Jun 18, 201929 May 2019, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: The Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna launched the second edition of the National “Nuclear Science for Development” Student Competition in cooperation with the UAE’s Ministry of Education, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and the IAEA.
Targeting high-school students in grades 9 to 11, the competition aims to encourage them to explore the role of peaceful use of nuclear applications to serve the community and development at large. High-school students are encouraged to submit proposals covering one of the following categories that focuses on the role on nuclear science and technology to: end global hunger; combat climate change and its impacts and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
The three categories of the competition correspond with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which the UAE adopted in 2015. The categories touch upon: UN Goal # 2 “Zero Hunger” that aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. It also covers the UN Goal # 13 “Climate Action” which calls on countries to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts in light of the increasing Greenhouse gas emissions that are exacerbating global warming. It also covers the UN Goal # 15 “Life on Land” to sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.
“The UAE Government places top priority on empowering our young people and build their capability to lead the future,” said H.E. Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi, UAE’s Permanent Representative at the IAEA. “The competition aims to promote Nuclear Science and to strengthen the sense of responsibility among the youth. It also helps to unleash their potential to think scientifically and find solutions to pressing global issues such as hunger, climate change and desertification,” added Ambassador Al Kaabi.
High-school students are encouraged to submit their proposals online by 15 June 2019 via the following link (http://bit.do/nuclear19) where they can find details and requirements for participating and competing.
Submitted project proposals will be evaluated by experts in the relevant fields. Finalist teams from each category will be selected and announced in early July for the second round of the competition to showcase their projects to a high-level Jury during a panel discussion to be held in September in the UAE.
The winning team will win a trip to Vienna, Austria and will have a chance to participate at the International Ministerial Conference on climate change and the Role of Nuclear Power, which will be held at IAEA’s headquarters from 7 to 11 October 2019. They will have a number of field visits including to the IAEA laboratories in Seibersdorf; learn about nuclear power and applications of nuclear science , and have a chance to witness policy-makers and experts from different countries discuss the scientific and technical aspects of the role of nuclear power in combating climate change.