Photo: From left: Tahmid Mahmud, Gagan Singh, Zack Blasier, Professor Bret Detillier, Cuong Ngo, Tin Van, Lawrence Dang
University of Houston students scored major victories at the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) National Collegiate Conference in Omaha, Nebraska on March 26-29, 2015. The UH AITP Student Chapter sent 12 student members to this year's event, including 10 students from the College of Technology's Computer Information Systems (CIS) Program in the Department of Information and Logistics Technology. The novice chapter, having only competed in one prior AITP National Collegiate Conference, was up against 481 students from 58 universities from around the country. Despite the formidable competition, the UH team's hard work ultimately paid off.
The students were honored in the following competition categories:
- Visual Studio.Net — first place, Tahmid Mahmud and Gagan Singh, Computer Science Majors
- Mobile Application Development — second place, Cuong Phu Ngo and Tin Van, CIS Majors
- Microsoft Applications — second place, Zack Blasier and Cuong Phu Ngo, CIS Majors
- Database Design — honorable mention, Cuong Phu Ngo and Lawrence Dang, CIS Majors
In addition to the individual student achievements, the UH AITP Student Chapter received recognition at the event. The team tied for third Best Overall School based on the high student placements at the competition. The chapter was one of the top four recognized for the title of Outstanding Student Chapter for the 2013/2014 Academic Year.
Impressed by the students' performance, Dean William Fitzgibbon commended the team for their "exceptional collaboration" between the College of Technology and the Department of Computer Science in the College of Natural Science and Mathematics.
Professor Bret Detillier, CIS Instructional Associate Professor and AITP Faculty Advisor, attributed the success to the students. "I am very proud of our AITP Student Chapter for all of their hard work in sending such an enthusiastic group to compete on the national level," said Professor Detillier. "It is further proof of the caliber of our students who continue to impress others with their knowledge and their conduct in competitive situations."
He also gave credit to the faculty who provided the students with the foundational skills and knowledge to succeed. "It is a testament to the CIS and Computer Science faculty, and all of our diligence in preparing our students," he said.
UH student winner, Tin Van, praised the value of joining the organization on campus. "The AITP has allowed me to connect with other students, professionals, and mentors," Van said. "The national competition allowed us to delve deeply into technical challenges while learning to work with a team."
The UH AITP Student Chapter received sponsorship for the competition from Chevron, in addition to the University of Houston's Information and Logistics Technology Department, the Center for Information Security Research and Education, and the Computer Science Department.
The Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) is a professional association that focuses on advancing information technology through professional development, education, and national policies. The group is a non-profit group that is made up of 62 local chapters organized on a geographic basis, and 286 student chapters at colleges and universities.
The UH AITP Student Chapter is open to any UH student with a passion for Information Technology. For more information about UH's AITP Student Chapter, please visit aitpuh.org.