TAMIU School of Engineering Hosts Conference; Announces Student Winners 

This Spring, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) School of Engineering marked a milestone with the successful launch of its inaugural Engineering Design Conference.

The Conference, which celebrates the creativity, innovation, and technical mastery of its graduating students, brought together nearly 180 attendees, including more than 90 student presenters who gathered to witness a showcase of their year-long senior design projects.

From video game development to A.I.-driven educational platforms and robotics applications, the student projects reflected the applied rigor and real-world relevance that define engineering education at TAMIU, noted Dr. Mahmoud T. Khasawneh, director of the School of Engineering.

“The energy in every session was inspiring. This Conference celebrated the extraordinary talent that defines our students today. They are every bit as capable, driven, and innovative as the alumni who have gone on to join Fortune 500 companies and earn admission to some of the nation’s most prestigious graduate programs, including Texas A&M University, UT-Austin, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania.”

He continued, “This generation is more than ready to carry the torch forward, and their success is a testament to the strength and potential of our community, from which they have come and to which they will give back for years to come.”

Dr. Habib Ammari, Endowed Professor of Computer Engineering and Conference coordinator, reiterated the sentiments.

“[This] was a big day for all our Computer, Systems, and Petroleum Engineering students who participated in the Spring 2025 First Engineering Design Conference. I was very impressed by the high quality of the presentations and the in-depth analysis and design of their prototypes,” said Dr. Ammari. 

The following students were awarded prizes during the Conference:

• First Place: “Guild of the Gate,” by Alejandro Castineyra, Miguel Pompa, Santiago Flores, and Sebastian Palomo;. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kazeem Oladejo.
• Second Place: “A.I. Mentor: Website for Teaching the Fundamentals of Programming,” by Emiliano Soriano, Rene Reyna, Andy De Luna. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tariq Tashtoush.
• Third Place: “The Stacy Young Project: Optimizing AirTags Detection with a 3-Axis Gimbaled Robot,” by Cash Bailey. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tariq Tashtoush.

Winning teams received a certificate of achievement and monetary awards.

For members of the winning first place team, the opportunity to hone their craft and emulate future experiences as game developers served as an eye-opening opportunity.

“Working on this project was a wonderful experience. Crafting this game from scratch allowed us to test and improve our engineering skills. While we’ve likely only experienced a small part of what real video game developers go through, we’ve gained insight that we hope to apply to future projects,” explained the team members, collectively.

Faculty and mentor encouragement was vital in helping students refine their projects and gain a deeper understanding of their potential as future engineers, emphasized Dr. Kazeem Oladejo, visiting lecturer of Computer Engineering and First Place team mentor.

“It has been a great pleasure to watch this team develop their video game from a simple concept into a playable experience that received real feedback. By awarding First Place to this team, the School of Engineering has shown that engineering goes beyond productivity; it’s also about creating applications that help us de-stress after a long day, which is precisely what Guild of the Gate does,” said Dr. Oladejo.

Dr. Tariq Tashtoush, associate professor of Systems Engineering who mentored Second and Third place teams, shared similar experiences.  

“Serving as a mentor to [these] teams has been a highly rewarding experience, as it demonstrates how students can effectively translate their academic preparation into innovative solutions that enhance the learning environment for their peers,” Dr. Tashtoush added.

The conference was organized by School of Engineering staff members Yahaira Franco, Melissa Bustamante, and Alma Martínez, noted Khasawneh.  

“Events like this don’t just happen. They require people who care deeply about our students and our mission. Yahaira, Melissa, and Alma brought that care to every detail… their dedication, and the genuine kindness and positivity they brought to every interaction, was felt by everyone,” said Dr. Khasawneh.

The School plans to make the Engineering Design Conference an annual signature event. Additionally, through the support of Dr. Ammari’s Endowment, the monetary award for winning teams will increase up to $1,500. 

The School of Engineering offers ABET-accredited undergraduate programs in Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Petroleum Engineering.

To learn more about TAMIU’s School of Engineering, call 956.326.2446 or visit offices in the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center, room 312. Information is online at https://www.tamiu.edu/coas/soen/index.shtml.  

Registration for TAMIU’s Summer and Fall 2025 is online via Uconnect. 

For more on TAMIU’s story, visit its social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and online at tamiu.edu.

First Place Award-Winning Team Members: Sebastián Palomo, Miguel Pompa, Kazeem Oladejo, Alejandro Castiñeyra, and Santiago Flores.

Second and Third Place Award-Winning Team Members and University Faculty: Dr. Tariq Tashtoush, René A. Reyna, Andy De Luna, and Emiliano Soriano, Cash Bailey, Dr. Mahmoud T. Khasawneh, Dr. Habib M. Ammari