Center of Excellence for Sustainability and Food Security

CoE

About Us

The Center of Excellence for Sustainability and Food Security at the University of Doha for Science and Technology is dedicated to addressing two of the most pressing global and national challenges: environmental sustainability and food resilience.

The Center serves as a multidisciplinary platform that advances research, innovation, training, and community engagement in areas critical to sustainable development. Its work focuses on developing practical and science-driven solutions that strengthen Qatar’s capacity to achieve long-term environmental sustainability while ensuring a stable and resilient food system.

Key areas of focus include sustainable agriculture, water conservation, renewable energy integration, climate-smart practices, and resource-efficient technologies. Through these initiatives, the Center supports national efforts to enhance self-reliance, environmental stewardship, and sustainable economic development.

By bringing together researchers, industry partners, and international collaborators, the Center aims to contribute meaningful solutions that support both national priorities and global sustainability goals, particularly those aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to food security, climate action, and responsible resource management.

Research Focus

The Center of Excellence for Sustainability and Food Security focuses on advancing research and innovation in areas that directly support environmental sustainability and resilient food systems. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, the Center develops solutions that address emerging challenges in water resources, agricultural productivity, waste management, and climate adaptation. 

Key research areas include:

Crop Protection, Precision Agriculture and Plant Health

By integrating advanced data analytics, intelligent monitoring systems, and environmentally responsible practices, the Center supports farmers in optimizing crop management, enhancing resilience to biotic stress, and minimizing environmental impact through pathogen surveillance and sustainable crop protection strategies across Greenhouse and open-field systems.

Sustainable Ecosystems, Environmental Resilience, and Climate Action

Research in this area addresses key challenges across environmental sustainability, climate change, Green Education and biogenetic diversity. The Center develops innovative approaches to promote circular resource management, protect biodiversity, enhance climate resilience, and strengthen environmental health and ecological balance.

Smart Livestock Monitoring and Precision Animal Welfare

This focus area promotes the use of smart technologies and data-driven systems to monitor livestock health, productivity, and welfare. Through the integration of digital monitoring tools and advanced analytics, the Center aims to improve animal health management, enhance farm efficiency, and promote sustainable livestock practices.

Food Security and Water Resources Management

Ensuring long-term food security requires sustainable management of water resources. Research in this area explores innovative solutions for water conservation, desalination technologies, groundwater protection, and efficient irrigation systems. These initiatives aim to strengthen resilience against water scarcity while supporting sustainable agricultural production.

Funded Projects

Project No.

Project Title

LPI Name

CCEC01-1108-230167Real-time AI-driven Groundwater Resilience Dashboard: A Tailored Climate Change Adaptative Solution for Qatar and beyondProf. Rachid Benlamri
CCEC02-0126-250018Developing Early Warning Systems and Environmental Rehabilitation Strategies to Enhance Qatar’s Climate Resilience and Air QualityDr. Vajiheh Akbarzadeh
CCEC02-0220-250084Valorising Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) into Sustainable Materials for CO2 Sequestration and Low Carbon Building Materials: A Proposal for Qatar's Circular Economy DevelopmentDr. Amin Esmaeili
CCEC02-0303-250133Transforming Waste Gases into High-Value Olefins: Advancing 3D-Printed Catalysts for CO2 HydrogenationDr. Mohannad Aljarrah
FSC05-0403-240021Save the Soil and Protect Date Farms in Qatar Using a Novel Multifunctional HydrogelDr. Vajiheh Akbarzadeh
FSC05-0406-240026Q-Cattle, an integrated AI and IoT framework for sustainable livestock management to increase the efficiency of milk and meat production in Qatari MarketDr. Wesam Rohouma
MME03-1121-210025Development of Smart Agricultural Technologies to Optimize Resource Allocation to Ensure Food Security – A Pathway Towards Sustainable Vegetables and Date Palm Production in QatarProf. Rachid Benlamri
MME04-0607-230064Capturing Extra Humidity in Greenhouses and Subsequent Water Generation by Using Flexible Structures containing Metal Organic Frameworks (MOF)Dr. Amin Esmaeili
UREP 32-0216-250109Optimization of a climate-resilient agricultural greenhouse in Qatar, using CFD modellingDr. Mansour Al Qubeissi
UREP31-202-3-058Radiation safety knowledge and awareness of Healthcare workers in Qatar: A cross sectional study targeting safety literacyDr. Ravi Rangarajan
UREP 32-0216-250114Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) Synthesis from Biochar Derived from Food Waste: A Continuous Path to Sustainability from Waste to WealthDr. Bahman Boostani
UREP 32-0213-250100Biocarbon-Driven Dye Remediation: Transforming Biomass Waste into Water PurificationDr. Raj Dahal

 

Applied Research Highlights & Success Stories

AgriteQ

UDST highlights Sustainability and Agricultural Innovation at 13th AgriteQ Exhibition | 2026

The University of Doha for Science and Technology actively participated in AgriteQ 2026 from 12–16 February 2026, where its booth attracted strong engagement, showcased research, student initiatives, and sustainability-focused innovations, and featured UDST researchers delivering oral presentations at the First Arab Forum on Agricultural Statistics and the Agriculture and Food Security Research Forum.

