Marisela Perez-Maita

SXSW: Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase, Unwrapped

Many projects and discussions have taken place at SXSW Festival 2023. Among them, ACCENT Reporter Marisela Perez Maita was able to cover the uprising innovation showcase that offered a glimpse into the transformative state of our future.

by Marisela Perez Maita

On March 11, 2023, 55 finalists across 14 categories presented their innovative projects at the JW Marriott Downtown conference rooms. These categories included health, design, tech, audio and AI. Here are five of the numerous stands that were present:

Musichealth

Musichealth is an AI that uses music therapy to help patients with dementia and their caregivers. The software —called Vera— creates a playlist that brings nostalgia and reminiscence of the patient’s past to their present. Once the patient starts listening to a song they enjoy and remember, their mood and behaviors change, relaxing the patient’s body and mind and making it much easier for caregivers to carry them through different activities. Combining neuroscience, technology and music, Musichealth helps dementia patients reconnect with emotions and caring memories

Edubank

Founded in Brazil, Edubank is a bank that provides credits to schools in Latin America. The founder, Daniel Costa, started this project after realizing how the lack of financial support retains Brazilian schools for improvement. Traditional banks don’t like to give credit nor provide access to capital for education because “It’s too complicated” according to Costa. For this reason, institutions have a hard time finding resources to improve their facilities and quality of education. Edubank has helped over 400 schools in Brazilian states. They hope to reach 1 million students by 2026.

Chptr

Chptr is an app for those who want to remember relatives and friends who have passed away. The way it works is very simple. People join a “profile” which is the space created for that person, and anyone invited to that profile can add a memory or a moment. A memory is either a video or audio where the user expresses their emotions or thoughts. A moment are pictures, videos, conversations or any media that shows how that person was for those who loved them. Chptr embraces memory, grief and love through the timeless space of technology.

The app is completely free and can be downloaded from the App Store or Play Store.

Neuralight

Neuralight is an AI that, by capturing oculometric movements, diagnoses neuronal disorders, measures sickness progression, and allows doctors to find the best treatment for the patient. Neuralight presenters pointed out that neurological disorders are usually diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease, nd many of them share similar symptoms, so the risk of being misdiagnosed is high. Some of the most common are Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Huntington’s Disease (HD), and Major Depressive Disorder (MD). Neuralight’s technology uses oculometric data to diagnose and predict these disorders accurately. Following a dot on a screen, gives information such as reaction time and many other complex neurological data that are useful for medical diagnosis.

Shrimpbox

The company Atarraya presented Shrimpbox —the first AI-powered aquaculture farm designed to allow the production of shrimp sustainably. Traditional shrimp production pollutes oceans, destroys habitats, and contributes to overfishing. For this reason, Atarraya built the technology to cultivate shrimps in a “box” that replicates the breeding environment of the shrimps, be it in urban, hot or cold areas. The box can be built anywhere in the world, making it a sustainable farm that significantly decreases the environmental impact.

From the presented stands, Neuralight won in the category of Health and MedTech. The Finalists Showcase emboldens the importance of festivals like South by South West, where people with brilliant ideas get the opportunity to showcase their passions and innovations to others and inspire more ideas to come.

The Honors Program: curiosity and critical thinking

Spring semester is around the corner, meaning students are taking the important step of making their schedule before registration ends on Jan. 3.

What many students are not aware of is that their classes can improve significantly by enrolling in an honors course —which no, is not part of an elite society— but an academic program that encourages and celebrates curiosity.

Story by Marisela Perez-Maita

The ACC Honors Program provides a number of benefits for ACC students —from classes to internships and scholarship opportunities. Dr. Anne-Marie Thomas, Chair of the Honors Program and also an honors English professor, has seen over the years how students connect with one another and live experiences that traditional classes do not normally offer.

“Small classes allow a lot more close interaction between the students themselves and the faculty,” Dr. Thomas says. “To me, that’s a big selling point. All honors classes have a substantial discussion component which encourages and strengthens the spirit of inquiry in the students.”

In honors classes, students get the opportunity to get a deeper dive into a particular subject, Dr. Thomas says. She teaches composition with a focus on science fiction as well as a literature course on apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction.

Students still cover the same transfer requirements as a traditional class but with deeper discussions and experiences, including field trips, visits from guest lecturers and service learning.

“For example, the theme for Professor Endl’s Astronomy class is about whether there is life in the universe, and apart from studying the possibilities for life on other planets, with an instructor who has actually discovered an exoplanet, students get the opportunity to use the telescope at the Round Rock campus,” Dr. Thomas says.

Students realize the difference between traditional and honors classes right away. Aatmodhee Goswami, an ACC Computer Science student, started his academic journey in 2020 during the pandemic, “Since it was online, it was a little bit harder to get that sort of interaction with professors, especially with 30 or 40 people in a Zoom call,” Goswami says. “I learned, but it wasn’t as interactive as I would’ve liked it to be.”

ACC Computer Science student Aatmodhee Goswami shares insight on honors microeconomics and English composition classes he took during an interview with reporter Marisela Perez-Maita.

Upon finding out about the smaller class sizes that honor classes offer, Goswami decided to sign up. Since then, he shared that taking these classes provided a fun and interactive academic experience, “I personally really like the fact there is a personal connection with each of the professors. I can remember specific experiences with them,” Goswami says.

For example, Goswami explained that each one of these courses has influenced his academic journey and general interests. The Microeconomics course with Professor Croxdale prompted him to self-study AP Macro, and after his first composition class with Professor Thomas, he is now into science fiction.

Students may get the misconception that these courses are difficult, but according to Goswami, even a class like Calculus II is interactive, “I do suppose Honors classes take more work, but I for sure take more out of it and they are more fun,” Goswami says.

