Solve Social Justice Issues with

Engineering and Computer Science!

Form a team. Identify a social issue. Conceptualize a solution. Pitch your idea. Win prize money!

Funded by the Scott Jewett Fund for Innovation and Student Success

Sponsored by Southern California Edison

ESJ 2024 Winners!


Cat Byte holding up their award!

1st Place: Cat Byte

Project: Catpanion

Award: $6,000
Catpanion aims to provide mental health assistance for low-income and minoritized children during critical ages of mental development by offering a cost-effective portable device
designed in collaboration with mental health professionals, which employ meditation and mindfulness techniques to strengthen mental well-being.

Team Care holding up their award!

2nd Place: Team Care

Project: CAaRE (Caretaker Assistance and Resources Engine)

Award: $4,000
CAaRE, short for Caretakers Assistance and Resource Engine, is an innovative application tailored to simplify and personalize the caretaker's experience by
consolidating medication management, appointment scheduling, alarms, planners, and connections with therapists and a supportive forum into one seamless platform.

H₂A holding up their award!

3rd Place: Defending Hearts and Harmony (H₂A)

Project: Wlk

Award: $2,000
To enhance women’s safety on campus, we developed Wlk: a multifunctional app, for women by women, where users can book one of our
trained, equipped female employees to walk them to and from parts of campus during the later hours of the evening.

Transfer Assist holding up their award!

Best Poster: Transfer Assist

Project: Consolidated Research Assistance For Transfer Students

Award: $500

Press

Engineering, Computer Science Students Pitch Solutions to Address Social Justice Issues
Info Session

October 17th & 18th @ CS-207

Learn more about the competition and meet like-minded ECS students interested in addressing social justice issues. Plus, free pizza!

Info Session Flyer

Social Justice Design Workshop

November 15 @ CS207

Learn more about social justice and social justice-centered design!

ECS Entrepreneurship Workshop

February 15 2024

Learn how to structure a business pitch to maximize audience impact in a very short presentation. Topics include slide organization, professionalism, avoiding copywrite problems, and handling Q&A time effectively. Mandatory attendance of at least one member from each ESJ team.

Prize Money

First prize: $6,000
Second prize: $4,000
Third prize: $2,000.

Learn more >

Student Teams

Form a group of 4 - 6 ECS students to conceptualize ECS solutions to address a social justice issue.

Learn more >

Mentoring

Teams will get support from ECS faculty mentors and attend workshops to plan, design, and present their solutions.

Learn more >

Competition

Pitch your idea to a panel of industry professionals to win grant money for further development.

Learn more >

Timeline

  • Information Session
    Room CS-207 @ 12pm

    October 17th & 18th

  • Social Justice Design Workshop
    Room CS207 @ 11am-1pm

    November 15th

  • Mentor Selection

    Late November

  • Notification of Intent

    December 8th

  • ECS Entrepreneurship Workshop

    February 2024

  • Presentation Material Deadline

    March 6th

  • Competition
    TSU Pavilion A

    March 20th

Examples of Social Justice Issues

There are several social justice issues around us. Here are some examples you might consider for your projects:

Climate Action
Access to Public Transportation
Homelessness
Access to Healthy Food/Clean Water
Income Gap