Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF) for Education, Science and Community Development, invites undergraduate students to apply to its summer research internships. The programs, an initiative by two of HBKU’s research institutes - Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI) and Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) - aim to help build national research capacity by attracting students to the sciences, offering interns the opportunity to learn directly from industry specialists and work on innovative research projects.

HBKU’s third research institute, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), offers internships to people interested in pursuing future research in the fields focused on by QEERI throughout the year.

This year’s two summer internships will run for seven weeks, starting on May 7th and concluding on June 22nd, and will be individually tailored to fit each student’s area of interest. Students interested in participating are asked to apply to the desired program by March 31st. 

Interns working within each of the three HBKU research institutes are given the opportunity to spend time at the very heart of Qatar’s effort to use scientific innovation to support research objectives outlined in Qatar National Vision 2030. 

QBRI’s interns will be selected based on their academic achievements and interest in research, and will be offered a unique opportunity to get involved in the institute’s research work transforming healthcare and combating Qatar’s health challenges. They will conduct hands-on laboratory research under the supervision of QBRI experts; directly contributing to research on cancer, diabetes and neurological disorders. A range of educational and professional development activities will also be built into interns’ schedules to enhance their training and enrich their experience. 

Lina Hassna, Program Manager for the QBRI summer internships, noted: “these internships provide talented students with the opportunity to experience biomedical research at QBRI, while learning more about the biomedical landscape in Qatar. They will have the opportunity to engage with leading experts through weekly seminars, workshops, and informal discussions on the latest advancements in the biomedical field, a truly enriching experience. We certainly hope that our interns will pursue careers in biomedical as well as health research, returning to work at HBKU or other institutions in Qatar once they complete their studies.”

At QCRI, which seeks to build innovation and technology capacity in Qatar by addressing large-scale computing challenges, interns will also be offered the opportunity to work with specialists on research and development projects in Arabic language technologies, data analytics, social computing, cyber security and distributed systems. A background in computer science is preferred, but is not a prerequisite to apply to the program.

Having started with only six students in 2012, the QCRI summer internship program is now in its fifth year, with interns in years past having gone on to co-author major research papers and win distinguished awards at the QF Annual Research Forum.  Dr. Eman Fituri, QCRI’s Director of Educational Initiatives, stated: “Our program offers a fantastic opportunity to gain experience working with top computing research scientists. Our interns will explore exciting areas of scientific research, and have hands-on research experience working on QCRI’s advanced projects.”

“We are proud of the innovation and initiative displayed by our previous interns and look forward to welcoming new students to our state-of-the-art institute this summer.”

At QEERI, interns taking part in the institute’s year-round internship program learn first-hand about the country’s energy and water security grand challenges, and have the opportunity to work on an array of projects, in accordance with their background and specific research interests. Each student gets matched with a research supervisor who helps them develop their individual internship plan.

“The world is grappling with the increasing need for energy while trying to balance the needs of the population and the environment”, commented Abeer Al-Dosari, QEERI Stakeholder Relations Manager. “These internships provide students with the opportunity to gain great insight on this fascinating industry, and the steps being taken to deal with these critical global issues, working directly with professionals in the field of energy and environmental sustainability” 

The internship programs at HBKU’s three research institutes continue to build talent for national development objectives, across their economic, environmental, human and social dimensions. Such opportunities to gain practical experience complement the theoretical instruction HBKU provides across disciplines, and speak to the University’s efforts in meeting local needs and global trends. 

Students interested in learning more about the HBKU summer research internships are invited to visit  http://www.qbri.org.qa/internship/srp,  http://www.qcri.com/join-us/intern-with-us/summer-internships, and email Abeer Al-Dosari for QEERI’s year-long internship program at: aaaldosari@hbku.edu.qa