UTAR students win second runner-up at Cisco AI Hackathon 2024

A team of three UTAR students from the Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) secured the 2nd Runner-Up place at the Cisco AI Hackathon 2024. Themed Smart Education - Empowering Learning with AI, the event challenged participants to develop AI-driven solutions to revolutionise education.

Guided by UTAR Specialist Mr Su Lee Seng, the team comprised Year 3 Software Engineering students Serena Chin Wai Lam (team leader), Tan Zhi Yang and Cheng Wee Lee. Competing against numerous teams, they showcased exceptional skills and creativity, securing a prize of RM1,000 and certificates of achievement.

The competition tasked participants with addressing critical educational challenges such as ethical concerns in AI, engagement gaps in traditional methods, limited personalised learning opportunities and unequal access to resources. Leveraging Cisco’s cutting-edge technologies, the UTAR team developed a solution that impressed the judges with its innovation and practicality.

Reflecting on the experience, Serena Chin said, “This achievement is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation and our shared vision of transforming education through AI. We are thrilled that our solution resonated with the judges and hope it can make a meaningful impact in education.

Team member Cheng described the hackathon as a challenging yet enriching journey, adding, “Seeing how AI can tackle real-world challenges was inspiring, and being recognised for our efforts is a memory we’ll always treasure.” Meanwhile, Tan highlighted the personal growth they gained, saying, “We learned so much during the competition, from refining our technical skills to presenting our ideas effectively. This achievement motivates us to continue working on impactful solutions.”

The team’s accomplishment is a source of pride for UTAR and a reflection of the university’s commitment to nurturing innovative talent. Their success underscores the importance of harnessing technology to address pressing societal challenges and paves the way for further achievements in the field of AI.

From left: Cheng, Serena Chin and Tan



The team receiving a plague from Cisco Malaysia Managing Director Ms Hana Raja (second from left) and UTM lecturer Dr Seah Choon Sen (most left)


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