MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman is going all out to support Omani innovator Sumaiya Al Siyabi who made it to the final of the prestigious 14th Stars of Science for her scientific innovation in the environmental field ‘bio-analysis of microplastics in a new way of biological and nanotechnology’.

On Sunday itself she got the biggest vote of Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, the Sultanate’s Minister of Foreign.

The minister tweeted on Sunday after voting for Sumaiya, a mother of three children, a SQU researcher and a teacher, and urged all to support her in his post along with the link.

On her arrival here on Monday she met the media persons at a function organized by the Ministry of Information where the Omani innovator drove home the importance of online voting for her through https://www.starsofscience.com/voting/voting.php.

“The public vote represents 50% while the remaining percentage will be for the jury. The deadline is Thursday (October 13),” she urged all.

Sumaiya said that her scientific innovation offers a lasting solution to get rid of microplastics in a safe and environmentally friendly manner by using microbial traps and a catalyst (nano zinc oxide).

“Reaching the final stage came after a strong competition, which confirms the great capabilities of Omani innovators and my ambition to raise the flag of the Sultanate of Oman high,” she said.

“My project using microplastic analysis is a recent and new study. There was another study remotely similar but mine is vastly different. Mine specializes in the environmental aspect that we need to preserve,” Sumaiya explained.

Mohammed bin Saeed Al Balushi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information, said: “The participation of the innovator, Sumaiya Al Siyabi, with an invention that helps the environment to get rid of microplastics in a new and innovative way and protects water bodies and marine creatures around the world, we must support her.”

Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al Omari, President of the Environment Agency, stressed the importance of supporting the Omani innovator and her scientific innovation, which will contribute to serve all and preserve the environment, noting that the survey study that was conducted for a large number of samples and analyzed to ensure that the seas of the Sultanate are at safe levels of organic and inorganic pollutants.

“The issue of microplastics is one of the global difficulties that cannot be limited to the seas of a particular country, and it moves through fish and the effects of pollution reach other countries, stressing that the seas of the Sultanate are currently devoid of these pollutants according to reports,” the EA chief said.

Badr bin Ahmed Al Habsi, Head of the Innovation Department at the General Directorate of Education in North Sharqia, pointed out that environmental experiments require a great deal of time and more experiments to prove their results 100% and that the microbial share was taken by the innovator Sumaiya from a fresh environment, transported and tested in a salty environment. He added that this research is a global project and will be of great international interest.

The Stars of Science program is one of the leading programs in the Arab world and focuses on innovation with the aim of supporting and encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs in the field of science and technology in the region.