California Baptist University’s Cardiac Engineering team celebrated its impressive second-place finish at the 2024 Heart Hackathon in Japan. After securing third place the previous year, the team’s success this time reflected its continued growth and commitment to excellence.
The team worked tirelessly to refine its project for the competition. Josh Lute, senior biomedical engineering major and president of the Cardiac Engineering Club, reflected on their approach.
“We took a lot of time to redesign. Last year, we presented in Dallas and did a complete overhaul. We broke everything down to first principles and decided what was really necessary. How do we build it? We started from scratch so that every single piece was super intentionally there,” Lute said.
When the results were announced, the team felt a deep sense of pride.
“We were in Japan, standing in line, and they called our name for second place. I was really proud of that moment. Looking around and seeing everybody who put in all the hard work to get us there was incredible,” Lute said.
For Gianna Lawson, junior biomedical engineering major and vice president of the Cardiac Engineering Club, the experience was just as fulfilling.
“In Japan, it was such a community. Seeing all our hard work pay off after years of research at the club was amazing. Getting second place worldwide—our team was thrilled to receive such an award. We reaped what we sowed, and the team’s efforts paid off,” Lawson said.
Looking ahead, Lawson emphasized the importance of strong communication and leadership within the team.
“With a team this big, building a successful group requires great communication. We also need to reignite that passion. Picking strong leaders who lead by example and have intentional, relational conversations builds an amazing team,” Lawson said.
The CBU Cardiac Engineering team’s success stems not only from its technical abilities but also from its shared vision for the future.
Lawson also shared how the club shaped her career goals in biomedical engineering.
“Joining this club has only skyrocketed my passion for biomedical engineering. Coming into school, I didn’t know what area of biomedical engineering I wanted to pursue,” she said. “Being hands-on in this club has shown me that God is leading me toward the cardiovascular field, so I’m following wherever He leads me.”
With continued dedication and hard work, the team is setting its sights on future growth and success.
