RIYADH, 25 November — Two researchers from Dammam and Riyadh shared the Almarai Prize for Scientific Excellence worth SR100,000, while a group of researchers from the universities in the Eastern and Central provinces as well as a SABIC subsidiary from Jubail jointly won the Almarai Prize for innovative work in the field of engineering with a cumulative value of SR160,000.
Riyadh Governor Prince Salman distributed the prizes at a glittering ceremony held at the King Faisal Hall here last night. Dr. Saleh Al-Athel, president of King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology and chairman of the prize committee, and Prince Sultan ibn Muhammad ibn Saud Al-Kabir, chairman of the Almarai Company, were among those present.
In his speech Prince Salman commended the cooperation between the private and public sectors in promoting scientific research and hoped other organizations would follow suit.
The winners of the Almarai Prize for Distinguished Scientific Research in the Agricultural Field were Mohamed Abu Al-Zain from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at King Faisal University (Dammam) and Dr. Ahmed Sa’ad Al-Hazmi from the Faculty of Agriculture at King Saud University, Riyadh.
The Almarai Prize for Innovative Work in Engineering went to Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabea, Musa’ad Al-Qarni and Mahmood Al-Daib of Saudi Petrochemical Co. (SADAF), a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC).
Other joint recipients of the prize were: Dr. Ata Mohammed Hassan, chief researcher, Mohammed Al-Soufi, Abu Taher Jamaluddin, Mohammed Al-Amoudi, Mohammed Takat, Ghulam Mustafa and Mohammed Hamidullah from the Research Center of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC).
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Al-Athel said the Almarai Prize, being awarded for the first time, reflects close cooperation between the public and private sectors in promoting scientific research. He also paid tributes to the government for its constant support and encouragement to scientific endeavors in the Kingdom.
Dr. Al-Athel said the prize drew a good response from the scientific community, since a large number of nominations were received from different parts of the Kingdom. He hoped that other companies would emulate the example of Almarai in instituting prizes for scientific research.
Almarai Chairman Prince Sultan said one of the major objectives of the prize was to stimulate scientific research geared to development. "There is no dearth of scientific talent in the Kingdom. We hope that the prize will encourage those with a good track record of scientific achievements to compete for the prize."
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rasheed, vice president of KACST and secretary-general of the selection committee, said there were two categories of prizes intended to promote national development. He said a total of 50 nominations were received, of whom 14 were short-listed and sent to an international panel of 92 judges.
Almarai is one of the Kingdom’s biggest dairies. With its headquarters in Riyadh, the company commenced operations in 1976.
