IBM rewards software engineering students

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/ibm.jpg” caption=”Pictured with IBM representatives are members of the winning teams. Pictured in the top photo, with Nadine Nichols, manager of Human Resources, IBM Toronto Software Development Labs, are Kirpal Singh, Sanjiv Kanapathipillai, Chi-Chen Yang, Victor Leung and Eben Schaeffer. Picture in the bottom photo is Balwant Kamboj, James Allin, and Nadine Nichols.”]Software engineering students at McMaster once again impressed IBM Canada at its fifth annual competition. Of the 15 senior thesis teams that presented their software engineering capstone design projects to IBM, four were awarded cash prizes.

Two representatives from IBM were on hand to watch the final demonstrations last week and awarded first and second place prizes. Due to the quality of this year's projects, there was a two-team tie for both first and second place.

“We saw 15 teams representing the largest graduating class for McMaster University's Software Engineering program ever,” said Stephen Perelgut, project manager, University Relations, IBM Toronto Laboratory. “It was also the toughest year for picking a winner. The students were all very good although none shone through as being far beyond the others.”

The software engineering senior capstone design project allows teams of five or six students to design and document a software system. The teams consider the entire software development cycle, from elicitation of requirements to design to implementation and testing. The designs must take into account economic, health, safety, legal and marketing factors.

This year students were challenged to build an autonomous robot that could be used to clear blockages in a network of pipes. The project was motivated by the growing interest in trenchless technology, where obstructions are cleared from storm water sewers without the difficulty and expense of excavation.

“The students this year did a great job on a challenging project,” said Spencer Smith, professor of the course. “They integrated the knowledge they had acquired in previous years, on such topics as software design and embedded systems, to build robots that can sense and respond to their environment. This year's project proved that the students can rapidly learn and integrate new technologies.”

The first place prize of $125 each went to students Ammar Al-Jamal, James Allin, Balwant Kamboj, Mohammed Bashir Khan and Robert Walker, Christos Christodoulou, Sanjiv Kanapathipillai, Victor Leung, Eben Schaeffer, Kripal Singh and Chi-Chen Yang. Second place prizes of $50 each went to Gordon Burtch, Dina Elhalwagy, Jianliang Lin, Rudy Muslim, Alexander Susanto, Peter Antal, Michael Callaghan, Justin Khan, Nicholas Lake, Andrew Prinesdomu and Pok Tong. The names of the winning teams will be placed on plaques, which are on display in the main office of the Computing and Software Department.

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[img_inline align="right" src="http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/ibm.jpg" caption="Pictured with IBM representatives are members of the winning teams.  Pictured in the top photo, with Nadine Nichols, manager of Human Resources, IBM Toronto Software Development Labs, are Kirpal Singh, Sanjiv Kanapathipillai, Chi-Chen Yang, Victor Leung and Eben Schaeffer. Picture in the bottom photo is Balwant Kamboj, James Allin, and Nadine Nichols."]Software engineering students at McMaster once again impressed IBM Canada at its fifth annual competition. Of the 15 senior thesis teams that presented their software engineering capstone design projects to IBM, four were awarded cash prizes.<p><br />
<br />
Two representatives from IBM were on hand to watch the final demonstrations last week and awarded first and second place prizes. Due to the quality of this year&#039;s projects, there was a two-team tie for both first and second place.  <p><br />
<br />
"We saw 15 teams representing the largest graduating class for McMaster University&#039;s Software Engineering program ever," said Stephen Perelgut, project manager, University Relations, IBM Toronto Laboratory. "It was also the toughest year for picking a winner.  The students were all very good although none shone through as being far beyond the others."<p><br />
<br />
The software engineering senior capstone design project allows teams of five or six students to design and document a software system.  The teams consider the entire software development cycle, from elicitation of requirements to design to implementation and testing.  The designs must take into account economic, health, safety, legal and marketing factors. <p><br />
<br />
This year students were challenged to build an autonomous robot that could be used to clear blockages in a network of pipes.  The project was motivated by the growing interest in trenchless technology, where obstructions are cleared from storm water sewers without the difficulty and expense of excavation.  <p><br />
<br />
"The students this year did a great job on a challenging project," said Spencer Smith, professor of the course. "They integrated the knowledge they had acquired in previous years, on such topics as software design and embedded systems, to build robots that can sense and respond to their environment.  This year&#039;s project proved that the students can rapidly learn and integrate new technologies."<p><br />
<br />
The first place prize of $125 each went to students Ammar Al-Jamal, James Allin, Balwant Kamboj, Mohammed Bashir Khan and Robert Walker, Christos Christodoulou, Sanjiv Kanapathipillai, Victor Leung, Eben Schaeffer, Kripal Singh and Chi-Chen Yang. Second place prizes of $50 each went to Gordon Burtch, Dina Elhalwagy, Jianliang Lin, Rudy Muslim, Alexander Susanto, Peter Antal, Michael Callaghan, Justin Khan, Nicholas Lake, Andrew Prinesdomu and Pok Tong. The names of the winning teams will be placed on plaques, which are on display in the main office of the Computing and Software Department.

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