Loc Pham Wins Mobile Science App Competition

2016 Apr 7

Four Buena Vista University students from the natural science and computer science departments won a $1,000 award from BVU's Stine Endowment on March 11 for a mobile app they developed and presented during an on-campus competition.

Loc Pham, a junior computer science major from Storm Lake , was a member of the team that created the winning app named "Iowanna Eat".

The app combines nature and food to assist users in determining whether or not the plants surrounding them are edible, and how they can be eaten and used medicinally. It also provides users with practical facts about the world around them, including conservation awareness. Within the app, users can either select a quadrant of Iowa based on their location or search by plant to reveal its benefits. "It's important to us that people can begin to use this app in the near future. Now that we've received feedback from the judges on the Stine Endowment Committee, we plan to make some adjustments and incorporate GPS technology, as well as some recipes," said Pham.

Five interdisciplinary teams of BVU students from the natural science and computer science departments participated in the competition. The students worked in teams of four to develop the best and most practical mobile apps, which were then judged in competition for the monetary award.

Biology professor and Stine Endowed Chair Dr. James Hampton said, "I am so impressed by what I witnessed from all of the groups who participated. It's great to see the synthesis of two sciences coming together, and it may be one of the most remarkable things I've seen at BVU." Associate professor of computer science Dr. Jason Shepherd said, "This academic competition is another example of the exclusive BVU experiences we are able to create with the Stine Endowment. From remarkable internships to support of our Capture the Flag computer security contest, the Stine Endowment gives BVU students access to transformative experiences they wouldn't have anywhere else."

The Stine Endowment is unique to BVU and is intended to promote, support and expand high-impact educational practices, and to enhance enriched learning opportunities for students in the School of Science. The Stine Endowment grants superior access to many meaningful internships, research projects, presentations and science-oriented expeditions for students, which amounts to $75,000 annually. With the increase in funding, the University has taken a comprehensive approach to broadening the horizons of BVU science students.