2020 Cohort

ACM's Special Interest Group on High Performance Computing (SIGHPC) has announced the 21 undergraduates chosen to take part in the third annual Computing4Change (C4C) program. Co-located with the SC conference, Computing4Change introduces students to the potential of computing to create positive change in our society. Students learn to work as part of a team, applying data analysis and computational thinking to a social challenge while experiencing the latest tools and techniques from computing and data science. Due to the pandemic, the SC20 conference will be fully virtual, and C4C has followed suit.

SIGHPC received applications from institutions around the world. 64% of applicants were female, agender, or non-binary gender and of applicants from the US, 71% are from groups underrepresented in computing. Applicants included students in a wide range of majors, including biology, international studies, economics, environmental law and policy, African and African diaspora studies, engineering, computer science, and construction science.

The applications were reviewed and evaluated by a panel of experts from diverse backgrounds across race, gender, discipline, and nationality. Selections were based on the applicant’s vision for using technology to affect positive change in an issue relevant to them; overall potential for impact in their chosen fields and home institutions; and the extent to which they can serve as ambassadors to increase diversity in the workplace.

47% of the 21 awardees identify as female, and 47% of awardees are first-generation college students. Among awardees from the US, 27% are Latino/Hispanic, 27% are Black or African American, 11% are from the Pacific region including Hawai`i and Guam, and those remaining are of White, Asian, or Native American descent. SIGHPC congratulates the students accepted to this highly competitive activity:

• Syema Ailia, Northeastern Illinois University

• Ana Alvarez, California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA)

• Zoe Banks, Austin Community College

• Qwynci Bowman, Lewis and Clark College

• Jezreelyn Bulaklak, University of Guam

• Cierra Cage, Southern University and A&M College

• Marco Charles, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

• Helena (Lena) Duplechin Seymour, Washington State University

• Keegan Finger, Drake University

• Mario Gallegos, Texas State University

• Steven Galloway II, Elizabeth City State University

• Gabriela Gonzalez, Texas A&M University

• Votreeshwaran Ilangovan, University at Buffalo

• Zoey Kaneakua, Chaminade University of Honolulu

• Trelysa Long, University of California, Irvine

• Chris Min, Chaminade University of Honolulu

• Cesar Monsalud, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

• Elliott-Zion Mpeye, the University of Texas at Austin

• Sabrina Sears, Texas A&M University-Central Texas

• Arthur Ymele, California State University Long Beach

• Jessica Zhou, Washington State University

We also want to give a special thanks to the mentors who are graciously volunteering their time and expertise to help make this event a success. These volunteers will be working with the teams of four students, guiding them through their process of data analysis and discovery. Each of the mentors has attended a Computing4Change or Advanced Computing for Social Change program in the past.

• Que’Aire Anderson, University of California, Santa Barbara

• Erika Bailon, Columbus Technologies/NASA JPL

• Dairian Balai, Chaminade University of Honolulu

• Erin Burba, Akamai Technologies

• Roberto Camacho, Google

• Edgar Chavez, California State University Los Angeles

• Regina Dominguez, University of Guam

• Chenoa Faletoi, Chaminade University of Honolulu

• Matthew Montoya, Johns Hopkins University

• Melia Soque, Chaminade University of Honolulu