87 finalists selected from over 1300 projects across the country will vie for the National honors at IRIS 2010 where the students will showcase their innovations in the field of physical & life sciences, mathematics, engineering and social sciences. The projects range from “Eco friendly paper from Banana Stem” to “Wireless Transmission of Electricity”. A whopping 23 innovative projects by 33 students from Karnataka alone have been shortlisted for IRIS 2010.
The four-day event that concludes on November 21, 2010 is aimed at promoting and nurturing science and scientific research amongst young Indian innovators by recognizing and rewarding outstanding projects. The winners at IRIS 2010 will represent India at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) which is the world's largest pre-college science fair, held annually in the USA. Intel ISEF brings together more than 1500 students from over 50 nations to compete for over US$ 4 million worth of prizes and scholarships.
“It is heartening to see the effort that has gone behind preparing each of these innovations. There is no doubt that science & technology can play a pivotal role to motivate students and empower them with opportunities to ensure sustained growth, both individually and consequently professionally and enhancement of their careers,” said Dr. Kamal Kant Dwivedi , Adviser and Head NCSTC, Department of Science & Technology.
Commenting on IRIS, Rahul Bedi, Director, Corporate Affairs, Intel South Asia, said, “It’s an inspiration to see these young minds apply their ample creativity and come up with such extraordinary innovative solutions. The aim of IRIS is to empower and mentor students, who truly are the future of India. IRIS through its unique proposition will continue to nurture innovation and provide stimulation and encouragement to young scientists in the making.”
IRIS as an initiative began in 2006 in collaboration with Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, Intel and CII. This initiative is the merger of Intel’s “Science Talent Discovery Fair” and DST’s “Steer the Big Idea”. The primary objective of IRIS is to promote and nurture science and scientific research amongst the young Indian innovators in secondary and higher secondary schools. This is done by recognizing and rewarding outstanding research based projects. The programme offers a platform for the participating students to interact with some of the best scientific minds in the country, who are involved as judges, and to hone their scientific talent. It also provides a public platform to recognize students who excel in science and scientific concepts.
