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Dr. Hanadi G. Al Thani recently became a multi-Education Excellence Award winner, receiving her second honor at the 2023 edition of the Awards for her work as a PhD student in Sustainable Environment at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Science and Engineering (CSE). She garnered her first award for research conducted as part of CSE’s Master’s in Sustainable Environment. With HBKU having positively impacted the trajectory of her professional development, she reflects on her achievement and what it means to be an HBKU alumna.
How did you feel about winning your second Education Excellence Award?
The Education Excellence Award honors distinguished citizens of the State of Qatar who have demonstrated ingenuity in various fields. This initiative aims to spread a culture of creativity and excellence throughout Qatari society, encourage students to strive for academic prowess, and link individual and institutional efforts in order to improve the overall output of Qatar’s education system and to surpass international standards.
I am very proud of winning the award for the second time and continuing to excel in my career. Receiving the highest academic award in the country and the honor of meeting His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, whose generous patronage of the ceremony brought great prestige to the Education Excellence Awards, induces a deep sense of pride and the motivation to keep following the path of excellence and creativity. Also, this is a great responsibility upon us to always provide the best for our community. I am also proud of my achievement as this award was highly competitive and only goes to one PhD holder/applicant from the scientific field annually.
Could you please explain the PhD research behind your second Education Excellence Award?
My research was about investigating the source and impact of air pollution in an urban context leading to developing and implementing applicable mitigation policies in Qatar. I focus on traffic emissions in terms of actual and projected values in order to propose mitigation strategies to abate pollution.
Which HBKU faculty supported your research? How important were they in helping you realize your work?
On this occasion, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to my supervisor on the MSc and PhD programs, Dr. Rima Isaifan, for all her dedication, support, and guidance in leading such unique research in Qatar and the wider region. I would like to express my gratitude as well to my co-supervisor, Prof. Muammer Koc, whose guidance academically and scientifically has enriched my experience and knowledge. I am also incredibly appreciative to Prof. Mounir Hamdi for his leadership of CSE, an institution I am proud to have been a part of.
Why did you choose to pursue both your Master’s and PhD at HBKU’s College of Science and Engineering?
HBKU develops world-class, integrated academic programs, and national research capabilities that drive collaboration with the world's best institutions, cultivating leaders for the future, propelling Qatar's knowledge-based economy, and shaping novel solutions for a global impact. This has been consistently the case since I first joined the university in 2016 as a Master’s student.
How has your experience at HBKU benefitted you professionally? Has it also had an impact on your personal development?
My experience has been enriched with knowledge as well as gaining several soft skills such as communication and presentation capabilities. I have also benefited from reaching out to a global community of researchers and academics through my participation as a speaker, presenter, and session chair in several national and international conferences.
HBKU recently hosted its first Alumni Reunion how significant was this event for you?
This event marked a valuable opportunity for us to meet with our peers and discuss the latest research and updates from our respective fields. It also gave us the chance to propose collaborations in our fields of interest.
In your opinion, what does it mean to be an HBKU alumna? What does it represent?
Being an HBKU alumna reflects dedication, hard work, and an invaluable impact on the people around you. It also reflects on a close-knit community where the student-supervisor relationship is based on respect and always aims to provide support toward generating the best outcomes to create a knowledge-based community in Qatar.
Have you engaged with the HBKU alumni network since your graduation? How would you like to see the university’s alumni engage with each other in future?
Yes, as I am receiving emails that keep me in touch with the latest happenings within the HBKU community. I believe that it remains vital that we continue to share experiences, recent research, or other initiatives that our alumni are involved in, particularly in key areas that may face shortages of local or resident experts in our fields. I regularly stay in contact with several graduates whom I met through my journey, and I would like to see a stronger connection in the future through social media and other virtual and physical events that bring our community together.