Dr. Mahmoud: is a Professor and Research Director of the Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology Program and lead investigator at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar. Dr, Mahmoud’s main research interests focus on environmental quality and nanobiotechnology including the development of renewable nanomaterials and analytical methods for membrane desalination, water treatment, emerging contaminantes, environmental monitoring and remediation, and nanocatalysis. His groups’s contribution to the One Health and Water-Based Epidemiology is recognized by leading the national Wastewater-based Pathogens Surveillance for Public Health Action in Qatar. He is leading cross-cutting research in the applications of 2D carbon nanomaterials and their composites including MXenes, graphenes, and other bactericidal agents for water treatment and environmental remediation applications. Dr. Mahmoud has over 25 years of industrial, academic, and R&D experience. He is a co-author of over 150 high-impact papers, book chapters, patents, and numerous presentations in the field. H-Index 51 and over 11,000 total citations. Dr. Mahmoud obtained his Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada in 2007. He is a recipient of several awards and has a strong collaboration with academic and industrial institutes in the region and worldwide. Dr. Mahmoud has co-organized multiple national and international conferences including the International Conference on Sustainable Energy-Water-Environment Nexus in Desert Climates (ICSEWEN’23) and the MXene symposium at MRS Fall 2023.

Dr. Mahmoud's research interests focus on multidisciplinary applications including sustainable water treatment, environmental monitoring, nanocatalysis, water-based epidemiology, energy storage materials, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications. Current research projects in my lab are focusing on: 

1. Environmental Monitoring and assessment;
2. Nanomaterials synthesis and optimization for environmental applications;
3. 2D metal carbides (MXenes) and graphene-based membranes and adsorbents for water purification;
4. Antimicrobial nanocomposites for seawater disinfection and antifouling coatings;
5. “Green” biocides for sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and anti-microbial influenced corrosion (MIC);
6. wastewater-based epidemiology for public health monitoring; 7. Nanocomposites for EOR and oil/water separation applications;
7. Electrochemical sensors for water pollutants.

Research Program Director (Founder), Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology Program (ECMP), Environment and Sustainability Center (ESC), Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Qatar Foundation - Doha, Qatar

• Lead the (ECMP) to receive IMS certifications (ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018) and ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation 
• Expanded the scope and capabilities of the program to cover most environmental monitoring matrixes in Qatar.
• Established a reference lab for monitoring SARS-COV-2 in the Wastewater system of Qatar.
• Founded and Established the Water Quality Program with new scope and vision aligned with QEERI/HBKU vision.
• Develop industrial partnerships and provide professional services to local stakeholders.
• Align ongoing services and research activities in the lab with the new WQ scope. Develop a business model for revenue generation by providing water characterization services to local stakeholders.
• Execute active service agreements and collaboration across QEERI/HBKU/QF and support Qatar Vision.
• Build the capacity of the ECMP through the recruitment of competent staff and offer them the opportunity to build and navigate their career paths.
• Facilitate technical and scientific training to promote staff knowledge and skills needed to meet business and research demands.

Adjunct Professor, Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University, Qatar                       2020 – Present

• Member of Master program of Materia science
• Mentoring PhD and Master students
• Advisory committee member  

Senior Scientist, Team lead, Materials Science & Engineering, Qatar Environment

and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Qatar Foundation - Doha, Qatar                             2012 –2019

Leading multidisciplinary research projects within QEERI national Water Security and Energy Security Grand challenge and externally funded collaborative projects with industries, national and international institutions. Major research projects include:

• Two-Dimensional Metal Carbides (MXenes) for Next Generation Desalination Treatment Membranes (Water Grand Challenge);
• Transparent and Conductive electrodes for photovoltaic cells;
• MXene/Metal Oxide composites as anode material for Na and Li-Ion batteries
• Green Antimicrobial Nanocomposites for Seawater Disinfection and antifouling coatings Founded the Materials and membranes lab at QEERI. Current group members are three postdocs, research associates, and master’s students.

Developed a strong collaborative network with industrial partners as Maersk Oil, Total, and ExxonMobil

Visiting Professor, Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications (ÉMT), INRS               2011 – 2012  (Institut national de la recherche scientifique)1650, Varennes, QC, Canada.

Taught colloidal chemistry graduate course; developed advanced nanomaterials for TNT pollution detection in water 

Research Officer, Nanobiotechnology Group, Biotechnology Research           2008 – 2012 Institute, National Research Council - Montréal, QC, Canada.

• Co-lead two projects within Canada’s National Bioproducts Program (NBP) ($5.2 M) for the conversion of renewable biomass to value-added chemicals and products;
• Established a novel one-step process for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from natural fibers (PCT/CA2010/000372). An industrial process was established and licensed to an industrial partner ($1M);
• Developed an efficient heterogeneous catalytic system for the dehydration of pentose sugars to furfural from biomass residues (PCT/CA2010/001817);
• Developed new CNC/magnetite/gold nanoparticle composites as efficient industrial nanocarriers for enzyme immobilization and separation. Up to 95% recovered activity of the immobilized enzyme was attained;
• Synthesized biocomposites based on CNCs and chitosan nanoparticles having no cytotoxic effects and demonstrated their properties for wound healing and antimicrobial activity;
• Co-supervised students and post doctoral fellows;

NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow, Biosensors and Nanobiotechnology, Biotechnology  2007 – 2008  Research Institute, National Research Council - Montréal, QC, Canada. 

• Detected HIV protease from real blood samples at the early infection stages by a novel electrochemical impedance assay;
• Developed novel nanobiosensors for the electrochemical detection of HIV-1 protease at sub-picomolar levels;
• Developed new methods for stabilizing gold nanoparticles using cyclodextrins and carbon nanotubes.