Panel to review entries for 2017 Oxy Oman Student Awards

A Selection Committee comprised of novel thinkers and applied researchers — two cornerstones of innovation — will identify the next generation of pioneers to lead Oman’s energy industry as they select the winners of the Occidental Oman Student Awards 2017 for the Advancement of PostGraduate Education.

The Selection Committee will vote on the top post-graduate students who will guide and spur Oman’s growth as the Sultanate – and world – embrace the 4th Industrial Revolution. The five-member Selection Committee, comprised of representatives from Occidental of Oman, Inc. (Oxy Oman), Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), GuTech, Muscat University and Imperial College London, will appraise the validity and applicability of nominees’ solutions to Oman’s national challenges. This will include energy security, water security and environmental sustainability. Extra weight will be given to candidates who intend to continue working in Oman, thus adding In-Country Value.

“As we face unprecedented change, how are Oman’s brightest minds harnessing the latest digital innovations to cut costs, bolster efficiency and preserve the environment while sharpening the competitive edge of Oman’s energy sector? This is a big question that the Selection Committee will keep at the forefront of their assessments of nominees’ submissions. It is a tall order,” said Mohammed al Asimi, Subsurface Development Manager, Oxy Oman and a member of the 2017 Selection Committee.

The increasingly frequent launch of digital ideas and innovations in the last five years is propelling a global transformation unlike any other experienced by mankind. Mobile supercomputing, advanced robotics, automation, data harvesting, data mining, self-driving cars and many more cutting-edge ideas are reshaping how we produce, consume and preserve energy markets.

“Oman has the potential to become a regional hub of innovation and can flourish as a knowledge-based economy. As the global competition in the energy and digital market intensifies, Oman has been regularly sharing new ideas, products and services that are of importance both at home and worldwide,” said Stephen A Kelly, President and General Manager, Oxy Oman.