Outstanding computer science and engineering students recognized at CSE Annual Awards

Achievements and contributions by students from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at American University of Sharjah (AUS) were recognized at the first edition of the CSE Annual Awards held online recently.

Fourteen outstanding undergraduate and graduate students were honored across a number categories, including academic achievement, research excellence, leadership and community service. Additionally, one of the department’s alumni was recognized for his commitment.

“We aim to graduate students who are innovators and are active participants in solving world problems. The awards recognize the work of our students and alumni in academia, research, leadership, community service and talent. They also aim to encourage others to challenge themselves and realize their full potential,” said Dr. Fadi Aloul, Professor and Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at AUS.

The list of awards and the winners is as follows:

CSE Undergraduate Academic Excellence Award: The following students received this award based on their cumulative grade point average (CGPA).

First-year students Omar Khaled Farrag and Radi Aman Riyas
Second-year students Jowaria Khan and Eyad Abdelazim Mohamed Ali
Third-year students Nadeen Tarek Ahmed and Joel Morrison D'Souza
Fourth-year students Taslim Mahbub and Mariam Khaled Reda

CSE Graduate Academic Excellence Award: Yazan Jian received this award based on his CGPA.

CSE Graduate Research Excellence Award: Sakib Shahriar

Shahriar has participated in several research projects including an IoT-based smart café and the use of machine learning to influence electric vehicles charging behavior. He has also published a number of articles in several reputable journals such as IEEE Access and has participated in international conferences on electronics, information and communication.

Outstanding CSE Student Leadership Award: Samarth Rai

Rai is an active member of several club boards at AUS including the IEEE Student Board, AUS Debating Society, Sustainability Club and many others. He is also the founder of the Open-Source Club at AUS despite pandemic challenges, exhibiting resilience and adaptability to change.

Outstanding CSE Student Community Service Award: Nadeen Tarek Ahmed

Ahmed has volunteered in several community service initiatives including fundraising, assisting with teaching CSE students during the pandemic in collaboration with the Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) Society at AUS, and leading a team at the AUS Student Leadership Program. She is also the current chair of the IEEE SIGHT AUS Chapter, which recently taught programming to orphans and the underprivileged in collaboration with AUS Community Services and Outreach and the Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation.

Outstanding CSE Graduate Teaching Assistant Award: Nada Abdalgawad

Abdalgawad assisted in teaching several lab classes including programming, mobile apps, data structures, digital systems and many others. She continuously shares ideas with the lab instructors on ways to improve the labs and the learning experience of the students.

Outstanding CSE Student Talent Award: Youssef Awad

Awad’s skills in the field of cybersecurity earned him this award. He works with the GDI Foundation, a non-profit organization that specializes in security systems for open and safe internet. He has won many professional awards in cybersecurity and has worked on the Hackers Academy Capture-The-Flag Project to create challenges tailored to the different participants.

Most‐Engaged CSE Alumni Award: Amin Al Zarouni

Al Zarouni, who graduated from AUS in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, is the CEO of Sahab Smart Solutions, which aims to contribute to the digital revolution and IT services that enable clients to digitally transform their way of living. He is an active member of the Advisory Board of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and continuously offers his assistance and ideas to enhance the work of the department.

The AUS Department of Computer Science and Engineering offers bachelor of science degrees in computer science and computer engineering, as well as a master of science in computer engineering. The department boasts state-of-the-art laboratories, highly qualified faculty and a multicultural student body. Its curriculum focuses on the needs of the region's dynamic marketplace and is constantly evolving in view of any technological advancements that serve the UAE and wider world community. The department currently has around 730 students and more than 1,000 alumni. For more information, visit www.aus.edu/cen/department-of-computer-science-and-engineering.