International competitions play an important role in the education of highly talented school and college students opening new possibilities to extend their knowledge in sciences. The science competitions give the challenging opportunity to the young scientists to get some feedback of the work with which they are just trying to deal, and to measure their strength in an international field. Perhaps most of the participating students will later become students at various universities and will be researchers reporting at scientific conferences, this first appearance may be a decisive factor in their future scientific career.
The grand winners of the Intel National Science Olympiad 2009, held early this year in Islamabad, represented Pakistan in this years Intel ISEF; individual finalist Malik Usama from Pak Turk International School and College, Khairpur with his project “Waste Water sewage treatment and team finalists, Mohammad Naeem Khan, and Syed Zaki Hussain from Sir Syed Science College, Rawalpindi with their project titled “Hovercraft”.
The National Science Olympiad, is a highly successful regional competition, it has gained rapid momentum across the country during last year, with year-on-year expansion increasing dramatically.
'Pakistan is home to an incredible amount of untapped potential and talent, as demonstrated by the high number of participants qualifying for the National Science Olympiad 2009. These students
have excelled in their field enabling themselves to compete against students from across the country,' said the Fair Director, Mr. Muhammad Ismail, Deputy Educational Advisor, Federal Ministry of Education.
The contestants emerge from a countrywide field of several thousands science fair participants during the academic year. They moved on to compete with more than 6,500 students at the 5 provincial and 6 district science fairs around the country to win the right to attend the fair. The Olympiad every year becomes richer, new districts and institutions both public and private join to the competition.
This year there were more than 75 institution participants, and more than 120 projects with wide variety of topics. The entries in this year's competition provided a glimpse into the diverse concerns and interests of today's young people. Many entries, including several top winners this year, addressed key global environmental concerns and offered novel solutions to pressing energy and pollution problems.
“Teachers hope to make it easier for their students to advance their projects outside of class, they push them to limits, to invent new techniques, and to look at problems in new ways,” said Murat Yakut, supervisor of Usama Ahmed Awan. The middle and high school students who participate in the Intel ISEF are the innovators of tomorrow. Continuing the long-standing commitment to education-related programs and innovative research, Intel Education also encourages these students to participate in other international competitions.
Raja Ahsan Mehmood of Pak Turk International School & College, Peshawar, secured third position bronze medal in Senior Energy Division (Category) at the International Sustainable World (Energy, Engineering, Environment) Project (ISWEEP) Olympiad in the US. The ISWEEP 2009 Olympiad was held from 15-20 April, 2009 in Houston, Texas, with participants from at least 51 countries. Raja Ahsan joined the competition presenting a scientific research project titled "Glamour Glory Car". His project was also awarded cash award $500, Special Award $1000 by Silicon Laboratories and a Scholarship Grant from Louisiana State University.
Keeping the tradition alive the female participants sent their research projects to the Korea International Women Invention Exposition held from 1-5 May 2009 at Seoul, Korea and won one gold and two bronze medals.
Sabahat Afzal, Hijab Malik & Faiza Bokhari of Islamabad Model College for Girls, G-10/2, Islamabad won the gold medal with their project, “Room / Water Heating with Waste Heat of Kitchen”. Qandeel Malik of Federal Government College for Women, G-10/4, Islamabad, project title,”Effect of Atrazine Toxic Chemical on Development of Chick Embryo” and Batool Abid Memon, Maheen Zakaria & Sayyeda Saadia Anwer Razvi of Mama Parsi Girls High School, Karachi, project title, “Green Electricity” won bronze medals in their respective categories.
Muhammad Talha Hanif a student of Pak Turk International School & College Peshawar secured first position gold medal at the 3rd IYIPO, International Young Inventors Project Olympiad – 2009 held from 14-16 May, 2009 at Tbilisi, Georgia.
Intel ISEF finalist, Usama Ahmed Awan of Pak Turk International School & College, Khairpur Branch won a ‘Gold Medal’ in the 17th International Environmental Project Olympiad (INEPO), the competition was held in Istanbul, Turkey from 24th May to 27th May 2009. 41 countries and 501 projects participated in this competition. Usamas project title is “Effect of mixed-culture of Typha domingenasis and Phragmites karka on the efficiency of subsurface flow constructed wetland (SFCW) for sewage treatment”.
Usama Ahmed Awan also won 1st Position gold medal in the 6th International Education & Science Olympics on 29th May 2009 held at Izmir, Turkey. The project was also awarded 2000 Turkish Liras which is equal to Rs. 100,000.
Nowadays, during the decreasing popularity of sciences a scientific event which attracts the young generation has special significance.
