YEREVAN, Armenia — On April 28, students from the Zaven P. and Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering (ACSE) at the American University of Armenia (AUA) earned first and second place at the ChessBoardX competition organized by EngineerX, continuing the College’s strong performance in the competition for the second consecutive year.
ChessBoardX was launched by the Armenian-American company EngineerX following the success of its inaugural Armenian Engineering Evolution competition in 2025. The competition aims to provide university students with an opportunity to apply their engineering and design skills through a practical challenge.
This year’s competition focused on chess, where participating teams were tasked with designing original chessboards and chess pieces using SOLIDWORKS software. The challenge encouraged students to combine engineering design principles with creativity, while developing complete project concepts. A total of 15 teams representing leading universities in Armenia participated in the competition, bringing together more than 43 students. Teams consisting of two to four members presented their projects and competed for the top places.
The first-place team, “Fully Defined” consisted of Bachelor of Science in Engineering Sciences graduates Mane Durinyan (BSES ’25) and Vahe Sukiasyan (BSES ’25), and the second-place team, “Syzygy” included BSES sophomore students Hasmik Hovhannisyan and Tigran Harutyunyan.
The results highlight the strong participation of ACSE students across different stages of their academic journey, from current undergraduate students to recent graduates who continue to apply the skills they developed during their studies.
ACSE Lecturer and Director of the Prototyping Laboratory Sargis Zeytunyan, said the competition provided students with an opportunity to demonstrate both their technical knowledge and their ability to develop original design solutions. “I am happy that our students proved that AUA is becoming a leading center among Armenian universities in SOLIDWORKS education. More and more ACSE graduates use this powerful design automation tool in their professional careers. This year’s competition was dedicated to chess, and our teams successfully integrated national elements and traditions into their designs of the chessboard and chess pieces. ”The competition also highlighted the practical skills students gain through their engineering education. By working with industry-standard design software and developing complete design concepts, participants were able to apply classroom knowledge to a real engineering challenge.
Dean of ACSE Dr. Reza Malekian emphasized that achievements such as these demonstrate the value of hands-on engineering education and the College’s focus on promoting practical learning. “We are proud of our students for once again achieving outstanding results in a highly competitive engineering competition. Their success reflects not only their technical competence and creativity, but also the strong emphasis ACSE places on experiential learning, innovation, and industry-relevant skills. Seeing both our recent graduates and current students excel is particularly rewarding” he said.
ACSE congratulates all participating students on their achievement and extends its gratitude to EngineerX for creating opportunities for students to showcase their engineering and design skills.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.