Saudi students picked up six prizes at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia, equalling their record haul for the 16th year in a row.
ISEF 2022 saw the participation of pre-college students from over 80 countries in the biggest competition showcasing innovation in scientific research and advancement.
Abdullah Al-Ghamdi won two prizes in energy, Dana Al-Aithan was awarded a prize in chemistry, Tahani Adel in materials, Maria Al-Ghamdi in chemistry, and Yousef Khoja in embedded systems.
The Kingdom was represented by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Ministry of Education.
Mawhiba announced 19 winners of its special prizes from all over the world.
• Abdullah Al-Ghamdi won two prizes in energy, Dana Al-Aithan was awarded a prize in chemistry, Tahani Adel in materials, Maria Al-Ghamdi in chemistry, and Yousef Khoja in embedded systems.
• Thirteen students from the US, India and China were awarded scholarships to study for bachelor’s degrees at King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals in chemistry, embedded systems, energy, physics and astronomy, robotics, and materials science.
Six students — three Saudis and three Americans — were also granted scholarships to participate in an international enrichment program organized by Mawhiba.
Thirteen students from the US, India and China were also awarded scholarships to study bachelor's at King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals in chemistry, embedded systems, energy, physics and astronomy, robotics, and materials science.
Mawhiba Secretary-General Dr. Saud bin Saeed Al-Mathami said that he is encouraging innovative students around the world to create sustainable solutions to the world’s problems and to preserve these resources for future generations.
Al-Mathami expressed his hopes that the students’ talent, ideas, and creativity would contribute to the extraordinary renaissance that the Kingdom was witnessing during this auspicious era.
He stressed that the Kingdom took pride in the students, saying the country had harnessed its great potential to qualify them to compete effectively in international forums so that Saudi Arabia could take its proper position among the countries of the world.
“When the crown prince said that the Saudis’ strength was like that of the Tuwaiq mountain, unbreakable, Mawhiba saw in his words a road map for its initiatives.
“Our talented students are the true wealth of Saudi Arabia and the solid building blocks of our society. They are the real future that we are looking forward to, and their familiarity in all disciplines and specializations will push forward the Saudi Vision 2030.
“The talented students excelled in all disciplines related to energy, climate change, medicine, biosciences, space, medical and environmental engineering, organic materials industry, technology, innovation, information engineering, and artificial intelligence.
"They underwent extensive training for long hours and rigorous testing under the supervision of competent committees to honor Saudi Arabia in international forums.”
Al-Mathami explained that Mawhiba’s students were the kernel of the upcoming Saudi economy and said their talent confirmed the strength of the presence of the Saudi identity in all fields. He added that their confidence and knowledge were the foundation of their success.
On the sidelines of ISEF 2022, Mawhiba held a symposium titled “The Journey of Talented Students in Science Education Leading Collective Intelligence to Advance the Global Society,” presented by Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics at New York College, who emphasized that countries that invest in the minds of young people towards invention will have strong, growing economies.
