What do you get when a bunch of computer coders and public health faculty and students collaborate for two days?
Mobile apps that address community health issues is what the UNMC College of Public Health expects to be developed during the first Public Health Hackathon, set for June 4-6 at the Maurer Center for Public Health.
UNMC, in collaboration with the Omaha-based Web school Interface, will use computer expertise to target Nebraska’s most pressing public health priorities. One priority is sexually transmitted diseases. Douglas County’s STD rate remains above the national average. Another is substance abuse. About 134,000 Nebraskans have this disorder.
“Making Nebraska the healthiest state in the union will require us to embrace new technologies,” said Ali S. Khan, M.D., M.P.H., dean of the College of Public Health. “Mobile phones are increasingly improving our ability to manage our health. It’s almost like having a doctor in our pocket.
“We are excited about the first ever mash-up of programmers and scientists in our community to create our own mobile solutions to Nebraska’s public health problems.”
Coders will team up with public health students and faculty for the hackathon with two goals in mind: build knowledge and skills for the Web, and increase the supply of technology talent for startups, small businesses and corporations in the midwest, said Interface Managing Director Shonna Dorsey.
“Working with a world-class institution like UNMC is a great experience for our students, graduates and the community as a whole,” Dorsey said. “We believe in providing real world programming experience and giving back to the community. The Public Health Hackathon is a perfect fit.”
Teams of up to five developers each will build new web application prototypes that will make it easier for work to continue on the new products after the Hackathon concludes.
The event begins on June 4 at 8 a.m. and concludes on June 6 at 11 a.m. The Hackathon will be capped off with a demo event at 1 p.m. on June 6, with a $2,000 grand prize awarded to an outstanding team.
Interface Web School was founded in January 2014 to meet the growing need for a skilled tech workforce. The school offers intensive courses focused on web developer training and project management. Students develop the skills to create websites and applications for area nonprofit organizations. Through various partnerships, the school also offers shorter courses and workshops for youth and adults.