Home

Annual Report
2020-2021

Message from our dean

Few events in history have had such a profound, rapid, and far-reaching impact as the COVID-19 pandemic. Like the rest of the world, our past year at CMU-Q has been tremendously different. Our building, typically a hub of activity during the academic year, was quiet as faculty, students, and staff mostly taught, learned, and worked remotely.
This Annual Report is a window into a year like no other. I am exceptionally proud of the many individual achievements and milestones in this report. I would also like to acknowledge that this year especially, behind every success was our community. Through it all, we supported one another and tapped into new reserves of creativity, cooperation and empathy.

Michael Trick

Dean, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar

Our Alumni

When the Class of 2021 graduated in May, our alumni network grew to more than 1000 men and women. Beginning with our first class in 2008, our graduates have followed their interests, forged their own paths, and contributed to building a better world.

Class of 2021

95

Graduates

4

Academic Programs

23

Nationalities

49%

Qatari citizens

Graduates by program

11

Computer Science

15

Biological Sciences

26

Information Systems

43

Business Administration

"Even though COVID did have an influence in our journey, always remember that it did not define it. All of our accomplishments started with the decision to try."
Dina Abdelazeem
Student speaker, Class of 2021

A Year of Accomplishments

The first graduating class at CMU-Q was in 2008, and each year our alumni network grows in both numbers and achievements. In the last year, here are just a few of our alumni accomplishments.

  • Education Excellence Day Awards
    Six graduates from the Class of 2020 received awards from His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar. Haya Al-Kaabi (BS 2020) received a platinum award. Gold awards went to Sara Al-Darwish (BS 2020), Albandari Al-Mana (BA 2020), Taimaa Al-Mohanadi (BA 2020), Maha Al-Tamimi (BS 2020), and Fatima Mustafawi (IS 2020).

  • CEO of Silatech
    Hassan Al-Mulla (BA 2012) was named the CEO of
    Silatech, a Qatar-based nonprofit organization that promotes large scale Education job creation for youth around the world.

  • Government of Ireland Scholarship
    Farjana Salahuddin (IS 2017) was awarded the Government of Ireland Scholarship to further her studies at Trinity College Dublin. Salahuddin was one of only 60 recipients worldwide.

  • IEEE/ACM Symposium on Edge Computing

    Aliaa Essameldin (CS 2017) and Mohammed Nurul Hoque (CS 2020), published their work in the 2020 IEEE/ACM Symposium on Edge Computing. The paper, which is called, “More than the sum of its things: Resource sharing across iots at the edge,” is
    co-authored by Khaled Harras.

    The Global Alumni Network

    The CMU-Q alumni network extends throughout Qatar and beyond. Our alumni work at top organizations and creative new startups. They are influencing government policy, analyzing big data, spearheading creative projects, educating people, researching new ideas and working to improve the lives of others.

    1030

    Alumni

    5

    Alumni live on 5 continents

    14

    Graduating classes

    57

    Nationalities

    Our Students

    Our student community is at the heart of all we do at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. During the admission cycle each year, we seek out applicants who are motivated and eager to learn. Together, our enrolled students form a global-minded community that is enthusiastic, encouraging and supportive.

    Our Student Community

    Our students come from diverse backgrounds, with a wide spectrum of interests and aspirations.

    442

    students enrolled

    124

    first-year students

    52

    nationalities

    59%

    female

    40%

    Qatari citizens

    Students Enrolled, by Program

    The Admission Process

    Class of 2024

    124

    First year students

    45

    Qatari students

    34

    International students

    Recruitment for the Class of 2025

    The admission process for the Class of 2025 was exceptionally selective, with a record number of applicants.

    Pandemic restrictions precluded in-person visits, interviews and events with prospective students. Instead,
    CMU-Q reached out to prospective students digitally, including the first virtual Admission Viewbook in English and Arabic.

    Early Decision, Class of 2025

    CMU-Q welcomed the students admitted through Early Decision at an in-person ceremony. There are 30 students admitted to the Class of 2025 through Early Decision, including 12 Qatari students.

