Brightest Emirati pupils compete to become first Young Scientist of the Year

The country’s top student thinkers will display their projects this week as they compete for the first UAE Young Scientist of the Year award.

The national competition is being held as part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Festival that starts today and continues until Monday at Festival Arena in Dubai.

Emirati students from kindergarten to Grade 12 were invited to submit proposals for entry in one of four main categories: technology; social and behavioural sciences; biological and ecological sciences; and chemical, physical and mathematical sciences.

The Ministry of Education received more than 937 submissions and selected 177 projects to be presented by more than 300 pupils in grades six to 12.

The winner of each of the four categories will take home Dh4,000.

Prizes of Dh2,000 will be awarded for winners of 24 sub-categories.

A grand prize of Dh25,000 will be given to the country’s top young scientist.

“It’s like the ultimate award of the science fair and the festival,” said Dr Amna Al Shamsi, the ministry’s assistant undersecretary of the activities sector and director of innovation and entrepreneurship department.

“The vision for this award is to be the most prestigious award at UAE level for students … in science, technology and innovation. It will drive the students to always strive to be that young scientist.”

The award is modelled on Ireland’s successful BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, an annual student science fair and competition that has been running since 1965.

The exhibition’s co-founder, Dr Tony Scott, will attend the awards ceremony on Monday.

Dr Al Shamsi said she hoped the Dubai event would grow to become as prestigious and successful as the one in Ireland.

“We always look at best practices to bring to our education system,” Dr Al Shamsi said.

“They have a big list of BT alumni who have won that award and have really contributed to the economy of Ireland and also became entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.”

In addition to hosting the science fair, there will be an outdoor family festival with free workshops, live performances and a “start-up market”, with food and beverage sellers.

The festival will centre around themes that change by the day.

Friday will be Ukulele Day in which 300 visitors will be taught to play the ukulele by British musician Jake Rodrigues.

Saturday is “wear your future day”, when students are encouraged to dress according to the professional they wish to do. And, Sunday is 3D printing day.

The UAE Minister of Education, Hussain Al Hammadi, is expected to deliver the opening address at 11am today.

The vision for this award is to be the most prestigious award at UAE level for students in science, technology and innovation DR AMNA AL SHAMSI Ministry of Education