A usually bare and modern Gates-Dell Complex transformed into a bright pink space last weekend, with sparkly bows covering the walls, inflatable pink flamingos lying around and mini disco balls hung up in the elevators. 

Women in Computer Science, the organization behind the change in the GDC’s aesthetic, hosted their eighth annual hackathon, a 24-hour app-building marathon for women and non-binary individuals to bring their ideas to life.

Nitya Lohia, senior computer science major and WiCS president, said hackathons serve as a great way for students to learn new skills, create projects solving real-world problems and tap into their innovative side. 

“It’s cool to see everyone in one building creating something, but creating something that’s so different from what all the other groups are doing,” Lohia said.

“Confidant,” an app that promotes female empowerment and confidence in the workplace, won this year. Built by computer science seniors Zirou Zhang and Tara Roshan and junior Zara Shipchandler, the app showcased three main features: email correction, forum and spotlight. 

Shipchandler said the email correction feature uses artificial intelligence to generate a confidence score that the app tracks over time. 

“In my internship, I’d realize whenever I was writing emails, I was less assertive than some of my male counterparts, even if they had the exact same qualifications,” said Shipchandler. 

Shipchandler said the forum feature allows women to network with each other and post opportunities, while the spotlight feature serves as inspiration for other women.

“There aren’t that many female CEOs. When you look at the Fortune 500, I think we saw (only) 10% (are women), so we wanted to highlight certain female role models who really made their mark in their fields,” said Shipchandler.

Shipchandler said that while hackathons prove stressful due to the time pressure, WiCS created a supportive environment, with activities like photo booths, tote bag painting and service animals.

“I think my favorite part was the service dogs,” said Shipchandler. “I’ve never seen that before at a hackathon. … It just shows how much WiCS emphasizes relaxation and trying your best,” said Shipchandler. 

With the computer science department at UT being historically male-dominated, Roshan said the WiCS hackathon stands out amongst her personal experience with hackathons.

“I kind of get scared of hackathons when they’re both guys and girls because normally there’s an overwhelming amount of guys,” Roshan said. “But at WiCS hacks, it (feels) like you are meant to be here.”

Lohia said WiCS fosters inclusivity in computer science by providing a support system. 

“Its main goal has always been female empowerment and giving women a community and a safe space to make friends, express their ideas, and get help in whatever areas of computer science they need,” Lohia said.

Just like hackers put together the pieces of their project, WiCS brings together women and nonbinary individuals to form a thriving community.

“I think at the end of the day, what we want people to take away from WiCS is that they’ll always have a community of women in the CS program,” said Lohia. “I want them to always feel like they belong.”