An-Najah National University has announced the winners of the 2014 An-Najah Research Awards in the Humanities and Natural Sciences.

The An-Najah Research Award for Natural Sciences went to: Professor Abdulsalam Hamdan Makhlouf (Central Metallurgical Research Institute, Egypt), and his colleagues Dr. Fares Al-Faysal and Dr. Zuheir Maatouq Asaad Jasim (Center of Research Excellence in Corrosion, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia), for their research entitled: Deposition, Characterization, and Electrochemical Properties of Sicilia-Phosphate Composite Coatings Formed Over A6092/ SIC/ 17.5p Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite.

In addition, Prof. Ahmad Mahmoud Abdulhadi Al-Atawneh, Department of Arabic, Hebron University, won for the award for the Humanities with his research entitled: The Discourse of War in the Middle East: Analysis of Media Reporting.

Dr. Hikmat Hilal, Dean of Scientific Research, highlighted that more than 10 research works in Natural Sciences and 28 research works in the fields of the Humanities, from Palestine and different Arab regions, competed, all demonstrating a remarkable quality and originality.

Dr. Hilal went on to say that the awards aim to encourage Arab academics to develop scientific research, including knowledge transfer and technological advancement. He stated that this happens through producing modern and distinguished research works that can be applied in Palestinian institutions, in particular, and the Arab world more generally.

The awards are competitive and the winning researchers are valued for their efforts and contributions in providing scientific or technical expertise within the framework of a recognized publication.

A qualified committee selects the winning names on the basis of transparent scientific criteria, which looks at quality, originality, influence and modernity. The awards were first started in 2006 and have continued ever since, despite the circumstances and suffering of Palestine and higher education.

Professor Maher Natsheh, Acting President of An-Najah, congratulated the winners. He highlighted that An-Najah National University is keen to consolidate a culture of quality and quantity. The awards have become an annual tradition to commend and praise distinctive scientific achievements. Prof. Natsheh encouraged Palestinian and Arab researchers to continue applying and competing for the awards in the various fields of scientific research.

Notes:

-       Dr. Makhlouf, A. & Dr. Jasim, Z., Deposition, Characterization, and Electrochemical Properties of Sicilia-Phosphate Composite Coatings Formed Over A6092/ SIC/ 17.5p Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite, Electrochimica Acta, 2013, Vol. 109, 168-172, IF= 3.8, Elsevier.

-       Prof. Al-Atawneh, A., The Discourse of War in the Middle East: Analysis of Media Reporting, Journal of Pragmatics, 2009, Vol. 41, 263-278, IF= 0.944, Elsevier.