2016 Winners & Shortlists

Brief Explanation

Qatar Shell and its long term partner Qatar Petroleum are committed to supporting the human development and environmental pillars of the Qatar National Vision 2030. This includes educating young Qataris and encouraging them to contribute to the development of the fastest growing economy in the world. Getting the younger generation interested in subjects like science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is a challenge for every society today. Qatar Shell and Qatar Petroleum in association with the Qatar Tourism Authority set out to present a national science festival to inspire youngsters to consider technical careers and choose technical subjects.

The Brief

The event was dedicated to inspiring students to choose STEM subjects and enthuse them with the possibilities of helping secure future success for their country. The ultimate objective was to increase the number of higher education students studying STEM subjects. The challenge was to engage young visitors and interest them in those subjects through an enjoyable, fun experience designed with their needs in mind. In other words, make the kids the stars and empower them to consider becoming a scientist, engineer, inventor.

How the final design was conceived

Kids of all ages love a hero. We created a team of ‘super-heroes’: five characters inspired by STEM subjects who invited young visitors to discover their own super power and then ‘Join The Energy Generation’. Fully networked, using Raspberry Pi, tablets and personalised with RFID a series of digital mini-games positioned throughout the experience presented visitors with fun energy-themed scenarios and asked them to make their choice from a number of innovative energy solutions. This content explored future energy issues and highlighted how the world might respond to them. The combination of the choices made by each player determined which of the super-hero roles best suited them, according to the particular skills they had displayed. Their role was revealed in a lively interactive multi-player experience using motion tracking cameras built around a realtime Unity Environment at the end of the game. Presented on a large scale screen, it celebrated the transformation of visitors into superheroes with STEM super-powers; the pride of young visitors in their achievement was tangible. Everyone captured the moment and shared their images online.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

The event, overall, was successful in achieving its goal of inspiring students about science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an interactive and engaging way. Results across key audience segments suggest that all participants had a positive experience during their visit – and that the event had a significant impact on increasing students’ interest in STEM subjects. Students found the event provided an educational and stimulating learning environment. The majority of students said it had stimulated their interest in pursuing careers in STEM related fields – engineering being among the most popular area of interest. 22,332 total visitors Over 90% of students said it made learning about STEM fun 86% of teachers rated the exprience as inspirational in encouraging students’ interest in STEM