The State of Qatar is a peninsula surrounded by the Arabian Gulf with a 359-mile coastline and a total area of 4,500 square miles. One of Qatar’s strategic goals as stated in the Qatar National Vision 2030 is to transform the country into a knowledge-based society and diversify its economy by heavily investing in education and research. Since its inception in 2003, Education City —with its-world renowned branch campuses, such as Texas A&M University at Qatar, and its various research funding agencies —has transformed the education system and research culture in the country noticeably. Texas A&M commands an international reputation as one of the world’s premier engineering programs, and Texas A&M University at Qatar builds on that esteem. During the past 13 years, the research program at Texas A&M University at Qatar has grown to a cumulative funding level of $224 million to solve critical engineering problems to help achieve the vision of the State of Qatar. Much of our research addresses contemporary challenges, especially those faced by Qatar and the region, but we also pursue fundamental knowledge that forms the basis of the countless academic disciplines.
The oil and gas (O&G) industry in Qatar represents the vital source of income to the country, with most of its infrastructure being offshore. In the Smart System Laboratory (SSL) at Texas A&M University in Qatar, we have been developing solutions for the O&G industry in the area of autonomous systems and asset integrity for the past Six years. Spearheaded by the SSL, this workshop is an opportunity to share the latest research discoveries and expertise in the area of AUVs and their applications in O&G asset integrity, as well as environment monitoring and protection. This workshop will lay down the foundation of the first consortium for advancing AUV research for the purpose of offshore infrastructure sustainability in Qatar and in the region.
We value your expert opinion, knowledge, and experience; we look forward to your fruitful contributions; and we hope you will enjoy the workshop.
