Hackathons are intensive, collaborative events where participants from diverse backgrounds come together to solve specific challenges. These events are often packed into a limited number of hours and create a fast-paced environment that encourage rapid ideation and problem-solving.
Participants of the Risk know-how hackathon experienced first-hand the pressures of such an environment. With only 45 minutes allocated to them, they divided into two groups to discuss and brainstorm solutions for two specific challenges:
- Water quality risk in Mexico
In Mexico, Agua para el Ambiente is a Mexican initiative focused on community-based water monitoring in five regions of the country that currently face serious pollution issues. The initiative wants to improve communication about these issues and the strategies people can follow to monitor their rivers.
- Helping Coastal Core communicate to communities in Sorsogon City, the Philippines, about adopting land-based livelihoods
Climate change, increased frequency and severity of typhoons, and decreasing fish stock has meant fishing as a means to protect livelihoods is no longer as viable. Members of the communities are hesitant to adopt land-based options because of a lack of familiarity and cultural considerations.
The hackathon was held on 21 June as part of the Understanding Risk (UR) Global Forum in Himeji, Japan. About 30 participants from diverse backgrounds such as scientists, communicators, artists, and public health experts came together to help the two local communities find answers to their problems.
After intense discussions, participants took the opportunity to present their solutions before receiving feedback from an expert panel of risk experts and practitioners comprising Dr Olivia Jensen (Deputy Director, LRF Institute for the Public Understanding of Risk, Dr Mariko Nishizawa (Committee Member, Nuclear Reform Monitoring Committee) and David Reid (Director of Global Advocacy and Partner Campaigns, Lloyd’s Register Foundation).
Proposed solutions to help Agua para el Ambiente included:
- A list of websites and other resources where they can find information they need on water quality standards in other countries.
- A list of successful interventions which led to increased engagement in citizen science projects in other countries.
- Some design ideas to incorporate into a leaflet to be used as a communication tool.
Proposed solutions to help Coastal Core included:
- A survey questionnaire for Coastal Core to collect more information in order to further develop communication strategies.
- Research methods which are appropriate to to understand their community perspectives.
- A list of case studies to learn from and adapt to their own circumstance.
The final input from both groups were compiled into worksheets and shared with members of both Agua para el Ambiente and Coastal Core.
The Risk know-how project was also introduced to participants as a platform to help communities around the navigate risk information. One way in which the project does this is through working with and supporting community risk practitioners by providing useful resources and case studies, and the opportunity to request tailored help.
The Risk know-how Project is led by Sense About Science in collaboration with IPUR, and supported by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
More information about IPUR’s involvement at UR Himeji can be found here.
