MSc in Computing and Data Analytics

Students in the Master of Science in Computing & Data Analytics (MSc CDA) program at Saint Mary’s University developed the top three innovations at the recent Employment & Social Development Canada (ESDC) Hackathon.

Hosted at Saint Mary’s University in partnership with the Government of Canada, the ESDC Hackathon challenged participants to generate data-driven, creative ideas to help improve service delivery to low-income Canadians. The top three teams’ innovations addressed a variety of barriers to access, including wait times and lack of awareness of programs and services.

1st place - “Near Services”
Near Services is a platform that could improve access to ESDC services by helping individuals find information about benefits and programs relevant to them. “Near Services” is designed to be accessed online or at a variety of accessible locations, including schools, bus stops, and libraries.

Team members:
Rodolfo Garcia Barrantes
Olugbenro Selere
Mohannad Hameed
Daune Oliver

2nd place – “Golden Maple”
Golden Maple is an internet-based “decision tree” app designed to help individuals understand and access relevant programs and services.

Team members:
Jinal Salvi
Abhiraj Suryawanshi
Ranjit Mishra
Sankalp Bhagat
Florisha Taneja

3rd place – “Richer-Life System”
Richer-Life System is an internet-based app that could shorten wait times for ESDC services by prioritizing services based on an individual’s needs.

Team members:
Meghana Chillal
Navjot Kaur
Zhengyang Ma
Olufunto Akinyemi

The genesis of the Hackathon came from the mission of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to build a stronger and more inclusive Canada, to support Canadians in helping them live productive and rewarding lives, and to improve the quality of life for all Canadians. ESDC partnered with Saint Mary’s University’s MSc CDA to gather new ideas and seek expertise from the post-secondary sector.

“At Saint Mary's, we recognize the importance of working with our government partners on our shared goals, the betterment of our communities and our country,” said Saint Mary’s President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “We are very proud to partner with the Government of Canada to host this event. I look forward to seeing the innovation in service delivery that will come as a result of this competition.”

The ESDC Hackathon, which was held at Saint Mary’s University on May 4 to 6, was open to current undergraduate and graduate students and to those who graduated in the past 12 months.