Huntsville, Ala. — Students and technology professionals will convene at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Nov. 4-5 for the inaugural HudsonAlpha Tech Challenge. This two-day event will bring together individuals interested, or currently working, in computer science or other creative fields who will attempt to solve life sciences challenges through collaboration and creativity.
Participants will be divided into three categories of teams: high school, college/graduate school, and professionals. Each team will be given a set of challenges to solve related to biotech, genomics and other life sciences. HudsonAlpha research scientists will be in attendance to offer their expertise for each challenge.
“Computer science is critical to scientific advancement here at HudsonAlpha so we are very excited to host this unique event,” said Carter Wells, vice president for economic development. “All of us are looking forward to see what new and innovative ideas come out of the Tech Challenge.”
Specific challenges will be shared closer to the date of the event, but some generalized areas in which challenges may be focused include:
- Blockchain
- Virtual Reality
- Machine learning
- Clinical data security
- Natural language processing
The Tech Challenge is a collaboration between HudsonAlpha and Urban Engine, a Huntsville-based nonprofit that accelerates innovation through programs and resources including CoWorking Night and 32/10.
“We are thrilled to partner with HudsonAlpha to offer the community an opportunity to solve life science challenges in a way that leverages creative problem solving and technical development. The professional and academic experience afforded to participants during this event have the potential to impact careers and contribute to the innovation economy through the launch of new startups and technologies,” said Toni Eberhart, executive director of Urban Engine.
The presenting sponsor for the HudsonAlpha Tech Challenge is law firm Maynard Cooper & Gale.
“Innovation remains a core part of Huntsville’s culture and a key to its future. As presenting sponsor of the inaugural HudsonAlpha Tech Challenge, Maynard Cooper & Gale is proud to support a new avenue for showcasing the ingenuity of Huntsville’s technology community,” said Ryan Letson, an associate with Maynard Cooper & Gale.
You do not have to be part of a team to register. HudsonAlpha and New Leaf will assist in the creation of teams at the start of the event, in which you can identify the best fit for your interests and skills.
For more information on sponsorships and registration, visit HudsonAlphaTechChallenge.org.
About HudsonAlpha: HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is a nonprofit institute dedicated to innovating in the field of genomic technology and sciences across a spectrum of biological challenges. Opened in 2008, its mission is four-fold: sparking scientific discoveries that can impact human health and well-being; bringing genomic medicine into clinical care; fostering life sciences entrepreneurship and business growth; and encouraging the creation of a genomics-literate workforce and society. The HudsonAlpha biotechnology campus consists of 152 acres nestled within Cummings Research Park, the nation’s second largest research park. Designed to be a hothouse of biotech economic development, HudsonAlpha’s state-of-the-art facilities co-locate nonprofit scientific researchers with entrepreneurs and educators. The relationships formed on the HudsonAlpha campus encourage collaborations that produce advances in medicine and agriculture. HudsonAlpha has become a national and international leader in genetics and genomics research and biotech education, and includes more than 30 diverse biotech companies on campus. To learn more about HudsonAlpha, visit hudsonalpha.org.
About Urban Engine: Urban Engine, formerly New Leaf Digital, propels the growth of North Alabama’s economy and accelerates STEAM innovation by connecting aspiring entrepreneurs and established business leadership to educational resources, talent, and community. Urban Engine is the Huntsville-based nonprofit organization that facilitates CoWorking Night, 32/10, community hackathons and OpenHuntsville.com
