Science Age Society, Bibliotheca Alexandria, and Intel organize Egypt's Science and Engineering Fair

More than 140 students representing the governorates of Sinai, Central and Eastern Delta, and Upper Egypt will participate in the competition. The finals for the North Delta and Alexandria governorates will be held at Bibliotheca Alexandria on 13 and 14 March 2011.

SAS Secretary General, Dr. Hassan Abu El Einayn, stressed the importance of this event at this particular time when all groups of the community need to make concerted efforts and engage in serious and constructive work to develop Egypt and move it forward.

"There is a basic and urgent need in Egypt to develop education and prepare new generations capable of effectively participating in the knowledge-based global economy," he said. "Focus on students' innovative skills has become a basic need in the entire world, and the ESEF is an important platform to support the creative ideas of our young generation."

Hoda El Mikati, Director of the Planetarium Science Center at Bibliotheca Alexandria, said, "We are proud to be part of the effort to promote a scientific culture and to help organize this competition for the fourth consecutive year. Thanks to the sincere efforts to build a knowledge-based society, 100 projects from the governorates of Alexandria and Lower Egypt will participate in the ESEF finals in Bibliotheca Alexandria between 13 and 15 March despite the circumstances of the Egyptian revolution and the closure of schools for some time. This deepens our belief in the ability of the young Egyptians to overcome all difficulties under a leadership aware of the requirements of the age and eager to scientifically empower Egypt's youths."

Intel Egypt Manager, Engineer Taha Khalifa, said, "We in Intel believe that the youths represent the promised hope in confronting future challenges. There is no doubt that our dear country, Egypt, is full of talented and creative people in the fields of science and scientific research. The ESEF brings these talented people together on the basis of their love for creativity and innovation. We highly value the great support that our educational initiatives receive from SAS and Bibliotheca Alexandria. We look forward to the results of the competition and we wish the young innovators all the best."

The ESEF is part of the efforts that SAS, Bibliotheca Alexandria, and Intel make to develop the educational process and build the scientific and technological capacities of the Egyptian youths. The fair is also part of Intel's Middle East Digital Transformation Initiative, which stands on three main pillars: advancing education, encouraging scientific research, and promoting innovation.

The ESEF is a cross-country competition organized by SAS, Bibliotheca Alexandria, and Intel under the patronage of the Ministry of Education. The aim is to encourage intermediate and secondary school students in the age group 14-16 to turn attention to scientific research and implement scientific and research projects using scientific research methodology. It also seeks to strengthen cooperation among the private sector, civil society organizations, and the Egyptian government to raise the level of education and scientific research.

The ESEF is a yearly event that has been organized in Egypt for the past five years. It is directly linked to Intel's International Science and Engineering Fair, the world's largest pre-college scientific competition. Students in the age group 9-12 compete in the fair, which provides participants with the opportunity to showcase their creative projects in the fields of sociology, chemistry, biochemistry, IT, biology, geology, engineering, environment, mathematics, health sciences, physics, aeronautics, and zoology.

The first six winners in the ESEF finals will represent Egypt in the ISEF, which will be held in May in Los Angeles, the United States. More than 1,500 projects from all over the world will compete in the ISEF.