University of West London RAK Branch Campus team wins prestigious Most Inspirational Project Award at NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2024

A team of four final-year BSc (Hons) Computer Science students from the University of West London (UWL) RAK campus has made history by winning the Most Inspirational Project Award at the 2024 NASA International Space Apps Challenge.

Competing against 93,000 participants from 163 countries, the UAE team emerged victorious with their innovative project, Eco-Metropolis: Sustainable City Simulation—marking the first-ever win of this esteemed award by a UAE team.

The winning project, Eco-Metropolis, is an interactive city-building game designed to raise awareness among youth about sustainability, climate change, and smart city development. Featuring different levels tailored to various age groups, the game teaches players how to make informed decisions about urban planning, climate resilience, and resource management. By incorporating NASA datasets, the game provides a realistic and engaging platform to educate players on these critical topics. The project aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which focuses on building sustainable, resilient cities.

The team, consisting of Rikzah Noorul Huda Khattal, Umamah Ali, Samira Rafiq Khan, and Shafeeqa Fathima Jahangir, combined their expertise in coding, game design, data analysis, and problem-solving to develop the educational game. They transformed an initial idea into a globally recognized project that addresses crucial environmental challenges.

Shafeeqa discovered the NASA Space Apps Challenge through LinkedIn, where a story about a previous participant inspired her to gather her friends.

“When I came across the NASA Space Apps Challenge on LinkedIn, I was inspired by a story of a woman from the UAE who had participated before. Even though her team didn’t win, her experience stuck with me—it wasn’t just about winning, but about using technology to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. It made me wonder: What if we could do the same? That thought sparked the idea to bring my friends together. We weren’t just looking for a win—we wanted to create solutions that could make a real difference. We had no idea at the time, but our passion and drive led us to become the first team from the UAE to win, making history on a global stage and showing what’s possible when we come together with purpose,” Shafeeqa said.

For Umamah, the inspiration for this project came from personal experiences and global events. “I had attended COP28 in Dubai, which deeply inspired me to address sustainability and climate change,” she explained. “It motivated me to use my skills to create a solution for a more sustainable future.”

Her motivation grew stronger at Xpanse, a global tech forum hosted by ADQ, where she was inspired by the vision of leadership shared by Homaid Al Shimmari, Vice Chairman of Khalifa University’s Board of Trustees & Deputy Group CEO at Mubadala. “His vision of how talented leaders will help the country flourish, reinforced my drive to contribute to this cause,” Umamah explained. Umamah also had the privilege of meeting Dr. Steven Chu, former U.S. Secretary of Energy, and learning from his insights on global energy policies.

Reflecting on the achievement, Rikzah shared: “Alhamdulillah, this milestone stands as a testament to His infinite grace and guidance. My journey into app development has been one of discovery, passion, and growth. From the moment I successfully deployed my first app during my freshman year of university, I knew that this achievement was not just a technical milestone; it was a foundation that fueled my vision of creating meaningful, purpose-driven solutions that leave a lasting impact.”

Samira further shared, “Alhamdulillah, this achievement means a lot to me as it aligns with my passion for creating meaningful projects. I’ve worked on several projects before, but this one really brought everything together—the perfect mix of sustainability, creativity, and technology.”

The team credited their success to the invaluable mentorship of Mohamed Mahmoud and Bansan Thomas George, whose guidance helped refine their project, as well as support from NASA, the UAE Space Agency, and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. The team also credited the entire faculty of UWL RAK for their encouragement. The team’s achievement underscores the UAE's growing leadership in space innovation and environmental sustainability.

This accomplishment highlights the UAE’s commitment to fostering technology and innovation that tackles pressing environmental issues. The team’s success brings global recognition to the UAE while reinforcing the country’s dedication to advancing sustainability through groundbreaking solutions.