    Marhaba Tartans

    To welcome the newly admitted students, CMU-Q hosted Marhaba Tartans, a day of online sessions to introduce the Class of 2025 to the university. The students in the admitted class come from 90 high schools in 43 countries.

    Countries Represented

    ALBANIA ALGERIA AUSTRALIA BAHRAIN BANGLADESH CANADA CHINA COTE D’IVOIRE EGYPT ETHIOPIA ESWATINI FRANCE GEORGIA INDIA INDONESIA IRAN IRAQ JAPAN JORDAN KAZAKHSTAN KENYA KOREA KUWAIT LEBANON LESOTHO MALAYSIA MOLDOVA MONGOLIA MOROCCO MYANMAR NEPAL NETHERLANDS OMAN PAKISTAN PALESTINE PHILIPPINES QATAR ROMANIA RUSSIA RWANDA SAUDI ARABIA SERBIA SOMALIA SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS SUDAN SYRIA TANZANIA TUNISIA UNITED KINGDOM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UZBEKISTAN VIETNAM

    Academics

    For decades, Carnegie Mellon has been at the forefront of educational science, and this history was crucial when the challenges of the pandemic arose. A strong collaboration of CMU-Q experts in technology, education and subject areas ensured that students continued to learn and grow, even in exceptional circumstances.

    Education in a Pandemic

    During the summer of 2020, CMU-Q leadership prepared for an academic year like no other. With classes taught primarily in remote mode, the university prioritized the student learning experience, including the new cohort of first-years.

    Number of courses offered

    272
    courses offered over 3 semesters
    82
    first-years completed Edge Summer Program 2020
    100+
    students took micro courses each semester
    "Zoom fatigue is real, but CMU-Q has done a great job in delivering a seamless transition to remote learning. Having the option for asynchronous and synchronous classes has been really valuable."
    Fatima El-Sallabi
    Business Administration, Class of 2022

    New project-based studies

    CMU-Q created four new courses for the summer 2020 semester that each took a unique look at questions raised during the pandemic. The project-based courses provided students the opportunity to tackle relevant, real-world questions in an interdisciplinary context.
    • History of epidemics, pandemics, and infectious disease
    • Data analysis for social commerce platforms in the Gulf during COVID-19
    • Creating a digital exhibit of the COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar
    • Islamic finance on the blockchain–Using smart contracts for sukuk transactions
    "Project-based courses challenge you and pull you out of your comfort zone. You are pushed to learn new things on your own, even more than what is usually expected."
    Andrew Edward
    Information Systems, Class of 2021

    Micro courses

    The Qatar campus offered an extensive slate of remote micro courses throughout the academic year. Taught by professors from main campus, micro courses offer CMU-Q students a sampling of the myriad areas of study at CMU. Three micro courses are equivalent to one semester course.

    • Geopolitical challenges of a changing Middle
      East: Politics, security and law, Ignacio Arana
    • Pricing strategy, Peter Boatwright
    • Understanding stress and mood, DJ Brasier
    • Design that lasts, Jonathan Chapman
    • Design thinking, Jonathan Chapman
    • Applied design methods for collaborative
      innovation, Wayne Chung
    • Geopolitical challenges of a changing Middle
      East: Politics, security and law, Colin Clarke
    • Machine learning and sensing, Mayank Goel
    • Understanding the demented and delusional
      brain, Ken Hovis
    • Learning to design effective health
      communications and services, Kristin Hughes
    • Shaping form, Ramesh Krishnamurti
    • Stars, kites and darts: A primer on Islamic
      geometric designs, Ramesh Krishnamurti
    • Blockchain technologies, Michael McCarthy
    • Geopolitical challenges of a changing Middle
      East: Politics, security and law, Geoffrey
      McGovern
    • Napkin sketching: Aiding understanding and
      communication, Stacie Rohrbach
    • Introduction to design for climate change,
      Peter Scupelli
    • Introduction to design futures, Peter Scupelli
    • Photography and the implied narrative,
      Dylan Vitone

    Faculty

    CMU-Q faculty members are experts in their fields and dedicated to undergraduate education. Faculty members provide individualized attention and focused instruction so that all students can reach their potential.

