Tushar Mehta wins Rep. Susan Wild’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Pennsylvania’s Seventh District
Rep. Susan Wild has named Tushar Mehta, an eleventh grader at Parkland High School, as the winner of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge in Pennsylvania’s Seventh District.
When asked what inspired the creation of NeuroAID: An Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) based Brain Tumor Detection System using MRI Analysis, the student said, “My inspiration for creating the NeuroAID app comes from a deeply personal experience. My grandfather passed away from a brain tumor/cancer in India, and his diagnosis was delayed due to limited access to advanced medical imaging and diagnostics. This experience made me realize how critical early detection is for diseases like brain tumors, especially in regions with underdeveloped healthcare systems. I wanted to create an app that uses artificial intelligence to improve diagnostic accuracy and make early detection tools more accessible. By incorporating explainable AI, I aimed to build a tool that both doctors and patients can trust, helping to ensure that others don’t face the same delays in diagnosis.”
This year’s Congressional App Challenge set new records, with an unprecedented 382 Members of the House of Representatives hosting competitions—surpassing the previous high of 374. An incredible 12,682 students from across the country participated, representing a growth of over 1,000 students compared to 2023. These talented students submitted an astounding 3,881 original applications, showcasing their creativity, passion for technology, and the limitless potential of America’s next generation of innovators. This surge in participation reflects the increasing excitement around STEM and highlights a bright future for American innovation.
The Congressional App Challenge is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Members of Congress host contests in their districts for middle school and high school students, encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. This resounding show of bipartisan support emphasizes the critical importance of STEM education in today’s rapidly evolving world. Each participating Member of Congress selects a winning app from their district, and each winning team is invited to showcase their winning app to Congress during our annual #HouseOfCode festival.
The program is a public-private partnership made possible through funding from the Broadcom Foundation, AWS, Rise, theCoderSchool, Apple, and others.
The 2024 Congressional App Challenge will launch in May of 2025, and eligible students can pre-register for the competition now.