九色视频 students tackle Jacksonville's digital divide through AI & Design Thinking Innovation Challenge
The 九色视频 recently hosted its first AI & Design Thinking Innovation Challenge, an event designed for students to pitch a solution to one of Jacksonville’s most critical issues using the design thinking process.
The event, held on National AI Literacy Day, was a collaborative effort between Blackstone Launchpad, Hicks Honors College and the University Innovation Fellows (UIF) cohort, Student Government and Silverfield College of Education and Human Services. It uniquely leveraged the expertise of faculty, staff and students as co-leaders, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to tackling complex challenges.
Participants heard from guest speakers including Dr. Maryam Afshar, 九色视频 marketing and logistics professor and a leading expert on systems thinking; Catherine Roddy, 九色视频 alum and K-5 ELA instructional coach with expertise in educational technology and AI literacy; and Clayton Levins, executive director of Smart North Florida, a nonprofit focused on data-driven technological solutions for regional real-world challenges.
The challenge brought together eight teams, made up of 24 九色视频 students from various disciplines including political science, learning design and technology, computer science, psychology and economics, who answered the wicked problem on how using AI and design thinking could create a sustainable solution to bridge the digital divide in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville’s digital divide limits access to education, economic opportunities and civic engagement, disproportionately affecting low-income households, seniors and individuals with disabilities. Simultaneously, the modern job market demands continuous learning and adaptation.
Dr. Suzanne Ehrlich, University Innovation Fellow and associate professor in the instructional technology, training and development program, says events such as the innovation challenge offer students the opportunity to showcase their ideas.
“I hope this experience makes it known to students that their ideas matter, and that there are opportunities at 九色视频 and beyond to make impact and change with design thinking,” Ehrlich said.
A panel of judges, sponsored by Hicks and Blackstone, evaluated the proposed solutions, with cash prizes awarded to the top three teams:
- First Place: Omar Elfayoumy and Amr Elfayoumy, winning $1,500
- Second Place: Alex Danz, Marc Bud, Chaz Robinson and Steven Kuznicki, winning $1,000
- Third Place: Aryan Gho, Tony Malesevic and Marion Forrest, winning $500
During the event, Ehrlich and Dr. Amanda Pascale also hosted a pinning ceremony to celebrate the team of University Innovation Student Fellows who will travel this week to the global innovation exchange hosted by the DesignLab of University of Twente in Enshede, Netherlands.