Imagine Cup Challenges Students to Solve World Problems with Technology

“We deeply believe that tomorrow’s innovators will come from the dorm room, not the boardroom.”

That is a quote from Microsoft’s general manager of Education Strategy, Jon Perera. For eight years now, Microsoft has sponsored the worldwide Imagine Cup, a technology competition for high school and college students around the world. This year’s theme is, “Imagine a world where technology helps solve the world’s toughest problems.” Students work in teams to compete in a number of broad categories including software design, embedded development, game design, digital media and IT challenge, which is a systems level survey for managing technology.

This year’s event is being held in Warsaw, Poland home of the astronomer Nicolas Copernicus and physicist Marie Curie-Sklodowska. Opening ceremonies on July 3rd kicked off the competition of projects of teams who have advanced to the worldwide finals. Consisting of several students and a mentor to provide guidance, each team has advanced through several regional events in their respective countries to qualify to appear in Warsaw. For them, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to demonstrate the application of their ideas – ideas that can help change the world.

Team SuperLove Factory from Thailand - Image © Microsoft
This year there have been over 325,000 entrants into the Imagine Cup with 400 teams from all over the world competing this week for top honors and awards. A panel of judges helped narrow that list down using published criteria including how well the idea adheres to the theme and how well the students demonstrate mastery of technology in their categories, including various Microsoft technologies.

On that last point, I had read about Microsoft taking some criticism from earlier events. While it would be great to see some additional open technology used, whether that would be an open software language or open embedded platforms such as Arduino, I don’t think it compromises the competition. After all, the team’s projects are as much about the ideas as they are about the implementation.

For example, Team NLO from Russia developed a water quality monitoring tool called PolarVision that is already in place in a Russian national park to determine where contaminants are entering the water system. It’s possible that Team NLO can find an investor here at the Imagine Cup to bring his idea to mass market, or at least exposure for one of many compelling ideas that can have a positive impact in the world.

The first round of judging has already occurred across all major categories, with the finalists announced. There will be plenty of demonstrations, exhibits and presentations over the next two days, and I am here in Warsaw covering the event courtesy of Microsoft.

If you’re looking to get involved for the Imagine Cup next year, first check in with your school to see if they organize their own teams, or register your own. In the US there have been spring and fall competitions to tie in with class projects. There are also milestones that must be accomplished to advance. If your team succeeds, you can earn a spot at next year’s worldwide Imagine Cup finals.

Medical technology department observes National Lab Week

The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Medical Technology hopes to increase awareness about a profession currently experiencing considerable employment growth as part of National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week from April 18-24.

Medical technologists, also referred to as medical laboratory scientists, serve as vital health care detectives who uncover and provide laboratory information from analyses that assist physicians in patient diagnosis and treatment. Clinical laboratory personnel examine and analyze body fluids and cells.

They look for bacteria, parasites and other microorganisms; analyze the chemical content of fluids; match blood for transfusions and test for drug levels in the blood that show how a patient is responding to treatment.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of clinical laboratory workers is expected to grow by 14 percent between 2008 and 2018, faster than the average for all occupations. The volume of laboratory tests continues to increase with both population growth and the development of new types of tests.

Dr. Jane Hudson, chair of the Department of Medical Technology at Southern Miss, notes that in 2009 the program saw 100 percent job placement rate for graduates and a 100 percent pass rate on the American Society for Clinical Pathology examination.

“Medical technologists/medical laboratory scientists are responsible for providing test results that are used by the physician to make approximately 70 percent of the medical decisions,” said Hudson. “The shortage will only become more critical with 12,200 new laboratory professionals needed annually to meet the growing need of the world’s population, but only 4,000 to 6,000 graduates will join the workforce each year.”

Hospitals are traditionally the major employer of clinical laboratory workers. However, employment is expected to grow rapidly within medical and diagnostic laboratories, physicians’ offices and throughout the entire health care industry.

The following statistics clearly illustrate the impact the med-tech program at Southern Miss has made on South Mississippi:


• 83 percent of the medical technologist staff at Wesley Medical Center in Hattiesburg are Southern Miss graduates

• 77 percent of the staff at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg


• 68 percent of the staff at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport

• 50 percent of the staff at VA Medical Center in Biloxi

• 50 percent of the Tissue Typing Laboratory at University Medical Center in Jackson

• 43 percent of the staff at Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula


“Our graduates are recruited heavily for South Alabama and South Louisiana also, thus our program truly serves the Gulf South,” said Hudson. “The only other programs in the Gulf South are LSU at New Orleans, the University of West Florida at Pensacola.”