ABU DHABI // While most pupils in the Genes in Space competition chose science teachers as mentors, one finalist did not have to look any further than home.
Haneefah Badar, a Year 10 pupil at Brighton College Abu Dhabi, said her doctor father was the inspiration behind her interest in the sciences so he was the natural choice for guidance.
“My dad would take me out to look at the stars as well as Saturn’s rings in the Australian countryside,” she said. “It was one of my favourite parts of my childhood.”
Haneefah, 16, who wants to specialise in quantum physics, refined her proposal most weekends over the past six months at home with her father.
She came up with the idea of studying increased cell death as the possible cause for astronauts’ loss of bone density while in space.
“On Earth our bodies know how many cells to kill and keep but gene expression in microgravity be throwing off the balance,” she said.
Haneefah’s father said the novelty of her idea and its practical implications for increasing the health of astronauts on long-term space journeys probably won the judges over.
“I obviously wanted her to win but more importantly it was about learning through the process,” said Mohammed Alam, a gastroenterologist at Burjeel Hospital.
“It was great to see her evolving and I could see her comprehension of the science process as a whole getting stronger. She has learned a lot and that’s enough for me, to be honest.”
Mr Alam nurtured his daughter’s interest in science by involving her in his passion for astronomy and physics in Australia.
“We attended a lot of science conferences and interacted with people in the field, and that was a community I was struggling to find here,” he said.
“When I heard about Genes in Space I was excited that something like this was being put together in this part of the world.”
Although her father wanted her to gain teamwork experience, Haneefah entered on her own as she could not find any other pupils at her school who were as interested in the project.
“Looking at the past winners in the US I didn’t think I would get this far, but now I am really excited about working with people from universities I dream of going to,” she said.
“The thought of my idea being able to contribute to space travel and exploration is out of this world.”
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Genes in Space: Full coverage
■ Profiles: Meet the five finalists for Genes in Space
■ In pictures: UAE pupils get chance to fine tune their entries
■ National Editorial: More than a contest
■ A step closer: Eight UAE pupils among final five
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tsubaihi@thenational.ae
