Lebanese contestant Bassam Jalgha was yesterday evening declared winner of the first series of "Stars of Science", a new Pan-Arab innovation contest initiated by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.
At the end of a heated grand finale held at the Aspire Sports Academy in Doha and televised live across the Arab world, viewers awarded 62% of the votes to the creator of "Dozan", an automatic tuner for stringed instruments, against 38% for Mohammed Orsod and his "Orsod" project, a cooking oil tester.
Jalgha, a 22-year-old graduate in Mechanical Engineering, has a passion for music and is a gifted oud player. He goes home with a 300,000 $ prize – sufficient to pursue the development of his project which has already received considerable public exposure.
“I have a lot of responsibilities now,” Jalgha said after being announced winner, “and I hope I will be up to them.”
“One should believe in himself and what he is doing, in order to get to where he wants to be,” continued the promising innovator. “Now I will invest in myself and in my education in order to succeed.”
The runner-up was Mohammed Orsod, a Doha resident from Sudan. Orsod, 26, is a Physics graduate and a dedicated instructor at Qatar Scientific Club in Doha with an enthusiasm for research and knowledge transfer.
He congratulated his fellow contestant, declaring “whether I came first place or second place, the fact is, I got to this stage, and that is more than I can ask for.”
The main challenge of the gripping final was to stage a spectacular launch event for the product. The "Dozan" team created a dance show, harmoniously mixing various styles against an original score by Bassam Jalgha. The "Orsod" squad’s performance included orchestrated tribal movements, acrobats and… teppanyaki master chefs.
The fast-paced episode provided plenty of emotion and surprise, combining a journey through the best moments of the competition with enthralling performances by visual artists and the acclaimed singer Fadl Shaker. Special guests on the set included worldwide-renowned designer Philippe Starck and spationaut Patrick Baudry, who both praised the quality of the projects and the creativity of their initiators.
Commenting on the series, Dr Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, Qatar Foundation Vice-President, Education, said: “‘Stars of Science’ is the first Pan-Arab reality TV show dedicated to innovation. It has succeeded in making science and technology attractive and accessible to all, and it has showcased the entire innovation process, from conception to implementation.”