Equitech Scholar Alaa Almouiz: Pioneering AI and data science amid Sudan’s challenges

Alaa Almouiz is an Equitech Scholar from Sudan, who is currently pursuing her undergraduate studies in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Khartoum. Having done a few online courses on AI and data science since the beginning of college, Alaa first decided to join the Equitech Scholars Program in 2022. “I had applied and got rejected from the program in 2022, but then I decided to apply again in 2023. I realized that there were certain parts of my application that I could work on and turn this failure into success - similar to how we fix bugs in our codes, instead of just giving up on the code altogether. When I received my acceptance letter in 2023, I was more than thrilled and I knew I had made the right decision.” Alaa remarked that due to the war in Sudan, her graduation has been delayed. “Due to the suspension of universities in my country, the journey toward graduation has been long and challenging, but I remain hopeful and strive hard every day.

As a teenager, Alaa watched a documentary that inspired her to jot down her life's biggest goal in her journal: to build a robot someday. This ignited her passion for science. Over time, Alaa's fascination deepened, leading her to develop a keen interest in AI and data science when she joined college. She has since dedicated herself to exploring the potential of these technologies and how they can be harnessed for meaningful impact. Joining the Equitech Scholars Program marked a significant milestone for Alaa. As she puts it, "Equitech was the first time I did a project by myself from A to Z." This hands-on experience allowed her to dive deep into research, a process she had always been curious about but had never fully experienced. Through the program, Alaa gained confidence in her abilities, particularly in public speaking and communication. She appreciated the patience and support from her mentors, especially Krittika Bhattacharya, who guided her through the complexities of abstract writing. Bhasi Nair’s class on Foundations of Data Science also left a lasting impact on Alaa. “I was fascinated by how probabilities and Bayesian theorems are all around us! It was interesting to see how logical and reasoned everything becomes when you consider the specific information and circumstances, especially when trying to solve a problem. This approach helps in providing impactful solutions by viewing math not just as theorems, but as a way of seeing the world around us.”

Alaa's capstone project at Equitech focused on an exploratory analysis of drug use disorder and social media usage across different countries. She embarked on this project due to the rising drug use and social media influence during Sudan's revolution. By exporting and cleaning datasets from the internet, she sought to understand the relationship between these factors. Despite facing challenges in finding clear correlations, Alaa persevered, driven by her desire to address an issue affecting her country. “When I couldn’t find a successful correlation between social media influence and drug usage, Bhasi told me that the result was not as important as the process. Taking up a project from scratch was my biggest achievement.”

Alaa is deeply committed to education and the betterment of Sudanese students. The ongoing war in Sudan, which has led to the suspension of educational institutes, has only strengthened her resolve. She aims to leverage her AI and data science skills to make a positive impact on younger children and promote awareness of these fields in Sudan. Her volunteer work includes participating in the IEEEXtreme competition for coding, serving on the public relations committee, and working as a project coordinator for Deep Learning Indaba, a machine learning conference in Africa. 

One of the aspects Alaa values most about Equitech is the sense of community. She learned the importance of seeking opportunities and sharing them for the benefit of the entire community. Her connections with fellow scholars have been instrumental in her personal and professional growth. Despite language barriers and cultural differences, these relationships have fostered a supportive environment where everyone can thrive. “I think I have made some lifelong friends in this community, and I think everyone who comes into the Equitech programs leaves with not just professional growth and upskilling, but also a community to depend upon.”