Nexus Louisiana and The Water Institute Announce Winners of DevDays Digital Wildlife Habitat Challenge

BATON ROUGE, La. — March 27, 2026 — Nexus Louisiana, in partnership with The Water Institute, announced the winners of the DevDays Digital Wildlife Habitat Monitoring Challenge, a statewide competition engaging college students in solving one of Louisiana’s most urgent environmental issues through technology.

The challenge called on students in computer science and engineering to develop innovative solutions that analyze large-scale aerial imagery to monitor bird populations and coastal habitat health. With more than 400,000 images collected over a decade, the opportunity centered on using artificial intelligence and human-in-the-loop systems to accelerate data analysis, support researchers, and inform coastal restoration decisions.

Southeastern Louisiana University computer science seniors Subin Bista, Niraj Bhatta, Mahesh Raj Pandit, and Aakash Poudel won first place and $6,000 for developing an intelligent, scalable platform that combines human-assisted labeling with machine learning to rapidly identify and classify bird species across aerial imagery. Their solution streamlines the analysis process for researchers, improving accuracy and efficiency and ultimately enabling faster, data-driven conservation decisions. By bridging input with automated modeling, the platform transforms a massive backlog of images into a usable, actionable dataset.

“DevDays taught us that the best technology starts with understanding the problem, not the code. We came in with no background in ornithology or coastal ecology, and within weeks, we were building tools to help biologists protect Louisiana’s disappearing bird colonies,” said Bista. “Learning to listen to researchers, lead a team under pressure, and deliver something that actually matters was the most valuable experience of my college career. We’re grateful to Nexus Louisiana, The Water Institute, and the Department of Computer Science at Southeastern Louisiana University for opening our eyes to what technology can do when it meets a real-world problem.”

This year marked a milestone as Southeastern Louisiana University participated in DevDays for the first time—and secured both first- and second-place honors, underscoring the strength of emerging talent across the state. Second and third place winners included:

Second Place ($3,000): NextScope — Southeastern Louisiana University
Team members: Olisemeka Nmarkwe, Satyam Pathak, Alish Dhamala, and Nikhil Kumar Shah

NextScope developed a forward-looking analysis tool that enhances image processing workflows and supports predictive insights for habitat monitoring. Their solution focused on improving how data is organized and interpreted, giving researchers a clearer view of trends across time and geography.

Third Place ($1,000): Delta — Louisiana State University
Team member: William Coles

Delta introduced a collaborative platform connecting students, scientists, and policymakers through a shared workflow. By enabling users to label and analyze bird imagery while learning about coastal ecosystems, the solution expands participation in conservation efforts and helps translate raw data into meaningful action.

As Nexus Louisiana continues to scale its efforts statewide, leadership emphasized how DevDays fits into a broader talent and innovation strategy. “Louisiana’s challenges are complex, and they require new approaches. What’s exciting about DevDays is seeing students step into that space—learning fast, building quickly, and contributing to solutions that matter right now,” said Tony Zanders, President and CEO of Nexus Louisiana.

From a research perspective, the challenge also highlights the growing role of technology in advancing coastal science and decision-making.

"I was genuinely impressed by how quickly these students connected with a complex issue. That's exactly the kind of creativity and innovation we need to inform coastal restoration decisions in our changing world," said Beaux Jones, President and CEO of The Water Institute. "It’s clear the next generation is ready to take on these challenges—and DevDays is helping create early pathways for that talent.”

The results also reflect the strength of academic programs and mentorship supporting student innovation across Louisiana."While our students only recently learned of this incredible opportunity from Nexus LA, they rose to the challenge with remarkable speed and focus. I am delighted, though not at all surprised, to see two of our teams secure first and second place, said Bonnie Achée, Ph.D., the Department Head and Associate Professor of Computer Science.  This achievement is a testament to the caliber of our computer science program, the talent of our students, and the unwavering dedication of their mentor, Dr. Ghassan Alkadi, affectionately known as ‘The GDoc."

DevDays is part of Nexus Louisiana’s larger strategy to engage college students across the state in building technology solutions that address industry needs. By partnering with leading organizations, Nexus is creating pathways for students to gain hands-on experience while contributing to Louisiana’s economic and environmental future.

The next DevDays competition will take place on June 19 at the City Club in Baton Rouge, in partnership with New Schools Louisiana, and will focus on EdTech solutions to improve educational outcomes across the state. Applications open in April.

For more information about DevDays and upcoming competitions, visit www.nexusla.org.

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