IN collaboration with Egypt's Ministry of Education and the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF), Intel has announced the nationwide launch of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in preparation for ISEF 2010, San José, California, in the US. “Young people are the key to solving global challenges. A solid math and science foundation coupled with skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and digital literacy are crucial for their success,” said Taha Khalifa, Intel Egypt General Manager. “Through its annual sponsorship of the International Science and Engineering Fair, the Intel Foundation provides nearly $4 million in scholarships and awards.” Intel ISEF, a programme of Society for Science and the Public, is the world's largest pre-college science fair competition, where students have a chance to explore, discover and innovate. The Intel ISEF encourages students to tackle challenging scientific questions, using authentic research practices to create solutions to the problems of tomorrow. To judge the projects, more than 1,000 science, engineering and industry professionals volunteer at ISEF. Ten local fairs, organised by ASTF, will take place in different Egyptian governorates to maximise reach and avail a fair chance for all students nationwide. Subsequently, two feeder fairs will be held towards the end of March at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the other at the Nile University in Cairo. Winning teams will then get the opportunity to compete at ISEF due to be held in San José, California from, May 9-14 2010. Egypt's first participation in ISEF was in 2005 with just one project nominated from one local fair. By 2009, two local fairs were organised where six projects were nominated to participate in the final round in Reno, Nevada. The finalists are selected annually from more than 550 affiliated fairs around the world. Each affiliated fair can send its top two individual projects and one team project to the competition. Finalists' projects tackle challenging scientific questions that address some of today's most pressing global issues. In fact, nearly 20 per cent of the projects being presented this year either have been patented or will be submitted to be patented. Projects represent a wide range of scientific disciplines.
