174 students. Eleven teams. Six competitions. One trophy. Cranbrook’s computer science team came out on top — and showed why they’re ready to code their future.

Not everyone sees a coding competition as a proving ground. But the students who showed up for ������Ƶ’s first-ever Bulldog Battles? They weren’t like everyone else.

Over the course of six-weekday competitions held on the ������Ƶ campus, more than 170 students from 11 Michigan high schools went head-to-head in a series of team-based computer programming challenges. Powered by Ford Motor Company and Kettering’s Computer Science Department, the Bulldog Battles pushed students to collaborate under pressure, debug in real-time, and solve complex problems that mirrored the challenges of a modern tech career.

“It’s not about writing the perfect code the first time,” said Joni Applefield, co-president of Cranbrook’s Computer Science Club. “It’s about learning how to think differently — how to fail fast and try again.”

Applefield, a senior at Cranbrook, led her team to victory with a record-breaking score, helping the school earn top marks in both individual and team performance. Cranbrook students placed in the top three overall among all 174 competitors.

In his remarks at the trophy presentation, Chuck Gray ’87, Ford Motor Company Vice President of Vehicle Hardware Engineering, recalled how a similar experience inspired his own path.

“One day, you’re sitting in the audience. The next, you’re designing what’s next for the industry,” he said. “The recipe is simple: curiosity, capability, and a real-world education that starts before graduation. That’s what Kettering delivers.”

From Idea to Impact

The Bulldog Battles grew from the single-day hackathon that Kettering also held. But when Kettering’s enrollment and computer science teams imagined something bigger — six events, twelve schools, and a championship trophy — the idea gained momentum.

“We believed in the students,” said Chris Nelson, administrative specialist in Kettering’s Computer Science Department. “And we knew this kind of challenge could change the game.”

With financial support from Ford, Kettering purchased 50 new laptops, secured travel and supply resources, and brought high school teams from Saginaw, Macomb, Oxford, Holt, Lake Orion, and more to campus. General Determination — Kettering’s mascot — welcomed each team, and students received swag, lunch, and a whole day immersed in the campus culture and competition.

Kettering’s Model in Action

As teams rotated through problem-solving rounds, they found support in Kettering faculty, staff, and current students, many of whom are already earning patents, coding autonomous vehicles, and helping Co-op employers across the country innovate faster.

“We wanted high school students to see what’s possible here,” said Matt Fortescue, Director of Enrollment. “Our 50-50 academic and Co-op model is all about building real experience early, and these battles gave them a glimpse of that world.”

Big Wins, Bigger Lessons

In the final event, Cranbrook returned with a new lineup of younger teammates — sophomores stepping up after seniors passed the torch. They scored even higher than the original team and completed the only 50- and 60-point problems in the entire competition series.

“They’re already thinking like leaders,” Nelson said. “Not just about solving problems — but about passing on what they’ve learned.”

The trophy now lives on Cranbrook’s campus, a physical reminder of the resilience, collaboration, and competitive drive that define both the computer science students and Kettering.

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Sun glare is a major hazard for drivers, often causing temporary blindness that leads to accidents. Two ������Ƶ Computer Science students, Omar Ibnouf ’27, a graduate of Delta International School in Saudi Arabia, and Jiten Ponnam ’27, a graduate of Athens High School in Athens, Michigan, have spent months developing an innovative solution: a pixel-blocking system that dynamically shades the sun while keeping the driver’s view clear.

Their AI-driven display technology, currently being tested on a school bus in partnership with International Motors LLC, uses real-time sun and eye detection to determine precisely where glare hits a driver’s eyes. The system then selectively darkens pixels on a transparent LCD screen, blocking only the sun while maintaining complete visibility of the road ahead.

From Concept to Working Prototype

“We wanted to reduce distractions and make driving safer,” Ibnouf said. “Our system detects the sun’s position, finds where it hits the driver’s eyes, and blocks only that specific glare — helping reduce accidents caused by temporary blindness.”

The current prototype consists of:

• An outward-facing camera that detects the sun’s position
• An inward-facing camera that tracks the driver’s eyes
• AI-powered software that calculates 3D coordinates to align the shading
• An LCD screen that dynamically adjusts pixels to block the sun

Ponnam explained the technical challenge behind making the system work. “The hardest part wasn’t just writing the Python code — it was getting all the components to communicate with each other in real-time,” he said.

Mehrdad Zadeh, Ph.d., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, advised the students on the project. “Students gain real-world problem-solving skills, apply STEM knowledge, and work with emerging technologies like AI when tackling projects like this,” Zadeh said. “The project enhances teamwork and communication while fostering innovation and critical thinking. Students also gain ethical awareness and exposure to future tech careers, making learning more engaging and purposeful.”

Next Steps: Smarter, Slimmer, and Scalable

The system is currently being tested with a large LCD screen mounted on the exterior of a school bus windshield. However, the students are working toward a thinner, more transparent version that would be integrated directly into vehicle windshields.

“In the future, this could be in all cars,” Ponnam said. “We’re looking at flexible, transparent LED screens to make it lighter, easier to install, and more cost-effective for manufacturers.”

The students are also aware of potential legal challenges, such as window tinting laws. However, they are working with International Motors’ legal team to ensure compliance while maintaining visibility.

A Future of Safer Roads

While the current focus is on reducing sun glare for school bus drivers, the technology has broader applications. The team envisions integrating heads-up displays, pedestrian detection alerts, and adaptive shading for different lighting conditions.

At ������Ƶ, students don’t just study technology — they build real-world solutions. Whether through Co-op experiences or hands-on research, they create the curve instead of following it.

