“Collisions” Spark Discovery: ASD ISG Jubail Students Unite for IB Collaborative Sciences Project

In a powerful display of international-mindedness and scientific inquiry, high school students from American School Dhahran and ISG Jubail partnered this week for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Collaborative Sciences Project. This key component of the IB Diploma Programme challenges students to collaborate across disciplines and borders, reflecting how science is practiced in today’s global community.

This year’s theme, “Collisions,” inspired student-led investigations exploring both literal and metaphorical interpretations, from molecular interactions to biological disruptions and environmental stressors. True to the IB’s focus on learner agency and critical thinking, students worked virtually for several weeks to design their research, gather feedback and prepare for hands-on experiments.

The project culminated in a two-day, in-person workshop at ISG Jubail, where ASD students traveled to join their peers. In mixed-school teams, students conducted experiments, analyzed data and presented their findings to classmates and faculty bringing the IB Learner Profile to life through communication, open-mindedness and principled engagement.

One group from ASD, studied how temperature affects catalase activity in potato tissue, measuring oxygen release. Their investigation was rooted in collision theory, which explains that molecules must collide with sufficient energy to react. The project linked molecular chemistry to a real-world biological concern: the risks of high fever in children.

“Understanding how enzymes respond to heat is directly connected to why fevers can be dangerous, especially for small children,” said a Biology HL student who hopes to study wildlife biology or conservation in Europe. 

Her teammate, a Physics and Chemistry HL student aiming to pursue mechanical engineering in Malaysia or the U.K., highlighted the importance of teamwork. “Working with people you don’t know pushed us to develop collaborative skills essential in real-world labs,” she said.

A Chemistry and Physics HL student from ASD, reflected on the diversity of perspectives within the group. “Collaboration between different schools brought out our individual skills. We approached problems with nuanced viewpoints and different lenses.” The student hopes to study mechanical engineering at the University of Waterloo, contributing to a separate project investigating how holding your breath affects the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled, measured by pH changes in water, offering insight into human physiology through chemistry.

The IB Collaborative Sciences Project highlights the interdisciplinary nature of science and encourages attributes of the IB Learner Profile, including risk-taking, reflection, collaboration and international-mindedness preparing students for higher education and a rapidly evolving world.

Special thanks to the dedicated science teachers who guided this project at both schools:

From the American School of Dhahran: Lucia Clemente, Richard Smith, Edwin Segbefia and Sonal Novick.

From ISG Jubail: Farrah Hamoud, Rayan El-Mir, James Fredenburg and Anindita Ghatak
 

Together, they facilitated an experience that truly embodies the spirit of the IB, where collisions, whether between molecules or ideas, lead to lasting discovery.