The world’s largest high school science & engineering competition, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2015, a program of Society for Science & the Public, announced its top winners in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.

Miss Sanju Subodha Sewwandi from Bomiriya Central College won a grand award in the Engineering Mechanics category at the Grand Award Ceremony, Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, for her unique project titled ‘Supporting Rod To Climb Stair Case’.

The opportunity to participate in the international competition arose when she won the Gold Award at the ‘Junior Inventor of the Year-2014’ (JIY-2014) competition, conducted by the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL). The Junior Inventor of the Year (JIY) competition promotes creativity and ingenuity among school children from schools all over Sri Lanka participate, initially in awareness programmes & preliminary competitions held at the provincial level with the IESL provincial Chapters, and proceed to the final JIY competition held at the IESL Headquarters in Colombo. Their projects are evaluated by engineers who have experience more than 25 years of engineering & research.

The Intel ISEF provides a forum for over 1700 high school students from over 70 countries, to showcase their inventions. It is the premier science competition in the globe, exclusively for students in grades 9 to 12.

Eng Jayavilal Meegoda, Vice President, IESL said, “I am proud to say that JIY winners are capable of competing and winning at any world stage. IESL has been organizing the Junior Inventor of the Year (JIY) competition for the last three decades, mentoring many students to win at an international level. IESL is very happy to be a part in this cultural change that drives the next generation of Sri Lankan students to be innovative”. This is the 16th occasion JIY winners have won recognition at an international level during last 08 years.

Sanju Subodha Sewwandi, who was the runner up at the Sri Lanka Science and Engineering Fair (SLSEF), was part of the Sri Lankan contingent at the Intel ISEF which included Mahendiran Sivatharshan from Hartley College, Jaffna, and Tharindu Pasan, Janith Ishanka & Buddhi Pramodya from Gnanodaya Central College, Kaluthara.

Every year winners of the Sri Lanka Science and Engineering Fair (SLSEF), a partnership between the Ministry of Education, the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, the National Science Foundation and Intel are sent to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair which honors some of the world’s most promising, innovative students, innovators and scientists. ISEF finalists are selected annually from hundreds of affiliated fairs. Their projects are then evaluated onsite by more than 1,200 judges from nearly every scientific discipline, each with a Ph.D or the equivalent of six years of related professional experience in one of the scientific disciplines.

You can also participate in the Intel ISEF competition and bring honour to mother Sri Lanka by becoming a JIY winner. JIY 2015 preliminary competitions will be held in the months of June, July & August at the provincial level. Register today your inventions by visiting the website www.iesl.lk/jiy.

For more details, Please contact organizing committee of Junior Inventor of the Year Competition. (Eng Dayan – 071 8735338, Mr Maduranga – 071 3535329)

Eng. Jayavilal Meegoda
Vice Presdent The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka.