The Intel Foundation has announced the top winners of the world’s largest pre-college science fair, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held in Nevada recently. South African contestants Arno de Beer and Jason Dixon’s project of treating and controlling ticks and other parasites found mainly on wild game animals scooped a third place award for the best team projects.
Finalists are selected annually from more than 550 International Science and Engineering Fair-affiliated fairs around the world. Their projects are then evaluated on site by 900 judges from nearly every scientific discipline, each typically with a Ph.D. or the equivalent of six years of related professional experience in one of the scientific disciplines.
Other winners from Africa include Gogo Mayokun Oluwagbenga from Nigeria and Abuaysha Mouth Nabeel from South Arabia who both won awards for their projects in the Behavioural and Social Sciences category.
The Grand Award winners walk away with scholarships and prizes for their groundbreaking work. Intel awards included 18 Best of Category winners who each received a $5000 Intel scholarship and a new laptop powered by the Intel Core2 Duo processor. Intel also awards a $1000 grant to the winner’s school and the Intel ISEF-affiliated fair they represent. The South African duo – both from Waterkloof High School in Pretoria – earned $1000 with their award.
“The real end point of the Intel Science Talent Search and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair is to elevate the recognition of achievement of the younger generation in academic and learning exercises,” said Craig Barrett, Intel’s chairman. “More young people will look at these as ‘hey, I can get recognised using my brain. I just do not have to be a quarterback, or a basketball player or a baseball player to get recognition from my peers and the public. I can get recognition using my brains.’ I just hope we can continue to build on the momentum we have and make the Intel Science Talent Search and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair even more significant going forward.”
More than 1500 young scientists from 56 countries, regions and territories took part in sharing ideas, showcasing cutting-edge research and inventions, and competed for nearly $4 million in scholarships and awards. Also representing South Africa were Christopher Wilken and Jacques Winterbach. Wilken’s project was determining whether the Vitamin C level in oranges can increase or decrease once it has been picked. Winterbach’s project was on finding a cheaper way of producing electricity that is environmentally friendly and uses a sustainable energy source.
The high school students who participated in the fair are the innovators of tomorrow. In fact, more than 20% of 2009 participants have a patent or are considering applying for one for their research. Finalists’ projects tackle challenging scientific questions that address some of today’s most pressing global issues such as climate change, cancer, alternative fuels, driver safety and world hunger.
“It is encouraging to see how the young men and women at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair have developed novel solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems,” Barrett said. “I have been learning from these young scientists since Intel began sponsorship in 1996 and look forward to seeing how their innovations will improve the global economy in the years to come.”
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