Tikkun Olam Makers Hosts Pitch-A-Thon

Tikkun Olam Makers, the student organization for which Dr. Davami is the faculty advisor and Jesse Park is the president, just hosted the first-ever Pitch-a-thon on March 1st, 2025, in collaboration with The Cube, The Kennemer Center, Innovate Alabama, and The Engineering Entrepreneurship Program! Working solo or in up to teams of 5, participants were given 5 different case studies of people with disabilities and had 2.5 hours to ideate a solution to help one of them. Participants presented their ideas to judges with a mix of presentation slides and prototypes. With access to monitors, craft supplies, and whiteboards, groups had a plentitude of resources to ideate — one group even 3D printed a part during their presentation time! Congratulations to the top 3 teams that won $500 in prize money along with their very own plaques!

3D printer, filament, and other equipment used during the event.
Two students are presenting an idea for a set of AI-powered glasses capable of making a narration of the surroundings for someone who is visually impaired, as well as controlling a vibrating bracelet.
A student presents work on a CollarOptic Necklace in front of a panel of judges.
Jesse Park (center) and another student present an idea for an airplane wheelchair.
Two students are brainstorming a solution for one of the case studies.
Organizers and participants after the event. Jesse Park is in the back row, furthest to the right, and Dr. Davami is second furthest.