CIC Dean Tom Reichert welcomed 90 students from colleges and universities from across South Carolina to participate in the Call for Code: IBM watsonx workshop.
“Our objective for this event was to provide a statewide learning opportunity that would help students prepare for the impact of artificial intelligence across industries,” says Reichert. “We were glad to have students from 13 institutions participate, some coming from as far as Charleston.”
Judges for the competition (l to r): Peggy Smedley, AI and Digital Transformation
influencer and IBM external social media influencer; Andy Bernardin, Co-Director,
Center for Industry Solutions, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing Program
Manager, USC office of Economic Engagement; John Teasdel, Sr. Technical Engineer,
Blue Cross Blue Shield; and Representative Brandon Guffey, House member and Committee
on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Cyber Crimes. 
In partnership with IBM, the college provided students the opportunity to enhance their AI expertise while solving a socially beneficial challenge question using the watsonx platform.
The students were charged with identifying and solving a specific issue involving equitable access to vital services during the workshop. In teams of 10, with one hour to complete the challenge, students chose a variety of issues to work on from increasing literacy in rural areas to health care access to social justice to storm preparation.
As part of this experience, student attendees were introduced to IBM’s Call for Code campus program and Global Challenge, and were given complimentary access to the IBM watsonx platform for the challenge. Nine teams competed for $17,500 in prizes — $10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place and $2,500 for third place.
These excerpts show the concepts for the winning entries:
First Place — Team Eight: LibrAIry
“LibrAIry is an app to help early education students develop a love of reading by creating AI stories
with generative images and phonetic breakdown of the words.”
Second Place — Team Six: EasyEats
“The AI enhances user experience by addressing crucial factors such as nutritional
quality and dietary restrictions while sticking within specified budgets and assisting
with methods of transportation relative to where you live.”
Third Place — Team Seven: SafeGuard.AI
“Our Safeguard.AI platform will connect the population impacted by natural disasters
with essential resources to keep them safe before, during, and after natural disasters.”
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