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Science, Engineering Exhibition Sheds Light on Saudi Innovations

A training camp for the Saudi National Science and Engineering Team in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A training camp for the Saudi National Science and Engineering Team in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Science, Engineering Exhibition Sheds Light on Saudi Innovations

A training camp for the Saudi National Science and Engineering Team in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A training camp for the Saudi National Science and Engineering Team in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) has showcased the innovative ideas of 30 Saudi students.

ISEF 2021 is being held virtually in the US, with the participation of over 1,800 students from around the world showcasing their projects at the science fair.

King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) announced its sponsorship of the innovations in the energy field at ISEF 2021.

Saudi Arabia first participated in ISEF in 2007 and has since then won 48 major and 27 special prizes. In 2020, the Kingdom received eight prizes, including five major and three special prizes.

Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman is set to meet virtually with a number of students from around the world that are taking part in this year’s edition.

In a statement, Mawhiba announced that it will present major prizes and sponsorships for the top four projects in the field of energy.

The foundation will also offer a number of special awards in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including 12 grants and 12 cash prizes.

The statement explained that the foundation’s sponsorship of ISEF’s energy field stems from Vision 2030 and its awareness of the important role Saudi Arabia plays as a major source of energy, and its efforts to continue sustainable development by preserving energy sources.

Mawhiba stated that the awards it offers to international talents at the ISEF 2021 exhibition reflect its vision and mission to make innovation a sustainable way to invest in human capabilities.

There is an increasing trend towards the production of more renewable energy, which is expected to account for 40 percent of the planet's energy by 2040, according to Mawhiba.

The Mawhiba Foundation has offered 79 special awards, totaling $269,000, for 97 international students at the ISEF over the past ten years.

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Technology

Instagram Courts TikTok Stars during Turbulent Times

A man films a TikTok video outside the US headquarters of the social media company TikTok in Culver City, California, US January 18,2025. REUTERS/Fred Greaves
A man films a TikTok video outside the US headquarters of the social media company TikTok in Culver City, California, US January 18,2025. REUTERS/Fred Greaves
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Instagram Courts TikTok Stars during Turbulent Times

A man films a TikTok video outside the US headquarters of the social media company TikTok in Culver City, California, US January 18,2025. REUTERS/Fred Greaves
A man films a TikTok video outside the US headquarters of the social media company TikTok in Culver City, California, US January 18,2025. REUTERS/Fred Greaves

Meta-owned Instagram has been wooing creators from TikTok as the China-based video-snippet sharing app's future remains uncertain in the United States.
After officially increasing the allowed length of videos and adding a new editing tool, Meta recently began letting TikTok creators earn as much as $5,000 over the course of three months for posting "Reels" to Facebook and Instagram.
The "Breakthrough Bonus" program for eligible TikTok creators is intended to "help jumpstart their growth on our apps," a Meta spokesperson told AFP.
In addition, Meta is quietly offering incentives amounting to tens of thousands of dollars a month to get creators with large TikTok audiences to switch to rival platform Reels at Instagram, according to a report Wednesday in The Information.
"Meta has been trying to take advantage of the volatility around TikTok for months, and now its efforts to court TikTok creators have gone from subtle to overt," said Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg.
Temporary reprieve
The campaign to get TikTok stars to switch allegiance to Reels comes as TikTok's future in the United States remains unsettled.
TikTok is facing down a US law that ordered the company to divest from its Chinese owner ByteDance or be banned in the United States.
In one of his first acts in office, President Donald Trump ordered a pause on enforcing the law that should have seen TikTok effectively made illegal in the country on Sunday.
The executive order directed his attorney general to delay the implementation of the law for 75 days.
The TikTok ban passed due to concerns that the Chinese government could exploit the app to spy on Americans or covertly influence US public opinion through data collection and content manipulation.
TikTok briefly shut down in the United States late Saturday as the law's sale deadline approached, leaving millions of dismayed users barred from the app.
That same day, Instagram boss Adam Mosseri announced that video snippets shared on Reels could now last 3 minutes instead of 90 seconds, a limit set more than two years ago.
On Sunday, Mosseri announced a new video editing application will make its debut on iPhones in February.
That comes as TikTok's flagship editing tool, CapCut, has disappeared from mobile app stores in the United States because it's owned by the same parent company, ByteDance.
"There's a lot going on right now, but no matter what happens, it's our job to provide the best possible tools for creators," Mosseri said.
Zuckerberg and Trump
Analyst Enberg believes the new features won't be enough to win over the TikTok faithful, with some likely to be irked by "blatant copycat behavior" as many are "rattled" by Meta's moves to align itself with the Trump administration.
Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg has dined with Trump since his victory, openly praised the president and appointed Trump allies to positions of influence at the tech firm.
Meta also recently ended programs to prevent disinformation and vitriol on its platform, efforts long criticized by political conservatives.
While Instagram is considered the most likely alternative to TikTok, Chinese application named Xiaohongshu -- nicknamed "Red Note" -- is a preferred option for many in the United States.
Even though the app is in Mandarin, many see it as a way of thumbing their noses at Meta and US politicians.
"The potential of a cash bonus is going to be hard for TikTok creators to resist, regardless of how they feel about Meta," said analyst Enberg.
As for users, they will follow where their beloved creators lead, and there is no better way to get them to Instagram than money, Enberg reasoned.