Engineering University and ORYX GTL collaborate on five-year agreement to bring chemical engineering experts to local seminars.
Texas A&M University at Qatar and ORYX GTL have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the ORYX GTL Excellence Seminars in Chemical Engineering series. The series will bring chemical engineering experts to Doha over the next five years on a bimonthly basis to discuss topics of local and global interest. The signing ceremony occurred on 27 November at the Texas A&M at Qatar Engineering Building at Education City.
The University and ORYX GTL have launched the series to highlight the role of chemical engineering and related fields in areas of national interest to Qatar, the region and worldwide. The seminar series will cover a variety of topics that reflect the importance of this discipline to Qatar's growth and the industry's further development. Importantly, it will address topics that are relevant to ORYX GTL such as gas processing technologies, the petrochemical industry, safety and environmental processes, while also addressing subjects such as alternative energy fields, the pharmaceutical and food industries, as well as other related areas.
Dr. Mark H. Weichold, Texas A&M at Qatar dean and CEO, said, "Texas A&M at Qatar is honored to announce the launch of the Oryx GTL Excellence Seminars in Chemical Engineering. This sharing of knowledge is essential to developing the chemical engineering industry in Qatar and fostering the research required from the academic community to further push Qatar's evolution into a knowledge-based economy and global research hub. The University's relationship with its academic and industry partners is an exceptional example of how these communities can come together to push forward the boundaries of Qatar's growth and help reach the goals set forth in the Qatar National Vision 2030. It is also a model of how local industry and academia collaboration can not only build capacity for a growing nation, but also make a global impact."
This unique industry-sponsored seminar series aims to educate Texas A&M at Qatar students, researchers, and faculty, but extends the invitation to other universities and institutions in Education City and interested industry professionals.
At the recognition, Mr. Rashid Al Fehaidi, ORYX GTL's projects director stated, "We are proud to carry on our partnership with Texas A&M at Qatar, as we both share goals of bridging the gap between industry and academia through collaboration. This is a true feature that defines the bilateral relationship between us, as we both share a common commitment to Qatar National Vision 2030 and to the State's national efforts to establish itself as a hub for knowledge and scientific research."
The seminars will be open for attendance and participation to the ORYX GTL staff and other industry and governmental institutional partners. The seminar series will provide an opportunity to strengthen the ties of ORYX GTL with academic collaborators, as well as extending national and international outreach for the company.
Dr. Nimir Elbashir, associate professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M at Qatar, said, "Thanks to ORYX GTL's support and sponsorship, our vision - to help educate Texas A&M at Qatar's students and staff, as well as the community in Qatar about the chemical engineering field through seminars that are conducted by leading professors and scientists from both academia and industry in the aforementioned fields - is happening. This seminar series will also highlight advancement in technology in fields of interest to Qatar as part of its National Vision 2030, helping to further build a knowledge-based society."
John Small, Texas A&M at Qatar director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Alumni Relations, said, "Our partnership with ORYX GTL is extremely helpful to the University's efforts to further provide premier engineering education in Qatar and the region. The seminar series is a great example of what higher education and industry can do together to contribute to Qatar National Vision 2030 by advancing human development of the nation."
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. Over 400 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 $159 million, and that address issues important to the State of Qatar. Visit www.qatar.tamu.edu.
About ORYXGTL
Since 2006 ORYX GTL has been at the forefront of the global gas-to-liquids (GTL) revolution, pioneering the large-scale production of ultra clean fuels in Qatar, and continues to inspire new energy projects around the world.
A 51:49 joint venture between Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Sasol Synfuels International (SSI), ORYX GTL combines QP's natural gas wealth with Sasol's technological know-how to manufacture more than 32,400 barrels per day of high specification GTL diesel, naphtha and LPG, which have outstanding environmental characteristics.
© Press Release 2013