During an ACCENT interview on the Honors Program, Dr. Anne-Marie Thomas explains everything that the program has to offer.

There is no due date for enrolling in an honors class as they follow the regular registration timeline. However, not all courses are offered every semester and there is a maximum of 15 students per class.

It is important that students check early to make sure their plans are aligned with which courses are available.

To be part of the Honors Program, it is necessary to apply and meet only one of the listed requirements among which include having a 3.25 college GPA from at least 9 college hours or being in the top 15 percent of one’s graduating high school class.

Once accepted, students can become even more involved in the program. The paid internship opportunity to be an Honor Ambassador includes students engaging in leadership activities at ACC events, doing recruitment and classroom presentations and creating social media content.

Nora O’Halloran signed up to be an ambassador after her first honors class, “As an ambassador, everyone does what their strengths are or what they are interested in learning. For example, we have people who love editing videos and that’s what they are learning in school, so they get to edit the fun videos that we work on,” O’Halloran says.

The position has online and in-person flexibility so students can choose what works best for them.

“We have ways to make things accommodating, which is one of the many wonderful things about being an Honors Ambassador,” O’Halloran says. “The key is to get involved as much as you can; reach out to Dr. Thomas and explain your interests. You can volunteer in the Honors Student Organization as well. All of these will help you in the long run.”

Apart from Honors Ambassadors, the Honors Program has a partnership with the University of Texas at Austin called UT’s Youth and Community Studies (YCS) Fellows Program. It consists of a series of spring workshops about civic leadership, community building, social justice and restorative practices. Students who participate and complete the YCS Fellows program are eligible to become interns in another program at UT along with receiving transfer advising from the university’s advisors.

The YCS program provides a certificate upon completion, which, along with all the experience from the internship, can help students get into UT if that’s what they are aiming for.

Even more, if students need help regarding honors courses and transfer goals, they can set up an appointment with the honors advisor Jana McCarthy in the Honors Programs.

To find out more, the Honors Program’s social media provides information about what they are up to as well as future ambassador openings. For example, two weeks ago was Honors week across the ACC district. Daily events were hosted across ACC campuses and remotly To mention a few were the Columbia University School of General Studies Information Session and “A Legacy Beyond Bloodline” talk with UT Austin professor Dr. Octavious Butler.

If students want additional recognition on their transcripts, they can go to the website and read how to become an Honors Scholar along with the steps to apply for the Honors Scholarship.

Be the student that takes advantage of all of these benefits and celebrate curiosity with the Honors Program by enrolling in honors Spring semester classes!

Ahead of the Curve: Student Mobility in the ACC District

Students discuss the benefits of the ACC Green Pass and public transportation.

Story by Jacob Tacdol

Graphics by Marisela Perez-Maita

For students living in the Austin area, commuting to and from school can be a stressful and time consuming task. This year, the Austin Community College District is once again offering the Capital Metro Green Pass to its students, faculty and staff.

Green Pass holders are allowed an unlimited amount of free rides to anywhere using the CapMetro transit system, including buses and the rail line, for one semester.

“The Green Pass has helped me a lot,” ACC student Elijah Williams said. “It allows me to manage my time more effectively and stay productive throughout my day. I’m able to get to point A, B, C and wherever else I want to go and save money.”

CapMetro services 542 square miles and offers nine modes of transportation to the general public, which includes 83 bus routes and nine train stations along a 32 mile track from downtown Austin to the northwest suburb of Leander.

Photo by Jacob Tacdol featuring a CapMetro railway station.

“Being able to utilize the bus and the train is a great skillset to have,” Williams said. “It changes a lot of people’s foundations. I don’t have to wait in traffic. That’s why I’m able to go to the Domain in less than 15 minutes from [Highland]. For most people, it takes 30 or 45 minutes on a good day.”

Without a Green Pass, CapMetro fare costs range from 60 cents to $96.25 depending on which service and length of time riders choose. ACC funds the Green Pass program using the ACC sustainability fund and revenue from parking permit fees.

“The pass is useful no matter which type of public transportation you choose,” ACC student Dierdre Gormley said. “I don’t have to worry about paying for it, because I’ve already put my money into the school. I might as well take advantage of it.”

Students enrolled in ACC credit classes, Adult Education students and ACC faculty and staff can apply for a Green Pass through ACC’s Green Pass webpage. CapMetro offers both a digital and physical option.

“I ordered the physical pass and I received it in about five to seven days,” ACC student Aster Fohl said. “They made it easy to navigate the website. It really is a doable option and you just have to look up how the system works. It’s a legitimate form of transportation for so many people.”

Of the many reasons why students and other members of the ACC community may opt for public transportation, the costs and anxiety associated with driving a car in Austin is a large contributor.

“I am 30 minutes out from the Highland Campus and I don’t want to spend a lot of money on gas to get to school four days a week,” Fohl said. “It’s made me a lot less anxious coming to school, because driving, especially with the growth of the greater Austin area and the city itself, has made things very difficult.”

One of the main arguments for increasing the usage of public transportation in cities is the lighter impact that mass transit has on the environment compared to personal vehicles.

“I’m someone who is very big on trying to eliminate my personal carbon footprint,” Fohl said. “There’s so many organizations and corporations who need to cut down on their emissions and I personally do it by giving more attention to public services. It’s a personal choice that I’m glad I’ve made.”

In their Sustainability Vision Plan, CapMetro outlines their initiatives to reach a carbon neutral state by 2040. Methods including reducing carbon emissions and using renewable energy will go into their efforts.

A MetroRail shuttle at a standstill during a station layover. Photo by Jacob Tacdol.

“ACC is ahead of the curve,” Williams said. “This is what it’s shifting towards: cleaner, more efficient and faster travel. If you get this going now and start using public transportation, you’re getting ready for the future.”