Sharjah, UAE. May 2, 2023 – More than 400 undergraduate students from 14 universities from around the UAE took part in the 17th Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Student Day held at American University of Sharjah (AUS), which recognized outstanding achievements of IEEE student members.
Sponsored by Petrofac, the IEEE Student Day this year returned to its founding university with a variety of student competitions in areas of software engineering; common design and engineering design; senior design projects in communication and electronics, computing and robotics, and power and renewable energy; and community service.
“Supporting young engineers and encouraging innovation is important to Petrofac. We have one of the UAE’s leading design and engineering centers for the energy sector located here in Sharjah, so are proud to be part of IEEE’s UAE Student Day, as it returns to its founding university,” said Haresh Sharma, Petrofac’s Group Head of Engineering.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Ming Foey Teng, Senior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering at AUS and event organizer chair, said: “We want students to exhibit creativity, innovation and show us their analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. The goal is to think outside the box. Seventeen years ago, we launched the IEEE Student Day at AUS and ever since then it has been touring UAE universities, enhancing the leadership qualities of IEEE students, and introducing the IEEE to the public. We are proud to see it come back to AUS this year and we are happy to see the caliber of students taking part in the competitions.”
In one of the competitions, students were challenged to develop a family banking system that is accessible using a website and a mobile application. Al Ain University student team Juraij Bin Jamal, Abdallah Al Yousefi, Mohammad Al Shehi and Ali Alhelli won first place, followed by two student teams from Khalifa University of Science and Technology in second and third place.
Students also competed to design a smart logistics robot that can detect, pick-up and deliver specific objects to its correct destination with the AUS student team Ananya Sudheer, Hasnain Mahdi, Ramziyya Abdul Rahman and Saba Hussain emerging as the only winner.
Exploring the art and science of system design, another competition saw students building a cost-effective and efficient car along with a gearing system that can carry a load of up-to two kilograms within a distance of three meters in the least amount of time. Students in the first and second year of their engineering education were particularly encouraged to participate. Students Ezza Mirza, Noor Mohammed, Somayya Khalaf and Jana Elnazamy from Canadian University Dubai won first place, followed by AUS student team Omar Shaghnoubi, Mohammed Shehab, Ibrahim Mutoori in second place and Abdelrahman Alseeari, Hamdan Alzaabi, Dalia Darwish and Abdullah Ghazi from Al Ain University in third place.
The senior design project competition gave students in their last year of their undergraduate study program the opportunity to demonstrate their graduation projects through a poster and/or an actual demo of the system. Students were judged on originality and creativity, quality of technical content, project results, attention to non-technical aspects of the design, poster and oral presentation. Winners emerged under three categories.
AUS won first place in the communication and electronics category followed by Ajman University in second place and University of Sharjah in third place. In computing and robotics, AUS came in first with Ajman University and American University of Ras Al Khaimah coming in second and third respectively. Under power and renewable energy, AUS came in first followed by Khalifa University of Science and Technology in second place and American University of Ras Al Khaimah in third place.
The community service competition emphasized the role of engineering students in serving the community and recognized those students who carry out community service in UAE. Two teams from each institution took part in the competition. Manipal University won first place followed by University of Dubai in second place and Ajman University in third place.
“It was exciting to see the caliber of the students and their passion as they competed in the IEEE Student Day. In the College of Engineering (CEN), we believe in the importance of providing university students with opportunities to explore and innovate. When we launched IEEE Student Day 17 years ago, our aim was to offer dynamic and creative ways to engage students and encourage them to become analytical thinkers and problem solvers capable of meeting the challenges of the future. We are proud of all who participated and won in IEEE Student Day,” said Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of CEN.
According to QS World University Subject Rankings (2023), AUS is ranked number one (tied) in the UAE and among the top 200 universities globally for civil and structural engineering. It is also ranked among the top three (tied) in the UAE and top 300 universities globally for electrical and electronic engineering; among the top two (tied) in the UAE and top 300 universities globally in the category of mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering; among the top three in the UAE and top 400 universities globally for chemical engineering; and among the top four in the UAE and top 450 universities globally for computer science and information systems.
Additionally, CEN graduates are the preferred choice for employers in the UAE across all engineering disciplines, according to the QS World University Subject Rankings (2023). AUS alumni from both undergraduate and graduate programs are highly regarded by employers in the region and worldwide.
About AUS
American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan articulated his vision of a distinctive institution against the backdrop of Islamic history and in the context of the aspirations and needs of contemporary society in the UAE and the Gulf region.
Firmly grounded in principles of meritocracy and with a strong reputation for academic excellence, AUS has come to represent the very best in teaching and research, accredited internationally and recognized by employers the world over for creating graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills and drive to lead in the 21st century.
AUS values learners not driven only by academic success, but by those that embrace our dynamic campus life and embody our ideals of openness, tolerance and respect. This combination of academic excellence and community spirit ensures AUS is filled with world-class faculty and students, poised to become the innovators, thinkers, contributors and leaders of tomorrow.
About AUS’ Silver Jubilee
Celebrating 25 years of excellence, AUS is ranked among the top 10 universities in the Arab world, acclaimed for its academic excellence, multicultural environment and outstanding facilities.
Since 1997, AUS has been nurturing and equipping students to become award-winning architects, designers, scientists, journalists, engineers, innovators, researchers, successful entrepreneurs–and even leaders of the UAE’s space program.
AUS offers 28 undergraduate majors and 45 minors, 15 master’s degrees and four PhD programs in the areas of architecture, design, humanities, science, engineering and business. Formed on the American liberal arts model, all classes are conducted in English.
Students apply their learning through internships, research, conferences, competitions and professional collaborations.
AUS graduates consistently secure roles with leading regional and international employers, and many pursue graduate studies at the world’s top institutions.