Riyadh | 28 Muharram 1447 AH – July 23, 2025

In a new scientific achievement adding to the Kingdom's string of global successes in innovation and science, Saudi students Musk Hamad Al-Mutairi and Raghad Yasser Al-Sheikh have lifted the Kingdom's tally of international awards at the “ISEF 2025” fair to 25, after winning two prestigious special awards from the American Chemical Society in recognition of their outstanding projects in green chemistry and carbon-conversion technologies.

The awards extend a record of excellence, with the Kingdom's participants this year winning a total of 25 international awards, including 14 grand awards and 11 special awards, reflecting the ongoing strategic efforts to nurture talent and scientific innovation among young people through a national ecosystem led jointly by the Mawhiba Foundation and the Ministry of Education.

At a Glance

  • Musk Al-Mutairi's project (Eastern Province Education Department): focused on converting carbon dioxide using copper nanocatalysts, to reduce emissions and develop the carbon economy.
  • Raghad Al-Sheikh's project (Eastern Province Education Department): centred on advanced electrochemical catalysis to convert carbon dioxide into useful compounds, in support of industrial sustainability.

These successes are the product of a full year of intensive training and quality scientific preparation provided by Mawhiba to participating students, through diagnostic tests, specialized workshops and presentation-skills programs, under the supervision of a select group of local and international experts.

The Kingdom's ISEF journey. Since it began taking part in 2007, Saudi Arabia has amassed 185 international awards, including 124 grand awards and 61 special awards.

ISEF is the world's largest science and engineering fair for pre-university students, with more than 1,700 students from 70 countries taking part each year with advanced scientific projects spanning a wide range of technical, medical and engineering disciplines.

This achievement reflects the Kingdom's advanced global standing in supporting scientific talent and innovation, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which places innovation and quality education at the heart of national transformation.