July 20, 2025
When first beginning their positions with Public Invention, volunteers are advised that the original commitment is five to six hours per week for a period of six months. This allows for volunteers to truly engage with a project, learn new skills, and immerse themselves in the organization without making a long term commitment. This also provides flexibility for student and retired volunteers who are transitioning between stages of life.
However, some volunteers choose to continue working with Public Invention and the open-source community beyond the original six-month estimate. One volunteer who recently hit the milestone of one full year with the organization is Alison Gilpatrick, a recent graduate in computer science from the University of Vermont who first submitted an application through Public Invention's website during her junior year of college. She described her initial interest in the organization, and her introduction to the open-source community.
“I was looking into internships that could get me computer science experience just for the summer,” Gilpatrick said. “I threw a random Google search, stumbled across Public Invention, and I read about it on the website. And [I thought] this sounds awesome, I really want to do this. So I went to the Contact Us page, sent an email, and then had an interview.”
Gilpatrick took this initial enthusiasm into her project work with the organization, and her role in a partner open-source team known as the Global Open Source Quality Assurance System, or GOSQAS for short. The new volunteer immediately connected with its main project, the Global Distributed Tracking system, which assures the quality of medical devices as they ship from place to place.
“GOSQAS is working on a tracking system for medical supplies,” Gilpatrick said. “Basically, it's a way to track medical supplies to make sure they're not being tampered with on the way. So, you would print a QR code from our website and then put it on a box. Anyone can scan that QR code and add to the tracking records and say, ‘We've got it here, condition is good.’ If something were to happen and [the medical device] got somewhere in a bad condition, you can see where it stopped being in a good condition.”
In support of this project, Gilpatrick worked on the GOSQAS website, keeping it updated and ready for those looking to use its tracking system. She also contributed to the GDT itself.
“What I mostly do is pilot the website,” Gilpatrick said. “Another team member, Nina [Lahoti], makes a good design, and I am often the one making the website match the design. Also, I've worked on implementing features [for the GDT]. We have a tag system that I implemented, and right now we're trying to make different levels of groups and multi level teams work better.”
While Gilpatrick already brought many technical skills to the table, including proficiency in C++ and Java, these projects required learning a workflow very different from her university projects. She described the GOSQAS team’s welcoming atmosphere and open communication streams as important to her success, and a large part of her continued interest and motivation for staying with the organization beyond six months.
“I was really nervous coming into the project,” Gilpatrick said. “I had never worked on a big project before, outside of a school project. But the first week, the team members got me on a call and went over all the code with me, explaining everything. Everyone was really open to questions when I was working on an issue and needed to ask something. So, it's a great environment.”
While Gilpatrick continues to work mainly with the GOSQAS team, she continues to be involved with Public Invention as well. She viewed her time with both organizations as a period of development and growth, and also provided advice for anyone thinking about volunteering with an open-source organization like Public Invention.
“Don't be afraid to try something new or ask for help. Everyone I've met here has been incredibly nice,” Gilpatrick said. “It's okay to ask for help and try something a little more outside your comfort zone. If you’re like, ‘Oh, I'm not sure I know enough to do this,’ just give it a try.”
Both Public Invention and GOSQAS thank and congratulate Gilpatrick on her full year of contributions to open-source and her continued work on the GDT. Volunteers like Gilpatrick continue to make the mission of inventing in the public, for the public, possible. If interested in volunteering or learning more about current projects, feel free to reach out through the website, LinkedIn, or email. If interested in learning more about particular projects, check out the project page and the contributions of Alison Gilpatrick and the GOSQAS team.
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