SalishaMoheed.

Attending the Elevate Festival was an amazing experience. The ideas, people, and energy were truly inspiring. Being surrounded by founders, innovators, and leaders who are shaping the future reminded me why I'm passionate about technology and entrepreneurship.

Big thanks to SellStatic and BEST Lassonde for the opportunity to attend. It's motivated me to take the next step and start building my own startup in the future.

Grateful for the experience and excited for what's ahead!

A week ago, my team Zayan Asim, Amanullah Asim, and I placed 3rd at UNHACK 2024. While it's a proud achievement, the experience wasn't without its challenges or its lessons.

We developed an innovative solution to address oil spills in Canada, combining sustainability and technology:

A mat made from human hair and coconut husks, yes, human hair! It sounds unusual, but it's incredibly effective. The mat can absorb up to 6 times its weight in oil, and it's fully sustainable. This mat was paired with a motorized raft with sensors to detect spills in real time.

During our pitch, technical issues threatened to derail everything. But even as they unfolded, we persisted, adapted, and focused on delivering the core of our message. This challenge reminded me that innovation isn't just about what you create, it's about how you respond when things don't go as planned.

While I'm proud of our work, I'd be lying if I said 3rd place didn't sting a little. Consistently landing in 2nd or 3rd place has left me questioning: What's holding me back from reaching the very top? This reflection has been a driving force for me to refine my skills, rethink my approach, and push myself harder.

Thank you to BEST Lassonde for hosting such an inspiring event, to my amazing teammates for their hard work, and the invaluable mentors who supported us along the way. Grateful for the lessons learned and excited to aim higher and achieve even more in the future!

Following my third-place finish in the Consulting category at last week's York Engineering Competition at Lassonde School of Engineering - York University. I'm excited to share that I earned second place in the Communications competition this week with my team member Umer Shaikh. The progress reflects a commitment to learning from previous experiences and making adjustments to strengthen my pitch.

This time, we were challenged to explain an engineering topic in a straightforward and accessible manner, while covering its environmental, social, and economic impacts. We chose to present on the wheel, a seemingly simple yet revolutionary invention. We examined its design evolution and explored its lasting influence on transportation, industry, and economic growth.

This journey has underscored the importance of continuous improvement and effective communication in engineering. Grateful for the opportunity to compete and grow.

I'm happy to share that my team placed 3rd in the York Engineering Competition for Consulting! We were tasked with developing a solution for the cultural eutrophication of the Seine river, with a focus on the upcoming Paris Olympics. Our team came up with a two-part approach that involved designing a motorized water bed and implementing a sponge city layout for a long-term, sustainable impact.

Really enjoyed working with such a talented team, and a special shoutout to Amanullah Asim for his outstanding efforts and contributions! This was an incredible experience to apply creativity and technology to solve real-world problems. Looking forward to what comes next!