    Faculty members, by program

    26

    Arts and Sciences

    5

    Biological Sciences

    12

    Business Administration

    9

    Computer Science

    8

    Information Systems

    Meritorious Teaching Award 2021
    Cecile Le Roux, assistant teaching professor of organization
    and behavior

    New faculty members
    Iman Adeinat, visiting assistant professor of operations management

    Samaneh Hamidi, visiting assistant professor of mathematics

    Sameer Mathur, visiting associate professor of marketing and business technologies

    "I want the students to feel like they can approach me. If they make a mistake, I don’t just say it’s wrong, I encourage them to look at the question differently, to find a way to contextualize it so they can change their approach. "
    Cecile Le Roux
    Assistant teaching professor of organization and behavior

    Biological Sciences

    Biological sciences students are trained to be scholars deeply knowledgeable in their discipline, professionals who work in diverse teams, and active, engaged global citizens.
    • ihab-800x500
      Provost’s Inclusive Teaching Fellowship
      Ihab Younis was awarded a CMU Provost’s Inclusive Teaching Fellowship for the 2021-2022 academic year. Younis will redesign elements of the advanced elective, Molecular Biology, to address issues of gender bias and gender barriers in the scientific community.
    • Elizabeth W Jones Award
      Mariam El-Esnawy received the Elizabeth W Jones Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research. The award is given annually by CMU to recognize a biological sciences senior for exceptional commitment to research. This is the second year in a row that a CMU-Q student has won the award.
    • Minor intron splicing
      Ettaib El Marabti, Ihab Younis and Joel Malek from Weill Cornell Medicine—Qatar wrote the first comprehensive review of minor intron splicing for the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. El Marabti graduated from CMU-Q in 2017, and is now a student at WCM-Q.

      42

      Courses

      5

      Faculty members

      74

      Students

      92

      Alumni

      Business Administration

      Business administration students learn quantitative decision-making, CMU’s pioneering approach to undergraduate business education. With an emphasis on analytics and leadership development, graduates are prepared for the challenges of the global business landscape.
      • yusufbek-n

        Innovation Scholar
        Yusufbek Nasriddinov was one of 13 Carnegie Mellon students accepted into the selective Innovation Scholar program at the main campus’ Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship. He is the first Innovation Scholar to be selected from the Qatar campus.

      • Al Fikra National Business Competition
        Ali Al-Maadid won in the Mashrouie Category at the 2020 Al Fikra competition for his concept of a metal recycling plant.

      • Qatar Stock Exchange Financial Education Competition
        A team of students took the top spot at the second QSE Financial Education Competition. Haidar Al-Haidar, Joud Ghalayini, Faiha Sahirah and Mariam Syed edged out teams from Qatar University and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Abraham Farooqui was also on the original team.

        65

        Courses

        12

        Faculty members

        157

        Students

        516

        Alumni

        Computer Science

        Computer science students learn the theoretical foundations and the practical skills of computing, so they can explore, design and create the technologies that are transforming modern life.
        • CS ranking
          First undergraduate program ranking
          Carnegie Mellon University was ranked second for U.S. undergraduate computer science programs by US News & World Report, a leader in educational analysis. CMU-Q has taught the computer science program since 2004. This is the first time that US News & World Report has ranked undergraduate computer science programs.

        • International Collegiate Programming Competition (ICPC)
          CMU-Q hosted Qatar’s first ICPC event, which included students from CMU-Q, College of the North Atlantic-Qatar and Qatar University. Giselle Reis and Eduardo Feo Flushing organized the competition, which qualifies Qatar-based students to progress to the regional level. Mohammed Al-Jawaheri, Igli Mlloja, and Abubakr Mohamed won the competition.

        • CyberStars Qatar computer security competition
          Faculty member Ryan Riley won first place at a competition that challenged participants to solve a complicated set of cybersecurity problems. The contest was hosted by the Ministry of Transport and
          Communications and Q-CERT.

