Liyu Getaneh BerhanuCS · Carnegie Mellon

Projects & Leadership · ፕሮጀክቶች እና አመራር

Projects & leadership

Things I’ve built, communities I’ve started and teams I’ve led — from robotics labs in Addis Ababa to classrooms and online communities across Ethiopia.

1,000+

youth reached by Cyber Smart

2,000+

youth reached through YWCA events

150+

trees planted by the Environmental Club

45%

less school waste after our recycling drive

400+

volunteer hours with YWCA Ethiopia

Engineering · featuredJun — Oct 2024

AgriTech Automated Seeder

Lead Developer · AI & Robotics Summer Program, Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute

3×planting speed
32→15%placement error
4,000seeds saved / hectare
400+demo audience incl. the Prime Minister
  • Selected for a fully government-funded program with a 4% acceptance rate for intensive training in C++, Python and embedded systems.
  • Led a five-member team to engineer an Arduino–Raspberry Pi automated seeder, integrating PID control for motor precision and Kalman filters to minimize sensor noise.
  • Developed control firmware in Arduino C and Python that increased planting speed 3× and reduced seed-placement error from 32% to 15%.
  • Validated performance through field testing — preventing an estimated 4,000 misplaced seeds per hectare.
  • Selected to demonstrate the prototype to 400+ attendees, including the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, at the national graduation ceremony.
C++PythonArduinoRaspberry PiPID controlKalman filter
EngineeringAug 2024 — Jan 2025

Automated Micro-Garden

Lead Developer · INSA Summer Program

  • Smart irrigation and climate control in C++ on Arduino with soil-moisture and temperature sensing.
  • PWM-tuned fans and pumps cut water use by 25%; calibrated thresholds sped up plant growth by 40%.
  • 360+ hours of lab testing and iteration; formal technical certification.
C++ArduinoSensorsPWM
ResearchMay 2024 — Oct 2025

Public-Health Data Framework

Lead Data Analyst · KUESSC research team

  • Python + SPSS pipeline for data from 500+ participants and 90 pharmacies.
  • Secured a university research grant; findings on a 75% deficiency rate delivered to national policymakers.
PythonSPSSStatistics
AwardHackathon

Addis TeenCode Hackathon

1st Place · ALX Ethiopia

  • Took first place out of 200+ contestants at ALX Ethiopia’s Addis TeenCode Hackathon.
HackathonProblem solving
LeadershipJun 2024 — Present

Cyber Smart Initiative

Founder & Lead Advocate

  • Founded an online-safety initiative that has reached 1,000+ youth across Ethiopia on digital security, privacy and online ethics.
  • Led interactive workshops for 100+ attendees at ALX Ethiopia, using real-life scenarios to demonstrate defenses against phishing, social-media risks and weak passwords.
  • Produced instructional videos and graphics for a 500+ member Telegram community and hosted live Zoom sessions for peer-to-peer learning.
  • Won 3rd place out of 50+ competitors in Meta’s Empowering Next Generation (ENG) advocacy competition.
Security educationPrivacyWorkshopsCommunity
LeadershipSep 2022 — Jun 2025

Math Club of SSC

President (Grades 11–12) · Vice President (Grade 10)

  • Directed academic and competitive initiatives for 100+ members, growing membership by 60% through modernized outreach and peer tutoring.
  • Wrote original preparatory materials and ran weekly SAT and EUEE classes, including mock exams.
  • Organized Math Week and Pi Day with problem-solving contests and logic games.
MentorshipTeachingEvents
LeadershipSep 2024 — Jun 2025

Environmental Club

Founder & President (Grade 12)

  • Launched a school-wide recycling initiative with 50+ bins and 10+ workshops — a documented 45% reduction in school waste.
  • Led biweekly cleanups and SDG awareness campaigns, overseeing the planting of 150+ trees.
SustainabilitySDGsFounder
LeadershipSep 2022 — Jun 2024

Sports Club of SSC

President (Grade 11) · Vice President (Grade 10)

  • Organized 10+ tournaments across soccer, basketball, volleyball and chess.
  • Introduced e-sports and “Game Day” events and grew membership by about 50% in one year.
Event managementOperations
CommunityJun 2022 — Sep 2023

YWCA Ethiopia

Digital Media & Web Development Volunteer

  • Redesigned web content for clarity and accessibility, contributing to a 30% increase in online engagement.
  • Produced video documentation of workshops and mentorship programs promoting gender equality.
  • Contributed 400+ hours across two summers to 15+ events reaching 2,000+ youth; earned a certificate for impactful service.
WebAccessibilityVideo
CommunitySep 2021 — Jun 2023

Social Service Club

Academic Tutor & Volunteer

  • Tutored 10+ students in grades 6 and 8 in mathematics for national exams, three times a week.
  • Designed custom practice tests and materials, building confidence in core STEM subjects.
TutoringMathematics

፩Contact · ያግኙኝ

Let’s build something that matters.

I’m open to research, internship and project opportunities in security & privacy, embedded systems and AI — and always happy to talk about Ethiopian culture over a cup of buna.

lberhanu@andrew.cmu.edu LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)