Kamal M. Ali

Hello 👋! My name is Kamal
I recently completed my Bachelor's in Computer Engineering at Memorial Univeristy class of 2023.
I am also the founder (currently an advisor) for Hack Frost NL, a student initiative that aims to bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace by organizing hands-on workshops and an annual hackathon for all students.
I am currently looking for the next step in my career in a software development role.
See my previous experience page here, and my resume here

Extracurriculars

A photo of some team members during a team social in August 2021

Hack Frost NL is a student initiative that started in October 2020 out of my desire to start Memorial University's first large-scale hackathon.
From its inception until March 2022, I led the Hack Frost NL team: planning the overall strategy, ensuring that the team is on-track, and that both students and organizers are getting value out of the events.
The first hackathon we did attracted more than 130 bright students, 10 sponsors, and 5 partners. After the hackathon's impact, we decided to expand and are now doing year-round events such as networking events, bootcamps, and interviews with local tech entrepreneurs.
See the second hackathon's 33 projects here and the closing ceremony which we never got to publish on YouTube here

SpaceX Hyperloop Competition, Los Angeles, July '19. I can be seen peeking in the back row on the right (link).

Paradigm Hyperloop is a student team that designs and builds a Hyperloop Pod for the SpaceX Hyperloop Competition.
As a member on the Hyperloop team from October 2018 to October 2020, this experience opened my eyes to the design process of (relatively) large-scale engineering projects and the work that goes behind them.
I was involved with the electrical team for a year working with KiCAD and electrical systems. In my second year, I worked with the software team to develop Python scripts, learn how to use Git, and experiment with APIs.

Projects & Hackathons

Bounce Health Hackathon 2022

During the Bounce Hackathon 2022, my team and I tackled the problem of access to specialists in rural Newfoundland.
After talking to a rural physician, we identified a way to allow physicians to consult in real-time with specialists by improving the existing system.
After organizing the first two Hack Frost hackathons, I enjoyed being back to a hackathon as a participant, bumping into strangers, and forming a team with them. We won 2nd place!

McGill AI Hackathon 2022 (MAIS Hacks)

Hacked an app that transcribes audio then summarizes it, intended for use in lectures. Won 2nd place.
This project was my first project with AI tech. We used Cohere API, Wix's Velo for developers, and NodeJS.
Read more about the project on Devpost.

U-Calendar

U-Calendar is a desktop calendar application specifically designed to help university students manage various deadlines and track their grades.
The application includes weekly/monthly views, adding/changing classes, and a grade calculator.
Technologies used include Java, JavaFX, SQLite, CSS, Maven, UML, Git/GitHub.
Credits: this was a group project during "ECE 5010: Software Design" in Winter 2021 with my classmates Mohamed Shahwan and Ayman Abu-Awad. Link to the GitHub repository.

TEK Basketball: a project at MakeUofT2020

At my first-ever hardware hackathon, I teamed up with two energetic students (whom I had just met) at Univeristy of Toronto, and we decided to do something new.
Using Arduino, Ultrasonic sensors, an LCD screen, and some cut-out cardboard, we developed a simple basketball game as a tribute to Kobe Bryant.
Remarks: Ultrasonic sensors were inconsistent in detecting the ball, but the overall experiene was quite fun. Link to devpost.

LIFE Design Competition 2019

A photo of my team, followed by a GIF of me dropping the weight on our design

In this design competition, my team designed a structure made of simple stationery items like straws, sitcks, cardboard, and paper to prevent a falling object from crushing the eggs beneath it.
This competition opened my eyes to the collaborative work that goes behind design, and the importance of brainstorming ideas.

Get in touch!