Conference leadership poses for a photo during the inauguration ceremony. From left to right: Daffer Alyami (Aramco), Organizing Committee Co-Chair; Abdulaziz Al Gahmdi (Aramco), Technical Committee Chair; Gina Gatto, on behalf of Darlene Schuster (AIChE), Advisory Committee Co-Chair; Wail A. Al Jaafari (Aramco), Advisory Committee Chair; Prof. Basim A. Abussaud (KFUPM), Youth Program Committee Chair; Walid Al Naeem (Aramco), Conference Chair; Evan Flach (AIChE), Organizing Committee Chair; Reem Al Ghanim (Aramco), Leadership Excellence for Women Awards and Symposium (LEWAS) Chair; Jaffer Al-Maskeen (Worley), Youth Program Committee Co-Chair.
This past May, more than 8,000 process engineering professionals and students convened for the 6th Middle East Process Engineering Conference & Exhibition (MEPEC). Held for the first time since 2019 and the first time ever in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this three-day conference offered an unparalleled learning and networking experience for engineers under the theme “Digitalizing Process Engineering for a Sustainable Future.”
More on the event
The event, which was organized by AIChE and supported by Saudi Aramco as the Exclusive Host Sponsor, featured an innovative technical program with more than 100 presentations, a full slate of executive keynotes and strategic panels, a special ChemME Youth Program, the AIChE Middle East Regional Chem-E-Car Competition®, and over 150 exhibiting companies showcasing the latest technologies.
Themes of sustainability
Themes of sustainability were present in each of the four topical pillars throughout the conference: Process Excellence, Decarbonization & Energy Transition, New Energies, and Digitalization. Based on these topical pillars, four dedicated tracks of technical sessions and three poster sessions provided attendees at all stages of their careers with the latest research in process engineering, with speakers representing companies and institutions from around the world.
On the main stage, industry leaders gathered as part of executive keynotes and strategic panels to tackle some of the biggest sustainability challenges facing the industry today and to highlight the immense opportunities for process and chemical engineers to lead the way toward a sustainable future. Key factors in the changing energy landscape, including the role of digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI), process excellence, and industry/academia partnerships were also explored.
Tim McMinn (VP Process Engineering & Products, EMTEC), a panelist on the “Role of Process Excellence in Driving Sustainability” strategic panel noted that “the exceptional level of investment activity in the region was obvious. It was impressive to see the dedication to sustainability.
“Leaving MEPEC 2024, there was absolutely no doubt the industry and the region are taking this societal and leadership challenge as an imperative,” he said.
The ChemME Youth Program
A standout feature of the MEPEC event was the ChemME Youth Program, sponsored by King Fahd Univ. of Petroleum and Mining (KFUPM). Tailored for students, young professionals, and emerging talents, this program provided a unique opportunity to connect with industry experts, gain valuable insights into the world of process engineering, and explore career prospects. Throughout the three days, Youth Program Chair Basim Abussaud (associate professor at KFUPM) guided attendees through a series of interactive workshops, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to cutting-edge technologies and innovations.
The Fourth AIChE Middle East Regional Chem-E-Car Competition
The return of the AIChE Chem-E-Car Competition to the region received enthusiastic support from participants and attendees alike. In total, six teams from universities across the region, located in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, participated. The competition challenged undergraduate students to develop and construct a car powered by a chemical or biochemical energy source that would safely run a specific given distance and stop. Teams were also judged on a technical poster that detailed their methodology for designing their car. The top performing teams are invited to attend and compete at the AIChE International Chem-E-Car Competition at the AIChE Annual Student Conference this fall in San Diego, CA.
The future of MEPEC
Following the overwhelming success of this year’s event, MEPEC will return to its normal biyearly cadence and is scheduled to take place again in 2026. Later this year, the December issue of CEP will build on the sustainability themes presented at MEPEC, and will feature a selection of important insights and articles on carbon footprint reduction.
This article originally appeared in the Institute News column in the July 2024 issue of CEP. Members have access online to complete issues, including a vast, searchable archive of back-issues found at www.aiche.org/cep.
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