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“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) at HBKU sees the promotion of science and research among young people as a fundamental component of their mission and believes that the youth have a crucial role to play in bringing about a sustainable and significant positive change.
As part of QEERI’s contribution to developing ‘thoughtful, committed citizens that can change the world’, the institute has consistently been committed to not just creating awareness about sustainability, but also giving young people an immersive experience – one that challenges them creatively and makes them push boundaries. This is at the core of the ‘Young Innovator’ competition: to learn, explore, transform, research, and implement a concept that can solve our energy, water and environment challenges.
“The value of an idea lies in the using of it.” Thomas Edison
The theme for this year’s competition is coupled with the upcoming QEERI conference (November 22-25, 2021) on sustainable solutions for the Energy-Water-Environment Nexus (ICSEWEN21). Each entry can explore topics that include (but not limited to) Water: security, reuse, management, sustainable technologies, pollution mitigation, treatment; Energy: solar energy, renewable energy, alternative fuel, biofuels; Environment: protection and prevention, risk assessment, human health impacts, environmental risk communication, urban pollution, waste minimization, wetlands, CO2 capture; material invention and innovation, nanotechnology etc.
Details about the Young Innovator Competition:
The competition is open to all school pupils in Qatar, with specific activities for different age groups. Students can submit artwork, essays, research posters, and presentations, depending on their category.
What is the topic?
“Old problems, new solutions: the next big thing for the Energy-Water-Environment nexus?”
Who can participate?
- Students from all Qatar-based schools recognized by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education
- Students with a valid Qatar ID
Guidelines
- Every entry should have a faculty mentor and supervisor who will be the liaison point for QEERI
- Each school can only nominate a maximum of two entries per category
- Each participant can only submit one entry
More detailed information is available in the teachers support resource document.
What are the categories and competitions?
Students will be categorized according to their age:
Junior Level: 6-9 years: Drawing and Painting*
- Junior Category 1 (JC1): 6-7 years old
- Junior Category 2 (JC2): 8-9 years old
* Individual entries only, no teams.
Intermediate Level: 10-13 years: Research Poster and Presentation**
- Intermediate Category 1: 10-11 years old
- Intermediate Category 2: 12-13 years old
** Minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 persons per team.
Senior Level: 14-17 years: Research Paper and Presentation***
- Senior Category 1: 14-15 years old
- Senior Category 2: 16-17 years old
*** Minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 persons per team.
What is required for registration?
- The registration form needs to be filled in and submitted through the website
- Qatar ID copies of all the team members will need to be submitted
- Each team to have a faculty representative (teacher in-charge)
What are the important dates?
- Registration Deadline: October 20, 2021
- Submission of Entries (Intermediate and Senior Category): October 31, 2021
- Submission of Artwork (Junior Category): October 31, 2021
- Finalists Announced: November 11, 2021
- Final Round Presentations and Award Announcement: November 23, 2021
The final round of presentation and the award announcement will be publicly streamed online on QEERI’s ICSEWEN21 conference platform. Access links will be made available on QEERI’s and HBKU’s social platforms and sent to the group’s liaison points to allow all the participants and their schoolmates and friends to attend the event.
What platform will be used for the competition?
All competitions will have online submissions only. After submitting their entry, participants will receive an email confirmation that the application was received.
The final round of presentation and the award announcement will be publicly streamed online on QEERI’s ICSEWEN21 conference platform. Access links will be made available on QEERI’s and HBKU’s social platforms and sent to the group’s liaison points.
The finals will be held on an online platform: Webex Events.
More information about event finals will be shared closer to the date.
This competition is being organized with the approval of the Ministry of Education
Download the rules of the Award.
Download teachers support resource document.
Please click here for registration