          31

          Courses

          9

          Faculty members

          88

          Students

          170

          Alumni

          Information Systems

          Information systems students build a solid foundation in computing, communications, and software development, as well as humanities and social sciences. Graduates are uniquely positioned for careers in a digitized and connected world, with strong technical and analytical skills and a deep understanding of the human impacts of technology.
          • susan hagan

            Dean’s Innovation Scholar
            Susan Hagan was the 2021 recipient of the CMU Dean’s Innovation Scholar award. Hagan was honored for her teaching approach, which
            brings together design, rhetoric and technology.

          • Al Fikra National Business Competition
            Student Mohammed Al-Qassabi won in the Startup Category at the 2020 Al Fikra competition for an invention toautomatically detect when football players are offside.

          • Qatar Sustainability Week webinar
            Chadi Aoun was featured in a panel discussion titled, “Maintaining Sustainability: Building capacity and breaking barriers,” hosted by the U.S. Embassy Qatar during Qatar Sustainability Week.

            30

            Courses

            8

            Faculty members

            118

            Students

            252

            Alumni

            Arts and Sciences

            Carnegie Mellon University follows a distinct approach to undergraduate education that combines professional training with a firm grounding in the arts and sciences. Through your coursework in the arts and sciences, you will broaden your knowledge and learn to draw connections between disciplines.
            • Global Learning Festival 2020
              Dudley Reynolds was a speaker for the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) panel on language policy at the Global Learning Festival 2020, which was hosted by UNESCO Learning Cities Wyndham and Melton, Australia. Reynolds spoke about rethinking the role of the classroom as a space for peer learning, and capitalizing on students’ diverse linguistic backgrounds.
            • deepa-patrick

              Provost’s Inclusive Teaching Fellowships
              Deepa Nair and Patrick Walsh were awarded Provost’s Inclusive Teaching Fellowships for the 2021-2022 academic year. Nair will redesign the course Gender in South Asia, while Walsh will focus on the course AI, Society, and Humanity.

            • Great Chemistry Quiz
              Students from more than 20 high schools participated in CMU‑Q’s first Great Chemistry Quiz, an online competition created and hosted by Ravichandra Bachu and Simon Faulkner.

              Academic Resource Center

              The Academic Resource Center (ARC) provides students with the support, resources and opportunities to improve learning and succeed academically.
              Consultations with students
              The ARC provides individual and group consultations for students who have questions about their course material. In the fall semester, there were 2439 consultation visits; in the spring semester, there were 2044 consultation visits.
              Edge Summer Program
              The Edge Summer Program moved to online mode in 2020, so students could participate, regardless of their location. Attendance quadrupled for the summer 2020 session, with more than 80 students participating.

              Library

              The Connection virtual conference
              Teresa MacGregor and Jasmine Kirby, along with
              Jill Chisnell and Rikk Mulligan from main campus,
              created and published a crowd-sourced digital exhibit
              as part of The Connection virtual conference.

              Refinitiv Eikon certification
              Four students earned certification for the Refinitiv Eikon data dashboard, a professional-level global stock trading and financial analysis tool. Jasmine (Siyuan) Guo, Yusufbek Nasriddinov, Ihsane Sadiki
              and Ravshanbek Salimov received the certification, with Guo and Salimov passing with distinction.

              Community Engagement

              We have strong, living connections to the global Carnegie Mellon community, Qatar Foundation, and our strategic partners in government and industry. These collaborations offer rich learning opportunities for our students as we help build Qatar’s knowledge economy.

              Qatar Foundation Connections

              • Conrad Challenge
                STEM experts from partner universities CMU-Q and Texas A&M University at Qatar coached high school teams for the international Conrad Challenge 2020/2021. Participants selected a local or global issue and worked to design an original invention to address the challenge.
              • Read to Lead Program
                Jennifer Bruder co-hosted a session for Qatar Foundation’s Read to Lead Program, along with Qatar University’s Yusri Marzouki.The session included a discussion on Dan Ariely’s book, “Predictably irrational: The hidden forces that shape our decisions.”
              • Intercultural Communication and Collaboration Forum
                Cecile Le Roux spoke to the Qatar Foundation community about leadership during complex times.
              • VEX Robotics
                CMU-Q and partner university Texas A&M University at Qatar led an advanced robotics course for high school students in the Qatar Science and Technology Secondary School under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The course wrapped up with the Qatar 2021 VEX Robotics Competition.
              • Qatar Faculty Forum
                Nesrine Affara delivered a lecture on student visibility to the Education City faculty community.

