The Seidenberg School’s Pace Data Science Club has been driven by a deep love for hackathons—thrilling, fast-paced competitions where innovation and teamwork collide. As the club’s exemplary student engagement carries into Spring 2025, members reflected on Fall 2024’s successful events—which offered a helpful preview of what’s ahead. The club’s passion for hackathons shines through in its eagerness to participate in even more competitions, continuing to explore the limitless potential of data science, artificial intelligence, and sustainable tech.
The Fall 2024 semester was a standout one for the club. Among the many hackathons they participated in, the Pace Data Science Club secured two major wins, showcasing their expertise and determination in tackling real-world problems with innovative solutions.
At Voxel51’s Visual AI Hackathon, participants were challenged to create image and video-based AI solutions. The Pace team’s winning project was a virtual fencing system designed to enhance railway safety.
At the Talent 2.0 Hackathon, hosted by Johnson & Johnson in collaboration with Cornell University, the focus of the challenge shifted to talent acquisition. The Pace team developed a conversational AI assistant that integrates the company’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS), streamlining the candidate experience and helping recruiters identify top talent faster and more efficiently.
Continuing their momentum, the club also participated in the AI Agents for Faster Renewable Energy Projects hackathon. Club members Deep Mehta and Amey Borkar led the team focused on accelerating project approvals for renewable energy infrastructure. Their solution automated the financial evaluation process and enhanced contract risk analysis using artificial intelligence—showing how AI can meaningfully support clean energy adoption.
Over the course of the new semester, the club has continued to send teams to dozens of virtual and in-person hackathons.
The Pace Data Science Club kicked off the spring 2025 semester with a trip to Betaworks NYC, where the participated in the AI Tinkerers OpenAI Realtime Voice x Reasoning Hackathon. Sponsored by industry leaders like OpenAI, KamiwazaAI, Neon, Nebius, and Comet, the event pushed students to explore the capabilities of real-time artificial intelligence.
The club’s team developed Teach Simple, an AI-powered educational assistant utilizing OpenAI’s Realtime API and o1 model. Using the Feynman Technique, the assistant helped simplify complex subjects through voice-based, interactive explanations—creating a more intuitive and personalized learning experience.
Team members Amey Borkar, Deep Mehta, Ritik Kale, and Michael Griffin brought impressive technical creativity and collaboration to the event. Their work demonstrated the potential of real-time reasoning tools to enhance education and accessibility.
As the Spring 2025 semester continues, the Pace Data Science Club is buzzing with excitement for more hackathons and new challenges. With a strong foundation of success and a team driven by curiosity, collaboration, and innovation, they’re ready to take on the next round of hackathons—and continue shaping the future of tech, one challenge at a time.
If you are interested in representing the team, you can sign up at the link below.
The Business Council of Westchester highlight Pace’s new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence, launching in Fall 2026. Offered through the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, the program—Westchester’s first undergraduate AI degree—will train students in machine learning, data analytics, and AI ethics.
Pace University is preparing students for the rise of AI with the addition of a new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence. Students will learn critical skills in machine learning, data analysis, and AI ethics. Pace is the first school in Westchester to offer an undergraduate degree in AI, and the program is now accepting applications for next fall.
Pace University sponsored a workshop with Dr. Nancy Peluso, funded by the Mellon grant: “Islands, Archipelagoes, and Cultural Ecologies.” The workshop, titled, “How to Tell Stories with Maps” grappled with how to use maps to tell stories about changes in the environment over time and its relationship to human migration.