The organisers of the 2015 Abu Dhabi Science Festival (ADSF) recently held a special award ceremony to recognise the remarkable work of the science communicators who were part of the event.

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) and the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee (TDC) were the organisers of the festival, said a statement.

Over 700 science communicators were selected from higher education institutions around the UAE to deliver exhibits, workshops and shows to visitors of ADSF; with those demonstrating outstanding performance throughout the festival awarded at the ceremony, a statement said.

Science communicators play a crucial role in ADSF, delivering activities in a way that excites the audience about the world of science and making science education more fun. As ambassadors for science in the UAE community, the experience they have gained from participating in ADSF equips science communicators with critical skills that are invaluable to their future careers, it added.

Trained by world-class experts at the top of their field, the science communicators have been evaluated throughout the festival by ADSF’s programming partner, the Edinburgh International Science Festival (EISF), and assessed on the following criteria:  creative problem solving, improvisation and inventing activities for children, confidence in the delivery of their events, communication, science knowledge development, team support, good timekeeping and flexibility, said the statement.

The science communicators were selected from seven partner universities, which comprised Abu Dhabi University, Al Ain University of Science and Technology, Emirates College for Advanced Education, Khalifa University, Paris Sorbonne University, Zayed University and the Petroleum Institute, it added.

Dr Najla Al Naqbi, ADEC’s eLearning program manager, said: “Science communicators are considered a link that interconnects our students, while helping us achieve ADEC’s goals and strategies to promote creativity and innovation through focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) subjects.”

“Science communicators, being students studying science disciplines,  play a key role in supporting children and visitors through helping them conduct various activities and scientific experiments, which in turn helps in exchanging their scientific and practical experiences with other students  to encourage them to adopt science and technology through the stimulating workshops filled with fun and knowledge,” he added.

Neama Al Marshoudi, manager of content, TDC, said: “Through their impressive expertise and vibrant enthusiasm, science communicators help bring the content of ADSF to life, placing science at the forefront of children’s imaginations.”

“By participating in the festival they help to inspire, motivate and educate the future generation while learning valuable skills from leading international science experts,” she said.

“On behalf of TDC, I would like to thank all the science communicators who were part of ADSF 2015 and congratulate those who have been awarded for their exceptional performance,” she added. – TradeArabia News Service