Pakistani teens bag prize at international science fair
Three students make it to Intel Isef conference in the US.
PITTSBURGH:
Three Pakistani teenagers managed to snag fourth place at the international science fair in the US on Friday.
The project entitled “Energy Square for Cattle,” created by Mahnoor Hassan, Shiza Gulab and Bushra Shahed of the Institute of Computer and Management Sciences in Peshawar, took fourth prize, and a $500 award, in the Animal Sciences Category at the Grand Awards Ceremony of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh.
The event is the world’s largest pre-college science fair.
Hassan and Gulab, who were present to collect their prize, explained that their project is good for livestock in times of a natural disaster.
“People think of themselves in times of disaster before animals,” said Gulab, while referring to the recent floods in Pakistan. “This square makes it easier to look out for the well-being of livestock also,” she added.
The girls said that just a few licks of their energy square controlled diseases, increased milk production and increased weight in cattle after just 28 days.
The squares are a dry mix of a variety of ingredients, such as mulberry, urea and calcium, which provide vitamins and protein to the animal.
“Because people who have animals are usually poor, we have created an affordable option for them,” said Gulab.
The fair, held between May 13-18, concluded on Friday afternoon in a confetti haze as the top prizewinner was announced. The winner was 15-year-old Jack Andraka from the US state of Maryland, who created a Non-Invasive Pancreatic Cancer Detection Tool.
“This competition encourages millions of students to engage their skills for innovation and develop promising solutions for global challenges,” said Executive Director of the Intel Foundation Wendy Hawkins.
Meet the finalists
If you’re looking for inspiration, look no further than Pakistan’s finalists at the Isef.
“I want to be the greatest scientist in the world,” proclaimed finalist Syed Shahzeb Zarrar. Zarrar, along with two other finalists, arrived in Pittsburgh last week. While five finalists were named in Pakistan, only three managed to obtain a visa.
“Every Pakistani should know about Isef. Everyone has a hidden talent. Because of Isef, I was able to discover mine,” said Zarrar.
It took him approximately eight months to complete his project entitled ‘Production of Artificial Magnetic Domains in Non-Metals’. He explained that electricity could be produced cheaply if non metals were employed and added that his project could easily be used in Pakistan.
“I’ve made friends from India, Japan, and even New Mexico thanks to this conference. It’s amazing,” said Zarrar, who attends Iqra Army Public School and College in Quetta.
Another finalist who missed the event was Musa Rahim Khan of Aga Khan Higher Secondary School in Chitral, whose project was titled, ‘Water and Heat Detector’.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2012.
Three Pakistani teenagers managed to snag fourth place at the international science fair in the US on Friday.
The project entitled “Energy Square for Cattle,” created by Mahnoor Hassan, Shiza Gulab and Bushra Shahed of the Institute of Computer and Management Sciences in Peshawar, took fourth prize, and a $500 award, in the Animal Sciences Category at the Grand Awards Ceremony of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh.
The event is the world’s largest pre-college science fair.
Hassan and Gulab, who were present to collect their prize, explained that their project is good for livestock in times of a natural disaster.
“People think of themselves in times of disaster before animals,” said Gulab, while referring to the recent floods in Pakistan. “This square makes it easier to look out for the well-being of livestock also,” she added.
The girls said that just a few licks of their energy square controlled diseases, increased milk production and increased weight in cattle after just 28 days.
The squares are a dry mix of a variety of ingredients, such as mulberry, urea and calcium, which provide vitamins and protein to the animal.
“Because people who have animals are usually poor, we have created an affordable option for them,” said Gulab.
The fair, held between May 13-18, concluded on Friday afternoon in a confetti haze as the top prizewinner was announced. The winner was 15-year-old Jack Andraka from the US state of Maryland, who created a Non-Invasive Pancreatic Cancer Detection Tool.
“This competition encourages millions of students to engage their skills for innovation and develop promising solutions for global challenges,” said Executive Director of the Intel Foundation Wendy Hawkins.
Meet the finalists
If you’re looking for inspiration, look no further than Pakistan’s finalists at the Isef.
“I want to be the greatest scientist in the world,” proclaimed finalist Syed Shahzeb Zarrar. Zarrar, along with two other finalists, arrived in Pittsburgh last week. While five finalists were named in Pakistan, only three managed to obtain a visa.
“Every Pakistani should know about Isef. Everyone has a hidden talent. Because of Isef, I was able to discover mine,” said Zarrar.
It took him approximately eight months to complete his project entitled ‘Production of Artificial Magnetic Domains in Non-Metals’. He explained that electricity could be produced cheaply if non metals were employed and added that his project could easily be used in Pakistan.
“I’ve made friends from India, Japan, and even New Mexico thanks to this conference. It’s amazing,” said Zarrar, who attends Iqra Army Public School and College in Quetta.
Another finalist who missed the event was Musa Rahim Khan of Aga Khan Higher Secondary School in Chitral, whose project was titled, ‘Water and Heat Detector’.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2012.