ISG Dammam Students Win 2nd and 3rd Place at Inaugural SAN Engineering Symposium

A new era of scientific innovation and inclusivity is unfolding in the Kingdom and our ISG Dammam students are ready to be a part of it.

SAN Engineering and Science Fair (SANES) launched its inaugural national competition, a major leap toward widening access to STEM for all students from across Saudi Arabia. What is most powerful about SANES is its vision: to develop an authentically diverse platform that is available to contestants of all  backgrounds to discover, innovate and compete on equal terms.

The competition has two main stages. The process started with the Preliminary Round, which was held entirely online. Students have submitted their research and innovation projects by uploading it on a dedicated portal. This first phase, which spanned from February 9 until April 3, 2025, provided students throughout the Kingdom with a simple opportunity to showcase their work. After strict screening between April 3 through April 10 grading dates, the finalists were announced on April 14.

ISG Dammam and the other finalists showcased their projects face-to-face at the SANES Final Round, on May 31, 2025, at the American School Dhahran campus. The students pitched their projects to a respected panel of judges, competing for extremely competitive awards and recognition.

SANES is not merely a science fair, it's a movement toward excellence and fairness in STEM education that has connected students to high-level mentorship, constructive feedback and networking. It's not about project presentations; it's about building tomorrow's scientists, engineers and change-agents.

We are incredibly proud to share that two of our very own students represented ISG Dammam at the SAN Engineering and Science Fair (SANES) and came home with top honors. Carlos Miguel Detera, a 10th-grade student, earned second place, and Nikhil Rangavittal, an 11th grader, secured third place in this national competition.

Carlos impressed judges and attendees with his innovative gesture-controlled car. Using sensors, wireless communication modules, and a lot of problem-solving, Carlos created a system that allows a car to respond to hand movements. It wasn’t just a cool tech experiment—it was a thoughtful look into how we can build more accessible, human-centered technology. His work is already inspiring conversations about how these kinds of systems could support individuals with disabilities and contribute to the future of smart automation.

Nikhil’s project was focused on AI, but what made it so special was the heart behind it. He trained a model to detect everyday objects and wants to develop it further to support individuals who are deaf by having the system announce the names of the items it detects. His journey, from attending an AI bootcamp to building and improving his model, showed how students can take what they learn and turn it into something meaningful. Nikhil’s project reminded everyone at SANES that technology can and should be used to make life better for others.

At ISG Dammam, we are thrilled to be able to offer our students the chance to be part of this innovative program. Both Carlos and Nikhil showed us that innovation doesn’t always have to come from a lab or a large team—it can come from the curiosity and drive of students who genuinely want to help the world around them. We’re so proud of their achievements and excited to see where their ideas take them next. Whether they're employed in environmental sustainability, engineering design or scientific experiment testing, our students are building a better, more innovative future for Saudi Arabia and the world!