Solving pandemic problems: Feeding those in need
Marquette computer science professor leads President’s Challenge-winning project to boost food bank distribution and help those struggling with food insecurity
By: Lauren Shaw, junior in the Diederich College of Communication and communication intern in the Office of Marketing and Communication
Dr. Walter Bialkowski is an assistant professor of computer science in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. He is also the principal investigator of the project “Empowering Those Who Seek to End Hunger through Collaboration and Innovation” — one of three winning projects as part of the President’s Challenge for COVID-19 Response.
Dr. Bialkowski, with help from several other Marquette faculty and graduate students, is using business intelligence and data analysis strategies to boost the efficiency of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s food distribution to communities in need. The organization, which operates in Milwaukee and Appleton, continues to see a massive influx in people requiring the food bank’s services as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It is estimated Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, or “FAEW,” is distributing twice as much food now as it did during the same time last year, making 2020 the busiest the organization has been in decades.
Bialkowski’s project is a winner of this year’s President’s Challenge for COVID-19 Response, which awarded grant money to three projects designed to address the community-informed focus areas of mental health and wellness, economic revitalization and health services, as they relate to the challenges presented by the pandemic. Funds were awarded to the winning projects by the university through its partnership with American Family Insurance and with continued support from Johnson Controls.
The research group is working to develop a visual analytics solution to assist in member segmentation and support a new member rewards program.
Visual analytics is the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces — a method designed tackle certain problems whose size, complexity and need for closely coupled human and machine analysis may make them otherwise impossible to control.
The group is also planning to survey members about food ordering and receiving challenges to put together an index to create a new kind of business intelligence networking system. The new system will allow FAEW to reach and better communicate with those in need within its service region, as well as build upon the organization’s online ordering system.
Bialkowski says the dual-purpose project is in the early stages of development but the prospect of helping combat hunger and touching the lives of those in need is exciting.
“The purpose of this project is complex. Members of FAEW can be feeding thousands of people per month, or fewer than 100. There are different characteristics among these members and carefully parameterizing these in a visual analytics solution is important for optimizing operational functions,” Bialkowski says. “These functions include aspects such as how many people are being served, what member maximum capacity is, the types of food distributed and location and refrigerator capacity.”
Bialkowski says the efforts will not just help those facing food insecurity, but also streamline the food distribution process so that FAEW employees have a more organized, manageable work experience — adding that the project’s goal and involvement of graduate students, underscores the university’s mission for all in the Marquette community to be the difference.
“I am a Marquette alumnus and when I was on campus looking at the diverse talent that this university has, I was always pleasantly surprised to find that students had a desire to participate and use their skills to do good in the community. It’s very inspiring,” Bialkowski says. “Sometimes it can be difficult to find ways to give back within an academic program like computer science. That is why I wanted to bring this to the forefront. It is important for faculty to seek out opportunities where we can showcase how students can use their skillsets to help our community.”
Bialkowski’s research group includes Dr. Paula Papanek, professor and director of exercise science in the College of Health Sciences, Dr. Jen-Li Ko, visiting professor of languages, literatures and cultures in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, as well as graduate students Ganhua Lu, Jason Palmer, Malcolm Charles, Marita Stapleton. Co-principal investigator for the project is Rayna Andrews, FAEW’s senior director of community impact.
