Medical and Science Exhibition inspires young UAE scientists

Abdulla Shehin and Stanley James, both 15, and Grade 10 pupils of Gulf Asian English School, Sharjah, show their project, Emergency Hydro Power Plant, during the annual Medical and Science Exhibition at the Gulf Medical University in Ajman. Jeffrey E Biteng / The NationalShow less

AJMAN // Thousands of budding young doctors and scientists showed their talents at the annual Medical and Science Exhibition at the Gulf Medical University on Wednesday.

Grade 10, 11, and 12 pupils from across the UAE will interact with medical and science professionals, take part in training sessions in the university’s laboratories and present their own projects to a panel of judges over the two-day event.

“The concept behind doing this is that we want to offer a platform for pupils to exhibit themselves and see their science textbooks come alive. Everyday they study many things, but when they see it alive it will make a lot of effect,” Davis Francis, assistant manager in promotions department at GMU, said.

“At the same time, we have students who come and exhibit their own models. It gives them a chance to come and experience things for themselves. We also said let’s open the university and let’s show them what medical schools look like.”

Each year there is a 10 to 15 per cent increase in the number of youngsters taking part in the GMU exhibition, which consists of three categories; models, posters and paintings, each addressing various topics in the fields of science and medicine.

“There will be almost 30 winners. We reward them with cash prizes,” Mr Francis said.

The youngsters’ work is judged by a team of doctors from GMC Hospital in Ajman, professors at GMU and staff from advertising agencies who evaluate each project based on creativity, knowledge of the subject, overall presentation and ability to answer questions.

“The judges usually tell us that students have so much information that not many questions need to be asked. They are getting better and better each year,” Mr Francis said.

Among the 600 projects on display was a hydraulic windmill created by Neha Binish, an Indian Grade 11 pupil, with the help of two friends.

The 15-year old, who is taking part in the event for the second time, said the eco-friendly design took a month and a half to build and was inspired by the growing need to harness the elements to generate electricity and not rely on polluting fossil fuels.

“This year we know the things that we have to provide to be winners. The main problem last year was that society didn’t need our invention, an underwater robot. But this one it does.

“We also spent more time on this one. In the previous year we just spent two weeks.”

Other projects proved to be far simpler in design and set up. Shreya Gupta, Dania Tariq and Shivani Kumar, all Grade 11 pupils participating for the first time, hoped to have created an alternative to air conditioning units.

Called The Frore, their invention, which took just three hours to build and cost less than Dh100, consisted of a large bucket filled with ice. Holes in the bucket allowed cool air to circulate around a room using a small electric fan on the top.

Sneha Sibi, a grade 11 pupil, said she was impressed by the inventions on show.

“Exhibitors are intelligent and creative, I liked what they are displaying and I learnt many things that I didn’t have an idea about,” the 16-year-old said.