I Wasn’t Supposed to Be in That Computer Lab — But That’s Where Everything Changed

I was an electrical engineering student in high school.

But there was this other lab — the computer lab, down the hall — where my friends from the IT track spent their afternoons. I started sneaking in.

Every time I looked over someone's shoulder at what they were doing, something clicked — immediately. I could follow the logic, ask the right questions, and sometimes explain things to students who had been doing it longer than I had.

That quiet realization — that I wasn't just curious, I was wired for this — is where the story of Beshoy Khalil Hanna in tech really begins.

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The Setup: 99.33% and a Deliberate Choice

I graduated from technological high school with a 99.33% national score in Egypt. The number matters less than what it represented: passion meeting discipline.

When it came to university, I didn't just pick a name — I picked an ecosystem.

I chose ElSewedy University of Technology (SUTech), the first polytechnic university in Egypt, built in direct partnership with industry. No gap between learning and applying. The lab is the curriculum.

That environment built something in me: a drive to research, learn, and apply — constantly. It apparently showed. In April, SUTech named me their Hero of the Month across all official platforms — the first student ever to receive this recognition.

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What I'm Actually Building

Here's what I work on, beyond the coursework:

🔒 Cybersecurity & Networks
Designing and simulating enterprise-grade network architectures — including a full hospital network model with custom subnetting and routing protocols. On the security side: working inside isolated virtual environments, testing vulnerabilities, doing web application security analysis, and reverse engineering executables and mobile applications to understand how they break.

🏆 Competitive Programming

I compete in algorithmic problem-solving in C++ on Codeforces. In 2025, I participated in IEEEXtreme 19.0 — one of the world's largest 24-hour coding contests, with thousands of teams globally. That kind of pressure sharpens you in ways nothing else does.

🌱 IoT & Sustainability

I built a Smart Irrigation System using an ESP32 microcontroller, soil moisture and temperature sensors, and MQTT protocol — with cloud dashboard integration and an offline fallback for when connectivity drops.

I'm also developing a Smart E-Waste Eco-Hub concept: AI-powered automated electronic waste recovery supporting a circular economy for copper.

🤖 AI Integration

I've completed formal prompt engineering training and actively use it to integrate generative AI into my development workflows — not as a gimmick, but as a real productivity multiplier.

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IEEE Changed How I See What's Possible

When I arrived at SUTech, I found the IEEE student branch — and it pulled me in completely.

I joined the tech team and started working across multiple fields: Cybersecurity, AI, IoT, embedded systems. Through IEEE, I participated in competitions and projects in different domains, and helped organize and coordinate multiple international events and participations through the university.

That global exposure changes something in you. You stop thinking locally about what you're capable of.

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What's Coming Next

I'll be documenting the journey here on DEV and on Medium — real process, not highlight reels:

• Network architecture deep dives
• Cybersecurity and reverse engineering walkthroughs
• IoT project documentation — hardware to cloud, with real code
• Competitive programming breakdowns
• Practical AI and prompt engineering insights

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📖 Want the Full Story?

This is the condensed version. For the complete journey — the high school lab story, the full IEEE chapter, and everything in between — read the original on Medium:

👉 Read the full article on Medium

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Let's Connect

I'm @beshoy2khalil across platforms.

My portfolio has everything — projects, details, and all ways to reach me:
👉 https://beshoy2khalil.github.io/Portfolio/

Find me, talk to me, disagree with me. That's how this gets better.

💬 What about you? What was the defining moment that made you realize you belonged in tech? I'd love to hear your story in the comments below!

Beshoy Khalil Hanna
Network Technology & Cybersecurity | SUTech — Polytechnic of Egypt
@beshoy2khalil | Egypt 🇪🇬

Comments

[pepapepa]

I'd love to hear your story in the comments below!

I bet you'd like that, Phisher! Not this time, NO! 🤣 I ain't gonna take part in yet another phishing training! No, Sir! I learned my lesson!

[Beshoy Khalil Hanna]

Haha, totally fair! 🤣 I completely respect the vigilance—cybersecurity awareness at its finest! 🛑

Promise this isn't a phishing simulation! Just sharing my actual portfolio and certificates. You can safely visit the site directly at
beshoy2khalil.github.io/Websit1/
or check the screenshot.

But if you'd rather stay safe and not click any links (which is totally understandable!), feel free to
search for "Beshoy khalil hanna — cybersecurity engineer"
on Google or any search engine! 😊❤️

[Beshoy Khalil Hanna]

Safety first, I completely agree! 🛑 If you'd rather not click links, feel free to search for
"Beshoy khalil hanna — cybersecurity engineer"
on any search engine to check out my background and work safely. 😊❤️

[Beshoy Khalil Hanna]

Looking back at that high school computer lab, I never imagined it would lead to building enterprise network models or competing in IEEEXtreme. I'd love to hear about the moment or place where your tech journey first clicked!

[Beshoy Khalil Hanna]

Thanks for reading, everyone! Whether you agree or have a different take on integrating AI into dev workflows, I'd love to read your feedback and connect with you all in the comments.