RIYADH: A Saudi science and engineering team of 35 students are taking part in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF 2023) in Dallas, US, from May 12-19. The team are taking part through the support of the King Abdullah and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Saudi Ministry of Education. The science and engineering team will compete with 1,800 students from about 70 countries. It is the Kingdom’s 17th consecutive participation in the ISEF exhibition since 2007, as part of an annual program organized by Mawhiba in partnership with the Ministry of Education. Team members were chosen from winners of the grand prizes at the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity “Ibdaa 2023,” one of the various programs that Mawhiba offers annually for talented students. The 35-student team was selected from among 146,000 boys and girls who had registered for the Ibdaa. The Regeneron ISEF 2023 finalists will compete for almost $9 million in awards, prizes and scholarships throughout the course of the event. Dr. Amal bint Abdullah Al-Hazaa, secretary general of Mawhiba, said that the “Saudi team for science and engineering represents the elite students of the Kingdom who have reached this stage after a long journey of training, qualification and participation in Mawhiba programs.” She added that Saudi student programs had qualified them for ISEF 2023, enabling them to reach a higher scientific and research level. Saudi students bagged 106 prizes at ISEF last year, including 69 grand awards and 37 special awards. This year’s Saudi team members took part in an intensive series of training with the help of Saudi and foreign trainers, including academics, experts and arbitrators in various disciplines.