Valdosta State University’s Department of Computer Science has teamed up with Azalea Health to host Hackathon 2020 on Saturday, March 7, at the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Center for Applied Creativity and Innovation.
 
Hackathon is open to all currently enrolled high school, college, and university students interested in computer science, engineering, or computer design throughout South Georgia and beyond. During the all-day competition, teams of one to five students will develop innovative software applications for use in the healthcare industry — showing off their skills while competing for cash prizes.
 
Teams may be created at Hackathon or arranged beforehand. Competitors retain full ownership of what they create during the event.
 
A panel of judges will select the top three teams based on their application’s design, functionality, originality, awesomeness, and presentation. The first place team will receive $1,000. The second place team will receive $500. The third place team will receive $250. To be eligible for prizes, all code, design, art, music, SFX, and assets must be created onsite during eight-hour duration of Hackathon. Third party services, APIs, open source projects, libraries, and frameworks are encouraged.
 
The deadline to register to compete at Hackathon is 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 5. There are no entry fees. Competitors must show proof of current enrollment as an active student at a verified high school or institution of higher education.
 
WiFi, food, drinks, swag, computers, and the opportunity to commune with like-minded information technology “Geeks” will be provided. Students should bring a passion for developing something truly innovative to the event. They may also bring their cellphones, personal laptops and/or desktops, and anything else they might need throughout the day.
 
Check-in will begin at 8 a.m. After receiving the problem that needs solving, teams will work on their software applications from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and present their creations at 4:45 p.m. The presentation of awards will begin at 6 p.m. Lunch will be served at noon.
 
“Software design competitions like Hackathon are a great venue for students to showcase their software design skills,” said Dr. Krishnendu Roy, professor and head of VSU’s Department of Computer Science. “Of course there is the incentive of winning cash prizes, but beyond that, participation in events like this allows students to add experiences in their resumes that will make them stand out when they graduate and look for jobs.”
 
Azalea Health is a leading provider of cloud-based healthcare solutions and services. Its mission is to improve patient care by providing the highest level of innovative technologies, solutions, and services to the healthcare community. The company was co-founded by three VSU graduates, Baha Zeidan, chief executive officer; Douglas Swords, vice president of revenue cycle management; and Dan Henry, vice president of infrastructure and security.