Initiatives to promote robotics education, design and tackle food waste among winning projects
Release date, Dubai, UAE: Three teams of engineering students from Canadian University Dubai (CUD) have scored success in three different competition categories at the 18th edition of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Student Day, staged recently in the United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain.
The FoodGuardian application by Helia Haghighi and Sara Alameri from CUD’s Computer Science Department was one of the winners.
A multidisciplinary engineering and computer science team secured first place and AED 3000 in prize money in the Community Service category for their project aimed at teaching robotics and programming to schoolchildren. An innovative food waste solution earned another CUD team third place and AED 1000 in prize money in the Software Engineering Project category, while a group of mechatronic students earned the same accolade in the Engineering Design Project category for constructing a manual robotic arm.
Three teams of engineering students from Canadian University Dubai win at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Student Day
The winning Community Service project team consisted of mechatronics major Marwa Rashwan, computer networking engineering student Omar Awad, cyber security major Ibrahim Adel, and computer science student Jana Mahmoud. They impressed the panel of judges with their educational project, which involved organizing and leading workshops at various schools and within CUD using VEX IQ robotics programming to improve pupils’ science skills.
Rashwan reflected on the experience, saying, “For me and the other team members, taking part in the IEEE 18th competition was one of the greatest experiences ever. We participated in the community service category to deliver a service that would have a long-term positive influence on society and the community. Our selected project involved teaching robotics and programming to school children using VEX IQ and showing them how these abilities may be used in various real-world contexts.”
Competing in the prestigious Software Engineering Project category, Helia Haghighi and Sara Alameri from CUD’s Computer Science Department secured the third prize for their FoodGuardian application. Under the supervision of Dr. Said Elnaffar, the team developed an AI-powered mobile application that combats household food waste by tracking the expiry dates of stored food items and providing notifications about nearby local food banks, encouraging donations and reducing waste.
Previous winners in the 2022 and 2023 Student Day competitions, Ezza Mirza, Danica Reyes, and Noor Shawqi, found success again, winning third place for the 2024 engineering design project. The challenge involved constructing a manual robotic arm capable of carrying three different types of balls and incorporating a shooter mechanism.
Mirza commented, “We chose to compete in this category because the challenge was to make everything using the skills of mechanics rather than electronics. This approach is crucial in real-life scenarios, where electronic solutions may not be approachable, affordable, or reliable, and mechanical solutions are needed. By building a manual robotic arm, we demonstrated how mechanical engineering can offer sustainable and efficient solutions to real-world problems, reducing dependency on electronic components and facilitating durable, functional designs.”
The IEEE UAE Student Day is an annual event that aims to enhance the culture of competition among engineering students from different UAE universities and provide opportunities for UAE IEEE students to share their experiences and develop their leadership skills. This year’s event staged competitions in five categories.
Speaking about the importance of these competitions, Dr. Ahmed Al Gindy, Associate Professor at CUD, said, “Participation in prestigious events like the IEEE Student Day allows our students to showcase their innovative spirit and technical knowledge. Our students’ projects exemplify the level of forward-thinking and community-focused initiatives we encourage at CUD. Their success shows us the importance of experiential learning driving personal and societal advancements. We are immensely proud of our students’ achievements and look forward to more groundbreaking innovations in the future.”
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About Canadian University Dubai
Established in 2006, Canadian University Dubai (CUD) is a higher education institution located in City Walk, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The university is the #1 ranking University in Dubai according to the QS World University Rankings 2025. CUD is a diverse and dynamic institution, with over 120 student nationalities. The university provides academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels with a reputation for academic excellence. With 18 accredited degree programs and over 30 concentrations, CUD offers a diverse range of programs across four academic faculties, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience. The curriculum is Canadian-inspired and serves as a gateway for students to pursue higher education, research, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities in Canada.
www.cud.ac.ae