NYIT Students Make a Major Showing at IEEE Conference Competition

Pictured: Students from the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Region 1 Student Conference at Binghamton University.

Computer science major Chaya Levin writes about her and her teammates’ experience at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Region 1 Student Conference.

Three student members of the NYIT-New York City Student Branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) captured first place in the MicroMouse Competition at the annual IEEE Region 1 Student Conference, March 8 through 9 at Binghamton University.

Teams were challenged with building autonomous robots that can reach the center of a maze in the most efficient way possible. Before the conference, IEEE Student Branch President Yuki Gao (electrical and computer engineering), seniors Timmy Thomas (computer science) and Gian Schechter (information technology), with help from mentor and former MicroMouse champion Hasol Im (B.S. ’18), built their robot. At the event, the three NYIT students went up against 62 students in multiple teams from prestigious universities in the northeastern United States, but it was NYIT’s “Happy Saito” bot that came in first place, the only robot able to reach the center of the maze.

NYIT’s Happy Saito bot was the only robot to complete the maze in the MicroMouse Competition.

This wasn’t the only title NYIT won at the conference. Computer science majors Ariel Steinlauf and Chaya Levin participated in the Student Technical Paper and Presentation competition and came in second place for their senior project “A Secure Password Management System Based on SPHINX.” Working under the guidance of Paolo Gasti, Ph.D., associate professor in NYIT College of Engineering and Computing Sciences, the duo addressed security issues that arise with everyday password management systems by building one that is theoretically resistant to certain types of attacks.

“It is through participation in these regional, national and international events and competitions that New York Institute of Technology students demonstrate their technical prowess to the world,” said Babak Beheshti, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences and director of IEEE Region 1. “The professional networking opportunities provided to our students at these events are also invaluable. We are proud of all of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences students who participated in this conference.”

In all, 17 student members of the Long Island and New York City NYIT Student Branches of IEEE attended the event. The group attended workshops ranging from team-building to building drones and had the opportunity to network with IEEE leadership. Beheshti gave an inspiring speech to students about the opportunities that come with being a part of the world’s largest technical organization, with more than 120,000 student members worldwide.

Dean Babak Beheshti, Ph.D., gave a talk on the opportunities available to student members of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.