Mohamed W. Shikfa

01. About Me

I am a Computer Science undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University with a strong focus on low-level systems, modular robotics, and game development. My passion lies in building efficient systems, from memory allocators in C to complex robotic locomotion mechanisms.

Currently based in Doha, Qatar, I balance my time between academic research on Magnobots (scalable 3D modular robots), leading the Open CMUQ community, and teaching core CS curriculum to fellow students.

I strive for excellence in both theory and practice, maintaining a 3.95 GPA while actively contributing to open-source projects like OpenStack and releasing games commercially.

University Carnegie Mellon

Major B.Sc. Computer Science

GPA 3.95 / 4.0

Location Doha, Qatar

02. Experience

Undergraduate Researcher Carnegie Mellon University 2025 - Present

Topic: Magnobots - Scalable 3D Modular Robots

Designing and building novel modular robots utilizing Electropermanent Magnets (EPMs).
Engineered module geometry as a Rhombicuboctahedron for spherical rolling and cubic latching.
Simulated EPM switching and pivoting mechanisms; currently manufacturing prototypes.

Course Assistant Carnegie Mellon University 2024 - Present

Teaching Assistant for core CS curriculum:

Fundamentals of Programming (15-112)
Principles of Imperative Computation (15-122)
Functional Programming (15-150)
Parallel & Sequential Data Structures (15-210)
Great Ideas in Theoretical CS (15-251)
Led recitations, mentored students, and developed course materials.

Software Engineering Intern OpenInfra Foundation (OpenStack) Summer 2024

Remote internship developing and merging code for the Ironic project within OpenStack-SDK.
Gained in-depth experience with Linux-based systems and CLI operations.
Collaborated in a distributed team using version-controlled workflows.

Media Production Intern Savest (QCRI) Winter 2023

Produced a 3D promotional video demonstrating creative and technical expertise.
Developed multimedia production skills including animation and video editing.

03. Featured Projects

Dynamic Memory Allocator

Implemented a custom dynamic memory allocator (malloc) in C with efficient block management strategies, optimizing for throughput and memory utilization.

C Systems Memory Management

Custom Shell

Developed a Unix shell supporting advanced job control, I/O redirection, signal handling, and background process management.

C Unix/Linux Signals

Steam Game Release

Designed, coded, and published a commercial game on Steam. Managed the full lifecycle from gameplay programming to distribution.

JavaScript HTML5 Game Design

Concurrent Web Proxy

Built a robust, concurrent web proxy capable of handling multiple client requests simultaneously using threading and caching.

C Networking Concurrency

Embedded Pong

Developed an electronic Pong-style 2-player arcade game using a Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller and custom hardware interfacing.

Rust Embedded Hardware

Logic Gate Simulator

Built a simulator to illustrate digital logic concepts for the "Concepts of Mathematics" course at CMU.

Python Education Logic

05. Hobbies & Interests

Game Development

Executive Team at the Game Dev Club. I love dissecting game mechanics and building immersive experiences from scratch.

Photography

Capturing moments through the lens. 1st Place Winner at the QSA Adassa Photo Competition.

Open Source

President of Open CMUQ. I'm passionate about fostering a culture of collaboration and contributing to public code.

Sustainability

Committed to eco-friendly initiatives, earning 6 Scotty Green Stamps for consistent contribution to campus sustainability.