Qatar science contest to tap into students' potential

More than 400 participants from 67 secondary independent and international schools across the country will take part in the Qatar Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths Fair (Qatar STEAM) set to begin on March 8 at Qatar National Convention Centre.
Organised by Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D), the three-day science competition aims to encourage students to pursue science and research-based careers.
Students from grades 9 to 12 students will compete in eight categories that include computing, biomedicine, mathematics and physics, basic sciences, engineering, chemistry, energy, and behavioural and social sciences.
Speaking to journalists at a roundtable discussion on Monday, QF R&D’s research training and outreach manager Dr Ayman Bassil said they received an overwhelming response this year compared with the first edition.
“Last year, there were around 200 participants from more than 40 schools and around 85 projects were submitted. This year we received more than 200 projects,” he noted.
According to Dr Bassil, the Qatar STEAM organising committee also added new features in this year’s competition aimed at supporting the participants to achieve their objectives and goals, as well as further enhance the overall programme and activities at the event.
The committee organised a two-hour workshop for the participants last week and added a bank of mentors (under the mentor programme) who will guide the students in their projects.
“We will be assigning some researchers with experience to students, if they need any lab, any material, any access, or any discussion of their results. This option is available now which was not available last year,” Dr Bassil said.
Qatar STEAM was also given an extra seat in the international level, making the number of representatives to the renowned Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) from five to six.
The committee also organised a couple of workshops for supervisors and teachers since they are not allowed in the room during the judging session.
Dr Aisha al-Obaidly, deputy executive director, QF R&D’s Education, Training and Development, said the competition instils in students the importance of teamwork, innovation and creativity in achieving their goals.
The grand winners will take part in various international competitions, particularly the Intel ISEF in Phoenix, Arizona in the US from May 8 to 13.
The winners will also take part in the seventh edition of the Intel Science Arab competition this year.
Dr al-Obaidly said the two competitions give winners “a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase their scientific research on a world-renowned platform.”