163 UAE students bag awards for 'thinking science'

A total of 163 young, aspiring UAE scientists were recognised for their creativity, resourcefulness and innovation at the awarding ceremony for the seventh edition of the pan-UAE Think Science competition, held in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. Winning student projects included drones that serve as first respondents to fire incidents; a smart truck that can help mitigate road accidents on narrow lanes; a drone and robot that can detect land mines; an air pollution detector/filter that can be used on any road; and a portable air filter. Over 4,000 applicants with 2,040 projects from schools and universities across the UAE applied in the annual competition. The winners were selected from the shortlisted 1,850 contestants and 700 projects from across the emirates. Overall, according to the organisers, a record 28,000 students visited the Think Science Fairs held in all seven emirates between February and March 2019 under the theme 'Seven Fairs for Seven Emirates". Maytha Al Habsi, CEO of the Emirates Foundation, told Khaleej Times that they have seen an increase of around 10,000 students and participants by bringing Think Science fairs to all the emirates this year. She said the fair aims to provide the youth with a platform to connect them with mentors and expose them to different activities in science. "The awarding was just the beginning - to recognise the brilliant minds. Those who would like to continue with the journey will be given full support as we have an incubation programme to bring their projects to the next level," Al Habsi noted. Dr Mohamed Al Hemairy, head of technology transfer office and chair of the research outreach department at the University of Sharjah - who also served as one of the judges at the competition - added that it was important for the students to apply for patents for their projects. "In this regard, we are here to help them," he added. The competition this year included 66 awards given to students who competed across 11 science categories. A winner from each emirate was also chosen for the Think Science People's Choice Award, while the recipient of the 'National Geographic Kids Abu Dhabi Special Award' won a trip to the Kennedy Space Centre in the US. There was also a special award for schools and universities with the highest number of participating projects. Think Science was launched in September 2012, designed for the UAE's youth between the ages of 15 and 35 years to develop their knowledge in the field of science, technology and innovation. Source: Khaleej Times