Aya Elfettahi

SIP Member Since 2014
New York University

Computer Science, Cybersecurity
Class of  2025

Skills & Highlights:
  • Teamwork
  • Collaboration
  • Critical Thinking
View Resume
Resume Summary:

Self-motivated freshman computer science major with 5+ years of practical experience in creating and delivering innovative STEM seminars to adult educators and MS/HS students. Technical proficiencies include Java and Python. Creative problem solver with proven project management and team-oriented skills.

 

Achievements

Certifications

  • 2021 IT Fundamentals Pro
  • 2020 University of Baltimore Cyber 101 and Bits & Bytes Program
  • 2020 Cybrary: Introduction to IT & Cybersecurity
  • 2020 George Mason University Pre-college Cybersecurity courses
    Cyber 101 Information Security & Cyber 102: Ethical Hacking
  • 2020: Hermela Assefa, Building a Team: Identifying the Leaders Around You
  • 2020: IBM AI Foundations for Educators

Awards & Scholarships

  • 2021 NYU Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholars Honors Program
  • 2021 NCWIT AspireIT Impact Award
  • 2020 Honorable Mention National Center of Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) Award Winner

Competitions

  • 2020 Girls Who Start Design Hackathon: “My Nourishment” App
  • 2019 Technica, University of Maryland Hackathon
  • 2019 SWE NEXT Design Lab Community Engagement Challenge, Team Award
    “STEM Into Spring” Elementary School proposal
  • 2018 Robert H. Herndon Memorial Science competition: Identifying the Significance of
    Water Scarcity
  • 2017 NASA Parachuting onto Mars Challenge

Presentations & Speaking

  • 2021 Recognizing Ms.DeHart’s NCWIT Aspiration in Computing Educator award
  • 2021 Speaker at the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
  • 2021 Co-Facilitated/Designed 1st Cyber-AI Seminar
  • 2020 Maret Independent School STEM Education Conference, Panel Speaker
  • 2019 Girls Computing League1st Annual Gala
  • 2018 Scratch Conference: Sharing Responsibilities for Learning.
  • 2018-2019 George Mason University/NOVA Labs Maker Faire
  • 2018 Jefferson Overseas Technology Institute (JOSTI)
  • 2018 SmartBrief’s 4th Annual STEM Pathways Summit

Experience

  • 2021 Co-Facilitated/Designed Virtual Cyber-AI Seminar
  • 2019 Curriculum Designer/Educator for the Bright Computer Science Camp.
  • 2019 STEM Into Spring, Leadership Team: Financial planner

Bio

Aya is a college freshman attending New York University majoring in Computer Science with a concentration in Cybersecurity. She was awarded with the New York University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Honors Program amongst a cohort of 60 students.

Aya had been curious to partake in STEM activities since middle school; therefore, she joined the STEM Impressionists Program (SIP) as a way to support her educational interests and career ambitions.

Her participation with SIP included attending a 5-week Java boot camp, presenting at JOSTI, a multi-day technology training experience for overseas educators held at Thomas Jefferson High school, volunteering as a judge at VEX regionals, states, and world’s competition in both VEX IQ/EDR tournaments and she was 1 of approximately ten students who crafted and presented a technology seminar to the educators at the 2018 MIT Global Scratch conference.

She successfully completed an IT Fundamentals Pro course and George Mason University Pre-college Cybersecurity’s courses: Cyber 101 Information Security and Cyber 102: Ethical Hacking with a certification. Inspired to continue her journey, she envisions herself pursuing her interest in Cybersecurity.

What SIP Means to Me

In the seventh grade, I received an invitation to join a STEM after school club. I was immediately attracted to this program because It sparked my curiosity for STEM and required me to take risks which were two occurrences I was unfamiliar with growing up. I was normally taught to do what was asked of me.
Walking into the meeting- I thought I was finally deciding for myself. Mx.DeHart asked us how we felt about the title “The STEM Impressionists” and explained the Impressionists movement embraced creating works that reflected how they chose to live. After hearing the parallels between that statement and myself I felt empowered to make a lifelong commitment to show up for this program.
It was not until high school that I found my true passion. I attended the Speaker’s Series hosted by Mx.DeHart where a Cybersecurity expert spoke of his profession. As he spoke, I realized I could envision myself as an engineer. It encouraged me to divulge myself into a place outside my childhood bubble.