Media Release
Ajman, Oct 26: Being held at the Gulf Medical University (GMU) Campus on October 25 and 26, GMU MASE (Medical and Science Exhibition) will showcase more than 800 exhibits in the project, poster and painting categories, by talented young students from across schools in the UAE, competing for total cash prizes worth AED 25,000.
Thousands of upcoming young doctors, scientists and medical/science enthusiasts from leading UAE schools will showcase their talents at the 11th annual MASE held at the Gulf Medical University, the leading private medical university in the region owned by Thumbay Group UAE, here. The event was officially inaugurated on Wednesday October 25 by Prof Gita Ashok Raj, the provost of GMU, in the presence of deans and students of the university and participating students and school authorities.
Students of grades 10, 11 and 12 from across the country are exhibiting around 350 projects, more than 200 posters and an equal number of paintings based on science and medicine, vying for total cash prizes of AED 25,000, in addition to trophies and certificates. The competitions are judged by a panel comprising of leading doctors, professors and medical science professionals. This year, MASE brings together students from 80 nationalities at GMU, including the university’s own students and the participating/visiting school students.
Explaining the aim of the annual exhibition, Prof Hossam Hamdy, chancellor of GMU said, “Every year GMU MASE stimulates the creative talents of young scientists and instills in them an interest in medical and science based careers. GMU MASE gives students the chance to see and experience theoretical concepts in action. This infuses scientific temper in them and transforms their perspectives and approaches.”
Many students visiting GMU MASE 2017 are also excited about their first experience visiting a medical university and interacting with professors and students. Moreover, GMU's advanced facilities like the Innovation & Research Centre, Anatomy Museum, Pathology Museum, Dental Simulation Lab, Clinical Simulation Lab etc are open for the visiting students.
A group of students from Al Sadiq Islamic English School, Dubai recounted their exciting experience, “It was an amazing experience for all of us. We got to see a lot of science projects and we got to explore a lot of things we were not even aware of. We also had the chance to experience and see the career fields that we are planning to enter into, in the future. This has been a very motivating experience.” Describing her experience visiting GMU’s Anatomy Museum, a student from the group, Maryum Noor added, “The labs where we saw real dead bodies and the real organs were very fascinating for us, as we had seen them only in diagrams.”
Nayyara Siddiqua, a grade 10 student from Leaders Private School, Sharjah, said, “GMU MASE opens our minds to many things hitherto unknown to us. Some of the projects were truly mind-blowing. It is the first time I am participating as an exhibitor; until last year, I was just a visitor. It is like this time we are giving something back to the exhibition as well. It is a great atmosphere here.”
Among the projects on display were a 'Parking Finder App' - an app which helps vehicle owners locate parking spots in malls - by Salik Rushdy, Sara Tufail, Ria Arun, Haris Arslan and Ahmed Tharak, Grade 11 students of Dubai Scholars Private School. “Normally in Dubai, it would take at least 10-15 minutes to locate a parking slot in malls. The concept we have used is ultrasonic sensors.” Demonstrating how the app helped detect vacant parking slots, the students said that they managed to set up the exhibit in less than Dh 100.
A working model of Dubai’s much awaited 'Hyper Loop' - the fifth mode of transportation was presented by Grade 10 students Sanjana Shaju, Hiba Shamsudheen, Ayisha Aseef, Hanna Nafeesa and Aslaha Mohammed from Gulf Asian English School, Sharjah. Explaining that the hyper loop ran on solar energy alone, making it a fuel–efficient mode of transport, the students said that the only major disadvantage, that of noise-pollution could be overlooked, as a major part of the loop would be through the uninhabited areas. “Though the initial installation charges associated with the hyper loop are higher, the running costs are low, as it is mostly dependent on solar energy,” they said.
Eldose, a teacher from International Indian School, Ajman, attending the event for the third consecutive year, said that he always found GMU MASE a systematic and well-organized event, highly beneficial to the students. “With every passing year, GMU MASE is becoming more systematic and well-organized. In my opinion, the standards of projects and posters exhibited at MASE are improving every year. It is good to see the students putting in so much of effort and showing great interest in this much-awaited annual event.” His colleague, Jayakrishnan said that the event was very helpful in honing the innovative skills and scientific talents of the students. “We are amazed that Thumbay Group and Gulf Medical University year after year take the effort to make this such a wonderful event. The coordination and planning is commendable,” he said.
The winners will be declared and prizes awarded at the closing ceremony on Thursday October 26. Apart from the overall championship, prizes will be awarded in 35 team and individual categories, including viewers' choice awards.