NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) in partnership with Tamkeen, and hosted by the NYUAD Institute, has concluded the region’s first-ever Quantum Computing International Hackathon for Social Good where the team, Qudra, won first place for their project QEnergy, which tackled an environmental challenge by utilizing quantum technology on the distribution of renewable energy grids in order to enhance energy security and sustainability.
More than 160 participants from more than 20 countries turned up at the three-day event where world-leading computer science professors, startup founders, technology professionals, and venture capitalists such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), G42 Cloud, SandboxAQ, qBraid, Technology Innovation Institute (TII), IonQ, MIT, Yale, Stanford, The Microsoft Garage, and many more collaborated as mentors, judges, and speakers throughout the three days and provided the participants with insights, support, and guidance.
NYUAD Affiliated Faculty and Clinical Professor of Computer Science Sana Odeh, who organized the event, commented: “Over the past decade, the NYUAD International Hackathon for Social Good has resulted in the creation of a local, regional, and a global Tech for Good innovative leadership hub and contributed to the successful launch of many careers. This year is no exception, and the success of this year’s initiative demonstrates NYUAD’s central role in creating a hub for quantum computing education locally, regionally, and globally for young talent among top-tier institutions and experts in the field.
I’m proud and humbled by the efforts of these talented students who have contributed some truly original ideas that have the potential to change the world. The NYUAD hackathon is designed to empower a new generation of computer scientists with the necessary collaborative, cross-border skills to advance quantum computing capabilities here in Abu Dhabi and ultimately to make a positive impact on our society. I am also grateful to the mentors and judges who provided valuable counsel, and our partners and sponsors Amazon Web Services (AWS) which provided all the quantum computing hardware, qBraid which managed the software, G42 Cloud, SandboxAQ, and TII who provided the prizes, and many other partners who have all helped make this event a great success.”
In second place was team qVerified, who developed an automated solution to verify the accuracy of algorithms that saves quantum developers time and effort. Also in second place was team QSPirates, with their project QvsPy, a quantum virus sensor stimulator detector for viruses such as COVID-19.
Khalifa University student and qVerified team member Omar AlRemeithi said, “This Hackathon connects people from all around the world where it aligns with EXPO 2020 theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.’ We are utilizing quantum computers for one purpose: the social good. This is a wonderful experience for the students, mentors, judges, and the volunteers where each person shares their diverse culture, technical skills, and creative ideas. As a student, I built my network through this hackathon.”
In third place was team Jumjuma, with their project MedQure, which uses blind quantum computing to allow healthcare clients with limited computational ability to securely classify sensitive medical data on an untrusted cloud based quantum computer. Sharing in third place was Team22 with their project mediQal, a web app focused on optimizing the routing of mobile medical services.
Leandro Aolita, Executive Director, Quantum Algorithms, Quantum Research Center at Technology Innovation Institute (TII), commented, “I am pleased to represent Technology Innovation Institute (TII) on the elite judging panel of the Quantum Hackathon that is part of the 10th annual NYUAD Hackathon for Social Good. Organized by New York University Abu Dhabi and Tamkeen, the event brings together top names from across the quantum industry, and challenges cross-disciplinary teams to go head-to-head in finding innovative solutions to tackle the most pressing problems we face today in quantum computing. The impressive caliber of the contestants and the excitement to see which solutions are assessed as likely to have the most transformative impact serve as a value-add that competitions such as this one bring to the quantum space.”
Established in 2011, the NYUAD International Hackathon for Social Good has seen more than 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries. Previous innovations resulting from the Annual NYUAD International Hackathon include applications that connect grocery stores with food shoppers to minimize food waste; locate missing refugees; tackle counterfeit medicine; offer affordable translations of texts, and increase employment in the Arab World, among others.
The annual event forms part of NYUAD’s commitment to enhancing innovation for the benefit of social good in the Arab World, supporting the higher education sector in the UAE, and furthering the UAE’s 2071 Centennial Plan to diversify and shift to a skills-based knowledge economy.
