AUS students rise to the challenge: Building solar-powered cars in engineering competition

The 26th edition of the NGN 110 Competition at American University of Sharjah (AUS) challenged 110 first-year College of Engineering (CEN) students to innovate and construct model solar-powered electric cars in an aim to promote clean energy technology and foster interdisciplinary collaboration among students.

The competition emphasized the critical role of solar power in addressing environmental concerns. Solar energy offers a renewable and clean source of energy that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Students were tasked with efficiently harnessing this abundant resource, encouraging them to explore innovative solutions in solar panel technology and energy storage systems.

All CEN undergraduate students are required to take the NGN 110 Introduction to Computing and Engineering course, which emphasizes teamwork, problem solving, design processes, professional ethics, sustainability and other essential areas. The competition is part of the course each semester.

"Through the NGN 110 course, students gain insights into how engineers work alongside individuals from different specialties. These skills are not only essential for their academic journey but also valuable as they transition to real-world professional experiences," said Aqeel Ahmed, Professor of Practice in Civil Engineering and event organizer.

Twenty-four student teams participated in the competition. The winning team comprised computer science student Yasir Ahmed Musharbek, civil engineering student Seif Ismail Soliman, electrical engineering student Mohamad Jamal Eddine Balkis and computer engineering student Fouad Khaled Abulebbeh.

Abulebbeh noted that the reason behind his team’s victory in the competition was their ability to adopt an engineering mindset. 

“We approached the challenge by analyzing the problem and devising the most efficient solution. This experience not only acquainted us with common engineering obstacles but also facilitated significant learning, particularly amid the recent rainfall. Moreover, it emphasized the importance of teamwork, allowing us to collaborate effectively despite diverse engineering backgrounds, aligning with the core objective of the  NGN 110 Competition,” he said.

The competition judges included Dr. Karnail Singh, Senior Lecturer in Chemical and Biological Engineering and Dr. Ming Foey Teng, Senior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering.

"The NGN 110 Competition epitomizes our commitment to fostering innovation, creativity, and sustainability in engineering education. By tasking students with harnessing solar energy to power electric vehicles from their first semester at AUS and showing them the importance of the topic, we motivate them to become future leaders in clean technology and renewable energy," said Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of AUS College of Engineering.

As a leading institution in engineering education and research, AUS College of Engineering offers a wide range of programs, including 10 bachelor's, 10 master's and 2 PhD programs. To know more about the college offerings, visit www.aus.edu/cen.