University High School junior Vidhatri Iyer has been named a winner of the prestigious Congressional App Challenge, the nation’s most esteemed student computer science competition. This honor celebrates her innovative app, which uses machine learning to predict E. coli levels in Indiana waterways with an incredible 89% accuracy—the highest ever achieved for such a model. The Congressional App Challenge, designed to inspire STEM engagement and innovation among students, has become a national platform for showcasing cutting-edge projects like Vidhatri’s. Congresswoman Victoria Spartz was on hand to present Vidhatri with this incredible award during Community Meeting.
Vidhatri’s app grew out of her extensive work with TRICO Wastewater Treatment Facility and the Marion County Public Health Department. She combined vast datasets on water quality with predictive modeling to create a tool that alerts users to unsafe E. coli levels in specific waterways. Her app enables users to plan activities safely by predicting water quality up to 15 days in advance. “It’s like a weather app for water safety,” Vidhatri explains. She hopes to expand the app’s reach beyond Indiana, making it accessible to larger communities nationwide.
Winning the Congressional App Challenge not only recognizes Vidhatri’s ingenuity but also provides her with unique opportunities, including a chance to showcase her app to members of Congress and technology leaders. Her achievement exemplifies the University core values of creativity and commitment to excellence, and we are excited to see how she continues to use STEM to create meaningful change.
If you are interested in how it works, you can explore Vidhatri’s E. coli detection app here, and see how it’s helping make waterways safer for everyone. Congratulations, Vidhatri!