• Rudaina Abdul Khaliq, with help from her mother, sets up a model of a smart sustainable city. Reem Mohammed / The National
    Rudaina Abdul Khaliq, with help from her mother, sets up a model of a smart sustainable city. Reem Mohammed / The National
  • A workshop on aerodynamics at Abu Dhabi Science Festival
    A workshop on aerodynamics at Abu Dhabi Science Festival
  • Students walk inside a pedestrian tunnel outside the festival
    Students walk inside a pedestrian tunnel outside the festival
  • Ilyazia al Rumaithi, 16, Asma Al Hosani, 16, and Maitha Al Mazroui, 16, are part of a team that have looked at ways to speed up space travel.
    Ilyazia al Rumaithi, 16, Asma Al Hosani, 16, and Maitha Al Mazroui, 16, are part of a team that have looked at ways to speed up space travel.
  • A student workshop at Abu Dhabi Science Festival
    A student workshop at Abu Dhabi Science Festival
  • Female students at the event
    Female students at the event
  • Students attend a physics workshop
    Students attend a physics workshop
  • Huwaida Salah, 14, and Alia Ali, 12, from Al Shumookh School, have developed a seed sowing robot with their schoolmates.
    Huwaida Salah, 14, and Alia Ali, 12, from Al Shumookh School, have developed a seed sowing robot with their schoolmates.
  • Fatima Saif Al Ali, 18, an international relations student at Zayed University, came up with a project which uses magnets in cars to prevent collisions
    Fatima Saif Al Ali, 18, an international relations student at Zayed University, came up with a project which uses magnets in cars to prevent collisions

UAE

Abu Dhabi Science Festival opens

Ten day event expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors

Gillian Duncan
Gillian Duncan

January 31, 2019

  • English
  • Arabic

The Abu Dhabi Science Festival opened on Thursday and is set to welcome more than 100,000 visitors over the next 10 days.

The event, now in its ninth year, is being staged at three separate locations around the Emirates to allow as many people to attend as possible.

Running until February 9, shows and workshops can be seen at Al Bahar on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, Al Jahili Park in Al Ain and City Mall in Al Dhafra.

This year organisers have focused on the theme of art and innovation, while also incorporating new ideas in engineering and mathematics.

Maitha AlMarzooqi, 16, a grade 11 student at Al Shomoukh School in Abu Dhabi, said she and her team had entered the event's annual competition showcasing new ideas and inventions.

She said her project’s goal was increase the air speed of rocket technology to enable faster space travel.

“The concept will help rockets reach Mars faster,” she said. “If we win we might take the idea to the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre or the Space Agency in the UAE.”

This year’s Science Festival is the largest yet, covering 35,000 square metre of space at the Abu Dhabi city location alone.

Organisers said there would be 95 activities for visitors to enjoy, including a variety of workshops and interactive exhibits.

The event is expected to attract 120,000 visitors including more than 27,000 pupils.

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