Citizen Science, a digital platform that aims to encourage passion for science among our youth and create a pipeline of millions of scientists and innovators for the future was unveiled at an event in Abu Dhabi, UAE today (April 28).

Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), in collaboration with EY and Tribal Planet, hosted a Digital Innovation in Education event at the Mubarak bin Mohammed School in Abu Dhabi, to unveil the Citizen Science platform.

During his opening speech, Dr Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, director general of the Abu Dhabi Education Council, said: “The world is experiencing profound and accelerated change across a number of dimensions. The historical concepts of STEM are being redefined due to scientific breakthroughs, rapidly emerging technologies and attitudinal preferences of our youth, which is exactly why STEM education and learning must respond accordingly.”

Citizen Science is a mobile platform that enables STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning outside of the classroom, demonstrating the power of science through experimentation and play on a mobile device. It may also be used by teachers to enhance classroom learning of science, by using the inbuilt functionality and scientific instrumentation that turns the mobile phone into a science laboratory in your pocket.

Citizen Science encourages young people of all ages to participate by completing experiments and challenges that are developed in collaboration with some of the world’s leading scientific institutions and global thought leaders.

Relationships with private sector companies, music, entertainment and sports celebrities have been developed in association with the platform, which will provide a localized opportunity for sustained engagement with young people, who can earn reward points for participating. These rewards include exclusive access to music, sports and entertainment, and ultimately, scholarships and internships, allowing private and public enterprises alike to engage with users.

In March this year, a group of Emirati school children from Abu Dhabi were the first in the world to experience the Citizen Science platform, which has the objective of being available to 500 million children around the globe over the next 5 years.-TradeArabia News Service