More Than a Model

After competing in the 2025 Nittany AI Challenge, Rohiin Havre teamed up with friends to develop ideas for this year’s competition. Wanting to make sure they had a project that would be meaningful and useful, they took their time brainstorming and exploring multiple ideas before settling on CrashAI.

Thanks to Havre’s recent internship, they had connections with PennDOT, meeting regularly to better understand how the tool they were building would be used. This experiential discovery experience helped the team see the real-world relevance of their work and develop client interaction skills, such as asking the right questions, attending meetings prepared to discuss the latest features, and explaining their project and updates to technical and nontechnical stakeholders.

The team was motivated by the fact that they were creating something meaningful. This wasn’t something they were doing for a grade, or that would be seen by only a small group of people. The project had the potential to become a beneficial tool for PennDOT to help make roadways safer for Pennsylvanians!

The teammates—who were friends in middle and high school—learned to work efficiently, optimize their skills, and understand who was doing what and when. This collaboration enabled them to meet the goals they set for themselves in working with their client, as well as the Nittany AI Challenge deadlines. Their work paid off three times over, as CrashAI earned first place in the challenge, first place for the Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation Award, and first place for the Penn State Office of Physical Plant Award.

Andy Tang offered advice for students participating in future Nittany AI Challenge events.

“Do not just focus on the model,” he said. “The strongest projects are the ones that connect the technical work to a real problem and a clear use case.”

Participating in the Nittany AI Challenge gave these team members the space and opportunity to hone their technical and nontechnical, career-building skills. But equally important, it also gave them the satisfaction that comes from creating something that can actually be used. They’re hopeful that the Nittany AI Challenge is not the end of CrashAI, but rather the beginning!

Angela Huanying Song wanted to tackle a challenge she knew firsthand: math anxiety.

As a student in China, Song struggled with math and worried that the quantitative section of the GRE would stand in the way of her desire to pursue graduate studies in the United States. With the support of a tutor who helped her recognize that success depended as much on confidence and mindset as on ability, she began to approach math differently. Within two months, she improved her performance and passed the GRE, sparking a desire to help other students overcome the same obstacles she once faced.

The experience confirmed for her that noncognitive barriers, like anxiety and low self-esteem, can limit potential. Removing those barriers creates powerful change. Now, as a mother of two, including a daughter, she wants to create tools that build confidence and open up possibilities for others.

With encouragement from her PhD adviser, Song attended the Nittany AI Problem-to-Prototype Fair to learn more about AI tools, and her interest was piqued. The experiential nature of the Nittany AI Challenge gave her the foundation—and the confidence—to keep pushing her project forward, strengthening skills that matter well beyond the competition. While doing so, she learned even more about what she’s capable of.

“As someone who doesn’t come from a traditional computer science background, discovering that I could go from an idea to a functional product using AI-powered development tools was truly empowering,” she said. “I entered this challenge as a solo participant with a background in education and I made it to the semifinal round. Anyone with a meaningful problem and a creative vision can build something real.”

The idea for an AI-based utility adviser to help companies adopt a more sustainable approach to energy and water use came to Hiba Al-Nabhani following an internship with an energy company and a project with Nittany AI Advance. Her teammates leaned into her knowledge and direction, referring to her as “the backbone of the whole group.”

With four different majors among them, the five team members each brought unique skills, AI experiences, and curiosity to the experiential learning project, creating a multidisciplinary environment that reflects how many industry teams work today.

“It was interesting seeing everyone’s strengths through their major and their life experiences and how that was reflected in their piece of the project,” said Al-Nabhani. “When it’s a multifaceted team, there’s a lot you can learn from the people around you.”

Technical lead Huzaifah Fakhrul Anuar agreed.

“We all worked on this with a pure passion for the project,” he said. “Between classes and other activities, we’re all so busy, but the fact that we’re committed to this project speaks volumes. This team made something magical, and it’s all thanks to their enthusiasm and dedication.”

Alex Taylor and Joel Torres began developing their project after meeting in the Nittany AI Student Society Leadership Academy. They pitched their initial idea during the society’s Shark Tank competition, winning third place overall and first place for most money raised.

Building on that success, the pair spent winter break refining their idea and preparing for the Nittany AI Challenge prototype submission in January. Even as a small team, they defined clear roles and responsibilities to leverage their individual strengths, transform ideas into action, and keep the project on track.

Their initial idea evolved as they spoke with real estate experts and learned more about the challenges they face.

“What you think you know versus what your target audience and professionals in the industries actually use or care about can be drastically different,” said Taylor.

“We began our customer discovery after we started building and developing our project and regretted it. I’d recommend that anyone getting involved in the challenge, or building with AI in general, begin exploring your problem space as soon as possible.”

That is the kind of lesson that is central to experiential learning and relevant to today’s job market. Now armed with a deeper understanding of how to build, validate, and deploy AI solutions, Taylor and Torres are continuing to refine their project, aiming to turn their idea into a tool that delivers meaningful, lasting impact.