience in Mobility and Logistics: Challenges and Opportunities.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change serves as a silver sponsor, Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO) as a platinum sponsor, Qatar Shell as a gold sponsor and the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) as a contributing sponsor.
In his opening speech, Minister of Environment and Climate Change HE Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani said, "As a leading academic institution in the region, Qatar University recognises the paramount importance of this congress for exchanging opinions and ideas. It serves as a testament to our commitment to innovation, collaboration and the advancement of technology. Qatar, renowned for its leadership in technological advancements across various sectors such as chemical industries, production, cultural exports, media and major sporting events, places great emphasis on integrating Arab principles into its technological endeavours.”
He acknowledged the challenges faced by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, stressing the importance of preserving natural resources and cultivating an innovative culture for a more promising future."Our challenges, environmental, engineering and technological, are not mere academic disciplines but integral parts of our lifestyle. Engineering and technology are revolutionising sustainable transportation methods through highly efficient electric and hybrid cars. Moreover, advancements in modern irrigation techniques contribute significantly to reducing harmful emissions and enhancing fuel efficiency,” the minister emphasised.
President of QU Dr Omar Al Ansari said, "The timing of the third Global Congress is optimal for discussing advancements in energy application fields, along with related developments ensuring sustainability and best practices to mitigate environmental impacts. This extends to advancements in other engineering fields like social robotics, resilience in mobility and logistics. At a time when the world faces numerous key challenges such as raw material shortages, supply chain issues, rising commodity prices, food insecurity and the impact of climate change.”
He added, "Through this congress, we are delighted to host participants, researchers and scientists from over 56 nationalities, with over 400 scientific papers in the 15th Global Conference on Energy Applications and 69 papers in the 15th Global Conference on Social Robotics. We hope that the scholarly discussions stemming from these papers will contribute to a deeper understanding of advancements in these crucial fields of knowledge.”
Dr Khalid Kamal Naji, dean of the College of Engineering, said: "The congress includes plenary sessions and keynote lectures covering various topics related to energy applications, social robotics, resilience in mobility and logistics. We anticipate this congress will serve as a platform for technical information exchange, dissemination of high-quality research findings and presentation of new policies and scientific advancements in these fields.”
Prof Saud Ghani, head of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department at QU, said: "The 15th Global Conference on Energy Applications (ICAE2023) aims to bring together experts in sustainable energy and energy applications to discuss the future of sustainable energy, enabling the transition to clean and renewable energy, including hydrogen energy, and energy transformations for a sustainable future.”
Dr Abdulaziz Al Ali, director of KINDI Centre for Computing Research, said: "KINDI Centre is pleased to organise the 15th Global Conference on Social Robotics QU for the first time in the MENA region, under the theme ‘Human-Robot Collaboration: in Sea, Air, Land, Space and Cyberspace.’ The conference brings together researchers and practitioners in the field of human-robot interaction and integrating social robots into society. It includes presentations of scientific research papers in robotics and four days of workshops.”
He added, "The conference is accompanied by an exhibition of social robots from several leading global companies in this field and student competitions to encourage exploration in this fascinating field, especially now with the artificial intelligence revolution.”
Dr Shimaa Al Quradaghi, director of the Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Centre, said: "The Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Centre is pleased to announce the convening of the Global Conference on Resilience in Mobility and Logistics. In a complex scene where the world faces several key challenges such as raw material shortages, supply chain issues, rising commodity prices, food insecurity and the impact of climate change, the resilience of the transportation and logistics sectors for national economies is more important than ever.
"Qatar places the transportation and logistics sectors at the top of its priorities, working to build an infrastructure committed to the highest standards to enhance the Qatari economy. Hence, the idea of organising the conference aims to exchange experiences and expertise, addressing strategies for flexible mobility planning, local initiatives to enhance mobility resilience, challenges, and best practices in integrating mobility resilience into services and logistics.”
Prof Saud Ghani, head of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department at QU, led a panel discussion during the event, featuring Dr Youssef Al Salehi, CEO of Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP); Dr Yousef Abdullah Al Kuwari, CEO of Engineering Affairs at Qatar Petrochemical Company QAPCO; and Sheikh Dr Soud Khalifa Al Thani, director of the Green Development and Environmental Sustainability Department at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.