This summer, I had the opportunity to work with Up4 The Challenge, an initiative that leverages scientific and technological innovation as a means to alleviate poverty, address environmental concerns, and improve well-being for all. The program emphasizes the importance of understanding the needs and experiences of the people we aim to serve, showcasing the potential of STEM as a tool for meaningful and positive change. My role involved leading the development of a digital platform that enables students to collaborate on STEM projects and test their ideas in a virtual environment. This experience allowed me to apply my technical skills while also delving into the educational aspects of technology, effectively bridging the gap between STEM education and digital innovation. It was a unique opportunity to contribute to a mission that not only fosters creativity and problem-solving but also aims to make a tangible impact on society.
Project Highlights
During my time with Up4 The Challenge, I focused on creating a digital platform called stemflower 2.0, designed to transform how students develop their prototypes. Originally, the stemflower activity was a paper-based worksheet used in workshops to encourage students to think deeply about their designs by considering the "roots" of their solutions and the STEM that supports it: the scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical aspects. Additionally, students were prompted to reflect on the potential social outcomes of their designs, aligning with our commitment to teaching human-centered design. This holistic approach ensures that students focus not only on traditional engineering metrics like cost-effectiveness and efficiency but also consider the broader impact of their designs on people, society, relationships, and the environment.
Another profound realization was the importance of human-centred design. This concept, which emphasizes the social and ethical implications of technology, has deepened my commitment to creating solutions that truly serve the needs of people and communities.
The goal of digitizing this activity was multifaceted. In our increasingly digital age, it was essential to create a platform that could seamlessly integrate into online workshops, allowing students to participate remotely. By moving the stemflower activity online, the platform introduced the unique advantage of making upgrades easier and enhancing user interaction. For example, as students fill out the social outcomes, they can visually see their stemflower growing, which adds an engaging and interactive element to the process. This digital transformation not only modernizes the activity but also makes it more dynamic and responsive to user input, encouraging students to stay engaged as they develop their designs.
To achieve this, I utilized a combination of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS for the front-end development, ensuring that the interface was both responsive and user-friendly. On the back end, I integrated Google Firestore as the database to efficiently store and manage user data, this allows students to access other people’s projects. These considerations emerged only after extensive user testing and feedback. The process underscored the importance of having a diverse team involved in the development. People from different backgrounds—beyond just engineers—offered suggestions that I hadn’t thought of, significantly enhancing the platform’s usability. This experience highlighted the critical role of inclusive design and the value of varied perspectives in creating technology that truly meets the needs of all users.
A unique advantage of the stemflower 2.0 platform is its ability to provide students with access to a vast database of designs from previous workshops. This feature enables them to view and learn from the projects of others, offering insights into different approaches to solving similar problems. They can draw inspiration from their peers, combine ideas, and continue to build on their projects with a richer understanding of the possibilities.
Here is the screenshot of the platform in action. For every stemflower created, the platform generates a project card that lists all the social outcomes and STEM components the students have developed. On the back of the card, there's a picture of the actual prototype they created during the workshop. By digitizing the stemflower activity, we not only expanded its reach but also enhanced its impact, making it a valuable tool for future workshops and a resource for students to build on previous work. This digital transformation allows students to easily review their projects and draw inspiration from their peers, fostering a collaborative and iterative learning environment.
This digital transformation not only modernizes the activity but also makes it more dynamic and responsive to user input, encouraging students to stay engaged as they develop their designs.
Workshops and Human-Centered Design
Together with the stemflower 2.0 platform, I also contributed to the development of several workshops that emphasized human-centered design and the importance of considering the broader impact of engineering solutions. I had the honour of presenting and teaching a topic on artificial intelligence (AI) to a group of enthusiastic students in the McMaster Leaders in Training (LIT) program. With my background in applied AI, this topic is one of my greatest passions, particularly in how AI can transform our understanding of the world. While many people are familiar with tools like ChatGPT, they often lack the knowledge about how to use AI responsibly. This workshop focused on addressing this gap by introducing students to the fundamentals of AI and its ethical considerations.
We explored how AI can be used in various applications, such as virtual assistants, autonomous vehicles, and smart home devices. The discussion centered around understanding what AI is capable of in our everyday lives, and we delved into the evolution of AI, highlighting significant milestones like ELIZA, Deep Blue, Watson, and ChatGPT. I emphasized that AI, while powerful, is inherently biased because it is driven by data. This led to discussions about the importance of being meticulous in feature selection, data curation, and algorithm development to ensure fairness and reduce bias, especially in sensitive areas like hiring algorithms and facial recognition technology.
The workshop culminated in a design challenge where students worked in teams to brainstorm ways to help students use AI responsibly in their learning environments. The brainstorming session was highly interactive, with students generating a wide range of ideas, followed by prototyping their solutions using available materials. To conclude the workshop, students created storyboards to illustrate the current scenario and their reimagined experience, incorporating the social outcomes and STEM concepts that supported their designs.
