11 Awards at Network Research Projects Competition

Students of Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Kyzylorda achieved outstanding results at the NIS Network Research Projects Competition, winning 11 awards: two first-place, two second-place and seven third-place prizes.

In addition, the NIS Kyzylorda team received the special nomination “Best Team – 2026” and was awarded a Third-Degree Diploma in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics category.

Two teams shared first place. Ulbosyn Amangeldy and Begimsulu Marat presented a research project exploring the portrayal of historical figures in contemporary Kazakh prose. The project was supervised by M. Donenkozhaeva and G. Mananbay.

Another first-place award went to Aishabibi Erlankyzy and Gainizhamal Berikkyzy for their project QOLDAU AI, an intelligent web-based sign language translator. The solution is designed to recognise sign language gestures and convert them into Kazakh text, creating additional opportunities for communication for people with hearing impairments. The project supervisors were A. Kurakbayeva and M. Rashitova.

Two projects received second place, focusing on artificial intelligence and economics.

Adelina Finansova presented Qadam Speech AI, an adaptive AI-powered system designed to provide personalised speech analysis and training for children. The project supervisors were G. Abdulkamalova and A. Kenesary.

Aru Makhambetova explored economic diversification as a pathway towards sustainable and stable economic growth in Kazakhstan. The research supervisor was S. Zhaiyrbayev.

Seven more research projects earned third place, covering a wide range of fields, including medicine, ecology, engineering, astronomy, chemistry and waste recycling.

Aset Bakytbek, supervised by A. Nurbayeva, assessed the potential of the Apankak mineral spring for developing balneological tourism and designed a tourist route.

Adilet Abilkassym and Rayana Azizulla presented a gamified respiratory rehabilitation system for patients with asthma and chronic lung diseases. The project supervisor was A. Nauan.

Kausar Kuanar investigated the triboelectric properties of Aralkum dust and Martian regolith, examining their effects on dust adhesion to solar panels and the efficiency of electrostatic cleaning methods. The project supervisors were A. Kurakbayeva and N. Mendibayeva.

Nur Tansykbayev and Beknur Nurlybekov developed an intelligent drone system featuring route optimisation and aerodynamic modelling. The project supervisors were M. Serikbol and A. Malibekova.

Ayaulym Tauekel presented research on detecting faint and fast-moving near-Earth asteroids using deep learning techniques. The research supervisor was A. Kurakbayeva.

Asel Myrza and Bagym Kabylanbek explored the synthesis of monoglycerides from rice oil and investigated their biological activity under the supervision of Zh. Doskeyev.

Zhanerke Kuanysh presented a project on recycling plastic waste in Kyzylorda and transforming it into new products. The research supervisor was B. Yerishev.

Behind every achievement are the students’ curiosity, their determination to find practical applications for their ideas, and the professional guidance of their teachers. These results highlight the importance of research-based learning in developing students’ scientific thinking, independence and project management skills.