Articles

HCC student team advances to National Innovation Challenge final round in Washington, D.C.

May 1, 2025

Houston Community College (HCC) is making headlines as one of a dozen teams selected nationwide to advance to the final round of the prestigious Community College Innovation Challenge, a national competition hosted by the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Science Foundation.

The HCC team earned its spot in the finals with the development of the NanoSense Mask, an innovative piece of safety equipment designed specifically for first responders. The advanced mask integrates real-time sensor technology to detect harmful gases and monitor vital signs and could offer enhanced protection on the front lines of emergencies.

Team members Onyinyechi Okonkwo, Kayla Millender, Malexa Patel and Sofia Waheed bring diverse academic backgrounds to the group. Okonkwo is a pre-med major; Millender and Patel are both science majors. Waheed is majoring in business.

The team is invited to attend an Innovation Boot Camp in Washington, D.C. in June, joining an impressive lineup of institutions from across the country tackling issues such as food insecurity, burn care, aviation safety, energy efficiency and neonatal health.

“The HCC team’s idea is more than a project – it’s a mission to keep our first-responding heroes safe,” said Ravi Brahmbhatt, Ed.D., HCC director of Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship who is serving as the team’s mentor. “Our students are driven by a desire to solve a problem for first responders.”

The innovation challenge, now in its ninth year, challenges community college students across the U.S. to develop STEM (science, technology engineering and math) solutions to real-world issues. There, they will participate in intensive training with experts in entrepreneurship, communication and business strategy, culminating in a pitch presentation and a student innovation showcase to be held on Capitol Hill in front of lawmakers and others.

This is third straight year an HCC team has been selected as national finalists.

“This recognition demonstrates the ingenuity and commitment of HCC students to make a real-world difference,” said HCC Chancellor Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D. “It highlights the power of using STEM to tackle pressing challenges. We’re proud to highlight our students’ vision for the future of first responder safety."

To follow the team’s journey and see updates from the 2025 Innovation Boot Camp, visit www.aaccinnovationchallenge.com.