                Our Strategic Partners

                We are proud to have strong, collaborative relationships within the Qatar community. Each year, we strive to strengthen the connections with our strategic partners, and reach out to form new partnerships.
                Community Partner Lecture Series
                CMU-Q launched Community Partner Lectures, a virtual series featuring CMU-Q’s faculty experts in the areas of business, science and technology. The first lecture was titled “The new normal: Managing online teams,” and was delivered by Cecile Le Roux.
                Equine Veterinary Medical Center
                CMU-Q and the Equine Veterinary Medical Center signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate in the areas of research, education, and the career development of Carnegie Mellon students.

                Hamad Bin Jassim Center

                In 2017, CMU-Q and Jassim and Hamad Bin Jassim Charitable Foundation joined forces to create the Hamad Bin Jassim Center for K-12 Computer Science Education. The center’s goal is to introduce school-aged children in Qatar to concepts and career paths in computer science.
                alice

                Alice Programming Competition

                The sixth annual Alice Middle East Programming Competition took place virtually, with teams from Al Khor International School came in first and third place, while the second and fourth place teams were from Al Arqam Academy. A Doha College team rounded out the top five. There were 35 teams of middle and high school students who entered the contest, with 13 teams advancing to the final round.
                mindcraft

                Mindcraft

                Mindcraft is a workshop program that introduces high school students to the many facets of computer science. Each workshop includes a conceptual activity that challenges students to think computationally, as well as an artificial intelligence component where students learn to program a robot. In the past academic year, 518 students participated in 11 Mindcraft Virtual events.

                game-qode

                Game Qode

                With the cooperation of GameDev Qatar, CMU-Q created a series of workshops to introduce precollege students to the basics of game development, including coding and design. The workshops included developers and other professionals, and culminated in Qatar’s first virtual game development competition, Game Qode.

                Diversity and Inclusion

                At Carnegie Mellon University, the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion guide our values and serve as our foundation. The Qatar campus is committed to building a campus community that embodies these principles.

                annette-vincent

                Associate dean, diversity and climate

                Annette Vincent was appointed CMU-Q’s first associate dean of diversity and climate. Michael Trick, the dean of CMU-Q, created the new leadership role to oversee and guide the campus’ efforts to become a more diverse, inclusive and equitable learning and working community.
                respect

                Respect for All campaign

                CMU-Q celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the launch
                of the ‘Respect for All’ campaign, which included in-person and virtual activities that promote respect, civil society, and thoughtful, empathetic discussion.

                international-womens-day

                International Day for Women and Girls in Science

                CMU-Q hosted a panel of experts to share their career journeys with students, faculty and staff from across Education City. The panel included women in science from CMU-Q, Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s College of Health and Life Sciences, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute and Texas A&M University at Qatar.
                "We aspire to create a supportive climate at CMU-Q, and across Education City, by promoting the values of mutual respect and equal treatment."
                Annette Vincent
                Associate Dean, Diversity and Climate

                Student Experience

                Throughout their undergraduate education, we encourage our students to come together, explore their interests, and develop the skills of leadership and teamwork. The pandemic restrictions inspired students to find creative ways to connect and grow.