������Ƶ recently hosted its second annual "Cracking the Code" Hackathon, welcoming a dynamic group of more than two dozen high school juniors and seniors eager to dive into the world of computer science. Participants tackled real-world programming challenges, utilizing Python and Java, with the opportunity to win prizes for their top-tier solutions. The Hackathon underscores Kettering’s commitment to fostering innovation, creative problem-solving, and hands-on learning.

“We want to bring in students and show them the fun side of computer science and programming,” said Dr. Mike Farmer, head of ������Ƶ’s Computer Science department. “It doesn’t matter where you start. It’s a great field to get into that helps them create a career with a lot of opportunities for advancement. We want to provide a platform for students to explore their coding skills and connect with Kettering.”

Building on this momentum, ������Ƶ recently launched Bulldog Battles, a series of dynamic weekday competitions designed to immerse high school students in a collaborative, team-based coding environment. These battles pit teams from different schools against one another in thrilling head-to-head programming challenges.

Each week, two schools will face off, with up to 25 students per team participating in individual and team events. The week’s top teams will earn trophies, and the school with the highest overall points at the end of the season will take home the grand trophy. Ford Motor Company has generously supported Bulldog Battles, contributing 50 brand-new laptops and covering transportation costs, ensuring that financial barriers don’t limit participation.

“Our goal is to show students that computer science isn’t just about coding; it’s about creativity and problem-solving,” Dr. Farmer said. “We want to break the stereotypes and demonstrate that computer science is a field where imagination and innovation can truly flourish.”

The excitement surrounding the "Cracking the Code" Hackathon and Bulldog Battles highlights ������Ƶ's dedication to cultivating the next generation of computer science leaders. These events go beyond simple competition; they provide high school students with a platform to explore the limitless potential of technology and innovation.

������Ƶ announced today that Dr. Lisa Gandy, an Associate Professor of Computer Science, Her study focuses on the market migration trends of women medical researchers leaving academia.

Dr. Gandy’s study addresses the critical underrepresentation of women as Principal Investigators in clinical trials, which she links to a corresponding reduction in women participating in these trials, ultimately affecting the quality of cancer care delivered to female patients. Leveraging her expertise in data science, particularly in natural language processing and machine learning, Dr. Gandy utilized LinkedIn data to trace the career movements of women in the field.

“Social sciences and data analysis really work hand in hand. For instance, in this paper, we explore statistical differences in grants received, papers published, and whether women stay in the clinical research space,” Dr. Gandy said. “Now that we have shown there is a statistically significant difference, a social scientist can do interviews, etc, and really tease apart why these disparities exist.”

Dr. Gandy’s publication in "Cancer Cell" signifies a significant advancement in addressing critical issues in the oncology field and illustrates ������Ƶ's ongoing dedication to cutting-edge research and societal betterment.

About “Cancer Cell”

"Cancer Cell" is a preeminent journal within the scientific community dedicated to publishing pivotal advances in cancer research and oncology. The journal is committed to advancing our understanding of naturally occurring cancers, primarily focusing on manuscripts that offer significant insights into pressing questions in the field. It is known for its emphasis on translational research that bridges experimental science with clinical applications.

Maintaining a rigorous selection process and upholding high scientific standards, "Cancer Cell" contributes profoundly to advancing cancer research, ensuring that each publication enhances our collective capability to fight cancer more effectively.

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Ansh Suryavanshi ’25 used the experience he gained at ������Ƶ to win the Hack Dearborn: Disrupt Reality hackathon event Oct. 21. 

“Kettering has always pushed me to participate in events like this and work on team projects,” the Computer Science student said. “We usually work in random teams for a class at the University, and the hackathon is the same with a very limited time frame. So, it adds up to the challenge of completing our project and giving our 100% to it.”

Nearly 200 college students participated in teams of four during the 24-hour event.

Suryavanishi’s team created which won the Automotive Track Prize and ZF Problem Statement. “RoadEntertainment” is an in-car entertainment feature for autonomous vehicles that uses passengers’ ages to suggest and play an appropriate video for the length of the trip. Suryavanishi’s role was backend support for the machine learning model as well as age and hand gesture detection.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect to win because I was really nervous, and it was the first time I was doing something like this,” he said. “I was pretty confident in my idea but didn’t imagine winning the Track Prize.”

He chose to participate in this event because it was close to his Co-op, Hyundai MOBIS, where he works with the Autonomous Vehicle Advanced Engineering team to develop new features for autonomous cars.

The team’s biggest challenge during the event was working on such a tight deadline, Suryavanishi said. 

“Some of our ideas would fail sometimes, so we had to brainstorm and come up with new solutions,” he said. “Overall, we had to race against time and get the project worked out.”

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A Hartland High School senior took first place in ������Ƶ’s inaugural Hackathon on September 16, 2023.

Adriana Lippolis of Linden took home a Sony PlayStation 5 for winning the “Cracking the College Code” Hackathon. 

During the event, high school juniors and seniors tested their skills and showcased their problem-solving abilities in a series of programming challenges of increasing difficulty. Each problem included advanced data structures. Students used Python or Java to code.

Clarkston High School junior Noah Gedraitis of Clarkston earned second place and took home a Nintendo Switch. Henry Ford II High School junior Isaac Kellog of Macomb and Winston Churchill High School senior Pradham Kuchipudi of Westland earned third and fourth place, respectively. They took home Razer BlackShark Gaming Headsets.

Participants also had the opportunity to tour campus and meet fellow competitors, Kettering students, alumni, faculty and the Esports Director.