About 150 Emirati students are vying for top honours at Google’s Annual International Science Fair, the competition that seeks out the brightest young scientists from around the world.

The students - five groups of 8th and 9th grade - on Monday submitted their science projects to be presented at Google HQ.

The Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC), in partnership with Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and Abu Dhabi University Knowledge Group, hosted the submissions as part of the broader ‘Tech Quest’ science program, introducing Emirati students to potential science and technology career opportunities.

The competition is aimed at encouraging these students to design interesting, creative projects relevant to the world today.

“These students have demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm over the first week of Tech Quest, especially in developing their science fair projects,” said Dr Jihad Mohaidat, global partnerships manager, Adec.

“Adec is eager to develop knowledge, skills and work ethics of our youth in supporting Abu Dhabi’s economic vision 2030. The drive demonstrated by Tech Quest students, as well as projects and questions they’ve chosen to address, is truly remarkable,” he noted.

Maha Abouelenein, Google's head of global communications and public affairs (Mena), said, "The fair is part of Google’s broader commitment to increase access to education and encourage technology use in classrooms in the Middle East and around the world."

"Google itself was founded through experimentation and with this fair, we aim to inspire scientific exploration among the next generation of scientists and engineers, celebrate scientific talent, and create scientific role models in the UAE, the Arab region and around the world," she added.

“Competition is a core to the spirit of advanced technology,” said Hanan Harhara, manager of Human Capital at ATIC.

"It has been extremely encouraging to see these ‘Tech Quest’ students working as a team, honing their thought processes and ideas, and demonstrating the drive that will lead the Emirate’s future advanced technology industry," remarked Harhara.

"It is a small step, but this process sparked something significant in the minds of these young students, a sense of what it takes to win in advanced technology," she added.

Ninth grader Faisal Abdul Raheem Al Hosani is exploring the use of lasers in reducing low visibility road accidents.

Eighth grader Mouza Mohammed Al Hamili is investigating the use of parachutes in reducing high-rise fire fatalities.

All projects will be judged by a panel of teachers and university professors in May and 90 regional finalists will be announced. It will then be narrowed down to 15 global finalists in early June.

These 15 finalists will be flown to Google HQ in California for a celebratory Science Fair event with the final judging round to take place on July 23.

The grand prizes include once-in-a-lifetime experiences like a scientific trip to the Galapagos Islands with National Geographic Expeditions, unique scholarships and real-life work opportunities in iconic science centers of excellence like CERN in Switzerland.-TradeArabia News Service