A team of four recent Dallas College graduates, Mang Cin, Khai Huynh, Taylor Hill, and Christopher Zuniga, secured third place in the national Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) for their groundbreaking project, AVIADAR (Alerts VIA Detection and Ranging). The team presented their LiDAR-based aircraft collision avoidance system at the CCIC Innovation Bootcamp, held in Washington, D.C., from June 9-12.
Organized by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), the CCIC highlights innovative STEM solutions to real-world problems. AVIADAR is designed to significantly enhance aviation safety by providing pilots with real-time alerts about potential hazards in their flight path, aiming to reduce accidents and fatalities. The system utilizes advanced LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology to detect obstacles and improve pilot situational awareness.
"There have been so many unfortunate accidents lately involving plane crashes,” noted Mang Cin, a computer science graduate and recipient of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke transfer scholarship, underscoring the critical need for their project. “We have AVIADAR sensors on the plane that detect hazards in the flight path, providing real-time alerts to pilots.”
The Dallas College team was selected from 48 entries to participate in the Innovation Bootcamp, where they honed their communication and entrepreneurial skills through professional development, mentoring, and coaching. The bootcamp culminated in a poster session and a compelling pitch presentation to STEM leaders and congressional stakeholders.
Adding to their accolades, the AVIADAR team also collaborated with NASA’s Technology Transfer University (T2U) program, incorporating NASA-developed technologies into their research and design. This marks a significant achievement as they are the first team from a North Texas college to be accepted into the T2U program.
Professor L. Taylor Starr, who mentored the team since their initial pitch in Fall 2024, praised their dedication. "Every challenge I gave the students, they accepted, and their relentless commitment to research and continuous improvement is quite remarkable,” Starr said, expressing her enjoyment in nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of her students from concept to implementation.
The AVIADAR team members, all recent Dallas College graduates, are pursuing diverse paths in STEM:
- Mang Cin: Associate degree in computer science, plans to major in natural sciences.
- Khai Huynh: Computer science graduate, intends to major in mathematics and computer science at the University of Texas at Austin, and will pursue a career as a data analyst.
- Taylor Hill: Studied mechanical engineering, aims to continue in the same field with an interest in hands-on project leadership.
- Chris Zuniga: Earned an Associate of Science degree, plans to major in mechanical engineering and pursue a career in mechatronics.
