News & Event

The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Education, is participating in the International Science and Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio, USA, from May 10-16. The fair is the largest international science competition for pre-university students, organized by the Society for Science.

The Ministry is participating in this international exhibition with three innovative projects: A hybrid learning-based approach to improve lung imaging and diagnose tumors and pulmonary fibrosis more accurately and effectively, by student Fay Al Mahrouqi from Doha Al Adab School in Muscat Governorate, under the supervision of teacher Iman Al Rahbi. The second project, presented by Sakhaa Al Balushi and Rayyan Al Siyabi from Al Amal School in South Al Batinah Governorate, is titled: An innovative energy drink with a natural extract formula to meet various population and professional needs, under the supervision of teacher Fakhriya Al Shaibani. Students Ahood Al Shaqsi and Ibaa Al Mufarji from Aisha Al Riyami School in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, under the supervision of teacher Rawan Al Humaimi, are presenting a project to develop a solar-powered drone equipped with a smart system to transmit and measure air pollution data and send it directly to industrial areas in the Sultanate of Oman.

The process of selecting and training participants for the exhibition went through several stages. In the first stage, participating teams were selected from the National Olympiad for Scientific Innovation, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence. Virtual meetings and field visits were then conducted by the Innovation Department to review all participation requirements (forms, reports, posters, and videos). The third stage involved monitoring the teams' preparations through virtual sessions to train and evaluate innovations with specialists from research institutions.

The International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) aims to develop a generation capable of linking the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and employing them to find innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. It also aims to develop students' personal skills, such as critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. It also seeks to enhance students' technological awareness, enable them to understand the tools of the future and use them in effective and responsible ways. The fair also aims to provide students with the opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge in the fields of innovation and scientific research with their peers from different countries around the world, thus contributing to expanding their scientific and cultural horizons.

It is worth noting that the exhibition attracts approximately (1700) students from more than (75) countries and regions around the world, where participants compete in (22) scientific fields, including: engineering, computer science, sociology, and others. This competition is a prominent platform for displaying scientific research and student innovations at the international level.