The Qatar University Young Scientists Centre (QUYSC) has officially launched the 24th cycle of the 'I Am a Researcher' programme, featuring high-achieving Qatari high school students from grades 10, 11, and 12. They are from seven schools across Qatar -- Ibn Taymiyyah High School for Boys, Qatar Banking Studies and Business Administration High School for Boys, Omar Bin Al-Khattab High School for Boys, Swiss International School, Um Hakeem High School for Girls, Al-Arqam Academy for Girls, and Al-Shahaniya High School for Girls.
The 'I Am a Researcher' programme fosters research, experimentation, and innovation equipping the participants with fundamental academic competencies that will support them in their university studies, including scientific writing, laboratory techniques, and handling advanced scientific equipment.
They will also develop analytical skills, critical thinking, effective communication, and teamwork, all of which are crucial for excelling in science, engineering, and technology within a real research environment. The programme prepares students for higher education and research careers.
This year, the programme features seven scientific research projects: “Remediation of the soil in Qatar to handle harsh environments using sustainable biodegradable polymers” and another research entitled “Experimental Optimization of Electron Transport Layer Materials for Enhanced Perovskite Solar Cells. The third research is “Investigating Density and Viscosity Properties of Alternative Diesel Fuels at Various Temperature and Pressure Conditions”; another research is “IOT-Enabled Precision Agriculture for Smart Farming’, and other research projects.
In his speech, QUYSC director Dr Saeed Hashim al-Meer recalled that over the past years, the participants of the programme competed in many local and international research events and won as many as 95 awards, including those from the ISEF in the US, iCan in Canada, and the Innovation Fair in Turkiye. Their research was distinguished by their ability to provide innovative scientific solutions to real-life challenges, reflecting the quality of the academic preparation provided by the programme and the continuous support of the researchers.
