Sep 03, 2026

First AIChE Student Regional Conference in the Gulf

For the first time in the Gulf, KFUPM hosted the AIChE Student Regional Conference, bringing together students, academics, and industry professionals for three days of competitions, workshops, discussions, and knowledge exchange.

The student-organized conference, affiliated with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), took place from August 31 to September 2, 2026. With participants from three countries and more than 14 universities, the conference welcomed more than 1,200 attendees and featured over 25 activities throughout its three-day program.

The conference was designed to engage students at different stages of their educational journeys. Morning sessions were dedicated to high school students, introducing them to engineering and its possibilities through activities and experiences tailored to their level, while evening sessions were designed for undergraduate students, offering more advanced academic, professional, and industry-focused content.

Bringing Engineering to Life

The program combined academic learning with practical experiences through a diverse lineup of competitions, workshops, and panel discussions. Competitions included Chem-E-Car, ChemE Jeopardy, Student Poster Competition, Youth Poster Competition, and Student Technical Presentation Competition, giving participants opportunities to apply their knowledge, present their ideas, and challenge their engineering skills.

The conference also featured hands-on experiences such as 3D printing and career development workshops, alongside panel discussions addressing topics including Women in STEM, Engineering in Consultancy, and the transition from university to professional life.

The opening day welcomed prominent speakers and professionals, including Eng. Abdullah Al-Bader and Dr. Mohammed Bin Shams from Bahrain, providing participants with opportunities to learn from experiences beyond the classroom and engage with perspectives from academia and industry.

During the opening, Dr. Hassan Baageel, Acting Dean of the College of Chemicals and Materials at KFUPM, highlighted the potential of chemical engineering to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

“I believe chemical engineering has the tools to solve many of the major challenges facing our world today, from global warming to energy storage.”

His remarks reflected a central message of the conference: chemical engineering is not only an academic discipline but also a field with the potential to contribute practical solutions to complex global challenges.

Celebrating Competition Winners

The conference concluded with the recognition of outstanding participants and teams across five competitions, celebrating achievements in research, technical communication, problem-solving, and engineering innovation.

In the Youth Poster Competition, Yasmeen Aljishi from Alhussan International School won first place, followed by Hamad Alzahed from Alrowad Secondary School in second place and Basel Alghmadi from Alrowad Secondary School in third.

In the Student Poster Competition, KFUPM students secured all three positions, with Mesk Almutairi taking first place, Hanin Alhassan second, and Zainab Almutawa third.

The Student Technical Presentation Competition saw Lamia AlQahtani from Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU) take first place, followed by Hanin Alhassan from KFUPM in second and Mesk Almutairi from KFUPM in third.

In ChemE Jeopardy, King Abdulaziz University secured first place, KFUPM finished second, and the University of Bahrain took third place.

Finally, in the Chem-E-Car Competition, KFUPM claimed first place, while Nazarbayev University finished second.

Organized by KFUPM students, the conference provided a regional platform for aspiring engineers to exchange knowledge, compete, collaborate, and build connections with peers, academics, and industry professionals.