20 countries, 138 teams, 420 students, and FEU Institute of Technology emerged as the winner in a worldwide tournament held by the “world's most trusted analytics platform.”
FEU Tech’s Team STATYX was declared Champion of the Health, Science & Engineering category at The Curiosity Cup 2026, a global SAS® student competition. Led by Kishia Nikole Gaytano, the brilliant group of B.S. Computer Science with Specialization in Data Science students — the only finalists from the Philippines — bagged the prestigious award in April, with teams from the New York University and Bratislava University of Economics and Business also landing first place at the Business & Economy and Culture, Lifestyle & Entertainment categories, respectively.
Kishia, Don Lancelot Badilla, Khyle Ghabriell Lastrollo, and Gian Carlo Miguel Regalado impressed all 37 judges with their award-winning study, "Threshold of Urban Biodiversity Collapse: Forecasting Ecological Tipping Points Under Artificial Light at Night and Other Environmental Covariates Using Avian Indicators," which used advanced machine learning and SAS® Viya® to forecast biodiversity risk zones in Metro Manila caused by rapid urbanization and light pollution.
Through the power of AI, analytics, and research-driven innovation, Team STATYX showcased how technology can create meaningful solutions for environmental sustainability and urban development.
This remarkable achievement is more than just a victory—it is a proud moment for FEU Tech and the Philippines, showing the world the passion, excellence, and ingenuity of our students.
To access Team STATYX’s paper and video presentation, visit www.sas.com/en_us/events/25q3/curiosity-cup.html