WFCC 2025

International Conference on Water and Food Security in the Face of Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities for Resilience | 2025

The Center of Excellence in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC), the Ministry of Municipality (MoM), and a number of local and international partners, hosted an ‘International Conference on Water and Food Security in the Face of Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities for Resilience’ (WFCC 2025).

International Conference on Innovation and Technological Advances for Sustainable Development | 2023

Under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, the University of Doha for Science and Technology organized the first International Conference of its kind in the State of Qatar on “Innovation and Technological Advances for Sustainability.

Research Recognitions

UREP
Undergraduate Research Award

The third-place prize was awarded to a team from the University of Doha for Science and Technology for their project on the Hybrid Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of the Blue Ammonia Supply Chain. The Research Centre supports this achievement by contributing through curriculum development, teaching, and supervision to both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

BRIO Image
BRIO Award
Imperfect Nanofibers: Future of Atmospheric Water
Dr. Bahman Boostani | LPI: Dr. Amin Esmaeili

Researchers from the University of Doha for Science and Technology received the institution’s first-ever BRIO Award for a Food Security Project at the 17th Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) Competition organized by the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council. This achievement highlights the university’s growing contribution to research and innovation in food security.

Youth Initiative

WFF-FAO
World Food Forum – FAO National Youth Chapter

The WFF Qatar Youth Chapter, the first in the region is a milestone in youth led sustainability efforts, established in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO). It engages young leaders, farmers, researchers, and entrepreneurs to drive agrifood innovation and sustainability, providing a platform to develop solutions that transform agrifood systems nationally and globally, aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030, the Qatar National Food Security Strategy 2030, and FAO strategic goals.

Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Kuwari
Youth Chair, National Youth Chapter Board
University of Doha for Science and Technology

Researchers Profile

Meet the researchers at UDST who are leading funded projects and driving impactful innovation.
Dr. Rachid Benlamri

Prof. Rachid Benlamri

Vice President, Academics

Dr. Wesam

Dr. Wesam Rohouma

Department Head, Electrical Engineering Department

Dr. Mansour

Dr. Mansour Al Qubeissi

Department Head, Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Mohannad

Dr. Mohannad Aljarrah

Department Head, Chemical Engineering Technology

Dr. Amin

Dr. Amin Esmaeili

Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering Department

Dr. Farhat

Dr. Farhat Abbas

Senior Researcher, College of Engineering & Technology

Dr. Hassan Ali

Dr. Hassan Ali

Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering Department

Dr. Vajiheh

Dr. Vajiheh Akbarzadeh

Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering Department

Dr. Hassan Hijazi

Dr. Hassan Hijazi

Assistant Professor, Department of Science

Dr. Ravi

Dr. Ravi Rangarajan

Assistant Professor, Environmental Health and Safety Department

Dr. Bahman

Dr. Bahman Boostani

Postdoctoral Researcher, Center of Excellence for Sustainability and Food Security

Dr. Raj

Dr. Raj Kumar Dahal

Postdoctoral Researcher, Center of Excellence for Sustainability and Food Security

Collaborations and Stakeholders

The Center actively collaborates with leading universities, research institutions, and industry partners across the globe to advance research and innovation in sustainability and food security.

Our collaborators include:

  • Ministry of Municipality
  • Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
  • National Institute of Scientific Research (INRS) – Canada
  • University of British Columbia – Canada
  • International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis – Austria
  • Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Hydraulique – Algeria
  • Qatar University – Qatar
  • Arizona State University – United States
  • Teesside University – United Kingdom
  • Firat University – Türkiye
  • Qatar Shell Research & Technology Center QSTP LLC – Qatar
  • University of Hertfordshire – United Kingdom
  • Independent University, Bangladesh – Bangladesh
  • Adorsho praniSheba Ltd – Bangladesh
  • Istanbul Technical University – Türkiye
  • Akdeniz University – Türkiye
  • University of Saskatchewan – Canada
  • Sultan Qaboos University – Oman

These collaborations strengthen the Center’s ability to conduct high-impact research, share knowledge, and develop innovative solutions to sustainability and food security challenges at both regional and global levels.