IUB CSE major Tanvir and team become 1st runners-up in NASA space application challenge

Tanvir Mahmud, a second-year student of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), and his team "MonsoonFive" have become 1st Runners-Up in the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, Bangladesh.

The event, held during October 4-5, 2024 at the American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) and organised by the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), brought together around 2,500 participants from across the country.

Participants tackled real-world challenges using NASA's open-source data and out of the 500 selected projects, 50 were showcased live in Dhaka, while the remaining 450 competed online during the two-day competition. Team MonsoonFive's project, FloodShield, offered a flood prediction and alert system that leverages NASA's satellite data and real-time inputs.

Tanvir said, "Designed to assist communities at risk, the platform predicts flood events up to 15 days in advance and offers real-time updates through an interactive map. Users can monitor water levels from various stations, categorised as recent, danger, or peak, helping them stay informed and prepared." He added, "Without the guidance and mentorship of Sanzar Adnan Alam, this achievement would not have been possible for me and the team."

Team "MonsoonFive" also included Md Mobashir Hasan and MD Waliul Islam Nohan from Daffodil International University, and Sumaiya Islam and Munshi Md. Arafat Hussain from Dhaka University. Using their diverse skills and expertise, they tackled the Community Mapping challenge, which involved creating a map layered with data to explore how flooding in Bangladesh is shaped by its geography.

FloodShield's innovative features include a chatbot for personalised flood predictions and an admin panel for researchers to upload and manage data, ensuring transparency. The project stands out for its integration of data science and user-friendly technology, promoting informed decision-making during flood emergencies.

"We are incredibly proud of Tanvir and his team for their outstanding achievement at the NASA Space Apps Challenge," said Sanzar Adnan Alam, Senior Lecturer at the Department of CSE, IUB, and one of the Local Leads for the event. "Their project, FloodShield, has the potential to significantly impact the lives of people affected by flooding across Bangladesh. Now that it has been selected as one of the top projects, it will advance to NASA's global judging stage. This offers the team an exciting opportunity to become global champions and further amplify the influence of their work."

FloodShield's development relied on technologies such as Next.js for efficient server-side rendering and Leaflet.js for interactive maps. The project's intuitive design ensures that users from all backgrounds can easily navigate the platform, making it accessible to both technical and non-technical individuals.

By adopting Agile methodology, the team rapidly iterated on their design, incorporating feedback to ensure that FloodShield was user-friendly while maintaining high functionality. The platform not only benefits local communities but also serves as a tool for researchers and policymakers to enhance their disaster management strategies.

The NASA Space Apps Challenge is a global hackathon that encourages participants to develop solutions to real-world issues using NASA's open-source data.