Staff Correspondent

Two Bangladeshi students, Mayesha Haque and Sharfi Rahman, have brought honour to the nation by winning prestigious awards at the International Conference on Humanoid Robots 2024, held in Nancy, France, from November 22 to 24.

The conference, recognised as the largest global gathering focusing on humanoid robots, showcased cutting-edge research and innovations in robotics. Engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs from around the world participated in the event, which highlighted advancements in humanoid robots—machines designed with human-like features and capabilities.

Mayesha Haque, a recent graduate of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), and Sharfi Rahman, a Ph.D. student at the Colorado School of Mines, USA, were among four global recipients of the prestigious IEEE RAS IDEA Award.

This prestigious honour, presented by the Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), recognises excellence in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in the field of robotics.

Two Bangladeshi students win awards at Int’l Humanoid Robots Conf in France

Speaking about her achievement, Mayesha said, “Out of more than 150 applications worldwide, I was one of four recipients selected for the Humanoids Conference. Among the four, I was the youngest recipient, earning this honour as a recent graduate.”

Mayesha also received the Dr. Kanako Miura Award, named after the renowned MIT robotics engineer. She was one of 18 participants to be recognised with this award for her outstanding contributions to robotics. "Being recognised on a global stage and representing Bangladesh was an incredible moment of pride," said Mayesha.

In addition to her recent achievements, Mayesha has a history of international success. Last year, her team won the IEEE Region 10 Robotics Competition in Thailand, defeating over 160 teams from the Asia-Pacific region, and secured the First Runner-Up position in Malaysia's IEEE SPS 5-Minute Video Clip Competition.

Mayesha hopes to continue representing Bangladesh and inspiring young engineers through her work in robotics.