Two seniors from Fairfield claimed first place at the 2026 Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Case Competition, marking the first time a team from the university has won the national contest.
Senior Elia Haghbin, a computer science and biology double major, and senior Lauren Von Hassel, a computer science major, competed against teams from 72 different universities in Washington DC on Feb. 26. The competition challenged participants to analyze a rapidly evolving national crisis scenario involving artificial intelligence governance and national security risks.
“In high school, I competed in DECA case competitions and enjoyed working through complex scenarios under time pressure,” said Haghbin. “Now, as a double major in computer science and biology, much of my research focuses on AI in medical settings, where ethical considerations are already central. After learning more about the competition, I felt it was something I would both enjoy and be well prepared for.”
The teams were required to make technical and ethical decisions under tight time constraints while responding to unexpected developments.
“The most challenging part was making decisions with limited time and constantly changing information,” said Von Hassel, when describing the challenge of balancing the work. “We weren’t just solving a technical problem, every decision had ethical implications as well. Balancing speed, security, and ethical responsibility under pressure was definitely the hardest part.”
The team’s winning approach combined the strengths of multiple proposed solutions rather than choosing one over the other. Von Hassel said their strategy prioritized both operational effectiveness and ethical oversight.
“We incorporated ‘human-in-the-loop’ oversight where it mattered most while still leveraging AI for efficiency and real time responsiveness,” she said. “Ultimately, our solution addressed both operational effectiveness and responsible deployment.”
Haghbin explained that the team prepared extensively before the competition.
“Lauren and I built off each other’s ideas throughout the competition. We had a strong dynamic, which made it easier to stay aligned and respond effectively in each round,” said Haghbin
The competition also highlighted the ethical decision-making in AI and national security.
“Every decision has real consequences, and there is often no clear answer,” said Haghbin. “You cannot separate the technical side from the ethical side, because each decision affects people in ways that are not always immediately visible.”
The students credited their mentors for shaping their approach. “This pushed us to think more deeply about both the technical and ethical sides of the problem and to justify our decisions,” Von Hassel said. “That mindset carried directly into the competition and made a big difference in how we presented our ideas.”
Their winning case will be displayed at Lockheed Martin’s headquarters.
When their victory was announced, Haghbin said that was “hard to process” but meaningful.
“It felt significant to see our school recognized on a national stage and to know we had contributed to that,” she said. “Seeing my dad’s reaction and hearing from people back at Fairfield made it even more real.”
Looking ahead both students plan to continue working at the intersections of technology and ethics. Haghbin will attend medical school, focusing on AI applications in healthcare, while Von Hassel will pursue a Master’s in Cybersecurity and continue developing her startup.
“This experience gave me a strong foundation in thinking through complex, real world problems, especially where technology and ethics intersect,” said Von Hassel. “I hope to carry those skills into my career, particularly in cybersecruity and AI-related roles where these kinds of decisions really matter.”
