Top projects receive awards at closing ceremony.
DOHA, Qatar -- Texas A&M University at Qatar concluded its fourth annual Visualization Development Competition (VDC) at an award ceremony on 7 May.
Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, president, Texas A&M University, opened the ceremony, and Dr. Kenneth Hall, associate dean for research and graduate studies at Texas A&M at Qatar, also spoke.
The first place award was presented to Dr. Nimir Elbashir, assistant professor of chemical engineering, and Jahanur Rahman, chemical and electrical engineering student, for their project titled "Development of Visualization Models for the Correlations Between Synthetic Jet Fuels Hydrocarbon Structure and Their Properties." Yasser Al-Hamidi, mechanical engineering laboratory manager, and Baher Azzam, mechanical engineering student, received the second place prize for their project, a virtual tour of mechanical engineering laboratories.
The award for Most Promising Student Initiative was given to Dr. Mazen Saghir, associate professor of electrical engineering, Dr. Shehab Ahmed, assistant professor of electrical engineering, and the group of students who worked on the project, titled "Beyond 3D Technology: The Virtual Museum."
The competition invites researchers across Qatar to submit proposals to develop research projects using the University's Immersive Visualization Facility (IVF), which utilizes scientific visualization to create 3D images and graphics that aid in the analysis of complex numerical representation. This technology helps scientists see data sets in new ways so that they can find patterns or relationships and communicate their data to others. Viewers feel completely immersed in the experience, and all images are displayed in 3D with the use of special goggles.
Selected projects were developed over three months in the IVF with the assistance of Texas A&M at Qatar's visualization expert. Five projects were developed during the 2012 competition, including projects submitted by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, Birmingham University, Texas A&M University at Qatar and Qatar Museums Authority.
Dr. Othmane Bouhali, director of research computing and VDC chair, noted the diversity of participating institutions and organizations. "By offering this technological resource to researchers outside our University, Texas A&M at Qatar seeks to actively share its expertise and equipment for the betterment of the State of Qatar and its community," Bouhali explained.
Developed projects were presented to a judging committee, which selected the award winners, on 1 May. The judging committee included Dr. Hamid Parsaei, associate dean for academic affairs, Texas A&M at Qatar, Dr. Sebti Foufou, professor of computer science, Qatar University, Muqeem Khan, visiting associate professor of graphics, Northwestern University in Qatar, and Zamri Ahmed, geosciences manager, RasGas Ltd.
First place winner Elbashir described the usefulness of immersive visualization to his project and credited his co-project investigator Rahman, a student at the University, with conducting excellent work throughout the competition.
"We developed a 3D visualization model that gives us the capability to see the relationship between synthetic jet fuels' hydrocarbon structure and their properties," Elbashir said. "This will result in speeding up the formulation of new generations of synthetic jet fuels obtained from gas-to-liquid (GTL) technology that we hope will meet aviation industry standards. Rahman was also able to link the experimental and statistical analysis to the visualization model utilizing supercomputers and advanced computer programs."
Al-Hamidi commented on his project, which received second place, saying, "We modeled mechanical engineering laboratories at Texas A&M University at Qatar in order to facilitate tours for campus guests and visitors. These virtual tours, when visualized using the immersive visualization facility, will allow people to witness our state-of-the-art laboratories without physically being inside them."
The 7 May ceremony included presentations of the five developed projects, announcement of the award winners, a poster session and a luncheon for participants. Award winners received monetary prizes, sponsored by the Qatar Foundation Research Division, and plaques commemorating their achievement.
About Texas A&M University at Qatar
Texas A&M University, recognized as having one of the premier engineering programs in the world, has offered undergraduate degrees in chemical, electrical, mechanical and petroleum engineering at Qatar Foundation's Education City campus since 2003, and graduate courses in chemical engineering since fall 2011. Two hundred engineers have graduated from Texas A&M at Qatar since 2007. In addition to engineering courses, Texas A&M at Qatar provides classes in science, mathematics, liberal arts and the humanities. All four of the engineering programs offered at Texas A&M at Qatar are accredited by ABET. The curricula offered at Texas A&M at Qatar are materially identical to those offered at the main campus in College Station, Texas, and courses are taught in English in a co-educational setting. The reputation for excellence is the same, as is the commitment to equip engineers to lead the next generation of engineering advancement. Faculty from around the world are attracted to Texas A&M at Qatar to provide this educational experience and to participate in research activities now valued at over $100 million, and that address issues important to the State of Qatar. Visit www.qatar.tamu.edu.
For information contact:
Elisabeth Kent
Texas A&M University at Qatar
elisabeth.kent@qatar.tamu.edu
+974.4423.0291
+974.6686.0428
© Press Release 2012
