STEMElevate

Inspiration

The gender gap in STEM careers continues to persist, with women underrepresented in many fields despite growing interest. Inspired by the challenges women face in accessing mentorship, career guidance, and tailored learning resources, I wanted to create a platform that empowers women to advance their careers in STEM. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) also motivated me to address this issue through an innovative, tech-driven approach.

What it does

STEMElevate is an AI-powered mobile app that connects women in STEM with personalized mentorship and curated learning resources. It offers features like mentor matching, learning goal tracking, and industry insights tailored to each user's professional growth. By analyzing user inputs and preferences, the app delivers a customized experience, making it easier for women to find support, set goals, and access the resources they need to succeed in STEM.

How I built it

I developed the STEMElevate app using native Android technologies, including Kotlin and Jetpack Compose, to create a responsive and user-friendly UI. I integrated Google AI Studio to provide data-driven learning recommendations. The backend is built using Firebase, which handles user data, analytics, and recommendations. I also implemented a Room database for efficient local storage of user preferences and goals.

Challenges I ran into

One of the main challenges was implementing Vertex AI after realizing that you had to enter credit card information. I also faced issues with managing the UI state in Jetpack Compose, especially while collecting user inputs and updating the Room database in real-time.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I'm proud of successfully creating an app that not only addresses a significant gap in the market but also aligns with a global mission to promote gender equity in STEM. Building a seamless user experience with Jetpack Compose and integrating AI capabilities for personalized recommendations are significant achievements. It’s fulfilling to have combined cutting-edge technology with a meaningful cause.

What I learned

This project deepened my understanding of integrating AI and machine learning into mobile applications. I learned how to utilize Google AI Studio effectively and gained experience in managing complex UI states in Jetpack Compose. Additionally, working with Room database for real-time updates provided valuable insights into efficient data handling on the Android platform.

What's next for STEMElevate

The next step for STEMElevate is to enhance the User Interface, and to expand the AI capabilities to include more detailed career insights and learning recommendations based on industry trends.

Built With

• compose
• firebase-firestore-(cloud-sync)-apis:-google-ai-apis
• github
• java-frameworks-&-libraries:-jetpack-compose
• jetpack
• kotlin