Scientists of the Future gathered in Baku
By Nigar Orujova
Scientists of the future came together at the fourth Republican Contest in the Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku on February 12.
The competition was organized by the Heydar Aliyev Center, Education, Youth and Sports Ministries, and the organization "Meded".
Education Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said it is impossible to imagine science without education and education without science. The main purpose of the competition named "Scientists of the Future" is to teach senior pupils the skills of scientific thinking and research skills, he stressed.
The Minister believes that this innovative contest will help young people find a scientific way to resolve various problems.
The three-day contest is held as part of the international scientific and engineering exhibition (Intel ISEF), which is held annually in the United States with the participation of students from more than 70 countries. The competition involved students of 9-11 classes of secondary schools around the country.
The Minister said that the competition is supported by the Azerbaijan Technical University, Baku State University and Sumgait State University, and noted that the increase in the number of projects submitted.
The fourth competition involved 204 students with 106 research projects, Jabbarov said.
Thirty-nine of these projects are individual and 67 are collective works. The presented projects are of senior students not only from Baku, but also various regions of the country.
The winners of the contest will be awarded with diplomas, medals and prizes. They will also attend the exhibition Intel ISEF in Pittsburgh in May.
President of the National Academy of Sciences Akif Alizadeh expressed confidence that the project will make a great contribution to science in the future.
Alizadeh recalled that the 70th anniversary of ANAS will be celebrated at the end of this year.
World-known scientists lived in Azerbaijan during those years, he added.
Unfortunately, the number of some scientific schools has reduced and their scope narrowed, the scientist added.
However, there are research centers that are developing today. One of the main problems now is lack of scientific personnel, he stressed.
Alizadeh believes that training of Azerbaijani youth with experienced scientists is a great impetus to the development of science in the country.
“The Azerbaijani youth is a great hope. Today's young people after 20, 30, 50 years will represent the country in various fields. The academy has all the conditions for research activities, it has an extensive base. Its doors are open to the youth,” he said.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Intigam Babayev said that every success of students at international scientific competitions is in general an indispensable contribution to the development of the country.
Formation of the intellectual potential of the new generation is one of the main goals of the country, he said.
--
Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz