Morgan State Students Win First Place at MIT’s Hack the Climate Hackathon

Innovative Solutions in Passive Design Strategies and Building Science Recognized

Once again, Morgan students showcase their innovation and mettle as they achieve in national competition. Tackling the urgent challenge of climate change through invention, a team of students from Morgan State University’s School of Engineering (SOE) and the School of Architecture and Planning (SAP) captured first place at the Hack The Climate Hackathon, part of the MIT Raise AI & Education Summit held in July. Their award-winning project, ThermaWise, is a cutting-edge platform that empowers users with creative, data-driven energy-saving solutions—showcasing the students’ commitment to sustainability, technological innovation, and real-world problem-solving.

The three-person team, comprised of undergraduate student Jamal Williamson (Electrical Engineering), and graduate students Kianna Spencer (Construction Management) and David Nyarko (Electrical Engineering, doctorial candidate) showcased their creative platform, which uses artificial intelligence to democratize access to building science, passive design strategies, and sustainable methodologies.

Spencer led the visual design efforts for ThermaWise, crafting a bold and emotionally engaging user experience. In just 24 hours, she developed a fully functional prototype, establishing a distinctive visual and brand identity with a striking high-contrast color palette inspired by environmental psychology and accessibility principles. Her design approach focused on clarity and usability, empowering users to reduce fossil fuel consumption while accessing essential building science tools through a cohesive and mission-driven interface.

Contributing significantly to the project's technical and design aspects, Williamson created the distinctive logo and an interactive carousel feature. By leveraging generative AI tools, he helped shape the brand identity while ensuring that the app’s visual elements aligned with its strategic educational goals. Jamal’s design of the user profile carousel enhanced how users interact with their progress, badges, and personalized insights, adding an engaging dimension to the overall experience.

The software development was led by Nyarko, who delivered a robust full-stack application integrated with an AI-powered chatbot. As the lead software developer, Nyarko ensured a seamless user experience by implementing secure user authentication, backend logic for customized experiences, and intelligent chatbot capabilities that provide energy-saving tips and personalized recommendations. His commitment to creating a fully responsive user interface brought ThermaWise’s functionality to life.

The second MIT AI & Education Summit, hosted by the MIT RAISE Initiative on MIT's campus, explored AI's pivotal role in education and responsible AI use. The Summit was designed to address various themes, including AI literacy, AI-powered tools for education, AI for global good, and AI-supported personalized learning. It featured talks by world experts in AI education, hands-on workshops, a climate challenge, paper presentations, educational panels, and networking events. The Summit’s aim was to inspire educators, students, and professionals to embrace AI and collaborate on future initiatives that leverage its potential for a positive impact in education and beyond.

This first-place victory at MIT’s Hack the Climate Hackathon is more than a testament to the talent and ingenuity of Morgan’s students — it is a clear example of how Morgan State University empowers future leaders to tackle global challenges head-on. By combining sustainability, advanced technology, and human-centered design, these students demonstrated that meaningful innovation can emerge from collaboration, creativity, and purpose. Their success not only brings national recognition to Morgan but also reaffirms the University’s commitment to preparing graduates who will lead the way in building a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient future for all.