Welcome to the 14th International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry Conference on Polymers and Organic Chemistry (POC 2012). Qatar will be the first Arab country to host this IUPAC meeting since its inception in 1982. We strongly believe that this conference will advance this country’s culture of research and development. Such progress will run parallel to the industrial, educational and economic development in Qatar.

Qatar is experiencing rapid growth, especially in higher education. In addition to the national university, Qatar University, Doha hosts branch campuses of several top universities, including Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University, Haute Etudes Commerciales (HEC), Northwestern University, Texas A&M University, University of Calgary, Virginia Commonwealth University and Weill Cornell Medical School.

Beyond the value of this conference to Qatar-based scholars, our meeting will be an opportunity to exchange ideas and for discussions with distinguished scientists coming from all over the world. I am delighted to announce that Prof. Robert H. Grubbs, Victor and Elizabeth Atkins Professor of Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology, and 2005 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, will be our keynote speaker. We will have an impressive lineup of more than 40 speakers coming from academia and industry in 14 different countries.

Our conference would not be possible without the generous patronage of our premier sponsor, Qatar Petrochemical Company Ltd. (QAPCO). QAPCO’s support of this meeting proves its commitment to enriching the culture of research and development in Qatar. I am also very grateful to our other sponsors: Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO), Qatar University, Qatar Foundation, Texas A&M University at Qatar, and Qatar Airways.

This no doubt will be an outstanding conference that will be a platform to discuss the latest research in the fields of polymers and organic chemistry, to promote the role of Qatar as a leading nation in the production of polymers, and to support one of the largest industry sectors in Qatar, the production of polyolefins.

We look forward to welcoming you in Doha in January 2012.

Sincerely,

Hassan S. Bazzi, Ph.D.
Chair, POC 2012
Hassan@POC2012.com