Debugged S4 E15: Behind the Mic with the Debugged Podcast Team

Hello! Welcome back to Debugged, the Congressional App Challenge’s alumni-led podcast that connects the country’s youth with technology by debugging the intricate world of computer science.

For the final episode of Season 4, host Medha Gupta interviews several team members behind the last two seasons of Debugged to spotlight their experiences both as part of the team and beyond:

• William Chen: High school senior, and member of the Social Media Team.
• Tushar Mehta: High school junior, and member of the Experience Design Team.
• Suri Le: High school junior, and member of the Social Media Team.
• Teddy Lampert: High school junior, and member of the **Content Development Team.
• Aadithyaa Vishegu: College freshman, and member of the Video and Audio Team.

To start off the interview, Tushar shares some of the top lessons he’s learned from being part of the Debugged team, and especially from hosting several episodes. He talks about building genuine connections, the importance of outreach and collaboration, and communicating technical concepts to nontechnical listeners effectively and excitingly.

Suri also talked about the importance of community involvement across Debugged’s several social media platforms. One initiative she specifically mentions is surveying the show’s audience for questions they’d like to hear speakers answer on Instagram and Discord, and then voicing those questions in the interviews.

Moving to projects, William reflects on hearing from real Congressional App Challenge participants and learning the stories behind their apps. Aadithyaa even shares an app that he is currently working on as a microbiology major on a pre-med track. Allowing patients to do orthopedic checkups following surgery at home—rather than taking the time to come to an office—his app demonstrates how prevalent the intersection between technology and other fields is.

Teddy also mentions a project he did for Debugged: building the website, cacdebugged.org. This project was exciting because it made the Debugged episode list and blog posts accessible to more people and also spotlighted the team behind the podcast. William adds that he believes the personality quiz on the website, which he developed to tell you which past Debugged guest you are most alike, is a great way to find which episode to start with if you’re a new listener.

Finally, the interview ends in the same way that most Debugged interviews do, with each guest sharing their advice to Congressional App Challenge alumni. Teddy recommends applying the same coding skills you used for the App Challenge to solve real world problems around you, as that is a great way to make an impact on your communities. He shares that some of the most meaningful and interesting projects he has done have not come out of brainstorming specifically for a competition, but rather, because he stumbled across a problem that he faced, and thought technology could allow him to fix it. William adds that even after the App Challenge is over and you’ve submitted your app, you can take the same process of finding a problem and creating a solution to any discipline that you go into. For instance, he mentions Aadithyaa’s app as an example of one that combines coding skills to an entirely different field: medicine. Tushar’s advice is to treat your App Project as the first step to a larger goal. He recommends alumni consider publishing their app and networking to scale their app as a product to many real users. Suri touches on the App Challenge’s alumni network, encouraging people not to be afraid to connect to others. She shares how participating in the App Challenge is a huge accomplishment, and one you should use to build connections—whether through LinkedIn, Discord, or any other social media platform. Lastly, Aadithyaa shares a controversial view that CS is not the end-all be-all. If he had to redo high school, he believes that CS was a valuable tool, but it’s not necessarily the only thing you should surround yourself with. In an era where people are constantly making apps, it’s more useful than ever to combine CS with another specialty—like medicine, which is the path he decided to take in college.

As the fourth season of the show comes to a close, this final episode celebrates the teamwork and creativity behind Debugged, and the lasting impact of the Congressional App Challenge on the next generation of tech innovators. Thank you to everyone who has tuned in and supported the show. See you next season!

More about Debugged

Founded in 2021 by the Congressional App Challenge’s Alumni Advisory Board, Debugged is a unique podcast experience that seeks to redefine STEM education, shine a light on diverse voices, and further the narrative around a myriad of computer science topics. By highlighting trends in the industry, breaking down complicated concepts, and interviewing high profile guests, listeners are given the opportunity to delve into the world of technology in an analytical yet engaging way.

Debugged is free to stream on your favorite platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more via Anchor.fm! To be the first to know about new episodes, and to learn more about the team of eleven alumni behind every one, follow @cacdebugged on Instagram and X. Thank you so much for your viewership; we hope you enjoy the episode!