GCTU Engineering Students Shine at Tech Expo 2026 with Innovative Environmental Solutions

Engineering students from Ghana Communication Technology University have achieved a remarkable milestone, emerging as winners and first runners-up at the 2026 Tech Expo hosted by Academic City University College. The event, held on March 21, 2026, challenged students to develop solutions under the theme “Innovating to Reverse the Effects of Illegal Mining on the Earth.”

Representing GCTU were two outstanding teams, Terra Sense and Rhizopure, both of whom delivered exceptional performances. Team Terra Sense secured the overall winner position with a smart underground detection device designed to identify illegal mining activities. Using embedded Internet of Things (IoT) technology and machine learning, the device detects vibrations from vehicles, heavy machinery, and human movement, and sends real-time alerts to mobile devices.

Team Rhizopure also impressed judges, earning the first runner-up spot with an innovative water restoration system. Their project integrates phytoremediation and microcontroller technology, using plants such as water hyacinth to absorb heavy metals from contaminated water, while a monitoring dashboard tracks key indicators like turbidity, temperature, and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).

The teams participated under the Engineering Students Association (ESA) Robotics and Identity and Access Token (IAT) Community, a student-led initiative focused on promoting innovation in robotics and emerging technologies.

At a presentation ceremony held on March 24, 2026, at GCTU’s Faculty of Engineering, the teams formally presented their awards to the Dean, Ruhiya Abubakar. Team Terra Sense received a plaque for excellence in creativity and bold ideas, along with a cash prize as overall winners, while Team Rhizopure was also awarded a cash prize for their achievement.

Commending the students, Prof. Abubakar highlighted the faculty’s transition from passive to active learning, noting that it is equipping students with the practical skills needed to develop real-world solutions independently. She expressed pride in the students’ success, especially as they competed against long-established universities.

The Faculty Officer, Nana Aba Ledger, also praised the teams and encouraged them to continue striving for excellence and contributing to national development.

The Tech Expo brought together students from universities across Ghana, all focused on creating innovative solutions to address critical environmental and societal challenges.