                A Strong, Connected Community

                With much of the academic year in remote or hybrid mode, students found new ways to connect with the community.
                • Qatar National Day
                  Students at capped off an extraordinary fall semester of challenges, achievement, growth and innovation with a virtual Qatar National Day celebration. The CMU-Q Qatari Student ssociation held a photo competition and online event for students to connect and learn more about the rich Qatari culture.
                • Tartan Community Day
                  The CMU-Q community spent a day having fun, exploring interests and connecting with one another. The inaugural Tartan Community Day included safe in-person activities like a beach clean-up and rescue dog walking. Online activities were led by community members, including classes in yoga, mindfulness, Zumba, cooking and Qatari culture.
                • Winter Week of Welcome
                  To help students re-engage after the winter break, CMU-Q held a series of in-person and online events. These included a welcome back, a Martin Luther King Jr. Day gathering and activities, a reflections and intentions session and a “Last First Day of School” event for seniors.
                • Karak Konnections
                  CMU-Q began a new initiative to strengthen one-on-one connections within the community. Each week, students, faculty and staff members signed up and were matched for a friendly cup of karak. Each semester, about 150 community members participated.

                • A Tartan’s Responsibility Art Showcase
                  On the anniversary of the start of the COVID-19
                  pandemic in Qatar, students created works of art to promote the safety guidelines. Reem Al-Haddad, Sara AlSabbagh, Fatima El-Sallabi, Weilin Li and Gulnaz Serikbay contributed multi-media pieces to the project.

                  Student Connections
                  With limited occasions for students to gather, CMU-Q created opportunities for students to connect over common interests, and to engage
                  • International Student Gathering
                  • First Year Welcome
                  • IS Café
                  • Creativity and Connection
                  • Karak Konnections
                  • Post US Election Discussion
                  • Painting Together
                  • Tartan Community Day
                  • BioSci Social F20
                  • VOICES Survey Talk Show
                  • Stress Recess
                  • Relaxed and Ready: Getting Prepared for Finals
                  • Spring Semester Welcome
                  • Thursday Majlis
                  • Vision Boards
                  • Heart Health: Am I at Risk
                  • Info Session and Discussion for New Arrivals
                  • Sophomore Karaoke Night
                  • TEDxCMUQatar
                  • IS Spirit Day
                  • Finals Week Events
                  "This Qatar National Day will feel a little strange, since we can’t celebrate in person. But at CMU-Q, we can show our love for our country through photos, and through a virtual gathering and shared celebration of Qatar."
                  Mohammed Al-Qassabi
                  President, Qatari Student Association; Information Systems, Class of 2022

                  Peer-to-Peer Learning

                  Discovery and exploration are at the heart of the CMU-Q experience, and students have many opportunities to share their knowledge and talent with their peers.
                  • StuCo program
                    The Student Courses (StuCo) program offers students the opportunity to design and deliver a unique course at CMU-Q. Students who are selected receive training and resources, including guidance on course design, syllabus writing, and teaching.
                  • Virtual orientation
                    First-year orientation for the Class of 2024 took place as a series of virtual workshops, panels and social events over two weeks. CMU-Q recruited more than 70 current students to organize and run the welcome event that introduced the new students to CMU-Q.

                  Leadership and Career Development

                  As students follow their interests and passions outside of the classroom, they develop critical skills and experience for their future careers. Students learn how to work in teams, organize and lead groups, present their work in a professional setting, and network with potential employers.
                  "This shift to a remote setting has actually pushed me to become more resourceful. I believe that this ability to work independently and efficiently will undoubtedly benefit my work and early career."
                  Đorđe Popović
                  Computer Science, Class of 2022

                  • Student Majlis
                    The Student Majlis is the official student committee at CMU-Q, representing the student body in academic matters, overseeing clubs and activities, and ensuring the community is cohesive and engaged.

                  • Career networking
                    Employers, students and alumni embraced virtual opportunities to connect and share information. CMU-Q held 24 online career events over the academic year, including five virtual fairs: Careers Platform, Technology Edition; Professional Services Career Day; Bio Sci Career Day; Grad School Info Night; and Careers Platform, Spring Edition.

                  • Internship showcase
                    Internship Showcase 2020 was a virtual opportunity for students to share their internship experiences, as well as network with employers. Presenters included
                    Muhammad Syed who interned with Aljazeera, Laila Assami who worked at Equine Veterinary Center, Zaryab Shahzaib who worked at Snoonu, and Andrew Edward who interned at Monkibox.

