University

Metropolitan University, Bangladesh, proudly announces that its interdisciplinary team has secured the position of 2nd Runner-Up in the NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2025 (Sylhet Regional Round) — one of the world’s largest global hackathons organized in collaboration with NASA and supported by technology leaders such as Google and Microsoft. The competition brought together some of the brightest innovators to develop creative solutions inspired by NASA’s open data, and Team ULKA from Metropolitan University stood out with their outstanding creativity, research, and technical excellence.

The team comprises talented students from the Department of Computer Science & Engineering and Software Engineering, led by Pritom Paul – Lead Researcher & System Architect (Team Lead), along with Ratul Saha Roy – Software Developer (Full-Stack), Content Writer & Video Editor, Koushik Das – Product Designer & UI/UX Specialist, Arnob Sutradhar – 3D Developer, Level Designer & Character Artist, and Promi Deb – Graphics Designer, Script Writer & Vocal Artist.

Team ULKA developed a creative and educational game titled “Solara Shakir,” inspired by Shah Sikandar Ahmad Shakir — the Tree Man of Sylhet. Designed for ages 10 and above, Solara Shakir seamlessly blends space science, sustainability, and gamified STEM learning to inspire climate action and global cooperation. By combining NASA’s authentic solar data, innovative gameplay design, and advanced video production techniques, the team successfully created an immersive educational experience that educates and motivates the next generation of climate-conscious explorers.

This remarkable achievement reflects Metropolitan University’s unwavering commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, creative innovation, and global excellence. The University extends its heartfelt congratulations to Team ULKA for bringing pride and honor to Metropolitan University and for setting an inspiring example for future innovators.