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Students Show Creativity And Brainpower At Egypt’s National Science Fair

 

Photo by Ghada Abdelhady

Azza and Hend Faiad at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Science and Engineering Fair in Alexandria, Egypt in March.

By Ghada Abdelhady
Junior Reporter
Youth Journalism International
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt – Three top science students will represent Egypt later this year at an international competition in Los Angeles.
Mohamed Magdy took first place at the Intel Bibliotheca Alexandrina Science and Engineering Fair in March with his project on satellite-controlled cars in the electrical and mechanical engineering category.
Photo by Ghada Abdelhady

Mohamed and Yomna Aly Elhaddad

Competing in the animal sciences category, Ahmed Hassan Hussein won second place overall for a project on living with termites.
Sara Mohamed Samir captured third place overall for her project in the behavioral and social science category called, “Do you know your memory?”
All three student scientists will have a chance to show their creativity and their ability to pave an innovative path toward development as they represent Egypt on the world’s stage next month in Los Angeles.
Students ages 14 to 18 years old and in grades 9 to 12 are eligible to compete in their home countries. Of those, up to three then move on to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, scheduled for May 8-13. Students from as many as 60 countries are expected to take part.
The Planetarium Science Center and Bibliotheca Alexandrina recently hosted Egypt’s competition in collaboration with Intel, the international sponsor.
The Alexandria fair, which began March 13, took place after a year of hard work by participants, organizers, volunteers and staff.
“Intel BASEF taught me how to think differently and deeper, it made me an extremely different person who has self-confidence and can bear huge responsibilities,” said Yomna Aly Elhaddad, 17, who placed second in the environmental management category. “I am proud to be a part of changing Egypt.”

 

Photo by Ghada Abdelhady

Nour Mahmoud with her project

On the first day of the three-day fair, there was energy in the air as participants, filled with passion for their projects, prepared for the competition to come.
Nour Mahmoud, an 18-year-old who took second place in the behavioral sciences category, said the Alexandria fair “has improved the scientific research for me and has provided opportunities for a lot of young inventors who didn’t have the chance or support to show their work.”
Judging took place the second day, which was filled with enthusiasm, optimism, hope, ambition and stress.
Photo by Ghada Abdelhady
A boy explains his project to a science fair judge
Each student had his or her own way of expressing it, but all shared a thirst for science and knowledge and used this common ground to learn by seeing the world through each other’s eyes.
The final day, while filled with stress, pressure and hope, students still enjoyed themselves and showed good sportsmanship.
The closing ceremony included speeches by Hoda El-Mikkaty, director of the Planetarium Science Center and Dr. Ismail Serageldin, director of Bibliotheca Alexandrina. 
Photo by Ghada Abdelhady

All participants at the 2011 Intel Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Science and Engineering Fair in Alexandria, Egypt last month. 

Youth Journalism International Junior Reporter Ghada Abdelhady was a particpant in Egypt’s national science and engineering fair last year. Read her reporter’s notebook to learn what it felt like to attend as a spectator this year.

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