WiCHacks 2020

Computer Science students do a lot of coding and problem solving. But what happens when you squeeze technical skills into a 24-hour contest? Are hackathons really coffee, carbs and adrenaline all-nighters, with a minimum viable product at the end? Second year Ryerson computer science student, Vanessa Landayan, was about to find out when she participated in WiCHacks, hosted by Women in Computing at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

Women in tech – learning, sharing, inspiring

While browsing upcoming hackathons, Landayan resonated with WiCHacks (external link) ’ all-women, non-binary focus. With free shuttles available to bring participants in from Toronto, Waterloo and Upstate New York, Landayan was soon on her way across the border to Rochester, NY.

Over 110 attendees enjoyed a smorgasbord of activities in the all-women atmosphere. “In class, it’s mostly guys and a handful of girls, so it can be a bit intimidating,” Landayan says. “But at WiCHacks, it was inspiring to hear how professional women in STEM got to where they’re at now, share experiences and speak without judgment. I really enjoyed the presentations, workshops, games, networking with companies such as Microsoft and J.P. Morgan Chase – and lots of food and snacks!”

But the order of the day was a race to innovate.

Instant innovation – Ideation, creation, delivery in 24 hours

Landayan was the only representative from Ryerson University, but before long, three attendees invited Landayan to join their team. “They turned out to be awesome teammates – very friendly and motivated,” she says.

The foursome soon started brainstorming and settled on a project: Healthcare Hub (external link)  – an online platform for making medical care accessible, while also promoting science communication. The concept envisions using artificial intelligence to provide users with free diagnoses, a locating tool for the nearest, low-cost clinics, functionality to ask medical questions to professionals, and a collection of the latest medical research.

Landayan describes the atmosphere while rushing to finish the project: “I got only two hours of sleep, but it wasn’t so bad. I stayed awake with lots of coffee, sugary snacks, music and texting friends and family.”

Literally overnight, the various teams had brought their innovations to life, and were ready to face the judging panel.

Team wins prize, inspired to press on

Landayan and her teammates finished with the prize for Best Use of Google Cloud Services in developing their platform. “We were really surprised because we hadn’t asked to be considered for this category,” says Landayan, “but the judge saw our presentation, liked it, and ended up picking us. I was so excited to tell my family and friends back home, and felt a rewarding sense of accomplishment.”

Looking back, Landayan reflects on the takeaways. “It really pushed me outside my comfort zone to talk and work with people I’d only just met. The best part was applying what I had learned in class, learning new things, and using grit, collaboration and time management to finish the project quickly. I highly recommend hackathons for anyone interested in technology, whether or not you have experience.”