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IEEE Student Branch At AUB

Feb 3, 2021 | 2020 ISSUE, INITIATIVES & EVENTS

IEEE Student Branch At AUB

2020 ISSUE, INITIATIVES & EVENTS

Written by George Haydar

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure” -Colin Powell
This quote encapsulates the essence of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) Student Branch at AUB, whose tremendous work and effort did not go unnoticed. In recognition of its work for the academic year 2018-2019, the branch was awarded three awards by the international IEEE community.

The first award was the IEEE Darrel Chong Award which recognizes an organized activity based on its concept, implementation, sustainability, and impact. According to Dr. Imad Elhajj, the advisor of the branch, this award motivates students to innovate and implement impactful ideas by spurring them to discover their niche. The event in our case is the “Build It Weekend 3.0”, a 48-hour hardware hackathon during which university students from all over Lebanon use their ingenuity to build something innovative.

The winning projects ranged from virtual keypad security gates to dyslexic tailored pianos. The branch won this award for its daring concept to not only challenges students but also provides the hardware community in Lebanon with a valuable learning experience. Organized throughout a weekend at AUB in collaboration with the AUB Robotics Club, the hackathon became highly anticipated by hardware lovers, drawing over 150 participants for its 2019 edition. Nevertheless, the exploits of the AUB branch are not limited to a single event as its reach has been reciprocated throughout the entire year at MSFEA. Its drive to impact students was what earned it the following award as well: the IEEE Regional Exemplary Student Branch Award, shared with the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik IEEE Branch nationally.
According to Dr. Elhajj, “the award provides public recognition of exemplary IEEE Student Branch operations.” In addition to the traditional inaugural General Assembly, the branch hosts a significant number of events. From the Build It Weekend to software workshops (LabVIEW, PSpice, iOS development), a Blockchain training camp, and coding competitions (IEEEXtreme, Google Hash Code), members had tremendous opportunities to explore new areas. They also had the chance to attend seminars and conferences (Industry 4.0, Into the AI World) as well as get insight on their third-year internship in the annual Internship Coffee Chat. However, what truly distinguishes IEEE is its social outreach.
Not limited to the recent opening of a Women in Engineering (WIE) IEEE Branch and charitable movie screenings, IEEE went beyond the call to provide its members with a diverse experience. To top it off, Dr. Elhajj won the IEEE Outstanding Branch Counselor and Branch Chapter Advisor Award. Awarded to 20 outstanding counselors worldwide, the award recognizes the dedication and contribution of Dr. Elhajj to the success of this society. As a founding member of the branch at AUB back in the 1990s and later Chair of the IEEE Lebanon section, he continues to carry the IEEE legacy forward.

According to Dr. Elhajj, “the award provides public recognition of exemplary IEEE Student Branch operations.”

After the social uprisings and the raging COVID-19 pandemic, it feels refreshing to try and find hope in a cacophony that silenced a whole civilization. Undoubtedly, the AUB community and especially the MSFEA environment will grow stronger from this crisis and will do its best to carry the legacy of its many success stories such as this one.

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