A team of four final-year BSc (Hons) Computer Science students from the University of West London (UWL) RAK campus has achieved a significant milestone by winning the Most Inspirational Project Award at the 2024 NASA International Space Apps Challenge. This remarkable achievement comes as the UAE team competed against 93,000 participants from 163 countries, making their victory particularly noteworthy as it marks the first time a UAE team has won this esteemed award.

The winning project, titled ‘Eco-Metropolis: Sustainable City Simulation,’ is an interactive city-building game aimed at raising awareness among young people about sustainability, climate change, and smart city development. The game features various levels designed for different age groups, teaching players how to make informed decisions regarding urban planning, climate resilience, and resource management. By utilizing NASA datasets, the game offers a realistic and engaging platform for educating players on these essential topics and aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which focuses on creating sustainable, resilient cities.

The team, which includes Rikzah Noorul Huda Khattal, Umamah Ali, Samira Rafiq Khan, and Shafeeqa Fathima Jahangir, leveraged their skills in coding, game design, data analysis, and problem-solving to bring their educational game to life. They successfully transformed their initial idea into a globally recognized project that addresses critical environmental challenges.

As reported by Khaleej Times,Shafeeqa Fathima Jahangir learned about the NASA Space Apps Challenge through LinkedIn, where she was inspired by a story about a previous participant. She shared that the story motivated her to gather her friends to work on a project that could make a difference. “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,” Shafeeqa said. This inspiration led the team to focus on creating solutions rather than solely aiming for victory.

The team attributed their success to the mentorship of Mohamed Mahmoud and Bansan Thomas George, whose guidance was crucial in refining their project. They also acknowledged the support from NASA, the UAE Space Agency, and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, as well as encouragement from the entire faculty of UWL RAK. This achievement highlights the UAE’s emerging leadership in space innovation and environmental sustainability.

Ultimately, this accomplishment underscores the UAE’s commitment to fostering technology and innovation that addresses pressing environmental issues. The team’s success not only brings global recognition to the UAE but also reinforces the country’s dedication to advancing sustainability through groundbreaking solutions.