UNHack 2023
Join us as we develop solutions to create a sustainable future.
October 27 – October 29
About UNHack 2023
UNHack 2023 is a community event for all undergrad post-secondary students to come together for an unforgettable weekend to try and solve some of the world’s greatest challenges.
You will take part in an experiential learning opportunity with the Lassonde School of Engineering BEST Program at York University, which will help you learn how you can solve some of the most important challenges facing our world.
We hope that this experience helps shift your perspective and encourages you to explore how you can address important global issues, reflect on your experiences, and challenge the existing norms and traditional career pathways.
Over the weekend, you will work to solve global challenges along with your team by following our structured design sprint methodology. With this methodology, you will be able to identify an important problem, develop a viable solution and build an implementation plan.
What’s in it for you?
- Discover your passion
- Learn how you can make a difference
- Connect with like-minded people
- Identify problems and develop solutions to solve it
- Understand desirability, feasibility and viability concept
- Foster teamwork and leadership skills
- Build your network with students, mentors and advisors
- Explore future career paths
Program Schedule
DAY 1
Friday, Oct 27th
5:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Introduction
Opportunity discovery
User need
Root cause analysis
DAY 2 am
Saturday morning, Oct 28th
8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Formulate a “How Might We” statement
Solution ideation
Solution selection
DAY 2 pm
Saturday afternoon, Oct 28th
1:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Solution validation/prototyping
Pitch & get feedback from mentor
Refine solution
Pitching
DAY 3
Sunday, Oct 29th
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Preliminary pitches and feedback
Final judging
Closing ceremony and prize announcement
A few takeaways from UNHack 2022 participants
What’s the Design Sprint?
Learn about SDGs
Challenges
2. HMW ensure better access to affordable food and bolster food security on campus?
Proposed by YorkU Food Services
2. How might we assist students in identifying and addressing mental health issues more proactively?
Proposed by Student Counseling, Health & Well-being (Michael Sa’d)
2. How might we establish a system for university students to discover career opportunities based on their digital portfolios?
2. How might we ensure indigenous communities have consistent access to clean drinking water?
Proposed by Dr. Stephanie Gora and Reece Lima-Thompson, Lassonde School of Engineering
2. How might we enhance physical accessibility for all in-person campus activities and events?
Proposed by Facilities Services / Campus Planning, Design and Construction (Johanna Classon)
2. How might we incorporate sustainability considerations in the maintenance and development of university grounds and natural spaces?
3. How might we repurpose or recycle campus-generated waste materials for constructing new spaces?
Proposed by Dr. Liam Butler, Lassonde School of Engineering
4. How might we harness building data to retrofit existing structures into “smart buildings”?
Proposed by YorkU Facility Services (Bradley Parkes and Steven Prince)
Proposed by KPM Power
2. How might we create systems or platforms where discarded reusable items by students are given a second life?
2. How might we establish effective methods to monitor and conserve aquatic wildlife and biodiversity on and around university campuses?
Proposed by YorkU Sustainability Office
Join as a mentor!
Mentorship is a key part of Experiential Learning activities as it provides the most value possible to students as they gain invaluable advice from an experienced person, and build their professional networks.
Mentors reinforce the Design Sprint process, facilitate teamwork and guide students through the process.
By becoming a mentor, you gain valuable experience, build meaningful relationships with other students and will enjoy interacting with aspiring entrepreneurs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Note: If you are not a post-secondary student, please contact the organizers to see how you might be able to take part in this event.
In addition, we will have some specific challenges available from our sponsors/partners. You can choose your challenge or use one of the available challenges (e.g. YorkU SDG challenges).
• Innovativeness,
• Desirability,
• Feasibility,
• Viability,
• Impact on sustainability,
• Presentation quality
In addition, the winning teams will be awarded to join the BEST Lab to access various resources such as mentorship, coaching, and connections to take their projects to further steps.
UNHack 2022
UNHack 2021
UNHack2020