Students were encouraged to complete their stemflower by thoughtfully considering and documenting the broader social impacts of their designs. This process pushed them to reflect on how their projects could influence people, communities, and the environment, ensuring their solutions were aligned with meaningful and positive outcomes.
To reinforce the concept of human-centered design, it’s crucial to step back and ask: What is human-centered design exactly? When a new technology emerges, we often become overly focused on questions like, "Is this new design cheaper than the old one?" We may spend countless hours on comparative analyses, weighing the pros and cons of different solutions. But in doing so, do we sometimes miss the most important aspect of innovation—coming back to the human element?
Take, for example, the development of powerful AI tools designed to save recruiters time by automatically filtering out unqualified applicants. While these technologies might be efficient, do they also inadvertently eliminate candidates who might not have a perfect resume, belong to a minority group, or simply lack one or two key qualifications that the AI is programmed to screen for? In such cases, can we truly say that the design is human-centered?
In my view, human-centered design means deeply caring about the fundamental reason for creating technology in the first place. It’s about understanding the real needs of people—much like how the invention of the light bulb wasn’t driven by its cost-effectiveness compared to candles, but by the basic human need for light at night. This perspective was central to the workshops I helped develop and is one of the core values of Up4 The Challenge. Students were encouraged not just to focus on traditional engineering metrics like cost-effectiveness and efficiency, but to consider the broader impact of their designs on people, society, and the environment. This approach has not only deepened my understanding of human-centered design but also taught me the importance of ethical considerations in engineering. It’s a lesson that will continue to inspire and guide me as I move forward in my career, shaping how I approach the development of new solutions.
Skills and Knowledge Gained
During my time with Up4 The Challenge, I acquired a broad range of skills that have significantly contributed to my growth as both a developer and an educator. On the technical side, I developed strong front-end web development skills, mastering JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to create responsive and user-friendly interfaces. I also learned to manage version control with Git, use GitHub for repository management, and publish websites with Vercel. Each of these areas presented unique challenges, often requiring days of troubleshooting and problem-solving. These experiences taught me the value of perseverance and resourcefulness, as I navigated roadblocks through independent research and the willingness to seek help when needed.
In addition to front-end development, I enhanced my skills in back-end development by working with Firestore, a NoSQL cloud database, to manage and store user data efficiently. This experience provided practical insights into database architecture, real-time data synchronization, and ensuring data security in a multi-user environment—key components of developing scalable digital solutions.
Beyond technical proficiency, I also honed my ability to apply human-centered design principles in a practical context. This involved not only meeting the technical needs of users but also considering the broader social implications of the tools I created. By incorporating user feedback through multiple iterations, I learned the importance of adaptability and continuous improvement in the design process.
Moreover, leading workshops and testing sessions for the stemflower 2.0 platform helped me develop strong communication and leadership skills. I learned how to effectively convey complex STEM concepts to students, making them accessible and engaging. These experiences in user testing and feedback collection further enhanced my ability to design with the end user in mind.
Reflecting on my time with Up4 The Challenge, I recognize it as a transformative experience that pushed me beyond my comfort zone. The challenges I encountered in developing the stemflower 2.0 platform taught me the value of persistence and the importance of approaching problems with a mindset open to learning and adaptation. These experiences have reinforced my belief that the most significant growth often occurs when we face uncertainty and obstacles head-on.
A key takeaway from this experience is the understanding that learning is a lifelong journey. The process of troubleshooting and problem-solving without a clear path forward taught me the importance of self-reliance and the need to continually seek out new knowledge. This lesson will guide me in all future endeavours, especially in fields where answers are not readily available, such as research and innovation.
Another profound realization was the importance of human-centred design. This concept, which emphasizes the social and ethical implications of technology, has deepened my commitment to creating solutions that truly serve the needs of people and communities. The success of the workshops and the positive feedback I received reaffirmed the value of integrating these principles into my work.
The challenges I encountered in developing the stemflower 2.0 platform taught me the value of persistence and the importance of approaching problems with a mindset open to learning and adaptation. These experiences have reinforced my belief that the most significant growth often occurs when we face uncertainty and obstacles head-on.
Finally, this experience highlighted the significance of collaboration and communication. Working closely with diverse teams, I learned how vital it is to listen, engage in meaningful dialogue, and leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals. These lessons in teamwork and empathy will continue to influence my approach to problem-solving and innovation.
Overall, my time with Up4 The Challenge has been an enriching journey that has not only advanced my technical abilities but also shaped my approach to tackling complex challenges. The insights gained will continue to inspire and guide me as I move forward in my career, committed to making a positive impact through technology and education.
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