Aramco Gifted Program students steal limelight at London fest
Published: Oct 25, 2011 23:39 Updated: Oct 25, 2011 23:39
DAMMAM: Two students from the Saudi Aramco Summer Gifted Program flexed their scientific skills at one of Europe’s largest science festivals.
ARAB NEWS
Spanning six days, the British Science Festival recently held in Bradford and saw an attendance of more than 50,000 visitors from school groups to families.
With 350 of the UK’s scientists and guest speakers discussing the latest developments in the field of science, there was plenty to keep visitors occupied.
The Gifted Program students were invited to participate as part of a Saudi Aramco donation to the British Science Association facilitated by Aramco Overseas Co. (AOC) public relations.
The 15-year-old male students, Fawaz Alanzi and Abdullah Al-Harbi, were accompanied by the program’s chairman Rubaian Shahrani. The festival is closely aligned with Aramco’s pillar of knowledge, encompassing education and culture.
Both students chose to showcase their science projects to the public during the festival. Fawaz focused on the uses of robotic technology, and Abdullah solved simple mathematical puzzles, including the Tower of Hanoi and Lock puzzles.
Abdullah was especially surprised when eight-year-old student Lucy Haggas from Hilltop Primary School was able to break the one-minute record for completing the Hanoi puzzle.
“The Chinese (Hanoi) rings are quite hard, but I did it,” added 10-year-old Ben Moon from Bradford Grammar.
“It is the first time students have participated in such a way since the gifted programs started Kingdomwide, with such participation allowing us to take advantage of meeting experts and helping the transfer of knowledge to contribute to developing the next Saudi Aramco Gifted Program,” said Shahrani.
AOC Managing Director Nabil K. Al-Dabal spoke highly of the students’ participation. “We are delighted that the gifted and talented students are participating in such an iconic UK science event. We hope this will not be the last time we see such a rich collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.”
The festival has been in existence since 1831, with next year’s event to be held in Aberdeen. “I look forward to being able to participate again in 2012, and hope we can bring even more of our gifted students to experience an event of this caliber,” said Shahrani.
The Saudi Aramco Summer Gifted Program is an intensive annual program under the patronage of the King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba). It is a 12-year partnership between Saudi Aramco and Mawhiba, targeting gifted Saudi students in the 10th and 11th grades who demonstrate outstanding talent in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
This year, 160 students participated over the course of one month.

Comments
EUROPEAN WOMAN
Oct 29, 2011 11:01
Report abuseThere is absolutely NOTHING in this article that shows the Saudi students to have stolen the limelight from the over 160 students and 350 scientists who participated in the British Science Festival, one of the largest in Europe. The festival was held for a week in Birmingham from 13 â’ 19 September 2011 and not for a whole month.
The themes were:
1) Latest research and todayâ™s technology
2) The Universe
3) Medicine and health
4) The environment
5) What makes us human?
6) History, heritage and religion
7) Food and drink
8) Entertainment and culture
9) Education
Please stick to printing facts and stop embroidering the truth.
QUESTION???
Oct 29, 2011 14:59
Report abuseJOHN BRIAN SHANNON
Oct 29, 2011 15:00
Report abuseI think it is a "General Interest" newspaper story - not "The Lancet" or other peer-reviewed scientific journal.
If you think you can do better, why not try? Submit a story to arabnews.com - be certain to establish who you are, "European Woman" so we can watch for your article.
We'll be waiting!
Cheers,
John Brian Shannon
LIES BUSTER
Oct 29, 2011 15:09
Report abuseEUROPEAN WOMAN
Oct 31, 2011 14:30
Report abuseThe article was taken directly from Aramco Expat News. It does NOT show that Saudi students stole the limelight from other participants. It is typical of Arab News printing misleading headlines.
It seems that anytime a Saudi does anything slightly of note, some people think it is remarkable and want to given out medals. You do not get a Laudatus for participating in life!
You guys in your Islamcentric bias are always puffing yourselves up for things that the rest of the world finds common place. There are science fairs all over the world, especially in the West. Where are they in the Arab/Muslim world? When will Saudi/Arab scientists, who are actually living in the Arab world, make some serious contributions to science and technology?
While AOC managing director Nabil K. Al-Dabal spoke highly of the studentsâ™ participation, I have found nothing anywhere of attendees waxing poetic about the Saudi student projects being remarkable. It is about time that Saudis participated, dont you think?
According to the article:
Abdullah was especially surprised when eight-year-old student Lucy Haggas from Hilltop Primary School was able to break the one-minute record for completing the Hanoi puzzle.
âœThe Chinese (Hanoi) rings are quite hard, but I did it,â added 10-year-old Ben Moon from Bradford Grammar.
Interesting how an 8 and 10 year old solved the puzzle in record time and one of them was even a girl, an 8 year old girl still in primary school. ;)
It is high time that Muslim youth participated in science and maths worldwide! Great that Aramco has a gifted program. There should be many more such programs in all facets of science, technology, art and culture so that Saudis can participate and finally compete in the world on their own terms instead of depending on others to do the heavy lifting.