18/05/2026
Event Report ( April 28, 2026) : 8th PlugIn Projects and Poster Competition & World Engineering Day Celebration.
Organizers:IEEE Student Branch QUEST Nawabshah, IEEE Sukkur Subsection, and IEEEP Local Centre Nawabshah.
Host: Department of Electrical Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science & Technology (QUEST), Nawabshah
Date: April 28, 2026
Venue: Department of Electrical Engineering, QUEST Nawabshah.
Executive Summary
On April 28, 2026, the Department of Electrical Engineering at QUEST Nawabshah, in a stellar collaboration with the IEEE Student Branch QUEST Nawabshah, IEEE Sukkur Subsection, and the IEEEP Local Centre Nawabshah, successfully organized the 8th PlugIn Projects and Poster Competition. Synchronized with the global celebrations of World Engineering Day, this mega-event served as a dynamic forum for fostering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and encouraging hands-on engineering practices.
The event attracted widespread participation from undergraduate students (ranging from first-year to final-year cohorts) representing QUEST Nawabshah and the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University of Technical and Skills Development (BBS UTECH), Khairpur Mirs. Displaying immense ingenuity, the participants competed across three primary categories: Mega Projects, Mini Projects, and Poster Presentations. The event culminated in an prestigious closing ceremony where winners were recognized with shields, cash prizes, and certificates.
Leadership and Patronage
The success of the 8th PlugIn event was guided by the visionary leadership of the university's top administration and senior IEEE/IEEEP officials:
Chief Patron: Worthy Vice Chancellor, QUEST Nawabshah Prof.Dr.Saleem Raza Samo
Patrons: Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof.Dr.Kishan Chand Makwana , QUEST Nawabshah, and the Dean, Faculty of Electrical, Electronic Engineering Prof. Dr. Abdul Fattah. Chandio.
Chief Organizer: Prof. Dr. Abdul Sattar Saand (Chair, IEEE Sukkur Subsection / Professor, Dept. of Electrical Engineering).
Core Objectives:
The 8th PlugIn competition was meticulously designed to achieve the following academic and professional milestones:
1. Promotion of STEM Education:
To bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical ex*****on by engaging students in real-world technical challenges.
2. Cultivating "Trying Engineering" Mindsets: To inspire early-stage (first and second-year) students to experiment, build, and learn from hands-on engineering design, reducing the fear of technical failure.
3. Inter-University Collaboration: To build strong academic networks by providing a shared platform for students from QUEST Nawabshah and BBS UTECH Khairpur Mirs to exchange innovative ideas.
4. Aligning with Global Sustainable Development: To celebrate World Engineering Day by challenging students to design engineered solutions that address local socio-economic and sustainable challenges.
5. Enhancing Soft Skills: To polish the students' professional presentation, communication, and project defense skills before a panel of expert judges.
Event Highlights & Competition Categories
The event was split into three distinct competitive tracks, catering to different academic levels and project complexities:
1. Mega Projects Competition
Primarily contested by final-year and pre-final-year students, this category featured comprehensive, high-level engineering prototypes. Projects largely focused on renewable energy integration, smart grid technologies, industrial automation, and advanced communication systems aimed at solving pressing regional infrastructure challenges.
2. Mini Projects Competition
Geared toward second and third-year students, this track emphasized core hardware and software implementation. Students demonstrated excellent technical acumen using microcontrollers, sensor integration, and basic power electronic circuits, showcasing their readiness for advanced engineering research.
3. Poster Presentations
Open to all batches, including enthusiastic first-year students, the poster session provided a vibrant intellectual space. Participants presented innovative theoretical frameworks, literature reviews, and preliminary design ideas focused on the future of STEM, climate change mitigation, and smart engineering systems.
Evaluation and Award Ceremony
A distinguished panel of judges, consisting of seasoned academicians and industry experts from the IEEE Sukkur Subsection and IEEEP Local Centre, rigorously evaluated the projects based on innovation, technical complexity, feasibility, and presentation clarity.
During the closing ceremony, the Chief Organizer, Prof. Dr. Abdul Sattar Saand, alongside the university leadership, congratulated the students on their exceptional displays of talent.
Recognition:
Top-performing teams in each category were awarded prestigious trophies/shields and cash prizes to fuel their future research.
Participation: All participants received official certificates of participation to honor their hard work and dedication toward advancing STEM culture.
Conclusion
The 8th PlugIn Projects and Poster Competition successfully underscored the critical role of engineering education in driving societal progress. By celebrating World Engineering Day through active, hands-on student engagement, QUEST Nawabshah, the IEEE Sukkur Subsection, and IEEEP Nawabshah have reaffirmed their commitment to nurturing the next generation of STEM innovators and leaders in Pakistan.