Showcasing Saint Louis University’s dedication to sustainability and innovation, two teams from the Information Technology (IT) Department of SLU – School of Accountancy, Management, Computing, and Information Studies (SLU-SAMCIS) placed second and third in the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Sustainathon Philippines Finals held at Marquis Events Place, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City on 8 February 2024.
TCS Sustainathon Philippines is an ideation competition with the initiative to foster creativity and collaboration using digital technologies in addressing real-world problems. This year’s theme, “Empowering Women in STEM,” focused on developing new solutions to address challenges and increase the representation of women and young girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Of ten presenting teams, two SLU-SAMCIS IT teams were distinguished for innovative solutions.
Jemari Aguilar, under the mentorship of Missy Mae Laarnie Layague, secured second place with the presentation of “Questify”, taking home Php 100,000. “Questify is a cross-platform website and application that uses a point-based and AI-based analysis system for hiring applicants. It was designed to eradicate gender bias in the hiring process,” she explained.
Aguilar, whose personal experiences of misogyny and gender discrimination served as the driving force behind the idea, believes that addressing biases in the hiring process is crucial for achieving gender equality in all sectors. “I believe that if companies or employers eradicate gender bias and use an objective hiring process, then we would have more examples of talented women leading every field. That is something I look forward to seeing in the future,” Aguilar affirmed.
On the other hand, “Career Catalyst,” presented by Khyle Kent Alviz, Janbert Dela Cruz, America Eloise Slay, and Marvin Rosanto, mentored by Randy Domantay, claimed the third spot and garnered Php 50,000. Their project aimed to bridge the gender gap in STEM fields through personalized guidance and support. Dela Cruz explained, “We designed Career Catalyst to address this [gender gap in STEM] by providing unparalleled guidance to young women wanting to pursue a STEM career.”
Their platform utilizes AI-powered surveys to match women with suitable career paths, universities, and scholarship opportunities with personalized content showcasing success stories and interactions with industry professionals. He added, “Being IT students in SLU, since day one, we were always trained to design innovative solutions using the best technologies that we have, and Career Catalyst is one we’re very proud of.”
Looking ahead, the SLU Community eagerly anticipates the continued contributions of exceptional students, confident in their ability to drive positive change and create lasting impact on a global scale aligned with the United Nations Sustainability Goals Gender Equality (SDG 5) and Decent Work and Economic Growth (8), as well as the CICM Advocacy of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation.
