Genes in Space contest fires up UAE students

ABU DHABI // Students across the country say that a competition to have their creations launched into space feels like a dream.

And that dream will become a reality for some, after Tuesday’s launch of The National Space Programme and its Genes in Space competition, which is offering high-school pupils an opportunity to travel to the United States to watch their winning DNA experiment journey to the International Space Station.

Upon its arrival, astronauts aboard the station will carry out the winning experiments in their unique microgravity environment.

“It’s an amazing idea,” said Fatima Al Kaabi, 14, a recipient of the Young Emirati Inventor Award, which was part of this year’s UAE Pioneers Initiative. “People my age are looking for big opportunities like this. You’re going to find many talented students.”

The ninth grader at Manor Hall International School said the contest would attract many shy but gifted students who would be enticed by the idea of being involved in space exploration.

Others, such as 15-year-old Khalifa Al Romaithi, who said biology was not his forte, said the multifaceted experiment would appeal to students’ interest in other scientific fields.

“It’s not only biology involved, it also includes quantum physics and chemistry, two subjects I am very interested in,” he said.

The finalists of the competition will receive access to state-of-the-art equipment and mentoring from professors and graduate students from top universities, which would encourage more pupils to get involved, said Khalifa, who outgrew his school’s laboratory at an early age.

“My parents had to build me a lab at home because the things we do in school is what I was doing in fourth grade,” the 11th grader said.

Despite his young age, Khalifa holds a patent for his invention, which temporarily shuts down televisions and issues a warning if anyone is too close to the screen – an idea he came up with after repeatedly hearing his father yelling at his brother and sister for doing just that.

Another student said Genes in Space combined two of her favourite scientific interests.

“Since Pluto became a dwarf planet I’ve looked into space and I think genetics is fascinating, how a small molecule can control the functions of most of our body,” said Neesha Shewakramani, 17, who plans to become a geneticist.

She said she loved mystery and, for the competition, was thinking about creating an experiment related to DNA mutations.

As the initial stage of the contest requires only a written explanation of the experiments, Neesha said it provided ample room for creativity.

“Without being limited by equipment you can expand your horizons,” she said.

Alyazia Al Marzooqi, 16, agreed that the move would help students to think outside the box.

“We were very inspired by last year’s winner and we love this idea,” said the Al Mizhar American Academy pupil, from Dubai, who took part in a Singapore Space Academy programme this year.

She said the competition complemented the country’s space programme, which is advancing rapidly. “We know space exploration is complicated, and not easy, but for such a young country to be progressing so fast is great,” she said.

Submissions are being accepted for Genes in Space from pupils in Grades 7 to 12, at genesinspace.org. The deadline is February 3 next year.

To find out more and get involved, follow #theuaespacestory on social media.

tsubaihi@thenational.ae

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The specs: 2019 Audi A8

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Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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