You are here

Home » Community Engagement » Completed Outreach Initiatives

CajunCodeFest

The CajunCodeFest was born in April 2012 in Lafayette, LA. The competition focuses on transforming "data” into real-world solutions. Over the years, the event has brought together innovative thinkers and programmers of all types: professional software developers, software designers, undergraduate and graduate students, educators, and entrepreneurs. As the competition changed and improved, we opened the competition to the younger generation of coders. Each group was judged against their peers in categories. Each team earned their bragging rights whether the competition was 27 hours or over the course of a few months. Congratulations to all of our past winners!

In 2019, we partnered with Congressman Clay Higgins, CGI and Waitr to host a local Congressional App Challenge. The event was focused on linking local developers (as mentors) with middle and high school student groups to learn how to code and create an app on the platform of their choice. The teams were allowed to create an app using any theme category they chose. Their apps addresses a wide range of  concerns from healthcare to disaster management. 

Event Goals

  • Network with other tech professionals
  • Learn from your peers
  • Meet top industry leaders 
  • Win prizes
  • Earn bragging rights
  • Mentorship 
  • Skill advancement

 

Addressing the Issues

Year Theme Participants 
2012
 
Childhood Obesity
 
College/Professional Teams
 
2013
 
Own Your Own Health
 
College/Professional Teams
 
2014
 
Aging in Place/Internet of Things
 
College/Professional Teams
 
2015-2016
 
Fighting Diabetes
 
College/Professional Teams
 
2017
 
Smart Community
 
6th-12th Grade, College/Professional Teams
 
2018
 
Data for Opioids
 
6th-12th Grade, College/Professional Teams
 
2019
 

​
​Open Theme

Congressional App Challenge
 
6th-12th Grade Teams

Follow @CajunCodeFest 

    

 

Related Links

Learn More About Our Research Centers

Accessible Healthcare through AI-Augmented Decisions

The National Science Foundation approved the Accessible Healthcare for AI-Augmented Decisions (AHeAD) Center to move forward with planning in July 2025. Its mission brings university researchers and healthcare industry stakeholders together to conduct foundational research needed to create usable AI-augmented decision support tools that enhance healthcare delivery, improve patient outcomes, and reduce costs.AHeAD is a multi-university research partnership between UL Lafayette (lead), Tulane University, the University of Florida, and Georgia Tech. Tampere University in Finland has expressed interest in becoming a university partner.

Meet AHeAD Director, Dr. Raju Gottumukkala

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn more about AHeAD ➝

Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence

The Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence (CAAI) is dedicated to pursuing use-driven AI research, training an AI-ready workforce, and creating a platform to accelerate innovation to support the local economy. The center serves as a hub where AI researchers, domain experts from diverse disciplines, industry specialists, and community stakeholders come together to address real-world challenges.

Meet CAAI Director, Raju Gottumukkala, PhD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn more about CAAI ➝

Center for Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity (CCIC)

The Center for Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity (CCIC) brings together multiple and diverse experts from across the University to help our nation prepare for cyberattacks that may impact the country's critical infrastructure.CCIC was founded to examine cybersecurity from the perspective of the cascading impact of a significant cyber incident on the nation’s critical infrastructure, such as that experienced by the 2015 cyberattack on the Ukrainian Power Grid. The Center for the Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge University, UK, now places cyberattacks as a “blue sky hazard” that can take an entire power grid down for a prolonged period. A consequence of such an attack would extend beyond the loss of data; it could completely disrupt the functioning of society, much like a large-scale natural disaster.

 Meet CCIC Director Arun Lakhotia, PhD

Learn more about CCIC ➝

Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center

The NIMSAT Institute manages the daily operations of the Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center (LABEOC). The center assists Louisiana businesses and non-profit organizations in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts to ensure community stability, resilience, and economic revitalization.

Learn more about the LABEOC ➝

Louisiana Center for Health Innovation

The Louisiana Center for Health Innovation (LCHI) is dedicated to advancing healthcare innovation by developing research, education, and engagement activities that foster collaboration among academia, industry, and the community. This commitment aims to improve healthcare outcomes, promote health equity, and develop a skilled workforce that meets the needs of Louisiana and beyond.


Learn more about LCHI and meet the Director, Gabriela Wilson, PhD, MSc, FHIMSS, FIAHSI, SNAI.

 

 

Learn more about LCHI ➝

National Incident Management Systems and Advanced Technologies

The National Incident Management Systems and Advanced Technologies (NIMSAT) Institute focuses on enriching public-private partnerships and advanced information technologies to enhance the national resiliency for a full range of potential disasters. Our mission is to save human lives. Our experienced emergency management team joins university researchers and technology experts to build a more resilient America through education, training, outreach, and operational support, empowering the homeland security and emergency management community.

Learn more about the NIMSAT Institute ➝