A potentially life-saving mobile application for youth, designed by computer science students at the University of Central Florida, was awarded “Best in Show” by College of Engineering and Computer Science alumni who served as judges of the Spring 2021 Virtual Senior Design Showcase.
Nearly 900 graduating seniors in engineering and computer science spent the year collaborating in teams to create 171 capstone “Senior Design” projects showcased in video presentations. The virtual Spring 2021 Senior Design Virtual Showcase was a temporary online display of short video overviews of the projects submitted by each team.
The projects demonstrate students’ knowledge and application of engineering and advanced computing concepts, and provide solutions to real-world problems, many of which are industry-sponsored. Sponsors of Spring 2021 projects included Coca Cola, Lockheed Martin, Florida Power & Light, Aerion Supersonic, and more. Several other projects were sponsored by UCF faculty tasking students to innovate research or teaching solutions.
Graduating seniors Max Huebler, Mujahid Jaffer, Jody Kocis, Mary McIntosh and Ian Vickers worked their entire senior year on “SafeLINC: A Youth-Suicide Prevention App,” with guidance from project sponsor Pamela Wisniewski, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science. The application is an interactive and collaborative suicide prevention tool that youth can use in times of personal struggle.
“Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 24. SafeLINC enables youth to access a support network of people and resources from their smart phone,” Vickers says. “Everyone was incredibly capable and motivated. We all want to see this app in the hands of people it can really help.”
Faculty sponsor Pamela Wisniewski says the SafeLINC team’s passion and professionalism made them stand out among her many senior design students in the past five years.
“They knew they were doing important work in developing the first interactive and collaborative suicide prevention app for youth that engaged both parents and clinicians in the safety planning process. They took their job seriously and did an amazing job delivering an end product that contribute to the mental health and well-being of youth,” Wisniewski says.
“The team did a fabulous job translating a clinical safety plan to mHealth technology. Their work will have a significant impact on advancing the mental health and suicide prevention field,” says Wisniewski’s research collaborator Kimberley Gryglewicz, Ph.D., associate professor, UCF School of Social Work.
- Published by CECS
- April 28, 2021