Doha, November 17 (QNA) - Qatar Research, Innovation, and Development (QRDI) Council has completed the 17th Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) competition at Hamad Bin Khalifa University Research Complex. 

The UREP competition works to encourage both undergraduate students and faculty members to improve their research and enhance their academic portfolios.

This year, the participation in UREP varied, with students from six academic institutions in Qatar including: Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Qatar University, Texas A&M University in Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, University of Doha for Science and Technology, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar.

The projects presented by participating institutions covered an impressive range of innovative research areas from creating a smart robot that helps with elbow rehabilitation using muscle signals, studying how to make the blue ammonia supply chain more sustainable, and using nanocellulose from date pits as a natural coating to keep strawberries fresh for longer. Other projects featured a drone system that cleans and monitors solar panels, and a special bandage made with natural oils to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The competition awards are divided into two categories: the poster presentation category and the oral presentation category. A total of 14 judges evaluated the projects, including 32 for the poster presentations and 5 for the oral presentations. Projects were assessed based on their scientific merit, research outcomes, student learning experience, and presentation quality.

This year in the oral presentations, a team from Qatar University, secured first place in the oral presentation category with their project titled Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Novel Nanofibers Bandage Formulated with Juniperus Communis Essential Oil Targeting Antibiotic Resistant Bacterial Strains.

In second place, a team from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar were awarded for their project HyBrush: A Hybrid UAV Brushing System for PV Monitoring and Cleaning.

Third place went to a team from the University of Doha for Science and Technology for their project on the Hybrid Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Blue Ammonia Supply Chain.

Additionally, the poster presentations witnessed high competition, where 32 teams presented their research outcomes. In joint first place, a team from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar ranked first place with the project, Evaluation of the Antibacterial Activity of Cold Atmospheric Plasma Technology on Mouse-Induced Diabetic Foot Ulcers.  

Students, a team from the University of Doha for Science and Technology also ranked first placed with their project: Rahma - A Cross-Platform App to Facilitate Clothes Donation, Collection and Receiving.

The competition also recognized the winners of the Best Representative Image of an Outcome (BRIO), which celebrates visual communication of scientific concepts and research in Qatar through art. The competition this year received 39 images and amassed more than 7047 votes from the public and Qatar's scientific and academic communities. The top three BRIO contest winners were Noura Aldous, Hend Eldous, and Dr. Bahman Boostani.

Aysha Al Mudahka, Senior Program Director at QRDI Council, said: "This competition serves as a valuable platform for nurturing young research talent, empowering participants to develop impactful projects that contribute to Qatar's national vision. As we conclude the 17th cycle of UREP and the 9th edition of the BRIO Awards, we take pride in QRDI Council's continued commitment to fostering innovation and research excellence over the past 17 years. The quality of the projects presented this year reflects the strong potential of our young researchers to drive real-world impact and advance Qatar's research ecosystem."

UREP was launched in 2006, and since then, it has awarded over 5811 undergraduate students from 8 universities across Qatar for their contributions to 1540 projects during the past UREP cycles, including this one. Exceptionally, 1289 UREP projects have been completed in the past 19 years, emphasizing the program's enduring impact. (QNA)