Researcher and innovator Sumaya bint Saeed al Siyabiyah is now standing close to making an unprecedented global achievement for Oman. It indicates that the educational system of the Sultanate of Oman, which started under the shade of a tree with the beginning of the Blessed Renaissance, has always been in the right direction.
The 14th edition of ‘Stars of Science’ programme of the Qatar Foundation for education, science, and community development had a fierce competition between innovators and creators. There were two stages for the selection of the star. It was through direct voting by the common people through the website and Twitter.
The rest of the evaluation was done through a committee, or several committees formed for the purpose. The people of Oman closely watched the process and stood behind Sumaya al Siyabiyah. If Oman or the world in general was interested in this programme, it was due her project which was seen as a major milestone for the well-being of humanity. The idea revolved around plastic which has made the world do sit up and think because it is significant threat to the environment.
None of us has forgotten that the concerned authorities have announced recently that they were going to ban import of plastic bags, and that our local factories would produce environment friendly-bags and avoid plastic. The plastic is also one of the causes of cancer due to the dioxin which it produces when placing liquid and hot foodstuff in such bags.
Al Siyabiyah's invention has strongly addressed this environmental disaster by destroying microplastics within a short period of time, shortening the hundreds or thousands of years’ time which plastics need to decompose. This has attracted unprecedented global interest in this version of the programme since its launch 14 years ago.
With her invention, Al Siyabiyah has placed the Sultanate of Oman on the centre stage of the world of scientific innovation which saved humanity from harm. Now the country is at par with the scientifically advanced nations, which have made many scientific breakthroughs for the welfare of the generations of mankind to come.
There is no doubt that strengthening and emboldening the research and innovations in the face of various types of tragedies caused by plastic is mandatory for all of us. Means and methods need to be invented to deal with the issue which has occupied everybody’s minds in the modern world.
Al Siyabiyah, with her thought-provoking research work, has made a successful stride towards finding a solution to tackle plastic menace.
This innovation has created hope and confidence in the youth of the country who want to take similar steps taken by Al Siyabiyah. This will be the path followed by many in the country. Youth of Oman do not remain behind anybody when it comes to research and development. The only requirement is encouragement and support not only from the authorities, but also from the society. Her recent work will always inspire them in future. If the youth of the country will move towards the right direction, there is no power which can stop them from reaching to the pinnacle which is always vacant and waiting for individuals like Sumaya al Siyabiyah.
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