DOHA: A team of students from Lebanon were announced the winners of Fifth Intel Science Competition Arab World 2014 following a three-day event.
The second place went to a medical project from Saudi Arabia and the third prize was given to a project by Tunisian students.
Intel Corporation (Ltd), the Research and Development Division of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF R&D), and the Supreme Education Council (SEC) organised the competition for students in grades nine to 12.
More than 100 students from nine countries in the Middle East and North Africa took part in six scientific categories, held in Qatar for the first time.
Following presentations and interviews in front of international judges at Qatar National Convention Centre, the results were announced at the closing ceremony. The Grand Award for the best overall project went to students from Lebanon for their ‘Autocool’ project, a solar-powered cooler to maintain a car’s interior temperature at an acceptable condition when parked in sunlight.
The Saudi project on CYP2C19 polymorphisms in the Saudi population proposed a clinical response to Clopidogrel, an oral, thienopyridine-class antiplatelet agent used to inhibit blood clots in coronary artery disease. The project by Tunisian students uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to develop an operating system for head-mounted displays.
The winners said: “We would like to thank all parties involved in organising the competition, and Qatar for welcoming us and hosting the event. We are honoured and proud to win the Grand Award we consider a landmark achievement in our early scientific careers.”
Dr Ayman Bassil, Head, Research Training, QF R&D, said: “Students demonstrated outstanding knowledge and application in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects. Competing against some of the best students in the region and taking their projects to an international stage, participants can be proud of their achievements.” The Peninsula