                    Beyond the Classroom

                    CMU-Q students are curious, motivated, and eager to learn about the world. By participating in student clubs or delving into the many opportunities that Qatar provides, CMU-Q students are making their mark in unexpected places.

                    • TEDx
                      A group of students held an official TEDx event at CMU-Q, creating detailed plans to ensure the attendees maintained a safe social distance. The event was a success, with five speakers sharing their insights. The talks of Tamara Albaja, Faten El Ayache, Joud Ghalayini, Gordon Rule, and Muhammad Hamza Sohail have also been posted on the TEDx YouTube channel.

                    • JEDARIART, Qatar Museums
                      Alanoud Al-Ghamdi was selected to create a mural for the Qatar National Library metro station. The artwork is part of the JEDARIART initiative through Qatar Museums to bring art to public spaces around Doha.

                    • Qatar Sports Tech Virtual Hackathon
                      Student teams placed first and second in the Qatar Sports Tech Virtual Hackathon 2020. The winning team of Reem Al-Dahneem, Alanoud Al-Ghamdi, Reem Al-
                      Haddad, Aisha Al-Jabir and Shouq Al-Khuzaei created an augmented reality game to explore fanzone spaces. 

                    • University Debate
                      A student team took the national championship title at the 2021 Arabic university debate tournament. Rahaf Abutarbush, Ammar Karkour, and Abdullah Shaar swept the first three rounds of the tournament to earn a place in the grand finale against a team from Doha Institute. CMU-Q won the final round in a debate on the topic of social media and free speech. All three team members placed in the top ten list of speakers.

                      Research

                      A research institute like no other, Carnegie Mellon is home to the world’s leading experts in a range of fields. In this tradition, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar nurtures and develops opportunities for faculty members and students to pursue regionally relevant projects in their areas of expertise.

                      The year in research

                      CMU-Q researchers are actively engaged with the international research community, leading or collaborating on a myriad of projects. Faculty members also contribute to the engines that drive international research, include publications, professional organizations and academic conferences.

                      Faculty research numbers

                      59

                      published articles

                      5

                      book chapters

                      34

                      conference presentations and talks

                      Faculty QNRF-Funded Projects

                      For more than a decade, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar has been proud to contribute to the Qatar National Vision 2030 through Qatar National Research Fund’s many programs.

                      New Projects

                      • QNRF Post-Doctoral Research Award
                        Hend Gedawy (CS 2009) received CMU-Q’s first Post Doctoral Research Award (PDRA) from Qatar National Research Fund. Khaled Harras will serve as mentor. The project, which will harness edge resources for deep learning, could have profound implications in the area of mobile health applications and data privacy. Gedawy is alumna of CMU-Q, as well as Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science and Hamad Bin Khalifa University.
                      • QNRF Research Outcome Seminar Series
                        Gianni Di Caro presented his project TARMEM (Teams of Aquatic/Aerial Robots for Marine Environment Monitoring) at the QNRF’s research outcome seminar on AI. His work was also featured in the QNRF newsletter for November 2020.
                      • Nature journal article on quantum materials
                        Mohamed Zayed and an international team of researchers have shed new light on the thermodynamics of quantum materials. Their findings were published in the journal Nature.
                        • FemtoQlouds: Leveraging edge resources to enable personalized and federated deep learning for mHealth applications. Postdoctoral researcher: Hend Gedawy
                          Faculty mentor: Khaled Harras
                        • Assessing baseline sustainability literacy and awareness of SDGs and develop and test interventions. Part of SDG education and global citizenship in Qatar: Enhancing Qatar’s nested power in the global arena Sub-project
                          Lead PI: Jennifer Bruder Subaward partner: NPRP-Cluster Project Director: Evren Tok, Hamad Bin Khalifa University

                        • Sustainable bioplastics production from industrial wastewaters using photosynthetic microbial production of
                          polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)
                          PI: Annette Vincent
                          Subaward partners:
                          Lead PI: Hamish Robert Mackey, Hamad Bin Khalifa
                          University
                          PI: Albert Liberski, Hamad Bin Khalifa University
                          PI: Adriaan Luyt, Qatar University
                          PI: Mabrouk Querderni, Qatar Petrochemical Company

