Today's Edition
AL AIN (WAM)
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region, the Ministry of Education and the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) concluded the 8th edition of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Festival.
The Ministry honoured 27 winning projects in the Emirates Young Scientist Competition and Advanced Technology Pioneers Competition, alongside nine winning students in the Junior Innovators Challenge, with the closing ceremony marking the culmination of four days of research, experimentation and scientific dialogue at ADNEC Centre Al Ain.
This edition saw the participation of 615 students, who presented 158 research and applied projects, in an experience that ranged from discovery challenges for students in the early years of learning to the development of solutions addressing challenges set by national entities.
The programme was complemented by a scientific conference, hands-on workshops and interactive activities that gave students and their families the opportunity to learn about advanced technologies and explore their applications.
The closing ceremony was attended by Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of Education, Dr. Mohammed Al Khumairi, Chief Business Development Officer at ASPIRE and Acting Executive Director of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) and a number of Ministry officials, representatives of partner entities and members of the judging panels, as well as educational and supervisory staff and the families of participating students.
Sarah Al Amiri affirmed that preparing the next generation of scientists, researchers and innovators represents an investment in the future of national development, and that identifying and nurturing talent is a fundamental responsibility of the education system.
This strengthens its ability to equip the country with skilled professionals who can contribute to the development of vital sectors and reinforce its competitiveness.
She explained that the competitiveness of education is linked to its ability to develop students’ capabilities and provide pathways through which their interest in science can progress towards research proficiency and knowledge creation.
She noted that the Festival represents a national experience that brings together the efforts of educational and research institutions to broaden the pool of scientific excellence and provide more students with opportunities to engage in research experiences of increasing depth and quality.
She added that the achievements of the 8th edition cohort demonstrate what students can accomplish when given opportunities to test their ideas and discuss their findings against clear scientific standards.
She also noted that sustaining the Festival’s impact requires building on the outcomes of each edition to gain a clearer understanding of participants’ capabilities and needs and to further enhance the experience in future editions, ensuring that achievement serves as a motivation to continue striving for higher levels of excellence.
Her Excellency congratulated the winners and all participants, commending the contributions of schools, families and partners in delivering an experience that celebrates achievement and lays the foundations for its continued success.
Eng. Mohammed Al Qasim, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, affirmed that the Festival represented an educational milestone that supports the Ministry’s strategic direction to link educational outcomes with future skills. He explained that its educational value lies in enabling students to apply what they learn in the classroom through practical projects and challenges, bringing together knowledge acquired across different subjects to develop integrated solutions.
He noted that this approach enriches school-based learning and develops critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration skills, and emphasised the important role of schools and teachers in building on students’ participation experiences to strengthen their ability to learn independently and apply their knowledge in new situations.
He added that the Festival broadens students’ horizons by introducing them to scientific and technological developments and offering an appreciation of how these developments are shaping education and the workplace. It also gives them opportunities to engage with specialists and gain a better understanding of careers in science and engineering and the skills they require, helping them identify their interests and make more informed choices about their future specialisations.
He affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to national partnerships that provide students with access to specialised research and practical experience and bring them closer to the needs of different sectors, strengthening their readiness to adapt to the changes they will encounter in their professional lives. His Excellency also commended the efforts of teachers and supervisors in guiding participants and helping them make the most of these opportunities.
Dr. Mohamed Alkhemairi, Chief Business Development Officer at ASPIRE and Acting Executive Director of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), highlighted the Festival’s role in introducing students to advanced research and technology, while giving them opportunities to test their ideas against real-world challenges.
He noted that the partnership with the Ministry of Education strengthens the connection between education and the UAE’s research ecosystem, enabling students to take their first steps towards developing research and technical skills and exploring pathways that could lead them to contribute to future industries.
He added that achieving these objectives requires continuously developing the opportunities offered by the Festival and drawing on the outcomes of each edition to assess their alignment with national priorities and the UAE’s future vision. This would help refine the Festival experience and strengthen research and development in priority areas.
Dr. Alkhemairi emphasised that consistently aligning initiatives with the country’s long-term ambitions is essential to directing efforts towards greater and more sustainable impact.
He also expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Education, all partners, organisers, teams, experts and teachers who contributed to the Festival’s success, and all who helped provide students with the opportunity to showcase their projects and gain valuable hands-on experience.
The Emirates Young Scientist Competition honoured 24 winning projects across four scientific categories, with six projects awarded in each category. The awards were distributed equally between the intermediate level – for students in Grades 5 to 8 – and the advanced level, for students in Grades 9 to 12.
At the intermediate level, the project ‘Smart Dhad Oasis: A SmartApplication for Learning Arabic Letters’ from Al-Mataf Girls’ School – Cycle 2 took first place. ‘Hybrid Foam and Water Firefighting Tower’ from the Emirates Scientific Club came second, while ‘Bridge of Playing’ from Al Nokhba School secured third place.
