Supporting Young Scientists: University of Mauritius contributes to Science Quest Victory through Community Engagement

 

The University of Mauritius, through its Faculty of Science, continues to play a pivotal role in fostering scientific curiosity, innovation and research excellence among young learners across the country.

This commitment was recently reflected in the success of a student project from Notre Dame College, "The Great Metal Escape Featuring Algae – A Natural Solution against Heavy Metal Pollution," which was awarded the Gold Award (First Prize) in Category 1 at the Rajiv Gandhi Science Quest 2026 on Thursday 28 May 2026.

As part of its outreach and community engagement initiatives, the Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Science assisted the student team from Notre Dame College by providing access to its laboratory facilities, technical support and expertise during the preparation of the project.  The latter consisted of investigating the potential of different algae species to remove copper contamination from seawater, in view of addressing the growing challenge of heavy metal pollution.  Using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), copper concentrations in treated and untreated seawater samples were analysed, demonstrating that the algae removed between 80% and 95% of the copper contamination.  The students also benefited from guidance on analytical techniques, interpretation of results, and exposure to university-level scientific facilities.

The Department of Chemistry also supported another participant of the Rajiv Gandhi Science Quest 2026, a student from Doha College, Souillac, by providing access to its Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy facilities for the analysis and characterisation of biodegradable plastics.

These collaborations were made possible through the prompt support and commitment of the Faculty's leadership, whose responsiveness facilitated timely access of the students to the University's laboratory facilities.  The valuable support of the Faculty’s technical staff, namely Mr D W Abdool Cader, Mr K. Panpadoo and Mrs P Chutturdharry-Boodhooa, enabled the students to conduct essential experimental work in a professional scientific environment and enhance the scientific rigour of their projects using advanced analytical instrumentation.  By providing access to its scientific infrastructure and expertise, the University of Mauritius, through its Faculty of Science, enabled aspiring young researchers to transform innovative ideas into meaningful scientific investigations.

The University of Mauritius warmly congratulates the students and educators of Notre Dame College on this outstanding achievement.  In line with its commitment to advancing science and innovation in Mauritius, the University looks forward to future collaborations with schools that promote scientific literacy and encourage students to pursue careers in science and research.

Together, we continue to inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators for a more sustainable future!

University of Mauritius: Empowering minds for a bright future