Rami Sayar shines in science competition

> Karine Boivin-Forcier

The seventeen-year old student can be proud of him. He worked on his project while working 16-hour weekend shifts at McDonald’s and while maintaining a very high academic average. His idea was to create a platform in software for simulating artificial intelligence in a virtual environment. «I have a fundamental interest in the way things work. I have always been fascinated by video games and I continually have questions about the inner functioning of them. This led me to look into developing my own video games», he explains. His artificial intelligence almost works like a brain. It continuously evolves and changes everytime he plays. Even Rami’s actions in the game have an effect on its behaviour.

Rami Sayar has begun working on his platform in June. It took him a lot of time, but he thinks it was worth it. «I love working on it, so I feel like I’m not spending enough time on it», he says. He’s really proud of the work he has accomplished.

Rami loved the experience of participating in this provincial Science Fair. He found it very instructive. «I had a great time. I met a lot of nice people. I would do it again», he tells. The young man is thinking of eventually studying Medicine in university. For now, he’s more interested in getting some hard-earned hours of sleep, but he’s thinking about separating the artificial intelligence from the simulation and maybe to commercialise it.

Some of the prizes Rami Sayar won will lead him to national and international competitions. He’ll represent Vanier College and the province of Quebec at the Canada-wide Science Fair in Ottawa on May 10 to 18. Then, he will participate in the MILSET International Science Fair in Nabeul, Tunisia, in July 2009.

This year, the Super Expo Sciences Bell competition brought together 152 young scientists from all regions of Quebec. They were competing for prizes valued at more than 260 000 $.