A team of UPEI Sustainable Design Engineering students placed first at the 2026 Canadian Engineering Competition (CEC), with their AI power presentation in the Re-Engineering category. Read about this opportunity and the dedicated work behind the students' project:

Syed Imran Ali: "I took part in the Re-engineering category of the competition which involves redesigning existing solutions into more efficient and sustainable designs. I competed alongside my teammate, who is also my brother, Syed Daniyal Ali to represent UPEI and the Atlantic Canada at the national competition. We were tasked to re-engineer AI data centres to enable increased computing power, efficient thermal management while minimizing use of resources. We were provided six hours to prepare an engineering report and a 20-minute slide deck for our proposed solution. The next day, all teams, presented in front of the judges, who are experienced subject matter experts. Our solution included an offshore AI data center concept with thorough engineering analysis to support our proposal. Our solution increased computing power by eight times, powered by renewable energy resources, coupled with strong physical and cyber security systems. Our solution particularly stood out due to its unique star-like design under subsea conditions which significantly minimized the resources required to maintain an optimum temperature. We complimented our solution with environmental, social, economic and risk assessments to ensure our design was complete. We were able to successfully present our solution in front of the judges, and defend questions about our design."

What kinds of things did you and your team really enjoy about the competition?

"I really enjoyed the networking opportunity that the competition provided with fellow capable student engineers from around the country. The competition was hosted in Sherbrooke, Quebec this year;  I really enjoyed exploring the city since it was my first time there. I also admired how students from UPEI demonstrated true Panther spirit by supporting each other throughout the competition conference."

What are the benefits of competing in student competitions like this one?

"While the competition wasn’t part of coursework, students from UPEI actively compete every year since it is a great platform to implement your classroom learnings in a real-world setting. UPEI's Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering administers internal qualifiers, alongside our UPEI Engineering Society. Selected teams then proceed to the next regional round, the Atlantic Engineering Competition (AEC). I would highly recommend students to get involved and take part in such competitions. While competitions like the CEC may require winning internal qualifiers in university, and at the Atlantic Engineering Competition; it is always worth applying to compete. The opportunity is an excellent platform to put your skills to test, expand your network with student engineers, and potentially bring home a trophy. It is also a great opportunity to meet potential future employers for summer internships or full-time position."

What did you learn about yourself or your peers after experiencing the competition?

"It was encouraging to win the first position on the national scale. It reinforces that the quality of education at Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering is exceptional and on-par to other top-tier engineering schools around Canada. The win has boosted my confidence as I feel positive about my overall skill set. However, I’m also mindful of the competitiveness in such activities, and hence it is critical to continuously improve, and gain new skills to always have a leverage in such competitions. Last year, I also took part in the CEC after winning the UPEI and Atlantic qualifiers. However, given my first-time experience, I didn’t finish on the podium. This year, I was much well-prepared for the competition from my last experience, allowing me to tackle the competition much more effectively, and winning first place."