A TV show with a future

A Doha science reality programme is fun to watch but has the serious aim of trying to encourage scientific innovation.

The shiny, futuristic set of Stars of Science, a new reality TV show produced by the Qatar Foundation.

DOHA // The 16 young people lined up on the TV-studio floor are bursting with ideas. Mazen Salah, 31, an electrical engineer from Jordan, wants to help people stay cool on hot days. Imad al Harithy, 23, from Oman, aims to enable people with disabilities to move more freely. Ahmed abu Salim, 29, a UAE resident from the Palestinian Territories, wants to develop "drinkable energy". All three are among the contestants, ranging in age from 22 to 31, on the upcoming Stars of Science programme. Broadcast from Doha across the Arab world, it is a reality TV show with a difference, mixing entertainment with the more serious goal of developing viable scientific innovations. The aim is to promote science and learning and, perhaps in the process, find the next Ibn al Haitham, who invented the pinhole camera in the 10th century, or al Zahrawi, an Arab scientist and physician who developed more than 200 surgical instruments. For many centuries, Arabs were at the cutting edge of scientific research. But, in recent times few innovations have come out of the region. According to the UN Development Programme, between 1980 and 2000, only 370 patents were issued to people in Arab countries, in contrast to more than 16,000 in South Korea alone during the same period. Critics blame several factors including the education systems, limited funding and a lack of institutional support. But, research and development in countries including Qatar and the UAE appears to be on the cusp of change. Last year, the Emirates' National Research Foundation (NRF) was set up and research capabilities are being developed at Al Ain's UAE University. Earlier this week, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, spoke of the need to transform the UAE's oldest and largest university into a research-intensive institution. UAE University "must focus on research areas that are of high priority to the country and to the region", he said at its 10th annual Research Conference. Prof Yousef Haik, the director and principal investigator of the Emirates Centre for Nanosciences and Nanoengineering, has also said that the region has become increasingly aware of the importance of research and development, especially with the need for greater diversification. Energy and water resources, environmental and health issues are among the main areas where he sees innovations taking place. But, in the meantime, Prof Haik said things such as Stars of Science, may contribute to getting more young people involved in science in the first place. "We don't have enough people who opt for science and perhaps we are not targeting people early enough to tell them just how exciting science is," he said. The show's backers say the concept was developed to present a positive image of science to young Arabs. "The aim is to showcase the whole process of innovation - from inspiration, to the elaboration of a concept, its development and finally its application," said Dr Abdullah bin Ali al Thani, vice president of education at the Qatar Foundation. "We hope Stars of Science will promote the innovative spirit of young people in the Arab world." Starting on May 29, the programme will showcase the young scientists at work over five weeks on 15 channels across the Middle East, including Dubai TV. The show was conceived by the Qatar Foundation, founded in 1995 to promote education and research, and is chaired by Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, wife of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The contestants, 14 men and two women who were chosen from more than 5,600 applicants, are in the midst of filming in the Qatari capital. Instead of the participants being eliminated, projects will be culled over the course of the programme. By the final episode, two teams and two projects will remain. The finale will be aired live on June 26, when viewers will vote for the winner of the over Dh1 million prize (US$367,000). A slick promo for the series shows the contestants put through their paces in the classroom, laboratory and undergoing both physical and mental challenges. It looks like a cross between The Apprentice and Big Brother, via Mythbusters. The contestants are guided through the process by a panel of three judges, including Dr Sadeg Faris, a Libyan engineer and inventor who holds more than 100 international patents, with a further 500 pending. William Sawaya, a Lebanese-born architect and designer, now based in Milan, Italy, will advise on design issues. Dr Mona Zaki, an internationally-recognised marketing expert from Egypt, will focus on final marketing the products. Much like other reality TV programmes, participants are filmed by dozens of cameras, including some hidden behind reflective glass windows on the futuristic set. But, beyond the bright studio lights, is a serious message. "Arab scientists started so much of physics, chemistry and other disciplines," said Dr Nagwa al Naga, a member of the Qatar Foundation's steering committee. "But, now we feel that we are behind many other parts of the world." Rony Jazzar, an executive producer, said one of the main challenges was how to develop a science-based reality show, without it looking "ridiculous". "We developed the concept through reality TV - I'm not talking about jokes, but showing viewers how real things happen from a dream or an idea of a young Arab, through the process of their successes and failures," he said. "Our children dream of singers or football stars, but we are trying to make Arab children dream of being inventors or scientists." [e-mail]