                        • Biological conversion of fuel synthesis process water to single cell protein for aquaculture feed using purple
                          phototrophic bacteria
                          PI: Annette Vincent
                          Subaward partners:
                          Lead PI: Hamish Robert Mackey, Hamad Bin Khalifa
                          University
                          PI: Prasanna Kolkatar, Qatar Biomedical Research
                          Institution, HBKU
                          PI: Udeogu Onsuwogh, Qatar Shell Research and
                          Technology Centre
                          PI: Xue Zhang, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy
                          of Sciences
                          PI: Haokun Liu, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese
                          Academy of Sciences

                        • Resources and applications for detecting and classifying
                          polarized and hate speech in Arabic social media.
                          PI: Anis Charfi
                          Sub award partners:
                          Lead PI: Wajdi Zaghouani, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)
                          PI: George Mikros, HBKU, PI: Marc Jones, HBKU, PI: Georgios Dimitropoulos, HBKU,
                          PI: Fadi Makki, Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, PI: Paolo Rosso, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia
                          PI: Joe Cannataci, University of Groningen
                          PI: Aitana Radu, University of Mala

                          Student Research

                          Through research projects, students develop the skills of intellectual rigor and creative problem solving that are integral to their careers and future studies.
                          • IEEE Symposium on SSRR
                            Students Ishaq Ansari and Abubakr Mohamed’s research into coordinating and planning in heterogeneous multi-robot systems was published in the 2020 IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics.
                          • ACIS 2020
                            At the Australasian Conference on Information Systems, Andrew Edward and Abdullah Shaar presented their analysis of Twitter sentiment to gauge the pandemic’s impact on GCC shipping.

                          Senior Honors theses

                          Sixteen graduating students in all five academic programs completed a senior honors thesis. The students presented their research at a virtual event for students, faculty, families and the wider community.

                          • Samir Abdaljalil
                          • Yara Al-Abdulghani
                          • Reem Alsayed
                          • AlAnoud Al-Ghamdi
                          • Aisha Al-Jabir
                          • Shouq Al-Khuzaei
                          • Ali Al-Maadid
                          • Fajer Al-Marzooqi
                          • Imane Bendou
                          • Laila El-Beheiry
                          • Mariam El-Esnawy
                          • Joud Ghalayini
                          • Joana Khatib
                          • Weilin Li
                          • Auguste Piromalli
                          "College Honors is a formidable task for any graduating student, and these 15 students tackled the challenge during a pandemic. We are very proud of their dedication, focus and tenacity."
                          Michael Trick
                          College Honors presentations, Class of 2021

                          New QNRF-funded student projects

                          Communications award distributed deep reinforcement learning in multi-robot teams for underwater inspection task

                          Student researchers: Ishaq Ansari, Yaqoob Ansari
                          Lead mentor: Gianni Di Caro
                          Mentor: Eduardo Feo Flushing

                          Exploring neuronal and non-neuronal defects associated with neurodevelopmental disorders

                          Student researchers: Frewoyni Amaha Birhane, Thamanna Hashir
                          Mentor: Annette Vincent
                          Lead mentor: Mohammad Farhan, Hamad Bin Khalifa University

                          About

                          For more than a century, Carnegie Mellon University has challenged the curious and passionate to imagine and deliver work that matters. A private, top-ranked and global university, Carnegie Mellon sets its own course with programs that inspire creativity and collaboration.

                          In 2004, Carnegie Mellon and Qatar Foundation began a partnership to deliver select programs that will contribute to the long-term development of Qatar. Today, Carnegie Mellon Qatar offers undergraduate programs in biological sciences, business administration, computer science, and information systems. More than 400 students from 53 countries call Carnegie Mellon Qatar home.

                          Graduates from CMU-Q are pursuing their careers in top organizations within Qatar and around the world, and many have started their own entrepreneurial ventures. With 14 graduating classes, the total number of alumni is more than 1000.