CSU Quantum Ready Day Hackathon 

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On Thursday, July 24, 2025, Chicago State University’s Center for Workforce Equity hosted its Quantum Ready Day, a full-day event held from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. As part of this campus-wide initiative, the Department of Computing, Information, and Mathematical Sciences and Technology (CIMST) organized an engaging Hackathon tailored for high school students.

The hackathon was held in the Student Union Conference Rooms at CSU and welcomed approximately 30 high school students from various local schools. The event challenged participants to explore and solve contemporary issues affecting their communities, fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. At the conclusion of the hackathon, student teams presented their innovative solutions and findings to an engaged audience.

The success of the event was made possible through the dedicated volunteer efforts of both undergraduate and graduate Computer Science students: Oluwadamilola Adebesin, Garima Bhalla, Mohamed Alie Saccoba Conteh, Anees Fatimah, Amera Firdous, Sheetal Kumar, Chazity Tahama, and Abraham Workalemahu. Their guidance and support played a key role in mentoring the high school participants and ensuring a positive learning experience.

 

The event was supervised by Dr. Mohammad Abdus Salam, Chairman of the CIMST Department. Notable attendees included Dr. Johng-Chern Chern, Professor of Computer Science; Dr. Carolyn C. Wadlington, Director of Dual Enrollment; and Ms. Marnie Boyd, Assistant Director of ESP. Their presence and encouragement reflected the university’s strong commitment to outreach, STEM education, and workforce development.

The hackathon served as an inspiring example of how interdisciplinary learning and community engagement can empower the next generation of innovators.

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