The world’s largest high school science & engineering research competition, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, a program of Society for Science & the Public, announced its top winners in Los Angeles, California, USA. As the winners of the Junior Inventor of the Year Competition, Wishwajith Gangodawila of Narammala Mayurapada Central College & Sanuja Abeywickrama of Ambalangoda Dharmashoka Central College participated Intel International Science and Engineering Fair representing Sri Lanka. Wishwajith Gangodawila from Narammala Mayurapada Central College won fourth award in the Engineering Mechanics category at the Grand Award Ceremony for his unique project titled ‘Systematic Wall Constructing Tool’. Also Sankalpa Perera & Shehan Sankalpa from S De S Jayasinghe Central College Dehiwala won fourth award in the Environmental Engineering category at the Grand Award Ceremony for their research titled ‘Micro and Nano engineering for wastewater: magnetized biochar and nanoparticle composite for toxic Cr(VI) removal’.

The opportunity to participate in the international competition arose when he won the award at the ‘Junior Inventor of the Year-2016’ (JIY-2016) competition, of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) and the Sri Lanka Science and Engineering Fair (SLSEF) 2017 competition. The Intel ISEF is the world’s largest annual international pre-college science competition which provides a forum for over 1800 high school students from over 75 countries, to showcase their independent research. It is the premier science competition in the globe, exclusively for students in grades 9 to 12.

Eng Jayavilal Meegoda, President, IESL said, “I am proud to say that JIY students are capable of competing and winning at any world stage. What Wishwajith Gangodawila has done is a testimony of the leadership and capability of the Sri Lankan education system.” This is the 14th occasion JIY winners have won recognition at an international level”

Wishwajith Gangodawila, 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 Sanuja Abeywickrama from Ambalangoda Dharmashoka Central College and Sankalpa Perera & Shehan Sankalpa from S De S Jayasinghe Central College Dehiwala.

Every year winners of the Sri Lanka Science and Engineering Fair (SLSEF), a partnership between Intel, the Ministry of Education, the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka and the National Science Foundation are sent by Intel to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair which honors some of the world’s most promising, rising student entrepreneurs, innovators and scientists. 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 2018 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.

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

Maduranga Karunajeewa
Student Member of IESL