VCU news

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University’s national champion software design team finished among the top 12 teams in Microsoft Corp.’s Imagine Cup, a computer and software design competition featuring the best student teams from around the world.

VCU’s team competed against others from more than 80 other countries in the Worldwide Imagine Cup Finals in India.

The team from VCU’s School of Engineering included William Calder, Joanne Cunningham, A. Brooks Hollar and Brandon Saunders, all graduate students in the Department of Computer Science. The team won for PocketDoc, an application that runs on mobile devices and actively links doctors and patients.

PocketDoc allows doctors to see how their patients are adhering to their treatment guidelines. It also enables patients to be more involved in their treatment, with regular alerts and notifications regarding medication and other matters.

“It’s really exciting because to participate at this level you get a global view of technology. To get the opportunity to meet with technology students from around the world is really outstanding,” Cunningham said.

While the team didn’t take the top prize, members of Team PocketDoc said they’ll remember the experience for years to come.
"It’s a great thrill to represent VCU and an honor for VCU’s department of computer science to represent the nation at this competition,” Calder said.

The theme of this year’s Imagine Cup competition was “Imagine a world where technology enables us to live healthier lives.”
“We worked hard. We had a good idea. We implemented it well and have done our best to represent VCU and the U.S.,” said Hollar.

This is the second consecutive year that a VCU team has represented the United States in the international competition. Last year’s national winner, a mix of students from the schools of Business and Engineering, took the honors for its tablet PC-based teaching tool for early childhood education. Last year’s team placed among the top 13 competitors.

“To be national champs two years in a row and to represent the nation in international competition is not only great recognition for VCU but should help us as we launch our careers,” Saunders said.

Team advisor Jeff Babb kept supporters back home aware of Team PocketDoc’s experiences through a blog from India. In it, he writes “we did as well as last year and that’s everything to be proud of. The competition was STIFF and was tougher this year than last for certain. Our students did exceptionally well and have EVERYTHING to be proud of.”

Teams from China, Japan, Norway, Denmark, Italy and Brazil moved forward in the competition.