Carnegie Mellon Qatar Showcases 65 Innovative Research Projects at Meeting of the Minds 2026
DOHA, QATAR – Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), a partner institution of the Qatar Foundation, recently held its flagship undergraduate research symposium, Meeting of the Minds 2026. This year’s event featured 65 research projects presented in both in-person and online formats, highlighting the academic resilience of students during a particularly challenging semester. The online component was specifically designed for students who had to complete their final weeks remotely due to regional conflicts.
Highlights from the In-Person Presentations
In the in-person segment, Khalid Al-Abdulla, a Biological Sciences graduate from the Class of 2026, secured first place in the Extensive Research category for his honors thesis titled, “Two isoforms, two functions? Investigating hnRNPA2B1 roles in triple-negative breast cancer.” Under the mentorship of Professor Ihab Younis and Mariam Elesnawi, Al-Abdulla’s research focused on the overexpression of biological mechanisms aimed at reducing aggressive tumor cell progression.
Online Stream Achievements
In the online presentation stream, the top award in the Extensive Research category was awarded to Information Systems sophomores Iroda Ibrohimova and Madina Mirzatayeva. Mentored by Professor Gianni Di Caro, their project, “Generating synthetic datasets to train deep models for counting in large-scale animal groups,” showcased innovative computational techniques.
Support from Al Rayyan Bank
The prizes for Meeting of the Minds 2026 were generously provided by Al Rayyan Bank, a long-time supporter of undergraduate research at CMU-Q. The bank’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation in the region plays a crucial role in recognizing and rewarding the hard work and creativity of the university’s top undergraduate researchers.
Commendations from University Leadership
Michael Trick, dean of CMU-Q, praised the remarkable resilience and focus exhibited by the student researchers during his address. He emphasized the university’s mission to create a transformative impact on society through learning and inquiry. Trick expressed pride in the students’ dedication to knowledge amidst uncertainty, noting the importance of their clear-eyed focus during challenging times.
Judging and Recognition of Early Research
The award-winning projects were evaluated by a diverse panel of judges from academia, healthcare, and industry within Qatar. The symposium also acknowledged foundational work in the early stages of research. In the in-person stream, the top Early Research award was given to Mohamed Waiel Shikfa for his project, “Magnobots: Scalable 3,” mentored by Professor Ryan Riley. In the online stream, Ragad Sadaqa received recognition for her biomedical study, “Effects of ECM proteins on PSMB8 expression in metastatic breast cancer,” under the guidance of Professors Mohamed Bouaouina and Humera Inayat.
Specialty Awards and Poster Design Recognition
Two specialty awards were presented during the event. Julia Nicole Castillo won the Social and Environmental Impact Award in the in-person stream for her project, “Building a sustainable foundation: Replicating sustainability research in marketing,” mentored by Professor Varun Sharma. In the online stream, Jawaher Alsayed was recognized for her project, “Investigating the solubility of flavonoids in proline and glycerol deep eutectic solvents for antibacterial therapy,” mentored by Professor Simon Faulkner.
The Best Poster Design Award was awarded to Ghani Raissov in the in-person stream for his project on “EMG-based motor intent decoding for assistive robotic hand control,” mentored by Professor Jennifer Bruder. In the online stream, Peidi Dong won for his inquiry into artificial intelligence, “TartanMaroon: When is multi-agent AI actually worth it?” mentored by Professors Houda Bouamor, Yunze Xiao, and Devi Kurup.
Historical Context of the Symposium
The Meeting of the Minds symposium originated at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in 1995, aimed at opening up the world of research to the community. CMU-Q has continued this tradition, allowing students to present their work to faculty, peers, family, and community members, alongside a panel of industry experts and faculty judges.
About Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
For 125 years, Carnegie Mellon University has been a leader in innovation and collaboration. As a private, top-ranked institution, CMU extends its impact beyond traditional campus borders to effect global change. In 2004, CMU partnered with the Qatar Foundation to bring this unique educational experience to the Middle East. Currently, over 450 students are pursuing undergraduate degrees in fields such as artificial intelligence, biological sciences, business administration, computer science, and information systems.
As the CMU-Q alumni network expands, so does the influence of its graduates, who are making significant contributions as researchers, creators, entrepreneurs, analysts, and educators, all striving to improve the world around them.
Source: www.zawya.com
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Published on 2026-06-07 15:46:00 • By the Editorial Desk
