The California State University and IBM collaborated to host an
AI-focused hackathon at Cal State LA March 16-17, 2026. Sponsored by IBM SkillsBuild, the event partnered students with industry experts to address real-world problems and develop workplace skills.
About 160 students participated in 58 teams to design innovative, AI-powered solutions in health care, semiconductor manufacturing and education. Projects demonstrated how emerging AI technologies can be applied responsibly to real-world problems and emphasized safety, transparency and positive impact.
The teams were made up of students from the CSU's five Los Angeles County universities—Dominguez Hills, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge and Pomona—to encourage cross-campus collaboration and networking.
Students gained hands-on experience with IBM technologies while working alongside IBM experts and industry mentors who coached the students through the hackathon along with CSU faculty and staff. Participating students also received a professional certificate of completion from IBM demonstrating their knowledge in this area.
“This is a wonderful example of how universities and industry can work together to prepare our students for the future," said Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes, who welcomed participants to the event. “Not only can we prepare students for AI-focused careers, but we must do so ethically and equitably."
Five teams were declared the winners of the hackathon, splitting the $10,000 in cash prizes provided by IBM.
- Jose Flores from CSUN won first prize for a tool called BloodDrive that can help health care providers manage blood samples between the patient and the lab.
- Harshavardhan Surisetty and S. Daterao from Cal State Long Beach won second prize for a project called Eupho that uses an automated voice agent to help medical providers better triage incoming calls.
- Jackson Copeland from Cal State LA won third place for a project called ClearPath that uses an agentic agent to read hospital electronic medical records to identify risk patterns and propose continuing education for nurses.
- Aarsh Sharma and Krish Patel of Cal State Long Beach won the most-technical award for a project called SyntaxError that created an AI job interview practice tool that shifts its mood based on answers to better simulate the stress of a real interview.
- Jianwen Tan, Irene Chen and Leo Afriyie-Buabeng from Cal State LA won the most-innovative award for developing an educational history trivia agent to help make learning more fun.
“As AI creates new opportunities and reshapes the workforce, students need opportunities to apply new skills in real-world settings," said Lydia Logan, vice president of global education and workforce development at IBM. “Hackathons like this help them build experience, create something tangible for their portfolio and better understand how they can contribute in an AI-driven economy."
In addition to the hackathon, CSU faculty, staff and administrators learned about IBM's AI for Impact—a new program designed to support academia. The program equips individuals with insights on campus-wide AI adoption and fosters essential conversations around topics such as ethical AI practices and AI implementation strategies.
“These students, who were selected from over 300 applications from the five Los Angeles campuses, came together to develop AI solutions to real-world challenges using IBM's flagship computing technologies," said Leslie Kennedy, the CSU's assistant vice chancellor for academic technology services. “This opportunity aligns with the CSU's AI Strategy and Student Success Initiative, which focus on equipping students with the resources and support needed to deepen their learning and prepare for future careers. The event was dynamic and engaging, featuring insightful speakers and a wealth of valuable resources."
In February 2025, the CSU
announced a landmark initiative to become the nation's first and largest AI-empowered university system. At the heart of this groundbreaking effort is the AI Workforce Acceleration Board—a collaboration with nearly a dozen of the world's leading tech companies, including IBM, and California Governor Gavin Newsom's Office—which will identify and advocate for AI skills needed in California's workforce and its economy.
About the California State University
The California State University is the nation's largest four-year public university system, providing transformational opportunities for upward mobility to more than 470,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. More than half of CSU students are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, and more than one-quarter of undergraduates are first-generation college students. Because the CSU's 22 universities* provide a high-quality education at an incredible value, they are rated among the best in the nation for promoting social mobility in national college rankings from U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly. The CSU powers California and the nation, sending more than 123,000 career-ready graduates into the workforce each year. In fact, one in every 20 Americans holding a college degree earned it at the CSU. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU newsroom.
*Transition to 22 universities in progress (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Maritime integrating)—official fall 2026.