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WCM-Q faculty support International Junior Science Olympiad

Dr. Majda Sebah, lecturer in chemistry at WCM-Q, speaking at IJSO 2019.
Dr. Majda Sebah, lecturer in chemistry at WCM-Q, speaking at IJSO 2019.

Two WCM-Q faculty members supported the pursuit of excellence in scientific endeavor by contributing to the recent International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO), which welcomed more than 400 students from 70 countries across the world. 

Dr. Majda Sebah, lecturer in chemistry and Dr. Mohammad Yousef, associate professor of physics, served as members of the Scientific Committee, playing key roles in the preparation of the assessment papers for the contest, leading discussions during the event and ensuring the standard of science presented in the papers was of a high caliber. 

Dr. Sebah said: “As members of the Scientific Committee, both Dr. Yousef and I represented WCM-Q's vision of the importance of forming collaborations in the community. Taking part was extremely rewarding as we were very highly motivated by the idea of connecting students from 70 countries from across the world for the purpose of inspiring and promoting an interest in science among school students, exposing them to problem solving, critical thinking and experimentation.”

Dr. Sebah and Dr. Yousef were also pleased to contribute to the establishment of a new format for the exams, which contained questions that integrated the three different branches of the natural sciences of physics, chemistry and biology for the first time. Qatar won several gold, silver and bronze medals at the event. 

Dr. Sebah added: “The exams not only tested the students’ understanding of the sciences but also exposed them to problem solving, critical thinking and experimentation, which we believe will help produce a generation of young scientists ready to make an impact in the world.”

The 16th IJSO was held at Qatar National Convention Centre in December 2019 and was organized by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in collaboration with Qatar University. The event was convened under the patronage of Prime Minister and Interior Minister HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Dr. Yousef said: “It was my great pleasure to serve on the scientific committee of the IJSO and to represent WCM-Q. I believe that my esteemed colleague Dr. Majda Sebah and I contributed to the astonishing success of the event, from authoring novel questions and overseeing grading schemes to moderating discussions with people from more than 70 countries. We thank the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for the opportunity to serve and Dean Javaid Sheikh for supporting us throughout the event.”

Dr. Mohammad Yousef, associate professor of physics at WCM-Q, at IJSO 2019.