AUS encourages young minds to pursue engineering and sustainable development through Chemical and Biological Engineering Competition

As American University of Sharjah (AUS) strives to continue providing opportunities for students to explore and develop their interest in engineering and related fields, the Chemical and Biological Engineering High School Competition held recently at AUS has opened doors for the younger generation to pursue chemical and biological engineering and contribute to the community's sustainable development.

Focusing on water treatment, the day-long event challenged six teams of students from across the UAE to design and construct a small-scale, packed-bed water treatment setup that could filter suspended materials from simulated wastewater. The setup was required to filter one liter of synthetic wastewater containing 10 g of chalk/calcium carbonate in tap water. Students were challenged to use natural, recyclable or ordinary solid materials of their choice to create the packed bed.

Dr. Sameer Al-Asheh, Professor and Head of the AUS Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, expressed his delight at the event's success, stating, "We were pleased to host this competition and see such enthusiastic participation from high school students. Chemical and biological engineering are essential in our daily lives, and it is important to cultivate an interest in these fields among the younger generation. Through this competition, we aimed to provide a platform for students to showcase their skills and develop their interest in chemical and biological engineering."

The English Language Private School Dubai emerged victorious at the competition taking home the gold prize. Westminster School Dubai secured the silver prize while Sharjah American International School won the bronze prize. 

Participant Aws Sababha, a grade 11 student from Sharjah American International School, said he enjoyed the competitive experience.

"For me, chemical and biological engineering have always been of interest, and I thought this competition would be a great chance for me to challenge myself and learn new skills. I learned a lot of new skills and gained a lot of new knowledge; aside from the knowledge gained by researching for the model, I learned important skills like teamwork and competition. The multiple attempts to build a design taught me not to give up and always improve what I have,” Sababha said. 

Chemical and biological engineering play a critical role at the intersection of molecular sciences and engineering, with far-reaching applications across various technologies. AUS recognizes the significance of this discipline by offering an outstanding education reflected in being ranked among the top three in the UAE and top ​400 universities globally for ​chemical ​engineering, according to QS World University Subject Rankings (2023​). 
To learn more about the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and what sets it apart, please visit www.aus.edu/cen/department-of-chemical-and-biological-engineering.