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The usually empty, modern Gates Dell Complex was transformed into a bright pink space last weekend, with glittery ribbons covering the walls, inflatable pink flamingos rolling around, and mini mirror balls hanging from the elevators. .
Women in Computer Science, the organization that supports GDC’s aesthetic change, hosted its 8th annual hackathon, a 24-hour app-building marathon for women and non-binary individuals to bring their ideas to life.
Nitya Lohia, senior computer science major and WiCS president, said of the hackathon: It serves as a great way for students to learn new skills, create projects that solve real-world problems, and tap into their innovative side.
“It’s great to see everyone in the same building creating something, but creating something very different from what every other group is doing,” Lohia said. Ta.
This year’s winner was Confidant, an app that promotes women’s empowerment and confidence in the workplace. Built by her computer science seniors, Zirou Zhang and Tara Roshan, and her junior, Zara Shipchandler, the app has three main features: Email Correction, Forums, and Spotlight. We have introduced two main features.
Shipchandler said the email correction feature uses artificial intelligence to generate a confidence score, which the app tracks over time.
“During my internship, whenever I was writing emails, I realized that I was less assertive than some of my male colleagues, even though we had the same qualifications,” Shipchandler said. Ta.
Shipchandler said the forum feature allows women to network and post opportunities, while the spotlight feature provides inspiration to other women.
“There aren’t that many female CEOs. If you look at the Fortune 500, I think (only) 10% are women. So we wanted to focus on specific female role models who really made their mark in their fields. ” Shipchandler said.
Shipchandler said hackathons proved stressful due to time pressure, but WiCS created a collaborative environment by offering activities such as a photo booth, tote bag painting and service animals.
“I think my favorite thing was the service dog,” Shipchandler said. “I’ve never seen anything like this at a hackathon. …This shows how much WiCS values relaxation and doing your best,” Shipchandler said.
Because UT’s computer science department has historically been male-dominated, Roshan said the WiCS hackathon stands out among her personal experiences with hackathons.
“Hackathons are a little scary when there are both men and women there, because they are usually overwhelmingly male-dominated,” Roshan said. “But with his WiCS hack, it feels like you’re destined to be here.”
Lohia said WiCS promotes inclusivity in computer science by providing a support system.
“Its main goal has always been women’s empowerment, providing a community and safe place for women to make friends, express their ideas, and get help in any area of computer science they need.” said Lohia.
Just as hackers bring together pieces of a project, WiCS brings together women and non-binary individuals to form a vibrant community.
“At the end of the day, I think what I want people to take away from WiCS is that there will always be a community of women in CS programs,” Lohia said. “I always want them to feel like they belong.”
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