Behavioral Science Hackathon

April 1, 2020

Hosted by the Center for Social & Behavioral Science in partnership with the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute

Given by Dr. Adam Seth Levine, Assistant Professor of Government at Cornell University and president of Research4Impact this hands-on workshop led researchers and community partners through a rapid, focused collaboration in a hackathon-fashion: ready, set, collaborate. Dr. Levine started with a talk about the ingredients needed for a successful academic-community collaboration.

The event garnered about 40 participants representing 12 departments, and focused on the needs of five community partners: Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club, Unit4 School District, United Way, DREAAM House, and Champaign Park District. Many of the community-centered projects focused on survey evaluations and data collection, including a community needs assessment with United Way. Another session, led by Tracy Dace of DREAAM House, focused on creating a logic model for their summer STEM program. One collaborator mentioned: “I appreciated the careful preparation done to outline the objectives of each group. I enjoyed meeting new people and working with them on a shared goal.”