Amir Asadabadi is a Mechatronics Engineering postgraduate student who came to Adelaide in 2010. He chose to continue his studies at The University of Adelaide because of the numerous successful projects undertaken by the university’s Adelaide Robotics Research Group.
Since coming to Adelaide Amir has played a key role in the management of a humanitarian engineering project about changing the perception of refugees. The Australian-Migrants Microchip Training Centre – Refugees Giving, Not Taking (AMTC-RGNT) project enables newly arrived refugees to participate and contribute back to the South Australian community. In return, university students gain unique industry experience which boosts their career prospects.
Amir voluntarily helped students from the refugee and local communities to learn and develop creative and innovative projects in robotics, electronics and microchip programming using a breakthrough South Australian technology called ezSystem from eLabtronics.
“ezSystem makes microcomputers programming simpler”, Amir said. “We are fortunate to apply the theories we have learned from the The University of Adelaide to help refugees design, build and program real life practical microcomputer projects”, Amir said.
Microcomputers are found in mobile phones, cars, traffic lights, aeroplanes, electricity and water supplies, satellites, medical instruments and more.
Amir and his team managed to secure a sponsorship for the winner of the 2011 Royal Adelaide Show (RAS) AMTC-RGNT ezSystem Innovation competitions to compete in an International Robotics competition in Malaysia.
Amir also arranged for two Distinguished Talent of Australia visa holders, creative thinker Dr YKK, and the supplier of the Electronic Eyes for NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Dr Jerry Madakbas, to be Judges for the 2011 RAS AMTC-RGNT ezSystem Innovation competitions, which has created greater awareness of South Australian education excellence
Amir’s work on helping refugees to participate in the AMTC-RGNT project has inspired fellow university students to join up. Australian student Peter Anastasiou helped design the AMTC-RGNT ezSystem Simulation City project for refugees, primary and high school students.
And Anton Radosevic is another fellow university student inspired by Amir’s humanitarian engineering project. He is in charge of making multi-cultural video documentaries for the AMTC-RGNT project.
Amir’s work is appreciated by the Hazara and the African refugee students. He hopes this will create a ripple effect for other refugee communities to participate in the AMTC-RGNT project and attract more international students to Adelaide.
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