Our SOLIDWORKS value added reseller,  EngineerX, developed and hosted “The Evolution of Armenian Engineering” 2025 Student Design Competition. EngineerX founder Vahe Nigoghosian understands one crucial thing about education, “The future has no gender.” Vahe and his team are intentionally fostering the participation of girls and women in STEM, breaking down outdated stereotypes that engineering is a man’s world.

EngineerX, an Armenian-American company, created the student contest around a design, rich in history, that still exists today.  The Tatev Oil Mill dates back to the 17th century. Extracting oil from plants involves several stages of seed processing. Successful oil production from flax, sesame, and plants require  an effective engineering design for each section of the mill and an ox to do the heavy work.  The mill was located behind the walls of a fortress built earlier in the 13th century to keep the noise away from the Tatev monastery. This majestic, mountainous, historic world site was also a university in the 13th/14th century.

The Evolution of Armenian Engineering contest took students into the design world with SOLIDWORKS. Thirty students from eleven teams, from almost every major university in Armenia were represented.  17 of those participants were young women. These young women came to design and compete, turning their ideas into reality using SOLIDWORKS.

David Galoyan, founder and CEO of Davaro LLC , one of the supporting companies, made an exciting announcement, “The best designs will be invited to internship at Davaro with employment opportunity.”

And the winners are:
1st Place – “ADA” (American University of Armenia )
2nd Place – “GeoMind” (Aren Mehrabyan foundation)
3rd Place – “EngiMinds” ( National Polytechnic University of Armenia).

Congratulations to the overall winners

Team ADA:

• • Nane Patvakanyan
  • Nina Prazyan
  • Heghine Avagyan
  • Ani Hovhannisyan

And their professors and mentors:

• • Professor Sargis Zeytunyan & Aram Hajyan

With just one competition, EngineerX took a major leap—shaping a reality where engineering is accessible, inclusive, and inspiring for everyone. And this is just the beginning.

Thank you to my colleague Andre .Kouyoumdjian for helping me write this Armenian girls’ story, volunteering your time to inspire these Armenian students, and supporting the SOLIDWORKS Armenian community.

Thank you to Vahe Nigoghosian, Eric Kassabian,, David Galoyan and team for creating this historic design competition, providing internships, jobs  and teaching SOLIDWORKS skills.

Design well.  Marie

Marie Planchard

Senior Director, Early Engagement, 3DEXPERIENCE Works at Dassault Systemes

Marie Planchard is an education and engineering advocate. As Senior Director of Education & Early Engagement, SOLIDWORKS, she is responsible for global development of content and social outreach across all levels of learning including educational institutions, Fab Labs, and entrepreneurship.