At the advanced level, ‘Intelli Rover’ from the Emirates Scientific Club took first place, followed by ‘Guard Chain’ from Applied Technology Schools – Bani Yas Campus in second place. ‘Smart Hull: An Intelligent System for Monitoring Ship Structural Fatigue Using Fibre Optics and Artificial Intelligence’ from Applied Technology Schools – Abu Dhabi Boys Campus came third.
At the intermediate level, ‘Eco Bricks 2.0’ from Tahnoun bin Mohammed Educational Complex – Applied Technology Schools, Al Ain Campus took first place. ‘Smart Recycled Paper Planter’ from Rashid bin Humaid Cycle 2 Boys School came second, while ‘Nature-Inspired Desert Buildings: The Camel Nose Approach’ from Zayed Educational Complex – Al Qattara, Cycles 2 and 3 secured third place.
At the advanced level, ‘NutriTongue: The Smart Nutritional Tongue’ from Applied Technology Schools – Umm Al Quwain Campus took first place. ‘Living Root Shield’ from Al Masa Cycle 2 and 3 Girls School came second, followed by ‘Root Sensor’ from Al Shahama Girls School in third place.
At the intermediate level, ‘Low-Cost Digital Microscope’ from the Emirates Scientific Club took first place. ‘Combating the Urban Heat Island Effect’ from Dubai National School – Al Barsha came second, while ‘Water Runoff Protection System’ from Applied Technology Schools secured third place.
At the advanced level, ‘Nanofab’ from the Quarter Century Foundation for Science and Technology took first place. ‘Detecting Phosphate in Water Using Machine Learning to Improve Water Quality Assessment’ from Applied Technology Schools – Fujairah Campus came second, followed by ‘Three-Source Hybrid System for Sustainable Energy Generation’ from the Emirates Scientific Club in third place.
At the intermediate level, ‘The Impact of Screen Time and Sleep’ from Zayed Educational Complex – Al Qattara, Cycles 2 and 3 took first place. ‘A Touch of Calm’ from Dubai Schools Al Khawaneej came second, while ‘Bridging the Language Gap Between Generations’, also from Dubai Schools Al Khawaneej, secured third place.
At the advanced level, ‘Evaluating Information Before and After Revealing the Text’s Source: The Impact of Labelling Content as AI-Generated' from Mleih Girls School took first place. ‘Augmented Reality in Mathematical Engineering’ from Applied Technology Schools – Umm Al Quwain Campus came second, while 'Identifying Psychological Disorders Resulting from the Development of Eating Disorders Among School Students in the UAE’ from Al Mairid Cycle 2 and 3 Girls School secured third place.
In the Advanced Technology Pioneers Competition, three winning projects were recognised, with each securing first place in its respective challenge. ‘Rihlat’ won first place in the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi challenge, ‘Bridge – Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence’ secured first place in the EDGE Group challenge, while ‘Aegis-M’ took first place in the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation challenge.
The teams developed prototypes and simulations for solutions addressing challenges set by the three entities, giving participants the opportunity to work on real-world needs that required them to apply their knowledge in design and development and combine research and engineering skills to understand the requirements of each challenge and develop suitable solutions.
The competition provided university students and recent graduates with hands-on experience that connects their studies with the working environments of the relevant sectors, enabling them to explore the potential of their ideas and turn them into models that can be tested and refined.
The Junior Innovators Challenge honoured nine students, with three winners in each age category. In the Grades 3 and 4 category, Shamma Hazza Sultan Rashid Al Azeizi from Na’ama School took first place. Maitha Ahmed Mutawea Mohammed Al Khuzaymi from Zayed Educational Complex – Al Badia, Cycles 1 and 2, came second, while Saif Rashid Mohammed Al Shaer Al Ali from Dubai National Schools secured third place.
In the Grades 1 and 2 category, Yousef Saif Al Hammadi from Al Marfa School took first place. Ali Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed Al Matrooshi from Al Qariya Cycle 1 School came second, followed by Khalfan Fahad Khalfan Al Hassani from St. Mary’s Catholic High School – Fujairah, in third place.
In the Kindergarten 1 and 2 category, Shaikha Saeed Abdullah Al Falasi from Nad Al Hamar Kindergarten took first place. Shamma bint Sultan bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Jaberi from Al Shuhada 2 School – Kindergarten and Girls’ Cycles 1 and 2, came second, while Aisha Salem Mohammed Abdullah Al Suwaidi from the American School of Creative Science – Nad Al Sheba secured third place.
The 8th edition of the Festival, held from 10 to 13 November, brought together students from public and private schools and applied technology schools, as well as university students and recent graduates. The programme featured three competitions, a scientific conference comprising 14 sessions and a family festival featuring 64 workshop sessions.
