SWABI: Speakers at a national design, build and flying competition (DBFC) held at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology on Monday said that there was no dearth of talent in the country, but young engineers only needed an ideal platform and financial support to display their skills and contribute to the progress and prosperity of the nation.

The DBFC was organised in collaboration with STEM Careers Programme, a project of Higher Education Commission. The STEM Careers project encourages talented students to come forward and play their due role in achieving technological breakthroughs.

Prof Masroor Ikram, director academics, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad, and head of STEM project was the chief guests in the prize distribution ceremony.

After shortlisting 18 teams participated in the competition.

On the occasion, Prof Ikram said the competition provided a golden opportunity to young engineers of different universities to design, build and fly their remote-controlled aircraft.

He said the STEM project was basically aimed to discover the youth’s hidden talent and support competent students who could play their due role through utilisation of power of contemporary knowledge.

Dr Shoaib Salamat, Wing Commander, Pakistan Air Force, said assembling of young talent on a single platform was a great achievement because they could easily learn from each other and exchange knowledge in such gatherings.

Yasir Mahmood, coordinator DBFC, said the participating teams of the competition were told that first they should design and build their aircraft and then participate in the flying contest.

The team of College of Aeronautical Engineering, Risalpur, stood first, NED Karachi second and GIK Institute’s third. The top team got a reward of Rs80,000, second Rs60,000 and third Rs45,000.

There were also two consolation awards of Rs22,500 each given to teams of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, and GIK Institute.

Prof Ikram gave away prizes to winners and certificates to the participating teams.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2019