When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world into lockdown in March 2020, colleges and universities in the United States quickly pivoted to online learning. While most college students were already accustomed to hybrid coursework—face-to-face courses usually include online components—educators understood that protracted online learning would erode the quality of higher education and jeopardize enrollment. Administrators wanted students back on campus as soon as possible, and creating safe in-person learning became top priority.

Purdue University, one of the most prestigious public universities in the United States, is esteemed for its engineering and computer science programs. Administrators recognized that in-house technological knowhow could yield an effective contact tracing system.