Along with big-name private sector businesses like AT&T, Boeing, Fujitsu and UPS, California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) has begun contracting with local jurisdictions to solve IT challenges.
The university assigns groups of students under a faculty adviser and each project lasts about one academic year. The groups of one to six students create solutions as their senior projects, applying theoretical learning to real world issues. Emily Allen, dean of the College of Engineering, Computer Science and Technology at CSULA, told Techwire that each project can cost around $20,000, paid by the business or government entity.
Three projects being tackled right now for the city of Los Angeles are a city data science project, a sidewalk repair photo archive and a city Denial of Service (DoS) app upgrade and installation.
The photo archive will gather documents related to the reporting and repair of sidewalks throughout the city.
"It also can go way beyond computer science. There's a possibility of making it much larger for the whole university and have other kinds of projects and engagements at every level for every kind of department," Allen said.
Allen said she sees such projects as ways to make partnerships and to help graduating students find jobs.
"You could say that is one of the functions of a university ... to educate the future workforce," Allen said.
